Go Vintage Racing in Classic Formula Junior!

At Monaco, the perfect venue to see this Ryetune Scorpion in action.

I have to admit I’d only ever heard of Formula Junior in 2011 after speaking with a friend and colleague from New Zealand, who specialized in racing cars and urged me to contact a gentleman in South Africa about his vintage open-wheel racing cars. The man was a shipbuilder there, a longstanding vintage racer, and a true gentleman whom I greatly enjoyed talking with.

The car featured here from my new contact is a race-proven and fascinating 1960 Ryetune Scorpion, built new for the highly competitive FJ circuit, intended to groom young drivers for the higher levels of racing culminating in Formula 1 or Grand Prix. This “feeder” class was spearheaded by Count “Johnny” Lurani and quite necessary during the late 1950s and early 1960s, as all too many promising drivers were killed or badly injured.

This Scorpion is quite unusual as 1 of the 9 examples originally built and it is even more so as 1 of the 6 with a 1,100 cc, 2-stroke DKW racing engine. Consequently, it is a desirable entry to the organizers of today’s most prestigious Vintage FJ events.

In particular, this Scorpion is very well suited to a European buyer, as the Continent features a very active and competitive FJ racing scene today. The FIA sponsors the Lurani Trophy racing series for these cars and during 2012, the series featured 7 races at such prestigious circuits as Monza, Hockenheim, Dijon, Brands hatch, the Nürburgring, the Red Bull Ring, and Mugello. Some 90 drivers enter the Vintage FJ championship series and over 30 different manufacturers are represented, making for a highly competitive and interesting series for both racers and spectators alike.

This Scorpion’s DKW engine is the correct and matching numbers 1000S unit, increased to 1,100 cc displacement and as originally fitted when Ryetune built the car. Other features include a Morris Minor close-ratio, straight-cut gearbox, as originally supplied. The car is accompanied by old-style FIA paperwork and it has competed at the inaugural Monaco Historic GP and 2 subsequent Monaco Historic GPs. The Scorpion has also competed at the Inaugural and 2 subsequent editions of the celebrated Goodwood Revival Meeting.

The Scorpion was accompanied by a number of desirable additional items including a spare body and body mold, one magnesium wheel, and a few spare DKW engines, including an experimental reed-valve unit. I tried diligently to offer, advertise, and sell this interesting open-wheel racing car, but despite considerable interest, it was eventually sold on by the then-owner.