[Michael A. Smith]

Rikky von Opel's Ensign F1, N173, Watkins Glen 1973. von Opel, born in NY in 1947, was a great-grandson of Adam Opel, and drove in Formula 1 in 1973 and 1794.

 

[Nitromancer]

Here’s the details

https://www.oldracingcars.com/ensign/n173/

 

[G.v.Mainberg]

Wow, that's crazy! I had no idea about this. He is the son of Fritz von Opel, whose beer stein is in my trophy cabinet.

The strangest Opel memorabilia I ever found

I found the strangest Opel memorabilia today that I have ever found. Not the rarest, most expensive, most beautiful - no, the strangest. First where would you find what you definitely already had a peak on further below? 1. - On German ebay? 2. - In an Opel forum over the pond? 3. - In a...

www.opelgt.com

Dieter

 

[JudokaJohn]

Rikky von Opel's Ensign F1, N173, Watkins Glen 1973. von Opel, born in NY in 1947, was a great-grandson of Adam Opel, and drove in Formula 1 in 1973 and 1794. View attachment 451078

I think this car may have been for sale in the last year or two. I remember seeing a CL ad. I'll see if I can find the link.

 

[JudokaJohn]

OK, so not the same car. But how many F1 Opels are there?

Most interesting Opel

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/d/newport-beach-race-car-from-rush2013/7303193947.html Ad says made around a Reynard Opel chassis.

www.opelgt.com

 

[Michael A. Smith]

OK, so not the same car. But how many F1 Opels are there?

Most interesting Opel

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/d/newport-beach-race-car-from-rush2013/7303193947.html Ad says made around a Reynard Opel chassis.

www.opelgt.com

None that we know of. The car you highlighted was, of course, a mockup done for a Hollywood production. Much cheaper than rolling out (and possibly destroying) a near-priceless piece of racing history. Basically, the movie people built replicas of F1 machinery on much cheaper and more available formula car chassis. This would not be the first and only time. In this particular case, the chassis was built by Reynard, a well-respected race car builder of the era (except for F-1) and was for the Formula Vauxhaul race series, similar to Formula Ford but using the Vauxhaul engine which, of course, was built by Opel.

Anyone that has seen what was then the iconic 1967 F1 movie "Grand Prix" staring James Garner, probably knows that the movie actors' cars were re-bodied F-3 cars. They actually ran in real F-1 races, beginning the races at the back of the grid. In some cases, the car was attached to the rear of the Ford GT40 camera car driven by former World Champion Phil Hill, allowing for those really neat closeups.

Another racing movie that would be eminently forgettable save for its star (S. McQueen) was "Le Mans" released in 1970. The camera car for that movie was in fact an official entrant. It would go out and, when the film ran out, it would come in to change film. However, attrition was high among the top starters that year and one of the camera car drivers went to the movie's director (at the time -- he was later fired) and said, "You know, if we don't have to come in so often for the camera, we have a chance to win this damned thing!"

The director said that he thought for only a second or so about the ramifications of going back to the studio and saying "We didn't shoot much film, but we got this really neat trophy...".