A speedster in the wild... right in front of the White House. Found on Shorpy. Click the image for a much larger view. Washington, D.C., 1922. "Capt. Kopper and 'Cootie' at White House." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Here's a link to the page, as there's some interesting historical information about the life and mysterious death of The Cootie's owner, Captain Frederick Kopper, Jr. https://www.shorpy.com/node/13788 I really enjoy finding period photos of these street-driven jalopies out and about. For a guy who isn't building a racer (lakes, strip, track) the search for these pre-WWII cars reveals a lot of how non-competitors put things together. Even though Cootie has a number and speed parts, it's obviously driven as every day transportation. Notice the klaxon mounted on the driver's side...
That's a great pic...sure looks like a Model T but the exhaust should be going out the other side. Any idea what it is.
Assuming it is Model T based with a speed head... maybe Rajo? I’m still learning. Hopefully someone in the know will jump in on this thread.
Definately started life as a Model T. It's interesting that a wealthy businessman would choose to drive a lowly hopped up model T... I can't think of any other mass produced car that's ever had that kind of universal appeal.
As I placed a kiss upon her lips, I could not help but linger. When I ran my hand through her hair, a COOTIE bit my finger...........Author anonymous.
That sounds like a Spike Jones line- falls right in line with, "I kiss your hand, Madam, because I just can't stand your face"
Captain Kopper seems to have been quite the rakish fellow. If you haven't stopped by the Shorpy page to check out the little biography there and the newspaper clipping about his mysterious death, you definitely should. He seems like an eccentric that wasn't comfortable with his 'station' in the class structure of the time. A Spanish-American and WWI vet that was probably experiencing a deflation from the civilian lack of action he experienced during his service. Similar to the WWII vets returning home and really throttling up the hot rod scene in the late '40s. Click on the photo in the lead post and take a look at the Captain's face. This was a haunted dude. He's 42 in that photo. In 5 short years after this photo was taken, they'll be fishing his body out of the Potomac.
I'm going to keep researching this. Seems to be a well known individual and we can assume Cpt. Kopper competed from the number on the side of The Cootie. I need to know more. I love a good mystery...
......I was a little afraid to try and blow it up. Figured I would lose focus. Maybe someone with better skills can isolate just the story and blow it up.
........I just stumbled upon it online searching. You might give a try to the Evening Star Archives or the Smithsonian Archives.
CAPOOPPTR SEEN ALIVE 2 DAYS AGO Friend's Report Causes Plan to Drag River to Be Dropped. Was in City. Acting on definite information that Capt. Frederick Kopper, jr., U. S. A., retired, was seen here alive on Thurs day, two days after his mysterious disappearance, Montgomery County police today abandoned all theories of foul play and began an intensive search for him in Washington and vicinity. “Capt. Kopper conversed Thursday afternoon on Connecticut avenue, near the Bureau of Standards, with a friend, L. M. Gawler of Wheaton, Md.,” Policeman Oldfield of the county police force announced today. “Mr. Gawler told me he saw Capt. Kopper driving a new brougham and that the two engaged in a short con versation about Kopper’s plans for buying a racing car this Sumjner. I am satisfied now that the captain is alive and I believe he is in Washing ton or nearby Virginia, with friends. Why he should remain in seclusion while we are searching for hhn is something yet to be explained.” Despite the announcement of the po lice. fellow members of the Costello Post of the American Legion, with which Kopper was affiliated, refused to believe their comrade alive, and set out in the rain this afternoon to scour both sides of Conduit road. About a score of the Legionnaires formed themselves into a posse and combed both sides of the road from the Dis trict line to Great Falls. Will Not Drag River. Policemen Oldfield and Gawler will cOnie here this afternoon to visit sev eral places which Kopper is said to have frequented in the past. A house near Glen Echo and one in Virginia will be included in the search, Old field stated. Oldfield said that the search for Kopper in the vicinity of Great Falls, near which his automobile was found locked and abandoned, has been call ed ofT in view of Gawler’s assertions. As soon as Gawler conferred with him last night, he said, he called up police headquarters here and canceled a suggestion that the Potomac River be dragged. 1 The first belief of the Maryland au thorities that the missing war vet eran had been drowned or wav laid, arose from the discovery of Kopper’s muddy hat in the rear of a house near the Falls. A man answering the captain’s description had asked for use of a telephone late Tuesday night at this house, police were told. Bloodhounds brought from Occoquan failed to pick 'up a scent yesterday afternoon. The hounds were permit ted to sniff the hat and then were led around the scene of Kopper’a disap pearance, but it was explained that the trail had “grown cold.” The New York police were re quested today to post a “lookout” for Capt. Kopper. It was thought he might have gone to the metropolis on business connected with the estate of his sister, Mrs. Stuart Capen, who, with her husband, lived in Kopper’s home at Chevy Chase, Md. It is said ; that John W. Davis is the attorney < in this case, and inquiries will be made at Davis’ office, it was under stood.
Oh man... this keeps getting better. This guy owned a garaged that supe'd up cars. From the March 11, 1922 Washington Evening Star... same month that the lead photo was taken. This guy was an original hot rodder. ROOF 16 OVERHEAD VALVE cylinder head for Fords, Dodges, Oaklands, Chevrolets. Let us install one of these heads on your present car and then experience an 85 per cent power increase, enjoying a power thrill that only the high-priced cars attain. Make the motor much smoother, no knocks or lugging, in- creases efficiency and mileage, cuts down car- bon. Will give all the speed and acceleration that you have nerve enough to control. Will take hills on high that were possible only on intermediate or low before. These are facts. Let us demonstrate and prove to your satisfac -tion. See Capt. Kopper. Bartram Garage, New Hampshire ave. and M st. n.w. Holy smokes!!!!
Their is an 8 page article about the Cootie in the Jan-Feb 2016 Model T Times. It is owned by Bob Richman of Richmond, Va. He bought it on E-Bay and did a magnificent restoration of the car. It now has a Frontenac head.
Oh I need to track that down! I’m pumped this car still exists. And this guy... the more I dig the more fascinating the story becomes.
From the Speedway Motors Museum on Robert Roof... “...Roof set about designing a line of heavy duty semi-diesel engines, while at the same time coming out with his first 16-valve racing head for the Ford Model T. The Roof 16-valve engine proved to be a dominant factor on Indiana dirt tracks during the 1917 season. This head drew the attention of the United States government in 1918. The U.S. wanted to use the Ford engine because of its size and compactness, but, in stock form it wasn’t powerful enough. Roof was summoned to the Bureau of Standards in Washington, D.C. to first test a stock Ford engine then test it with one of Roof’s 16-valve heads installed. They found that Roof’s head increased the power of the engine by 64%! The government’s interest in the Ford engine was top secret; even Robert Roof did not know what his heads were being used for... ...In 1924 Roof joined with Myron Reynolds to form R & R Manufacturing Company. It was around this time that Roof starting designing engines for racing boats. He also built a car for competition he called the “Cootie,” which featured a much smaller frame than the typical dirt track car. As an authority on high performance engines, Roof wrote several articles for automotive magazines such as, Automobile Digest, Garage and Accessory Journal, Modern Mechanics and Inventions, The Motor, Popular Mechanics and several others...” Note reference to the Cootie. And the Bureau of Standard. And who should happen to work at the Bureau? Our mysterious Captain Kopper. This keeps getting better... I need that Model T Times article, restoration photos, Mr. Richman’s address, a month off work to research Captain Kopper...
Cool story - through a quick Google search I found some current photos online: https://drivetribe.com/gallery/C40lTRR8S16ghiTY5P9Ipw?mid=ZOZgBpAORR-dPkI_UWY89w
The Jalopy Journal
