Team Ensign

Hi!
Morris Nunn ran his team on the proverbial
shoe string, I have read. Nevertheless his
cars were quite good. See the performances
of Amon, Regazzoni and Tambay in N176/177s.
Why did Ensign never become a top-line team?
The potential to attract big buck sponsors
was there, I believe.

I don't think you can say that performance potential has much to do with sponsorship prospects... it't a commercial world out there, so commerce looks for commercial partners.

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Life and love are mixed with pain...

The first F1 car I ever saw "in the flesh" was the 1978 Ensign. That year, it was demonstrated by Derek Daly at the Phoenix Park meeting. It may not have been much of a car by the standards of its contemporaries, but I was impressed.

Strictly speaking, Eric, that is close to true for me, too. Having missed the visit of the BRMs in 1961 (technically out of date, too), the F1 cars I saw were all fitted with bigger engines... closest to being right were the BRMs with their 2-litre V8s and then Clark's 33 with a stretched V8 Climax.
Then Jack was dragged out here in 66 to show off his World Title winning car in a ten-lapper at the Surfers Paradise opening...
But the first F1 cars I saw do a real race were the Ensign and Wolf that came out here for the International series to run against the F5000s.

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Life and love are mixed with pain...

I think the answer lies in the fact that Mo Nunn is still a bloody goodrace engineer , but not a team principal.
Like Surtees being a great engineer, driver etc does not make you a great team principal --- different skills.
In my opinion Mo has put far more into motorsport than he got out, credit wise, but the Ensigns obviously lacked detail design integrity, good engines and testing miles.

Like I've said many times before, both on and off this board, nothing is really obvious unless you're right up there with the action. Inside the team you might know what's going on, and your close competitors might as well... very few others will be altogether that well endowed with the knowledge.

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Life and love are mixed with pain...

A couple of nostalgic pics of the Ensign team...

In this first pic, we have Mo Nunn, Chris Amon, John, Ron Bennett, Paul & Brian (Not necessarily in that order, +1).


By giraffe138 at 2011-09-28


By giraffe138 at 2011-09-28

Photos courtesy of Ron Bennett.

I may be wrong (shoot me down if need be!!! ), is Ron Bennett the same Ron who is related through brother to Yvonne Bennett who is chairperson of DPRAC? On the subject of Ensign F1s, they have always looked good and I love the one in Unipart colours that is owned by Dave Abbott in HFO circles. The car is for sale now. The Ensign used by Mike Whatley to win the TGP (now HFO) Championship in 2002 was sold to someone who only runs it in the Monaco Historique bi-annual event, which is a crime! There are a couple of series out there screaming for cars like the many Ensigns that must be under cover in garages...

I may be wrong (shoot me down if need be!!! ), is Ron Bennett the same Ron who is related through brother to Yvonne Bennett who is chairperson of DPRAC?

Quite likely Keith, as Ron's brother works on the emergency team at Donington.

For my 6000th post, here is Ray Mallock pictured in Ensign N175 MN04 at the Aurora AFX championship round at Thruxton on 29th May 1978. Having a guest drive in the car owned at the time by Jack Kallay, Ray took a third place in the race. This particular chassis has an interesting race history; I wonder where it now resides?

http://www.oldracing....php?CarID=MN04


By giraffe138 at 2011-09-29

Photo courtesy of Jack Kallay.

Edited by Giraffe, 29 September 2011 - 21:30.

For my 6000th post, here is Ray Mallock pictured in Ensign N175 MN04 at the Aurora AFX championship round at Thruxton on 29th May 1978. Having a guest drive in the car owned at the time by Jack Kallay, Ray took a third place in the race. This particular chassis has an interesting race history; I wonder where it now resides?

http://www.oldracing....php?CarID=MN04


By giraffe138 at 2011-09-29

Photo courtesy of Jack Kallay.

This was the car owned until recently by Mike Whatley and raced successfully in the Historic F1 series.

Same car, but this time pictured earlier in the month at Mallory Park with Geoff Lees aboard. Geoff won the race from the back of the grid.


By giraffe138 at 2011-09-30

Photo courtesy of Jack Kallay.

Same car, but this time pictured earlier in the month at Mallory Park with Geoff Lees aboard. Geoff won the race from the back of the grid.


By giraffe138 at 2011-09-30

Photo courtesy of Jack Kallay.

Loving the photos Tony thanks anymore?

Loving the photos Tony thanks anymore?

Phil, I'll have to ask Jack!

Who remembers Brian Redman's one-off at the '74 International Trophy?



I always had a soft spot for Team Ensign, and they gained new heights in my estimation after their kindness toward me at the Race of Champions a few weeks earlier!

Who remembers Brian Redman's one-off at the '74 International Trophy?



I always had a soft spot for Team Ensign, and they gained new heights in my estimation after their kindness toward me at the Race of Champions a few weeks earlier!

Wonderful story Twinny.

Edited by charles r, 30 September 2011 - 15:31.

Mike sold the Ensign to someone who intends to run it in the Monaco Historique bi-annual event . I think that it has been on the market again recently but for a lot more than Mike sold it for . Mike used it to win the 2002 TGP Championship and the guy reckoned that`s worth the price increase .....

Who remembers Brian Redman's one-off at the '74 International Trophy?

I was at Becketts that day



David

I always had a soft spot for Team Ensign, and they gained new heights in my estimation after their kindness toward me at the Race of Champions a few weeks earlier!

Stuart, that is one expletivin' great story, enjoyed every word ['cept the "loo" part ]

Mo and Clay...

Long Beach '77

http://www.flickr.co...157623186790747

May be more buried in my archives but they're gonna have to stay buried until I can get unburied from real life.

1974.

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Edited by eldougo, 03 October 2011 - 07:48.

A motley collection of scratched and dusty slides and grainy b&w photographs I took of Ensigns.


Rikki von Opel at the very wet 1974 Race of Champions


Roelof Wunderink following Fittipaldi and failing to qualify for the 1975 British Grand Prix


Chris Amon 1976 British Grand Prix


Clay Regazzoni 1977 Race of Champions

David

I've posted this before, but it fits here. Taken from the Ensign pit at Brands Hatch 1976



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In it finest livery the Black" Tissot" Ensign Ickx doing his stuff at Monaco 1977 .

From "On four Wheels" No51.
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Edited by eldougo, 04 October 2011 - 08:16.

Who remembers Brian Redman's one-off at the '74 International Trophy?



I always had a soft spot for Team Ensign, and they gained new heights in my estimation after their kindness toward me at the Race of Champions a few weeks earlier!

Was that the year that it rained, the sun shone, it hailed and it snowed! If so, then I was there. Sorry for that - advancing years and lousy memory.

The Ensigns were simple but attractive cars to look at. I also had a liking for Ensign and followed the fortune of the cars throughout the years that they were on the Formula 1 grid. I was always hoping that they would do better and that the likes of Chris Amon and Regazzoni would bring success to the team as well as themselves - just as I hoped beyond hope that Graham Hill spring back - but as we all know all too well the underdog normally remains the underdog.

Four more Ensign images from the collection of ex-Chief Mechanic, Ron Bennett....

Chris Amon in N176-MN05 at the Spanish GP, Jarama,2nd May, 1976 where he took a fifth place


By giraffe138 at 2011-10-04

& at Brands for the British GP, 18th July of the same year where he posted a retirement


By giraffe138 at 2011-10-04

Same race number, but changed livery. I'm uncertain of the location of this photo of Chris in the Ensign


By giraffe138 at 2011-10-04

Long Beach 1979, and Derek Daly pictured in N179 - MN09 where an accident curtailed his race.


By giraffe138 at 2011-10-04

Edited by Giraffe, 04 October 2011 - 20:32.

My brother joined the motor sport industry as a Fabricator at Ensign in 1976, and was with them and Theodore until they closed.
He went on to work at Zakspeed, Mazda Rally Team, and finally TTE/Toyota Motor Sport in rallying, the Le Man sportscars and finally their F1 team, until he retired a few years ago.

I have three particularly vivid memories of his Ensign days. Firstly the comment in an Autosport end of year review, that "McLaren spent more on brief cases in a year, than Mo Nunn's total budget" It certainly seemed like it at the time.

British GP at Silvestone in IIRC 1977. The Ensign was crashed in Thursday practise, and was hauled back to the Burtwood base for an 'all-nighter'. It was rushed back to the track on the Friday, and duly qualified. Come the Saturday, my brother & I were wandering in the paddock when a gentleman approaches Gordon and thanks him for his efforts in the repair work. As he leaves, he puts something into my brother's shirt pocket. The gentleman was Chuck Jones, and that something was a £50- note!

Some days after Xmas 1978, a mate & I had been to the Donnington Museum, and decided to call in on my brother. The trip across to Burnwood was "tricky" in so far as it was freezing hard and the roads were very icy. At Burntwood the team were putting finishing touches to the new car, including making Clay comfortable, as they were going testing to Donnington in the morning.
When we told them of the conditions on the roads, I will never forget the wolfish grin that appeared on Clay's face. He was positively relishing the prospect.

Edited by Neil Andrew, 04 October 2011 - 21:24.

Same race number, but changed livery. I'm uncertain of the location of this photo of Chris in the Ensign

That's taken at Clearways, Brands Hatch, during the 1976 British GP meeting I would assume.

The photo has been 'photoshopped' (what on earth did we call the equivalent in the '70s?!) as, presumably, part of a sponsorship proposal to Tissot. As one of your othe photos illustrates, the chassis was in red/white/blue FNCB livery for the '76 British GP and if you compare the photos you can make out the difference in shades of 'white'.

That's taken at Clearways, Brands Hatch, during the 1976 British GP meeting I would assume.

The photo has been 'photoshopped' (what on earth did we call the equivalent in the '70s?!) as, presumably, part of a sponsorship proposal to Tissot. As one of your othe photos illustrates, the chassis was in red/white/blue FNCB livery for the '76 British GP and if you compare the photos you can make out the difference in shades of 'white'.

Doctored? (Apologies to the medical profession)

Doctored? (Apologies to the medical profession)

Retouched.

Was that the year that it rained, the sun shone, it hailed and it snowed!

No, that was the previous year!

A sticker that remains on my clipboard to this day......


By giraffe138 at 2011-10-04

Mario Deliotti & Geoff Lees


By giraffe138 at 2011-10-04

Photo courtesy of Jack Kallay.

Edited by Giraffe, 04 October 2011 - 22:16.

That's taken at Clearways, Brands Hatch, during the 1976 British GP meeting I would assume.

The photo has been 'photoshopped' (what on earth did we call the equivalent in the '70s?!) as, presumably, part of a sponsorship proposal to Tissot. As one of your othe photos illustrates, the chassis was in red/white/blue FNCB livery for the '76 British GP and if you compare the photos you can make out the difference in shades of 'white'.

My name is Chuck Jones. I was Mo Nunn's quiet partner in the 70's and 80's and did all the presentations to Tissot prior to their finally coming on board as our main sponsor in "1977" and later. I was a resident at the hotel owned by Tissot for almost six weeks putting the deal together, I did all of the art and presentation and can assure you this photo was not a part of that or any other Ensign authorized package. "1977" was when Clay Regazzoni first drove for Ensign. Where, when and why this Amon, Ensign Tissot not very skillful photo originated I haven't a clue! Clay drove two races for me in F-5000 in "1973" prior to my joining Ensign. I then easily arraigned the meeting between Clay and Morris during "Silly Season" and they clicked in the 1'st five minuets... Those two worked together like the fine Swiss watch Tissot built! Incidentally, I learned a lot more from Mo than he ever learned from me! Mo was, I beleave, then and even now the most underrated "Engineer Without Portfolio" ever in Formula One Hope this helps clarify things a little. Being with Mo and Ensign fulfilled my life's dream!...........Sincerely......... Charles "Chuck" Jones...

Forum member Chuck Jones and Clay Regazzoni

In it finest livery the Black" Tissot" Ensign Ickx doing his stuff at Monaco 1977 .

Note that Regazzoni's name is still on the car as well. Clay actually started the meeting in the Ensign, intending to firmly qualify it on the Thursday before jetting off to Indianapolis to qualify there on the Saturday and jet back to Monaco for the Sunday. When problems meant he didn't go fast enough (21st when only 20 qualified), and with rain forecast for Saturday qualifying, it was decided to let Clay head off to Indy and abandon Monaco. Ickx was co-opted into the Ensign for the weekend and, as rthe rain held off, not only qualified comfortably but also brought the car home 10th on Sunday.

btw, my favourite livery from one of my favourite 'minnows'.

Note that Regazzoni's name is still on the car as well.

Yes it is, but it's promoting his clothing - it's not been left there by mistake.

I think Regga drove for free in '77 and presumably had space on the car in return, the amount of which varied from race to race.

There's some debate over on Autodiva, about a photo taken, according to the contributor, by him at Nivelles in 1974. I thought I'd consult Ensign specialists on TNF.

http://www.autodiva....e...9&mode=view (copyright protected)

I know Brian Redman had the drive that year at the International Trophy, after Rikki von Opel left, but I'm not convinced that it's Brian in the photo as some contributors believe. It's Teddy Yip, Vern Schuppan and Vern's manager Sid Taylor isn't it? Or is it Brian?

If that's Nivelles then I suggested that the car might be the spare, still with von Opel's name on, as Vern raced an orange N174 in the GP. Looking back at Twinny's International Trophy pictures, I guess this might be that car, with the 'B.Redman' sticker removed from the side.
Any thoughts?

Phillippe Vogel, author of the Mike Beuttler book, is adamant that the photo was taken in South America (those black and yellow kerbs etc.) but why would Vern and Sid be out there when Rikki was still driving? ...and the photographer says he's never been to South America in his life! Curious.

I can't access Autodiva to see the photo.

Redman was in a Shadow at that race. Schuppan, as you say, in the Ensign.

I can't access Autodiva to see the photo.

Redman was in a Shadow at that race. Schuppan, as you say, in the Ensign.

Ah, sorry Alan. So if you click on my link you see no photo? I'll see if I can copy it.

How about this? (Copyright protected)



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Edited by john winfield, 01 May 2013 - 12:14.

Ah, sorry Alan. So if you click on my link you see no photo? I'll see if I can copy it.

How about this? (Copyright protected)



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Definately Teddy Yip, Vern Schuppan and I think Sid Taylor.

It looks like the pitlane at Nivelles. Look at the photos of the old place here:

http://www.circuitso.../nl-NL/nivelles

That kerbing can be seen amongst the weeds.

Giraffe knows Sid Taylor very well so perhaps he can ask him about it.

Edited by alansart, 01 May 2013 - 12:23.

Definately Teddy Yip, Vern Schuppan and I think Sid Taylor.

Giraffe knows Sid Taylor very well so perhaps he can ask him about it.

Yes, that is Teddy, Vern & Sid at Nivelles, 12th May 1974 with Ensign 174 MN02 on Vern's debut with the team and the only race he finished for them. I think this pic exists elsewhere on the forum.
Vern was Teddy's protégé and it Teddy's sponsorship that got Vern a drive with Sid initially in the Trojan and later the Lola. This shortly led to Vern introducing Teddy to Sid on a somewhat fateful day at Silverstone on April 6th 1974 where a deal was struck (with 5 "down in one" Scotches!) for a Theodore Racing sticker to appear on Sid's cars. Teddy was overjoyed when Brian Redman won in Sid's Lola, Vern suffering driveshaft failure in the Trojan. The Ensign drive resulted from Teddy's need to find a reason to go to the Monaco GP that year, and was dreamt up in Vern's Miura on the way from Heathrow to Sid's place in Birmingham.

Edited by Giraffe, 01 May 2013 - 15:23.

Yes, that is Teddy, Vern & Sid at Nivelles, 12th May 1974 with Ensign 174 MN02 on Vern's debut with the team and the only race he finished for them. I think this pic exists elsewhere on the forum.
Vern was Teddy's protégé and it Teddy's sponsorship that got Vern a drive with Sid initially in the Trojan and later the Lola. This shortly led to Vern introducing Teddy to Sid on a somewhat fateful day at Silverstone on April 6th 1974 where a deal was struck (with 5 "down in one" Scotches!) for a Theodore Racing sticker to appear on Sid's cars. Teddy was overjoyed when Brian Redman won in Sid's Lola, Vern suffering driveshaft failure in the Trojan. The Ensign drive resulted from Teddy's need to find a reason to go to the Monaco GP that year, and was dreamt up in Vern's new Miura on the way from Heathrow to Sid's place in Birmingham.

Thank you Alan and Tony. That's broadly what I thought but thanks for the Nivelles link, Alan, and that shot of the pit lane kerbing. Odd though Tony, that Vern should be sitting in the 'old' car with von Opel's name on the side. Perhaps his race car was in the garage being worked on by the team. Or in the process of being sprayed orange with the Theodore sponsorship!

Thank you Alan and Tony. That's broadly what I thought but thanks for the Nivelles link, Alan, and that shot of the pit lane kerbing. Odd though Tony, that Vern should be sitting in the 'old' car with von Opel's name on the side. Perhaps his race car was in the garage being worked on by the team. Or in the process of being sprayed orange with the Theodore sponsorship!

It was their only car there, Alan. It was a bit of a late deal suggested by Sid as he was a pal of Mo as they were both Walsall based at the time. I think Brian Redman also raced the car at the earlier International Trophy with Von Opel's name on it.

Edited by Giraffe, 01 May 2013 - 15:43.

It was their only car there, Alan. It was a bit of a late deal suggested by Sid as he was a pal of Mo as they were both Walsall based at the time. I think Brian Redman also raced the car at the earlier International Trophy with Von Opel's name on it.

John, Tony, Shirley. But no matter! Twinny's photo above shows Brian at Silverstone in von Opel's green car, with a 'B.Redman' sticker over von Opel's name. At Nivelles, in the race, Vern's car was definitely orange, with his own, and Theodore's, clearly visible:

http://img.posterlou...tart-252219.jpg

http://www.racingspo...huppan-AUS.html

This is the (minor) mystery arising from the photo with Teddy Yip and Sid. I'm guessing that it's a second, spare car at Nivelles, or the sole car just prior to a last minute respray. I doubt if Teddy and Vern were in Argentina earlier that year were they, particularly as you refer to there being a late deal?

Edited by john winfield, 01 May 2013 - 16:51.

It didn't have von Opel's name on it at either the Race of Champions or the International Trophy:

Rikki von Opel at the very wet 1974 Race of Champions

Who remembers Brian Redman's one-off at the '74 International Trophy?

I was at Becketts that day

If it is the same car (MN02) in John's photo, I wonder why they would have repainted von Opel's name on the side when he was no longer associated with the team. They did resurrect the old MN01 for use later in the season - is it not possible for this to have been the car in the Nivelles photo?

Edit: same thoughts as John in the post above.

Edited by Tim Murray, 01 May 2013 - 18:32.

It didn't have von Opel's name on it at either the Race of Champions or the International Trophy:




If it is the same car (MN02) in John's photo, I wonder why they would have repainted von Opel's name on the side when he was no longer associated with the team? They did resurrect the old MN01 for use later in the season - is it not possible for this to have been the car in the Nivelles photo?

Could be Tim. MN01 there as a spare? Alan, with the 'old circuit link', has virtually confirmed the location as Nivelles, and the amateur photographer is adamant that that is where he took the shot. I don't think Phillippe's Argentina suggestion is very likely, although I can't find any shots of the Buenos Aires/Almirante Brown pit lane.

John, I've e-mailed Vern & asked him what he remembers.

John, I've e-mailed Vern & asked him what he remembers.

Thanks Tony, that would be great. I'll feed the information back to Autodiva, some of whose contributors will be very interested.

I've been communicating with Vern for a future article and asked him the questions you've posed here about the Ensign, and I quote:

"The photo at Nivelles when the Ensign was still green was taken during testing and before I did the Belgium GP. The car hadn't qualified in any races at all at that point. I should have finished 7th or 8th in the GP but had to pit with fuel pickup problem.

"Teddy Yip and I were driving to Silverstone in my orange Maserati Merak (not a Lambo)"

Vern wasn't complementary about the N174 and found Mo Nunn, lets just say, 'very challenging' to work for...

Checking my notes, the Teddy Yip story about wanting to race at Monaco is true. Teddy thought that the answer was to 'talk to Bernie", but Vern said it wasn't that easy. The only F1 car available was the Ensign that Brian Redman drove at Silverstone. Apparently Nunn didn't rate Redman after that drive, and Vern reflected that that 'should have been a warning sign' for him as he had the utmost respect for Redman's ability.

I met a fellow about 15 years ago who was part of both Ensign and Sabre Engineering. At the time he lived in Connecticut, but his name escapes me. Does anyone know who I'm thinking of?

[later]

Doh! Should have read farther in the thread. It was Chuck Jones who I was thinking of.

Edited by MattPete, 17 May 2013 - 01:55.