Anyone ever meet Enzo?

That is when you know the market has topped, when priorities centre around the financials and not the history.
Not unlike your prior US employer.

 

I first set eyes on The Old Man during a practice day at Monza in the 1960s. Having read about him since I was a kid I remember the buzz - coo, look who's there - living history...

I saw him again at press conferences and in 1973 or '74 went down to Maranello to collect a freshly restored 312B for Tom Wheatcroft's Donington Collection. We were met at the customer Assistenza in Modena by a young man with dreamy eyes, a long face and a big nose. I remember thinking "Coo - he looks 'Ferrari'". It was the young Piero Lardi, and in my innocence then the guess was right. Later, shuffling paperwork in the offices, I found myself in a small room penned by olive-green steel partitioning. There were internal windows in the partition walls and door, and as I recall the glazing was frosted half-way up, then clear above. Lardi and I were talking when he suddenly stiffened, looking over my shoulder. I turned, and peering in over the frosted glass was The Old Man. I guess he liked to know who was buying his old unwanted Formula 1 cars.

Piero Lardi darted to the door and opened it. A volley of Italian began. There was no mistaking who was the boss. My shameful lack of linguistic skills recognised Lardi explaining "Inglesi - Nee - Vitcroft - Collezione di Doningtony Park". The Old Man reached out, shook my hand, turned on his heel and was gone as suddenly as he had appeared. My hand tingled - this time I had touched history.

Later I got to see him again. And in 1987 I interviewed him in his office on camera for BBC TV. Dear old Gozzi interpreted (my Italian hadn't improved). Everything went swimmingly for ten minutes. I got The Old Man to laugh - flashing gold teeth in his lower set. Perhaps I then got over-confident. Anyway, I then asked the question which puzzled me then, and puzzles me still. "Mr Ferrari - could you explain to us how you made such a seamless change from working so closely as an icon of Mussolini's Fascist State pre-war, to working just as comfortably in a strongly communist and partisan region postwar?"

By this time I knew enough Italian to recognise that Gozzi - brows knitted - had chickened out of asking his Boss 'The Question'. Instead he asked something like "Mr Nye asks how was it you set up the postwar company so quickly after being nationalised before the war?".

One large hand slapped down on the desk. "Ferrari - nationalised?!!! Time to go - they have had enough - give them a book Gozzi - one only mind! - Ciao, Arrivederci" - and he ushered the sound man and the producer out of his way, stalked to the door with Gozzi's assistance, and was gone.

I never saw him again. But I'd seen and heard enough to have got a taste of the reality. And I genuinely treasure the book...

He undoubtedly played upon our conditioning as enthusiasts, and fans, or as would-be customers or drivers. But his presence was - literally - AWESOME.

DCN

 

those are the stories mr Nye. Thank you for sharing.

I never got to meet Enzo. He died before I could fully understand and appreciate the magic of Ferrari. Well, 'understand' is a big word.

 

LOL: That, is an awsome story. None better.

 

Thank you, Mr. Nye, for that post. Very interesting!

 

No kidding about the volatility of the man...

Thanks Doug. This was a fond read.

john

 

Mister Nye thank you for that.

Not sure what to answer!

Best regards,

Marc

 

Thanks for sharing that piece of history Mr. Nye.

In jan 2007 I travelled to Maranello for bussiness and got to met someone who worked as a supplier to Mr Enzo. He shared some stories from Il Commendatore and told me that they always exchanged gifts during christmass, like scarfs and ties.
Funny thing is that I made more friendship with the father than with my work connection. It sure was a great trip for me to have meetings just 300 meters from the Factoria.

 

Thanks fellers. One thing makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm embarrassed to mention it here because it somehow seems almost presumptuous in reverse (if you see what I mean). But it feels uncomfortable being called 'Mr Nye'.

He was my Dad. He was a great guy. I'm just his younger son - and the name's Doug.

DCN

 

Ok, Doug it is; thanks for another great read!
CH

 

I've always heard that Ferrari acted as a prima donna, but the few times I met him (I was with Lurani), he was treated as an equal, and I was treated with respect, rather than as if I didn't exist. I don't know why; all I can presume is that it was due to (at least in part) that Lurani's power as a journalist.

 

I have just met Il Commendatore, ENZO ANSELMO FERRARI!!!

Here on this thread, with the help of my fratelli, my brothers, through their meetings with him.

Please continue with your recallections of him. It makes it a very enjoyable reading for me!

THANK YOU.

Ciao...Paolo

 

In September 1970, I was in Italy to buy some cars and to attend the Grand Prix at Monza. I was standing in the paddock during the Saturday practice and I became aware of someone looking at me from a distance of about fifteen yards. I looked back at him and his gaze didn't alter. It was Enzo Ferrari. It felt like two old friends wondering which would recognize the other first. After it became clear that his attention was not going to waiver, I walked over to him and introduced myself in Italian and told him how much I liked my GTO. His answer to this last bit was, "Si" as if what other reaction could I possibly have to the car. As we spoke, Juan Fangio approached and joined in the conversation. After an appropriate amount of time, I took my leave of them wishing that someone had been there to photograph what was, for me, an amazing encounter with two of the greats.

 

In 1970 while on a factory visit arranged by Peter Coltrin and accompanied by Gozzi that included along tour of everything including the sand casting facility and the race car shops. I found myself only 10 yards from Enzo and in my excitment virtually ran over to him and told him in English that I was very excited to be there and that this visit was a high point in my life. He actually shook my hand, which I have been told was quite rare for him to do. His reply in Italian was probably " Who let this guy into my factory ?". I still remember it quite vividly and was even more excited meeting him then driving a Daytona at top speed on the Autostrada at the conclusion of my visit.

 

You're a class act.......

Tim

www.fluidimages.co.uk

 

I had always wanted to meet the Old Man. I never had the chance to, unfortunately. A good friend of mine is chums with LDM going back to the '70s. I'll see if he won't share a couple of stories with me and permit me to pass them along.

I wonder how he would have motivated KR to get the lead out.

CW

 

Ouch.

 

Not Enzo but I have met Piero, Luca and Jean.

 

A man from Dominican Republic that my father met in a random flight met Enzo when he bought his first Ferrari very early in the factory. Not long after my father met a niece of Alejandro De Tomaso in another flight. Too bad I wasn't there, they shared many stories.

 

I was the president of the Ferrari Owners Club in 1971 (no one else wanted the job). I had been editor of the newsletter and my-then-wife had made a mosaic of the SF shield so I put it on the cover. A few weeks later I got a request from Franco Gozzi that Mr. Ferrari would like to have a print of the original. I had been planning a trip to the factory and thought the mosaic would make a great gift. I told Gozzi of my planned trip and that I would bring the "print" with me. My entourage now included Ed and Dr. Steve Capobianco. This made traveling in Europe with a lawyer and doctor a good bet if I got into any mischief. At the factory we were greeted by Gozzi and asked to wait. We've all heard stories about waiting for Ferrari but I don't remember it being very long. We were ushered into his office and I made him an honorary member of the FOC and then gave him the original mosaic. He was delighted and I have a photo taken by Ed of me handing Ferrari the piece. A few years later I got a copy of a large red book (yearbook) and was pleased to see the Mr. Ferrari had hung it over the mantel of his apartment at Fiorano. Several years later Brenda Vernor gave me access to the apt. so I could see it and I had meet Mr. Ferrari again. He always seemed have time for an enthusiast knowing I wasn't there to buy a car.
I remember John and Elaine Bond, publishers of Road & Track, going to the factory and were livid when Ferrari wouldn't meet with them. They felt they had done so much for the company, and owned three of his cars. They had just purchased Henry Manney's 330GT and they were not happy.
In 1979 the mosaic became the first cover of Cavallino which meant another trip to Maranello and a meeting with Ferrari.
I got to see him for the last time before the Mille Miglia retrospective in 1986. He had fallen in the bath and banged up some ribs but he was still getting around!

Chuck Queener

 

Unfortunately I never had meet him, even if I "love"him from I was 9 years old!
But when the poor Bandini died the italian magazines grow up a campaign against Ferrari & the races, very hard in very stupid way.
I wrote to him a letter to let him feel someone near to his soul.He loved his driver even if he was hard with them.
I never supposed to have a replay.
This was the Man: so busy, so sad in those days, but he found the time to write yhis kind replay.
I keep it as a treasure and I'm very happy to share it with you.
The best to all of you.
Alessandro
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I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Ferrari, however, after my first visit to the factory in Maranello, in 1982, I wrote him a letter of thanks, for all of the courtesies shown to me and my family by his assistant (now my good friend), Brenda Vernor. I enclosed one photo each of my two Dinos. In short order, I received a typed note on a card inscribed with the Cavallino Rampante, signed with the famous purple pen. The note, written in Italian (I had written to him in somewhat hesitant Italian), thanked me for my good wishes, and said that I would receive, under separate cover, a copy of "Symbol" magazine, which was sent in those days to the owners of Ferrari and Rolls-Royce cars and Riva boats. When the magazine arrived, the envelope also contained a smaller envelope with a printed note inside that stated simply: "With Compliments, Enzo Ferrari." I treasure these keepsakes to this day, along with a factory presentation edition of his book "Pilote, Che Gente," which I received at the factory about one month after his death in 1988. Fred

 

Thank you to the ones who have shared these wonderful storys with us. Please keep them coming.Gavin

 

When my wife was in her early teens she summered in the south of France with her mother and father. The family took a side trip to Italy one year and she was given the choice of going with her mother to Rome for an audience the Pope or with her father to Maranello for an audience with il commendatore. She chose the latter and did meet Enzo (although she more vividly remembers the dog guarding the gate). I like to say it's why I married her.