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Jim Endruweit


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#1 Simon Taylor

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Posted 07 January 2011 - 11:52

Sad e-mail just received from Clive Chapman:

"Classic Team Lotus was very sorry to learn of the death of Jim Endruweit on Tuesday 4th January 2011, at the age of 83.

Jim joined Team Lotus in 1958, fresh from 12 years service in the Fleet Air Arm, as the team first entered the Formula One World Championship. Within 18 months he had become Chief Mechanic, and as the Team Lotus racing activities grew and grew, so Jim’s role extended to become Racing Manager. This was at a time when Team Lotus was competing in all the principal motorsport categories, including F1, Indy, F2, FJ, Sports Racing cars and Saloon cars.

Evidently Jim was a man of great ability and, as Colin Chapman’s right hand man, he played a vital role in enabling Chapman to lead Team Lotus to dominate motor racing in the Sixties.

In the aftermath of the death of Jim Clark, Jim decided on a change of career, and he took up a position with Lotus Cars within the Service Department. Subsequently he returned to the aircraft industry, remaining in Norfolk.

Our sincere condolences are extended to Jim’s wife, Celia."




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#2 Paul Parker

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Posted 07 January 2011 - 12:00

Sad e-mail just received from Clive Chapman:

"Classic Team Lotus was very sorry to learn of the death of Jim Endruweit on Tuesday 4th January 2011, at the age of 83.

Jim joined Team Lotus in 1958, fresh from 12 years service in the Fleet Air Arm, as the team first entered the Formula One World Championship. Within 18 months he had become Chief Mechanic, and as the Team Lotus racing activities grew and grew, so Jim’s role extended to become Racing Manager. This was at a time when Team Lotus was competing in all the principal motorsport categories, including F1, Indy, F2, FJ, Sports Racing cars and Saloon cars.

Evidently Jim was a man of great ability and, as Colin Chapman’s right hand man, he played a vital role in enabling Chapman to lead Team Lotus to dominate motor racing in the Sixties.

In the aftermath of the death of Jim Clark, Jim decided on a change of career, and he took up a position with Lotus Cars within the Service Department. Subsequently he returned to the aircraft industry, remaining in Norfolk.

Our sincere condolences are extended to Jim’s wife, Celia."

Jim Endruweit was very helpful to me a few years ago and this is very sad news indeed, my condolences to his family and friends.

#3 Doug Nye

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Posted 07 January 2011 - 12:51

A giant has moved on. Jim was just great - a gifted man of great humility. Most sincere condolences to his family and friends...

DCN

#4 P0wderf1nger

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Posted 07 January 2011 - 13:12

A giant has moved on. Jim was just great - a gifted man of great humility.

I never knew the man, but from a distance his seems a long life, lived to the full, an example to the rest of us.

I hope that there will be a celebration of his life and careers, and that Classic Team Lotus might be encouraged to arrange it.

It would be good if some stories from his past could be shared on this thread too.

Condolences and best wishes to his family and friends.

Paul

#5 Tim Murray

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Posted 07 January 2011 - 13:27

I never knew him either, but, as a young lad in the early '60s, for me Jim Clark was The Man and Lotus was The Team, so naturally people like Jim Endruweit and Cedric Selzer were my heroes too. I'm very saddened to hear this news. RIP Jim, and sincere condolences to his family and friends.

#6 Bloggsworth

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Posted 07 January 2011 - 13:29

A true gentleman, one of the nicest people I ever worked with - Only a couple of weeks nearly 50 years ago, but the impression remains.

#7 bradbury west

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Posted 07 January 2011 - 14:04

Jim Endruweit was very helpful to me a few years ago and this is very sad news indeed, my condolences to his family and friends.


Speaking to Len Terry a couple of weeks after the Lotus 38 celebration at the FoS he told me that he had seen Jim in a wheel chair, not looking at all well, "probably a legacy of all the Gitanes Bleus."
Like Paul I remain obliged to Jim for his generous time and narrative when I started my own particular research project a few years back. I recall too on the Friday night at Mike Oliver's Jim Clark Film Festival sitting in the lounge at Eynsham along with Gary Critcher with Jim and Bob Dance, as they yarned about the old days until the thick end of 2am. They we were both outside with the 32 at 7am next morning.....

About his time at Lotus, Jim said to me he started at the rear end as a gearbox mechanic, and ended up at the front giving orders to everyone, which "seemed like a good career to me"

With my gratitude, Jim, RIP.
Roger Lund


Footnote;
Perhaps a memorial photo gallery might be appropriate.


#8 Pedro 917

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Posted 07 January 2011 - 14:58

Sad news indeed. I'm grateful I had the chance to meet him at the 2008 Jim Clark Film Festival. My condolences to his family and friends.
Some pictures:

Posted Image

Talking to Len Terry:
Posted Image

With Len Terry & Bob Dance, watching Peter Darley's slideshow:
Posted Image

Glory days with Team Lotus at the Nürburgring 1963 (pictures E. Peter) :
Posted Image

Posted Image

Edited by Pedro 917, 07 January 2011 - 15:07.


#9 retriever

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Posted 07 January 2011 - 17:06

Really, really sad to to hear of his passing. Never met or saw him but read about him often.

He and his compatriots were, and are, just as important as those who sit behind the wheel and collect the silverware.

#10 Gary C

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Posted 07 January 2011 - 17:06

I first met Jim the evening before our Jim Clark Film Festival. Michael Oliver and I took him and Bob Dance out for an evening drink / meal. Suffice it to say, we had a fabulous evening, the more red wine that went down, the better the stories got! RIP Jim.

#11 llmaurice

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Posted 07 January 2011 - 17:10

Sad news indeed. I'm grateful I had the chance to meet him at the 2008 Jim Clark Film Festival. My condolences to his family and friends.
Some pictures:

Posted Image

Talking to Len Terry:
Posted Image

With Len Terry & Bob Dance, watching Peter Darley's slideshow:
Posted Image

Glory days with Team Lotus at the Nürburgring 1963 (pictures E. Peter) :
Posted Image

Posted Image


Oh Dear ! Another one of the "Old Team" gone . I remember Jim joining and the many "happy" hours we spent building the dreaded Thames Van transporter , also rides with Jim in his old MG tourer and loads of all nighters nailing cars together whilst Jim sang endless verses of Noel Coward and Gilbert and Sullivan . Sing on old friend .

#12 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 07 January 2011 - 20:56

Sad, if not unexpected, news. I never met the man but in all the interviews and in other people's correspondence with him, he seemed a very dignified man & it struck me - maybe incorrectly - that he seemed quite modest about his contribution to the sport.

RIP and condolences to his family and his friends - and to those TNF'rs who knew him well.

#13 korzeniow

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Posted 08 January 2011 - 12:38

Lotus Cars

A tribute to Jim Endruweit http://www.lotuscars...ws/en/endruweit

#14 Michael Oliver

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Posted 09 January 2011 - 14:05

Having been away for a few days, it is very sad to come back to this news. When I saw Jim at Snetterton in June he didn't look well but nonetheless, this is yet another link with the past of Team Lotus that has gone - it has been a bad period this past 12 months in that respect.

I first met Jim when I was researching my Lotus 49 book in the late 1990s and, although he was not intimately involved with that car, what he did have to tell about certain incidents in early 1968 (before he switched to the service dept) was told in a lovely, understated but extremely humourous way. We used to meet up in a pub in Hingham or the tea-shop in the village and, along with Bob Dance and/or Jim Pickles for company, the stories would flow. Unfortunately, I didn't always have my tape recorder handy, so many of these conversations went unrecorded...

Likewise when Jim and Bob Dance came down for the Jim Clark Festival, as both Gary and I were so occupied with what we had to do that weekend! However, we did record the guest speaker session (of which Jim was a panel member) both days and I recall he weighed in with a few stories then. I think he was quite taken aback with how interested people were in what he had to say at the festival, perhaps he thought he had been out of the the game for so long few people would remember who he was but it was anything but!

I think Pedro 917's photo of Jim in his tux and bow tie is absolutely brilliant, for me it catches the essence of a lovely man, with a sparkle in his eye. He will be sorely missed.

#15 Bloggsworth

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Posted 09 January 2011 - 21:42

Another thing I remember about him was that he could disappear into the depths of an oily mechanical contrivance and emerge looking like he'd stepped out of an Austin Reed advert - Derek Bell could do that as well. Me, within 10 minutes of putting on a new suit I look like I've spent the night in a shop doorway in the company of a couple of tramps and a bottle of cheap whisky......

#16 DerekLotus25

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Posted 10 January 2011 - 19:24

I was sorry to hear of Jim's passing, as previously said he was quite poorly when we met up at the Lotus Festival last year.

I worked with him on the F1 Team and his dedication and commitment was an inspiration to us all. He was one of the major driving forces behind the success of Team Lotus in the 60's.

My condolences to Celia.

#17 Tony Robinson

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Posted 11 January 2011 - 10:44

Sad e-mail just received from Clive Chapman:

"Classic Team Lotus was very sorry to learn of the death of Jim Endruweit on Tuesday 4th January 2011, at the age of 83.

Jim joined Team Lotus in 1958, fresh from 12 years service in the Fleet Air Arm, as the team first entered the Formula One World Championship. Within 18 months he had become Chief Mechanic, and as the Team Lotus racing activities grew and grew, so Jim’s role extended to become Racing Manager. This was at a time when Team Lotus was competing in all the principal motorsport categories, including F1, Indy, F2, FJ, Sports Racing cars and Saloon cars.

Evidently Jim was a man of great ability and, as Colin Chapman’s right hand man, he played a vital role in enabling Chapman to lead Team Lotus to dominate motor racing in the Sixties.

In the aftermath of the death of Jim Clark, Jim decided on a change of career, and he took up a position with Lotus Cars within the Service Department. Subsequently he returned to the aircraft industry, remaining in Norfolk.

Our sincere condolences are extended to Jim’s wife, Celia."


Sorry to hear the sad news of Jim,he was one of motor racing characters,and personalities always cheerful and helpful even when under pressure.

Jim will be sadly missed by many of his friends.

My deepest sympathy to his wife, Celia

Tony Robinson

#18 Alan Cox

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Posted 21 January 2011 - 17:09

While looking at some of Mr Hudson's splendid pics on the Graham Hill thread, as posted by markpde, I noticed that Jim appears in this lovely shot from 1962. All of the subjects look happy in their work.
http://www.fotocommu...isplay/15455765

#19 Tony Matthews

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Posted 21 January 2011 - 17:54

While looking at some of Mr Hudson's splendid pics on the Graham Hill thread, as posted by markpde, I noticed that Jim appears in this lovely shot from 1962. All of the subjects look happy in their work.
http://www.fotocommu...isplay/15455765

What a lovely photograph, it makes modern glossy-white antiseptic pit garages look just that - antiseptic. The smile on Jim Endruweit's face at the obvious banter between Jim Clark and Graham Hill is touching.