one very, very quick Triumph Spitfire

[CurtisJ]

You guys will enjoy this new article: <span style="font-weight: bold">Pat Ryan's 1967 Triumph Spitfire Racecar</span> (47 photos!)

How quick is it? Well, in September at Watkins Glen this Spitfire was lapping reliably under 2:21 to win the SVRA Group 1 feature race by a margin of over nineteen seconds. Only one car in the all-MG Collier cup feature race lapped quicker than that, and it had a V8. Credit where credit is due: Pat Ryan is obviously a very gifted driver.

Maybe you can help me. Pat Ryan told me the Spitfire has a "Krantz" transmission. What's that mean?

 

[Tim Hollister]

I'm sure "Krantz" transmission refers to Ron Krantz of ReK Racing in Holly, Michigan (down the road a little from me).

Here is a message from 2003 that I lifted from a forum I found via Google:

"Contact Ron Krantz at ReK Racing. 1-888-rek-race. He makes a gear
reduction starter setup for the spitfire for about $180 delivered if I
remember correctly. Email me off list for his email contact. He's a heck
of a guy and his work is top notch. I've been running his starter on my
race car and have had NO problems at all. I'm also using a hewland
conversion transmission that he made and it is a work of art. Tell him I
sent you not because I have financial interest or you'll get a better deal,
but so he knows that word of mouth really works.

Aaron Johnson
#38 F-prod Spit Mk IV Oregon Region SCCA"

Also:

"Ron Krantz - R E K Racing - 248-634-7135 - Holly, Michigan ...
Ron Krantz, REK Racing detailed profile, located in Holly, you may call them at 248-634-7135."

I've met Ron and purchased one of gear reduction starters for my race car. Works like a champ and Ron is good people!

Tim

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Yep Ron is good man, and makes some trick goodies.

Once again Curtis, thank you for bringing us a look at another very nice race car. Snapping shots of this must be giving you the racing itch

 

[aeronca65t]

Wow, 2:21!

I'm more like 2:33 on a good day.
(but my engine is bone-stock internally).

 

[CurtisJ]

Once again Curtis, thank you for bringing us a look at another very nice race car. Snapping shots of this must be giving you the racing itch

You're very welcome. It's fun, and I've enjoyed meeting a lot of very nice people through it (yourself included!) - I'm getting the racing itch again alright, but I don't have the money to scratch it yet. I need to find some rich advertisers. When you see Rolex or pharmaceutical ads on BritishRaceCar.com, you'll know I'm out shopping for a nifty old Formula Ford.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Curtis, it was nicing talking to you as well, and thank you for the nice write up on the Huffaker MGB, and all the neat stuff you are bringing to the masses.

I use to shoot a ton of pictures every year at the runoffs of different race cars, and most of the pictures were of fabricated things folks had on their race cars so when I got home, I had a library of stuff to look at to give me plenty of ideas for my own and customer's race cars. Now I can see even more of this stuff because of your fanstatic picture shoots. The kind of details you shoot are the exact kind of stuff I truely dig. For me racing just isn't that fun if you don't pour your heart and soul into the car, making it better, i's never been about just getting to the track for me, it's always been about getting there better than the next guy and not with pocketbook, but more with creativity and well executed fabrication. learning how to make the better mousetrap is what always fueled my passion with racing.

 

[TRMark]

That is a fantastic site, Curtis. I am restoring and prepping an old one off sports/racer for vintage. It has a lot of early 50's Cooper stuff in it. The pictures and notes about the 57 Cooper and other older cars was very helpful. Yup, I donated, not enough for a Ford though.

 

[KSIS]

That spit was quick! I strolled past the pits and took a peak under the hood. Nice racer!

 

[CurtisJ]

That is a fantastic site, Curtis. I am restoring and prepping an old one off sports/racer for vintage. It has a lot of early 50's Cooper stuff in it. The pictures and notes about the 57 Cooper and other older cars was very helpful. Yup, I donated, not enough for a Ford though.

Thank you Mark!

Hey, I just uploaded another Triumph article today. Check it out!

<span style="text-decoration: underline">Scott Janzen's 1968 Triumph GT6 Race Car</span> (35 photos)

(Sure is handsome, ain't it? You should hear the glorious noise this beast makes!)

 

[Twosheds]

Racing his GT6 makes Scott very happy!