The ex-Mike Spence, Tony Settember, John Campbell-Jones, Jack Fairman, works
1961 Emeryson 1.5-Litre Formula 1 Single-seater
Chassis no. 1004

"Paul Emery was one of only two men to make cars which complied with each of the first four World Championship formulae, 1950-65. The other was Enzo Ferrari, but Emery not only designed and built his cars himself, he frequently drove them." – David Hodges, A-Z of Formula Racing Cars 1945-1990.

Paul Emery built a number of Emeryson front-wheel-drive 500cc Formula 3 cars in the early 1950s and his first Formula 2/Formula 1 design in 1953. With help and funding from a consortium that included former Cooper works driver Alan Brown, Emeryson Cars Ltd went on to build a number of Formula Junior and Formula 1 cars, commencing in 1960. In F1 specification, the Emeryson featured the Coventry Climax FPF MkII four-cylinder engine and a Colotti gearbox.

The Belgian team Écurie National Belge took advantage of Emery's new Formula 1 design, running a team of three Maserati-engined cars for the 1961 season to be driven by Lucian Bianchi, André Pilette and Willy Mairesse. Initial results were disappointing and ENB soon switched to Lotus 18s, though the Emerysons continued to be entered in various races. Their only results of significance were 4th in the Brussels Grand Prix on 9th April (Bianchi) and 11th in the Syracuse GP on 25th April (Mairesse).

During 1961, Hugh Powell, a wealthy American teenager, bought a controlling interest in Emeryson and rebuilt the ex-ENB cars with Coventry Climax engines. Paul Emery continued as designer but quit at the end of 1962. The car offered here, chassis number '1004', enjoyed some success in late 1961, providing future Team Lotus and BRM works driver Mike Spence with his Formula I debut at the (non-Championship) Solitude Grand Prix in July. Spence recorded a DNF, as did Jack Fairman at the Oulton Park Gold Cup in September, but in October '1004' made its only trip to the podium when Spence finished 2nd in the Lewis-Evans Trophy at Brands Hatch.

During 1962, the works F1 Emerysons were driven by Powell's guardian, Tony Settember, and John Campbell-Jones. Season highlights were Settember's 11th place in the British Grand Prix at Aintree and Campbell-Jones's 5th in the Brussels GP, both of which were achieved by '1004'. Other 1962 results are as follows:

23rd April, Goodwood, Lavant Cup, Tony Settember, DNF
23rd April, Goodwood, Glover Trophy, Tony Settember, 8th
28th April, Aintree, Aintree 200, Tony Settember, 8th
12th May, Silverstone International Trophy, Tony Settember, 14th
20th May, Posillipo GP di Napoli, Tony Settember, 9th
11th June, Crystal Palace, CP Trophy, Tony Settember, 4th
1st September, Oulton Park Gold Cup, Tony Settember, DNF
16th September, Monza, Italian Grand Prix, Tony Settember, DNF

For 1963 the team continued under Powell's direction, although the new cars were entered as Scirocco and were fitted with BRM V8 engines. Scirocco raced throughout the next two F1 seasons, latterly as Équipe Scirocco Belge, before disappearing at the end of 1964.

Sold by Settember in 1963 to Eric Liddell, '1004' is the sole surviving Emeryson Formula 1 car and owes its existence in no small measure to Peter Morley, who bought it in 1992 and restored it to the specification in which it was driven by Settember and Campbell-Jones. The restored Emeryson was entered at the first Goodwood Revival meeting in 1998, driven by Paul Osborn, and the following year was sold to the immediately preceding owner. Carrying number '31', as used by Jack Fairman in 1961, he finished four places behind Sir Stirling Moss at the 2000 Monaco Grand Prix Historique and would go on to compete in this most prestigious historic Formula 1 event on a further six occasions. Over the following 16 seasons, the Emeryson was raced extensively with the HSCC, achieving numerous class wins, and with the HGPCA at Goodwood, Donington Park, Silverstone and various Continental European venues.

The current vendor purchased '1004' at a UK auction in February 2017 and immediately despatched the car to highly respected specialist restorers Cars International Service Ltd for a complete rebuild. Works carried out included strengthening and crack testing the chassis; fabricating new suspension; an engine overhaul; rewiring the electrics; and repainting the chassis and bodywork in yellow, Belgium's national racing colour. Close to £90,000 was spent on the rebuild and the related invoices are on file together with a dynamometer printout. The car also comes with a spares package to include two sets of tyres and assorted gear ratios.

The restoration had been commissioned with the 2018 Monaco Historique in mind, and the Emeryson duly performed faultlessly, fulfilling the vendor's dream of competing at this iconic circuit in historic motor sport's most prestigious event. Since then the car has been kept garaged, unused, and is reported to be in excellent condition. A unique piece of Grand Prix history, this Emeryson will surely continue to be welcome at all the best venues. Offered in ready-to-race condition, it comes with a fresh FIA/MSA Historic Technical Passport valid until the end of 2025.

We are also delighted to confirm that the Emeryson has been invited to participate at next year's 'Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, 2021.