Ensign LNF3

Has anyone got any information on the Ensign LNF3? Mine is chassis 007 and 1972.

I owned one 1983 - 1986 it was sold to France it was a factory development car which Brian Henton drove.

How did you find it? I have only just bought mine and I am testing next week. I have had modern stuff, but this is my first move to Historic. Do you have any pictures of yours?

Originally posted by RTH
I owned one 1983 - 1986 it was sold to France it was a factory development car which Brian Henton drove.

Did Henton drive your car in any races, or was it purely for testing? I can't recall him appearing in an Ensign, but my memeory isn't what it was!

IIRC Henton went very well in an Ensign right at the end of the 73 season, right in among the leading Marches of Brise/Wood/Taylor/Harness etc, plus the Jones GRD. Did he win at Mallory late on that year ?? I wonder what that was about, as by then Nunn was well into F1. Perhaps Henton persuaded him to make a final F3 effort ?

I will be interested to hear how you get on - I have often been tempted to buy an Ensign as there have been several for sale over the last few years. It seemed a very reasonably priced way to try out single seaters

A friend of mine who runs a Mallock Mk2 bought an Ensign last year.
I have not seen it but he is having the twin cam engine re-built and it will be used for hillclimbs.

Excellent, thank-you for that. All information is greatly appreciated.

I am trying to get as much information as possible on chassis drawings of the Ensign LNF3, I would like to build one for classic racing here in NZ, and would like to use Alfa 1600TC, I know they are a bit tall, but have all the good bits, and go better and longer than Lotus (In my view anyway) have Hewland and all other bits and can build anything, just can't afford a real one, invlved in classic racing here, in single seaters, run a ex FF, now in monoposto spec, but love the look and lines of the Ensign. I can be E-mailed at roganddor@xtra.co.nz

A friend of mine who runs a Mallock Mk2 bought an Ensign last year.
I have not seen it but he is having the twin cam engine re-built and it will be used for hillclimbs. Lister

The car in question is the ex-Mike Wilds Dempster International car. It went from Dempster to David Franklin who hillclimbed and sprinted it. It then went through various hillclimb and sprinters until rescued by the current owner.

:cool:

Hi Steve

Any idea of the chasss number of that one?

Allen

Hi Steve

Any idea of the chasss number of that one?

Allen

I only have it as LNF3-73 :bag:

While that man has his engine rebuilt, how about hopping around with a tape measure and digi camera, and do a bit of sweet talking, then send it all over to me, and I will buy you a beer next time you are down my way!
Roger

I had a flick through some 1971 Autosports last night to start to get a grip on these cars. The first five built are quite clearly identified in an article on Ensign on 30 Dec (p6).

'prototype' - works car (Bond, Rollinson, M Walker) - Ken Sedgley for 1972
'No 2' - Steve Thompson 1971
'No 3' - David Purley 1971
'No 4' - F2 car for John Burton for 1972
'No 5' - Mike Tyrrell for 1972

Allen

Anyone know why the cars were termed 'LN'. Presumably the N was for Nunn, whatabout the 'L' ??

Anyone know why the cars were termed 'LN'. Presumably the N was for Nunn, whatabout the 'L' ??

Lewis, the surname of one of his backers.

Glad to see a few familiar people on this thread. I'm the one currently caring for the ex-Mike Wilds car and will be glad to provide info for other Ensign F3 owners. It carries the original bodywork from period with a small rear wing mounted on the bodywork - rather quaint and probably quite ineffectual. Used for hills and sprints which is where the car ended after David Franklin acquired it from Mike Wilds, mainly in the south west where it was well used afterwards by the Bigwoods ( father Chris and son Nigel, sadly departed in February ), Ted Williams, Bob Bailey and Kevitt Payne.

Very warm welcome, fyrth, to 10-Tenths.

Hi fyrth

Wilds' car was a LNF3/73 wasn't it? Do you have a chassis number or frame number on that car? I'm trying to get together as many numbers as I can for a possible OldRacingCars.com article on the F3 Ensigns but have little so far - just the first five listed above and the LN7 car of John Littler. A chassis number for the Wilds car would be another useful stake in the ground.

Allen

Glad to see a few familiar people on this thread. I'm the one currently caring for the ex-Mike Wilds car and will be glad to provide info for other Ensign F3 owners. It carries the original bodywork from period with a small rear wing mounted on the bodywork - rather quaint and probably quite ineffectual. Used for hills and sprints which is where the car ended after David Franklin acquired it from Mike Wilds, mainly in the south west where it was well used afterwards by the Bigwoods ( father Chris and son Nigel, sadly departed in February ), Ted Williams, Bob Bailey and Kevitt Payne.

Welcome Fyrth, glad to see you found your way to 10/10. It is an odd place where discussions on Ensigns and Mallocks are often bracketed by questions about some German Geezer called Schumacher!

:cool:

Allen

The Wilds/Dempster Developments car was built in June 1972 and would have originally been an LNF3/72. I guess all the '72 cars were tweaked at the beginning of 1973 and called LNF3/73, albeit next to no difference.

I think the main mod for later cars was to drop the top chassis mounting of the rear front suspension links, perhaps to improve the braking in comparison with March and GRD. The fact remains that Mo Nunn was already involved with the F1 car in 1972 and the F3 cars received little development, although I think when Dave Baldwin became involved with the F1 project he had a small think about the F3 cars as well!

My car has no visible chassis number. If you can tell me where it might be I can have another serious look. I understand that a number of cars were sold with spare chassis as part of the package and I doubt if these were numbered. Wilds climbed the bank at North Tower at Crystal Palace in September '72 so who knows how those repairs were made? I have Mike's phone number but loath to contact him as early owners can get a bit fed up with anoraks like me!

I have all the Autosports for this period and sustaiined research might reveal some sort of critical path for the cars/drivers. If I can help please email to save the world from this sort of detail!

If I can help please email to save the world from this sort of detail!The 10 Tenths world loves this sort of detail!

Allen

My car has no visible chassis number. If you can tell me where it might be I can have another serious look. Is RSQ still here? His has a number somewhere on it.

Allen

Allen

That's a good idea as I have looked in all the obvious places with no success, and so must have others as the cars 'papers' give no clue! It would also be good to chat with current drivers as I could do with picking their brains about suspension setup rather than relying on my amateur impressions of the cars behaviour.

Returning to the early history, Steve is of course right in saying the Bernard Lewis was the L to Mo Nunns N in the name. I believe he had family connections with either Steve Thompson or Alan Rollinson and was associated with Brineton Engineering, at that time in Walsall and these days the Bugatti parts people? The first chassis built by Mo was tested by Rollinson just before Christmas 1970 at Silverstone fitted with an MAE, although I believe it missed Boxing Day Brands which was the first planned outing. This car is currently owned by Richard George in the Midlands although he was seeking a new custodian, to use that VSCC expression!

Bev Bond then won the first F3 race with 1.6 engines at Brands in April 1971, a fabulous advert/pic of him, Mo, Bernard and Bob Howlings standing embarassingly round what was presumably the same chassis, in Autosport 8.4.71 The 31.12.71 Autosport article by Simon Tayor already mentioned in this thread covers the early cars perfectly.

Thats quite enough for one day!

Allen
I believe that Wilds's 1972 car was LN8. I have a programme from 1973 annotated with chassis numbers by AF which gives this. The car debuted at Cadwell 16.7.72
Including Littler's LN7 I can find 6 cars that debut before this in the 1972 F3 run: Gambs; Tyrrell; the two works cars of Walker and von Opel; Vandervell and Littler. If the works team had a spare car - not unlikely - that works ok.
Debuting immediately after [23.7 and 31.7] are the cars of Brendan McInerney and Cavan Riley.
The only other Ensign chassis numbers I can trace are LN17 and LN20 the Team Modus cars in 1973, one of which goes to Ivor Goodwin in 1974.

What might complicate the Wilds situation is that in 1973 he may well have had a new car and kept LN8 as a spare. Press reports say he is getting a new car early in the season, and then there is a piece in A/S by Ian Phillips bemoaning the rising cost of F3 and commenting on people like Wilds who can afford to run a spare car.
This suggests to me that the David Franklin, ex Wilds, Ensign in hillclimbs in 1974 might not be LN8. [Though as Wilds is running LN8 late in 73, given the date of this programme, it begs the question as to what became of the newer car]

Chris

Allen
I believe that Wilds's 1972 car was LN8. I have a programme from 1973 annotated with chassis numbers by AF which gives this. The car debuted at Cadwell 16.7.72
Including Littler's LN7 I can find 6 cars that debut before this in the 1972 F3 run: Gambs; Tyrrell; the two works cars of Walker and von Opel; Vandervell and Littler. If the works team had a spare car - not unlikely - that works ok.
Debuting immediately after [23.7 and 31.7] are the cars of Brendan McInerney and Cavan Riley.
The only other Ensign chassis numbers I can trace are LN17 and LN20 the Team Modus cars in 1973, one of which goes to Ivor Goodwin in 1974.

What might complicate the Wilds situation is that in 1973 he may well have had a new car and kept LN8 as a spare. Press reports say he is getting a new car early in the season, and then there is a piece in A/S by Ian Phillips bemoaning the rising cost of F3 and commenting on people like Wilds who can afford to run a spare car.
This suggests to me that the David Franklin, ex Wilds, Ensign in hillclimbs in 1974 might not be LN8. [Though as Wilds is running LN8 late in 73, given the date of this programme, it begs the question as to what became of the newer car]

Chris

Wilds started 1973 with an Ensign - possibly a new chassis? He had a big shunt at Monaco however he was again in an Ensign for the July Paul Ricard French GP support race. Just two weeks later at the British Grand Prix and Wilds was in a March 733.

If Dempster had a new chassis for 1973 (i.e. not LN8) then it was this chassis that bit the dust at Monaco. He may then have raced the 1972 chassis at Paul Ricard and as he was way off the pace may well have gone for a MARCH as they were definately the chassis to have in 1973.

So as far as Fyrth's car is concerned it could well be the 1972 chassis whilst I believe the badly damaged 1973 chassis ended up with John Page in Bristol.

:)

Chris and Steve

That is all very interesting. Whilst knowing John used to have an Ensign I did not realise the connection might be so close. He lives quite close to me in Bristol so I will endeavour to get in touch. If you have his telephone number Steve, please could you email to me?

Chris and Steve

That is all very interesting. Whilst knowing John used to have an Ensign I did not realise the connection might be so close. He lives quite close to me in Bristol so I will endeavour to get in touch. If you have his telephone number Steve, please could you email to me?

Sorry Fyrth, don't have a phone number for John. I did have an email address but it went WEST when my PC collapsed earlier this year! I spotted some posts on this site by John's son and that is how I made contact.

All John could tell me was that the car was ex-Dempster/Wilds and that it had been HEAVILY shunted. He had no record of the CHASSIS NUMBER.

:bag:

Having talked to John Page, the story unfolds. According to him the new 1973 Dempster/Wilds chassis was mangled at Monaco, eventually going to Arch Motors, virtually a new chassis eventually appearing. This bare chassis found its way to the Morris Brothers in Hereford as a spare - they were runnng the ex-Tyrell car on the hills with an FVA (?).

At this time John was sprinting an Ensign, history unknown, with a tatty chassis. Bill Morris passed this spare chassis to him and he rebuilt his car on this 'as new' chassis, the old one scrapped. John sold this car in the 80's and the new owner won the Classic F3 title in 1990? John now runs a Reynard mainly in French speed events.

So Steve, this confirms your suggestions and it might therefore appear that mine is the original 1972 chassis. As an aside, the number was stamped very faintly on a rail right at the front of the car. I will now look again although I am sure it is not visible, if for no other reason than the chassis had a lovely powder coat finish during a Ray Rowan rebuild in the 90's, and I'm not inclined to scrape that off just yet!

Moving on to Ensign F3 in 1972 can some kind soul suggest from whom Ken Mackintosh bought his Ensign, Thompson or Purley? I seem to have too much time on my hands and too many Autosports, although it is now on excel for posterity!

Mackintosh's was the ex Steve Thompson chassis

Jeremy

Thank you! Where did that go at the end of 1972? And where did the David Purleys 1971 F3 Ensign move to in 1972? I'm sure the answer is out there somewhere!

Allen
I believe that Wilds's 1972 car was LN8. I have a programme from 1973 annotated with chassis numbers by AF which gives this. The car debuted at Cadwell 16.7.72
Including Littler's LN7 I can find 6 cars that debut before this in the 1972 F3 run: Gambs; Tyrrell; the two works cars of Walker and von Opel; Vandervell and Littler. If the works team had a spare car - not unlikely - that works ok.
Debuting immediately after [23.7 and 31.7] are the cars of Brendan McInerney and Cavan Riley.
The only other Ensign chassis numbers I can trace are LN17 and LN20 the Team Modus cars in 1973, one of which goes to Ivor Goodwin in 1974...
Hi Chris

I don't know how many Ensign's were built in 1973 but Gerald's site only mentions 10 drivers. So if you have note of chassis LN17 and LN20 in 1973, that implies the cars were numbered continuously through the 1971 range to the 1973 cars. If that's right, those five cars mentioned at the end of 1971 are effectively LN1 to LN5 with Littler's car being just two cars later and thus LN8 is a quite early 1972 car. If there were, as a rough estimate, 10 1972 cars, I'd expect to see the 1973 cars then starting at about LN14 or LN15.

Mo's F1 cars also numbered continuously.

Allen

Allen
These are my notes on Ensigns. I haven't made much of an effort with these as there were only a few in Atlantic

LN1 1971 Howlings Racing: Bev Bond 1972 Ken Sedgley 1973 Richard Parsons [Smiths] 1978 Hugh Price [F4] AS 7.9.78 p. 67 'the first Ensign ever made'
LN2 1971 Brinton Engineering: Steve Thompson 1972 Ken Mackintosh 1973 Rölf Wunderink [MN 8.2.73]
LN3 1971 David Purley 1972 David Purley [early season]
LN7 Not known before 1985 with Vegantune t.c but clearly car with 1971/2 front suspension

LNF3 [1972 production] 1972 LN2 chassis number noted AF Jeremy Gambs
Mike Tyrrell
works spare?
Iberia: Mike Walker An Iberia car to Ole Vejlund [MN 8.2.73]
Iberia: Ricky von Opel
Colin Vandervell
LN7 John Littler
LN8 Mike Wilds [new 16.7 Cadwell] 1973 Mike Wilds [spare]
Cavan Riley [new Thruxton 31.7]
Brendan McInerney [23.7 Brands] 1973 Frank Scurria [USA]
Stan Matthews [new Thruxton 27.8]
Brian Henton 1978: David Ward [FL] AS 23.2.78 p. 65
1973 production
Mike Wilds
March delivery Carlo Giorgio
March devlivery Roberto Marazzi
LN17 Modus: Mo Harness Ivor Goodwin [or LN20]
LN20 Team Modus: Spare

Following the Wilds Ensign problem I had an electronic exchange of messages with Fyrth and when asked John Page, who had the rebuilt 1973 Ensign, said his old car had won the Classic F3 Championship in 1990. Fyrth checked on their website and came up with Peter Gilham.

So the question is what is the chassis number of the car Peter Gilham drove?

LNF3 [1972 production] 1972 LN2 chassis number noted AF Jeremy Gambs
At which point my theory lies down and dies. Probably...

Sorry Allen, based on AF's note on Gambs's car it does look as though the 1971 production is numbered separately from 72-73. [Based on numbers of drivers in
73 with Ensigns I can't see that series starting at LN1].
And where do the Atlantics and the F2 fit into all this?

Chris

Interested when and which Ensign F3's Ginn, Evans, Greenwood and Trimmer drove in 1972?

Top picture was my Ensign I owned it from 1983 to 1985 bought it in Liverpool and sold it to Paris

http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/1599/brg3ii.jpg

Richard

Thank you for that pic. May I ask a question - is the strut into which the rear wing is mounted bolted directly to the rear of the gearbox? Did you drive the car much, and what were your impressions?

Yes it was, that's very well spotted as that was the non-original part of the car.

You will remember the original was 2 rear wings located either side of the high engine cover.

Although I had the car for 2 years other pressures meant I only did 3 races in it , in one it dropped a valve in one it had chronic fuel surge in fast corners and some very old tyres so I didn't really give the project enough time to get the best out of it . It had good suspension geometry with its very wide based wishbones and was low drag through the air compared with other cars of the time. No question they were a competitive car in their hayday.

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/srwquiz/images/2-picture2.gif

David Franklin in the ex-Wilds Ensign that Fyrth Crosse now owns.

Having talked to John Page, the story unfolds. According to him the new 1973 Dempster/Wilds chassis was mangled at Monaco, eventually going to Arch Motors, virtually a new chassis eventually appearing. This bare chassis found its way to the Morris Brothers in Hereford as a spare - they were runnng the ex-Tyrell car on the hills with an FVA (?).


http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/swhillclimb/images/2-picture2.gif

Above: Bill Morris campaigning his Ensign at Prescott in 1974

Out of interest here is the Wilds/Franklin LNF3 as it appears today on the hills with original rear bodywork and wing. The oil tank is modern as the old tank beneath the seat is now a fuel tank, the bag tanks removed.

http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/gallery/gallery02/fyrth%20crosse%203.jpg

His name was actually Bernard Lewis and he lived in Sutton Coldfield. He went into partnership with Mo to run the Lewis-Nunn F3 racing team. This later consisted of The Lotus 41 for Mo Nunn and his old Lotus 22 which was driven by Bernard Lewis's son.
I am Mo Nunns ex brother in-law and spent many hours working in his garage on his F3 cars from the age of 14, eventually working fulltime building the Ensign F3, F2 and Atlantic cars, finishing off building the F1 cars before getting out of racing in 1975.

Welcome Derek

Do you have any idea who might have any records of the cars Ensign built before getting into F1? There seem to have been at least a couple of dozen of them and it would be a huge help if we could uncover any records of original customers.

Allen

Welcome Derek

Do you have any idea who might have any records of the cars Ensign built before getting into F1? There seem to have been at least a couple of dozen of them and it would be a huge help if we could uncover any records of original customers.

Allen

Allen,
All of the chassis records and owners were recorded in a book held by Mo Nunn at the factory where we used to build the cars. Unfortunately don't know what happened to this after I left the team. Can't remember the chassis numbers myself.
There were 3 Iberia works cars in use, one race car each for Mike Walker (Mechanic - Simon Arkless) and Rikki von Opel (Mechanic - me) and a test development car (Mechanic - Brian Day) used by Rikki. The test car was used for 1 race after Rikki badly crashed his race car.
If my memory serves me well, I think the 2 Modus cars were the last F3 cars we built, before we concentrated on the the F1 project.
Looking at the chassis number data you have so far, reminded me of a funny thing that happened when the American Mike Tyrell came to pick up his car. We opened the door and there stood this "Man Mountain", about 6' 3" and 16 stone and caused an immediate panick in how we were going to fit him in a car. After a few days mods we finally managed it. Sadly, he was later killed in a road crash in the States.

Derek

Derek

How good that you have become involved with this thread. Please can I ask a couple of questions if you can remember?
1. What changes were made to the chassis as the cars were deveoped - I have the impression it was just the slight lowering the chassis mount of the front rear radius arm?
2. Was the chassis rail beneath the o/s engine mount always removable?
3. Were the chassis all numbered, and where?

I continue to enjoy the Mike Wilds car, its refreshed twin cam to be collected this weekend!

Derek

How good that you have become involved with this thread. Please can I ask a couple of questions if you can remember?
1. What changes were made to the chassis as the cars were deveoped - I have the impression it was just the slight lowering the chassis mount of the front rear radius arm?
2. Was the chassis rail beneath the o/s engine mount always removable?
3. Were the chassis all numbered, and where?

I continue to enjoy the Mike Wilds car, its refreshed twin cam to be collected this weekend!
The nose cone underbody panel was dispensed with during 1972.

The removable o/s chassis rail was introduced during 1972 I think, to reduce time when changing engines, which we did quite frequently.

The chassis numbers were letter stamped onto the the rear LH side of chassis frame at the rear of the cockpit chassis cross member in front of the engine section, if I remember correctly.

I seem to remember the top link on the rear of the front suspension was moved slighlty to change the anti-dive characteristics.

As a basic suspension set-up, cambers were 1/4 degrees negative and toe-in 1/16" front and rear. Minor adjustment was then made according to tyre temperatures at each track. I think castor was set around 3-4 degrees.
Ride height was 2 1/2" front and 2 3/4" rear.

Two sizes of front wings were used depending on the downforce required. The small wings were 1/2 the length of the full wings.

The Iberia works cars were fitted with Bilstein gas shocks in 1972, rather than the Armstrong adjustable standard units supplied to customer cars, a definate improvement in handling. They also had special machined wheels with reduced thickness to reduce unsprung weight.

In normal race condition the works cars were below the minimum weight and required lead ballast to be added.

The Mike Wilds chassis that I think you have would be using a replaced chassis frame still using the original chassis no., built by Arch Motors. Mike's car was one of the most crashed of all the Ensign F3 cars. The car was prepared by mechanic Colin Bennet.

I hope this information helps you, as the memory is going these days.

If I can help you any further please contact me.

Good luck with your racing.

Regards,
Derek

Derek

Thank you, interesting and useful, particularly the chassis setup not 1000 miles from what it is now. History suggests that the cars has been well used and broken on occasions, not least when later owner Kevitt Payne had a serious at Werrington Hill Climb near Launceston and removed all the corners, happily walking away. The car was there this year without harm but someone else managed this at the same spot, car damage but minimal personal damage thankfully.

I had the impression that several cars were sold with a spare bare chassis, would that be correct? And were the wheels normally supplied as OE from Astralli, just down the road from you? Did Bernard Lewis have local business interests in Walsall - Brineton Engineering comes to mind, who are of couse still trading engineering Bugatti parts amongst other things.

Please excuse the further questions, all helping to build a picture and will be duly logged with the cars's history.

Astrali used to make the steering wheels only. In the 60-70's they were a leading supplier of steering wheels in the UK. The guy who owned it was a personal friend of Mo Nunn. The company has since been taken over, http://www.astrali.co.uk/

Brineton Engineering machined the wheels, which were cast by Aeroplane and Motor, West Bromwich, the same company who cast the engine blocks for the DFV Cosworth engines. Brineton Engineering were a small engineering firm next door to the Ensign workshop when it was based in Walsall. The director of the company is Graham Madeley, http://www.brineton-eng.co.uk/contact.htm

Bernard Lewis was managing director of a compressor firm in Walsall. I can't remember what they were called, now defunct.

As far as I can remember all the cars were sold as a single unit only. Only when a chassis was written off was a new one supplied, which was manufactured by Arch motors, http://www.archmotor.co.uk/.

Since the last post I have thought more about the removable chassis tube in the engine bay. If I remember correctly, removing the tube gives you better access to the oil pump, without having to remove the engine.

I hope this helps you?

Regards,
Derek

Derek

The removable chassis rail is below the engine mount on the n/s and apologies for my error in my previous post, I always get o/n mixed. This does make it possible to remove the starter motor with engine 'in situ', but does not seem to make engine removal any easier. Everything is a 'perfect' fit with feller gauge gaps here and there - just how it should be!

One story that came with the car - apparently this removable rail was removed by Colin Bennet at Monaco in June 1973 to improve handling? As Monaco was another accident for the car one can only speculate.

One story that came with the car - apparently this removable rail was removed by Colin Bennet at Monaco in June 1973 to improve handling? As Monaco was another accident for the car one can only speculate.

Wasn't that THE accident that led to the car being rechassied and the bent one then ending up with the Morris Brothers in South Wales?

There seems to have been two Mike Tyrells with Ensigns? From a post above, the MT refered to was an American who later died in a road accident.
Whilst searching for Brabham history last week, I asked Jimmy Fuller (BT38 in 1973 UK F3) about the Mike Tyrell from Antigua who drove an Ensign in 1973 UK F3 (the same Mike Tyrell who also entered the 1970 London Mexico World Cup Rally with Jimmy Fuller and Bernard Unett in a Hilman Hunter).
The (Antiguan) Mike Tyrell Ensign F3 was shown in MN as entered for the November 73 Guyana races (from a search by Andrew Fellowes for Brabham reports). Jimmy Fuller believed it to have been written off in a Snetterton F3 race (but he could have been mistaken and it was destroyed in 74, when MT, but not JF, continued in UK F3). Either way, chassis seem to have a habit of surviving write offs...
Confused?...I was...

I owe everybody an apology regarding information on Mike Tyrell. I can confirm that he was from Antigua, and he was not killed in a car crash.
The American driver I had him mixed with up in a previous thread was Tom Hilliar, who died in a road accident near his home in Essex, Connecticut. Aged 32, Hilliar did a season in Europe in 1973 with a F3 Ensign

Just noticed that, within a report on Brabhams in the region, Mike Atwell of Barbados says the Mike Tyrrell Ensign went to Richard Machado in Jamaica.
We have the Tyrrell car in Guyana, November 73. Two photos of the car(currently copyright - but asking may well release them for here) have just appeared on the Guyana racing forum which seem to be from different years, one being November 73. This suggests the Tyrell car was at the Guyana meeting in November 74 too (pretty sure it wasn't 72) and it appears to be carrying a "Forward Trust" sticker (UK F3 championship). We then have Jimmy Fuller last month recalling it as written off at Snetterton in UK F3. We also have a photo on this thread of the car at Prescott in 74 with Bill Morris (which could have been no later than early September?) in what looks the same colour as in Guyana. Could Tyrrell have had a second car, replacing one sold or written off?
A contact for Mike Tyrrell may become available in due course (but those who may know, will realise why that is not a simple matter...).

Further to the above, M. Tyrrell does not seem to have run in UK F3 in 74 with the Ensign and is reported as making his first 74 F3 start at Snetterton on 28 July in the ex-Brise March 733 (and taking 3 poles in August). So no second chassis...and Guyana Ensign photos needs examining to explain 2 different race numbers/car markings as not there 74?

The Snetterton heavy shunt for the Tyrrell car was 9/10/72. It is listed at Brands 22/10/72 and begins 73 season at Silverstone 18/3/73 still listed as an LNF372. So no write off. So, after Guyana 73, sold to Jamaica and later to Morris in UK or direct to Morris (and Atwell not correct re-Jamaica).

We also have a photo on this thread of the car at Prescott in 74 with Bill Morris (which could have been no later than early September?) in what looks the same colour as in Guyana.

1st September 1974 to be precise. :photo:

Wasn't that THE accident that led to the car being rechassied and the bent one then ending up with the Morris Brothers in South Wales?

Surely the Morris Brothers in South Wales had the rather bent ex-Mike Wilds F3 Ensign that was shunted at Monaco. This chassis eventually went onto John Page.

:cool:

I am trying to get as much information as possible on chassis drawings of the Ensign LNF3, I would like to build one for classic racing here in NZ, and would like to use Alfa 1600TC, I know they are a bit tall, but have all the good bits, and go better and longer than Lotus (In my view anyway) have Hewland and all other bits and can build anything, just can't afford a real one, invlved in classic racing here, in single seaters, run a ex FF, now in monoposto spec, but love the look and lines of the Ensign. I can be E-mailed at roganddor@xtra.co.nz


Is the mono car a lolat642e? if so i used to own one. Chassis 49

Hi All,

The Mike Tyrell ensign was sold to Richard Machado ( Jamaica ) and then to Silbourne Clarke ( Trinidad ). As far as I understand from Silbourne the car is still here in Trinidad in pieces. I have told Silbourne about this site so I am sure that he will come on at some time and will be able to give more details.

I made contact with Nick Crossley who was 1974 F4 champion with an Ensign. He has no record of a chassis number but recalls he acquired it from Stan Matthews. The Ensign then was raced by Bruce Coate-Bond in F4 in 75 then Bill Cowling in 76, all prepared at Nick Crossley's Horseless Carraige Co. Right at the end of 76 Cowling got a Delta and the Ensign was raced a couple of times by Patric Capon.

John Finch also raced an Ensign in F4 at this time.

Hi all!

At the end I bought the LN7.

This is the ownership history as per FIA Papers and documents:

1972-74 John Littler (formula three internationals races)
1974 Brian Robinson
1974-75 Bob Howlings
1975-79 Cliff Sayer
1979-85 Bob Berridge
1985-92 Malcom Carter (Classic F3 winner on 1988)
1992 Barrie Maskell
1992-2008 Richard Dawson (Classic F3 events)
2008 Len Selby
2008 Carlo Maria Del Conte.

Back on track on 2009! :)