[Fot] Doug Brown - F Production Spitfire - Cal Club 1970-75

[Brad Eells]

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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