Looks like we will be getting two more guys on the track, with Triumphs, sooner
or later. Another one in Portland, as Doug Brown?s TR3 is going up there a week
from Wednesday.
Me? Kas? Racing Sailboat of the 70s was in California last Week. It is now in
Iowa being refurbished. I have a very excited family.
Congratulations Brad. I think you made a good decision. And thanks to you and
Randall Young for the support and help. Polly and Kas are very pleased.
Joe Alexander
4505 Donald Dr
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
The-vintage-racer.com
Gasketinnovations.com
Cell: 319.464.4711
> On Nov 20, 2017, at 1:18 PM, davehogye via Fot <fot at autox.team.net> wrote:
>
> 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.
>
> 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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>
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>
>
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>
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