Hi Ian and ODK members,

Always a pleasure to hear from you.
You have asked a very interesting question.

I think the answer may be found in the incestuous nature of companies.
So ... what was the connection between Marino, Coopers and Sunbeam?

In my Statement of Significance on Marino Products in the History Forum, I
included a photo from the Cooper's Agent's Dinner from 1953.
At the same table was C.H. Brooks, Managing Director of Sunbeam in AUS.

The answer lies within licensing agreements.
Dowling is totally responsible for the pump - it's his world-patented self-primer.
The engine is controversial - the majority view is that it is an English Cooper.
I have argued that its heritage may be American - a Johnson Ironhorse design. Maybe.

In any case, Marino's association with Cooper goes back to the very early days,
with Dowling's first major invention, the Drenching Gun.

[Linked Image]

There seems to be some reciprocal rights with the decade's later Firefighter.
The following, from the Museum of Vic has in its collection a brochure for this machine.
You can view that brochure HERE

Sunbeam was the 'manufacturer' of Cooper products in Australia (by the 1950s).
The last page of the brochure says, "Made and Guaranteed by Sunbeam Corporation Limited
Formerly Cooper Engineering Company Pty. Limited)".

My best guess, then, is that the machine in the photo dates from the 1960s. This is
outside the scope of my article - that covered events to mid-late 1950.

It may be that Marino relinquished rights to the Firefighter by this time, and
Dowling let others do the work. Wherever the answer lies, it must be between Marino
and Coopers. Sunbeam seems incidental to me, at least at this time.

Ian, thanks for the input.
I hope new information will help us explain this vintage machine history.

All very interesting.
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JACK