With the help of his father Cliff Cooper, Garrie established Elfin Sports Cars in 1957 at the age of 22, with his first car being the Elfin Streamliner, a front engined sports car which first appeared in 1959, and began racing under the Elfin banner in 1962.
During the 1978 Australian Grand Prix at the fast Sandown Raceway in Melbourne, he suffered a broken leg in a high-speed crash while driving his own Elfin MR8 Formula 5000. The car was destroyed after leaving the track and crashing into the horse track rails on the back straight at over 250 km/h (155 mph). Cooper"s explanation for the high speed crash was that something broke on the car which sent him spearing into the fence.
In 1980, Cooper designed and built the first open wheel car in Australia to use Ground effect aerodynamics, the Elfin MR9.
This car made its race début in Coopers hands at the 1980 Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne"s Calder Park Raceway. Originally to be driven by French Formula One driver Didier Pironi who had experience driving ground effects F1 cars, Cooper himself decided to drive the car as it had only been completed before practice and did not set a qualifying time.
Garrie Cooper retired from racing following the 1980 Australian Grand Prix. Several years before, Cooper was admitted to hospital to have an artificial heart valve implanted.
Due to the metallic material of the valve, Cooper had to take anti-coagulants, which caused concern from CAMS (the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport, Australia"s motorsport ruling body), but after extensive lobbying from Cooper and countless letters supporting Cooper from his heart specialist, he was able to regain his racing license and continued his racing career.
Early on Anzac Day (April 25) 1982, while working on a customer"s car Garry suddenly died due to a burst aorta which was weakened from years of taking anti-coagulant drugs for his artificial heart valve.
Pironi and Cooper"s Ansett Team Elfin team mate John Bowe each drove an Elfin MR8 in the race, with Pironi finishing in third place, four laps down on the Williams FW07B Formula One car of 1980 World Champion Alan Jones. Drivers who raced Elfin cars as team mate to Garrie Cooper include John McCormack, Vern Schuppan, John Bowe, Larry Perkins, 1976 Formula One World Champion James Hunt, and Didier Pironi.
