Anyone ever meet Enzo?

At least twice. I was a bit tongue-tied, so can't say there was much real conversation, especially with an interpreter (Franco Gozzi, I think). I didn't come prepared with questions, so it was more like, "dohhh". He was quite gracious. One time I was with Chuck Queener, whose wife had made a mosaic "shield" which Chuck presented to the boss. I've also had the pleasure of meeting Piero Ferrari, who is quite charming and speaks fluent English, which makes for easier conversation.

 

Yes, with my cousin Johnny Lurani

 

I know of a user on FerrariChat who met with Enzo a number of times. Maybe he'll chime in.

 

Count Giovanni Lurani...?!?

 

Yes. We called him uncle because he was much older, but he was actually a cousin on my mother's side of the family...

 

I don't want to thread-hijack - we already did that in General Discussion - but if I understand it correctly, your cousin wrote a book about (and with) Nuvolari back in 1959 (and other authors). Do you know if he knew him personally...? Hell, for that matter, did you ever meet Nuvolari...? (you dated yourself with being Lurani's cousin, so what's the harm in asking, right?)

 

Jacques, you got a serious reply here.

 

I was born in 1947 in Switzerland, moved to England when I was 3 and to the US when I was 7. I have a signed copy of the book you mention. The first race I ever went to was the Swiss Grand Prix in 1948. Before WW2, my father was a panel beater for the Mercedes GP team. He had to get out of Germany because he was Jewish. I met but really didn't know many of the drivers of the late 40s and early 50s, as I was just a little kid. I lived 75% of the year in Europe from the late 60s until the late 90s, when I moved back to the US.

 

WOW, I just can't imagine even being in the same room with Enzo, some of you guys amaze me with some of the things that you have seen and been through, some of you have did more in half of you're life than some people have did in there whole lifetime. I really look up to you guys, it must be great to be you guys!

 

Wow, you guys have some personal experiences, can't even imagine meeting him!

 

Jacques,

Ce bien, oui?

This will be one of the best and memoral threads on Vintage FChat, when all the stories are told. I hope those of you have something to tell, to please begin. It will be GREAT!!!

Ciao...Paolo

 

Jacques,

I forgot to mention Kare, our friend in Finland, Sorry.

I should have said, C'est bien, Oui? N'est pas?

I haven't seen any new posts on Enzo, and I hoped to see and hear of many. I hope this doesn't mean the slow end of the subject. Krasnavian, posted a tremendous thread on the 250GTO Experience, and it has not had any new posts in quite a while. Take a look at it, if haven't already.

Ciao...Paolo

 

What about the Ferrari family now? Is there one?

 

I meet the big boss several times. first time around the seventies when the first Ferrari days happend in Modena. All the Ferrari drivers were invited to meet him in a hall of the work. It was on a sunday. I owend one Ferrari book which I had with me and I would like him to sign my book. So I posted myself near the way he has to go leaving the room. When he went out, I asked him to sing, what he did not. But he told me : "Please come tomorrow to my office, there I have my pen" and he was gone...
Some years later I visited the works again with the Ferrari Owners Club and again we were intvited to meet Enzo, again on sunday, but now in the rooms of the F 1 team. I had my 8 year old son whith me. He was the only child in the room. I told my son, that when ever Enzo would sing, he will be the only person which will get a signature from him, (because Enzo had lost his beloved son.) And so it was ! When Enzo was leaving the room my son ran to him and he got the signature !! (This was in that time, when John Barnard put the Indy race car together.) When my son came back to me, he was very, very proud and happy. Some people offered him money, but he still has the signature...
Jacques

 

........but I did meet FNA President and CEO, Maurizio Parlato, at the Tremblant Ferrari Festival in 2006. FWIW. Sorry to alter the slant of the thread.

Chris

 

I organized and hosted a 3 day FCA trip around the Cascade wilderness last month and the owner of the oldest Ferrari dealership, Ron Tonkin, and his wife Marcy attended. After the Saturday night dinner we had an awards presentation and then I prodded him to share some tales of his time with Enzo, trips to the Ferrari factory, and general Ferrari content. The crowd was spellbound for the full duration - it was captivating!

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=137867912&postcount=32

 

Not to take this thread too far afield, but your mention of Ron Tonkin brought back this memory: Many years ago at one of the Virginia City (Nev) hill-climbs, Ron showed up with a Ferrari festooned with every imaginable accessory. Larry Bloomer took one look, and pronounced,"It looks like he drove through Pep Boys with a magnet"!

 

It is very very sad to see the speculation threads about market and auctions get ridiculously high attention and this one practically zero...

 

Interesting observation.

 

People seem to forget who made it all happen.
Its fascinating, how one man can create the most recognized brand on this planet.

Anybody in management can learn from his accomplishments, he was no ideal person, but he made things happen!

 

Yes and his interesting personality probably had a lot to do with it. I don't want to take this too far off the subject and will post this question elsewhere if it is not pertinent to the thread.

Why has there never been a major Film made on Enzo Ferrari's life?

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0346946/

 

I was thinking of a major production on the scale of Grand Prix or LeMans rather than a TV movie.