Congratulations Brad. Really neat car. You are fortunate to acquire it. Thanks
for sharing this news and good luck on getting it back on track. I'll look
forward to seeing it.
Dave H.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brad Eells via Fot" <fot at autox.team.net>
To: "fot" <fot at autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2017 9:13:15 PM
Subject: [Fot] Doug Brown - F Production Spitfire - Cal Club 1970-75
Hello FOT,
You may have recently seen a post from Joe Alexander regarding a Spitfire on
the west coast with significant competition history.
I have had an opportunity, thanks to Joe and Kas to acquire that Spitfire. I
have been an FOT member since near the beginning (2001 or so) with a TR4 racer
that remains a project.
The Spitfire is a 1969 Mk3. Kas told me the car was damaged in transit from the
UK and could not be sold as new so he sold it to his friend, Doug Brown for
$100. Doug was a graduate engineer and worked with Kas at the West Coast
Triumph Competition Department and later at Kastner-Brophy Racing. Doug and Kas
along with their wives later enjoyed sailing and racing Contender sailboats.
One of those sailboats remains with the FOT family today.
Doug began racing with a TR3 in the mid 60's and continued with a TR4 before
the Spitfire came along. Doug likely built up the Spitfire in 1969 and began
racing it in 1970. By 1971 he was racing competitively with Cal Club, qualified
and ran the ARRC race at Road Atlanta that year. He qualified in 1972 and again
as the Southern Pacific Division Champion in 1973.
Doug and his wife Polly met in 1971 at a race in Utah and traveled the region
and country together racing. Doug qualified the car for the ARRC again in 1974
but he and Polly decided to attend the America's Cup yacht race instead. Doug
continued to race the car in to the 1975 season and then at some point decided
to retire the car due to some changes in the GCR that would have required some
significant engineering to remain competitive. The Spitfire sat in his shop
ever since. Doug developed a small engine and transmission for an inboard motor
aboard sailboats that was very successful and sold hundreds of units.
Polly told me that Doug had decided to paint the Spitfire Ford 'Grabber Blue'
in 1971 due to a large number of rookies in the class that year and he wanted
them to see him coming! The car raced with at least three numbers, 7, 72 and
76.
The car has had all of Kas's magic applied to it along with some special work
Doug did to develop rear axles of 'unobtainium' as Kas put it. Doug also was
apparently one of the few Spitfire racers that developed an overdrive gearbox
that would race reliably. I discovered a pump driven transmission cooler in the
car...that may have been one of his secrets to success. I was lucky enough to
acquire a large stock of spares with the car that I am still in the discovery
process with...it's better than Christmas...
One of the more fun pieces that came along with the car is a door that is white
with the number 3 and FP painted on it. Some discussion with Kas and Mike Cook
indicates this door like came from Lee Mueller's car that was destroyed late in
the 1969 season. A new car was built up in a matter weeks and won the ARRC.
Mike Cook later bought that car, raced it and sold it in 1980...it has since
disappeared into the mists of time...
The car is complete and incredibly engineered, yet it has sat unattended for at
least 42 years. its going to need a good going through to get it moving again
alone with current safety system updates. I have been a TR4/4A owner/driver for
over 35 years. A Spitfire is a new endeavor for me. I'm going to need a bit of
help and advice to breath life back into the car. I will do my best to search
the FOT archive to obtain answers before asking a question.
I would particularly like to make contact with any Southern California Spitfire
racers. Jerry Barker and Joe Siam are names I have been given...anyone else out
there? Also anyone who may have been racing with Doug and may have some stories
to tell, pictures from that time, race results, programs, etc will be
tremendously appreciated. I do have a date to inspect the Cal Club archive in
February at Buttonwillow.
Doug passed away recently which allowed the opportunity to acquire the car and
it's spares. Doug's wife Polly is a terrific lady.
Thanks again for any help you can provide as we move forward with the project.
I'll attempt to attach a couple of pictures here too.
Cheers!
--
Brad Eells
Chino CA
#35 DP 1962 Triumph TR4
#76 FP 1969 Triumph Spitfire Mk3
1965 Triumph TR4A IRS...for the road!
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http://www.fot-racing.com
Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
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