| The Teakettle was built
while I was an engineering student at the U of Colorado. It had an
MGTD chassis with the front spindles modified for TR-3 disc brakes.
The engine was a 283 Chevy with a Wyand manifold and 3 Stromberg 97's. I bought an early T-10 four- speed and made a copy-cat Testa Rossa rear end from an Austin Healey 100-6 rear axle and Volvo rear coil springs! After driving my special on the street and learning to race on Go-Karts, I upped for a 327 fuel-injected short block and raced several SCCA events in 1961-63, including Pomona, Tucson (qualified well, but had an oil leak & DNF'd), Riverside (twice, 3rd in class CM was my best) and Del Mar. In 1963, while in my senior year at San Diego State U, I joined Fred Puhn at Santee Automobiles. It was then that I sold the Teakettle for $1,500. (The money was used to help pay for the Santee SS... Another story to follow). |
| Many years later the Teakettle was used as a prop (above) in the Elvis Presley movie "Spinout", and about five years ago it sold at auction for $95K!!! I found this amazing as Elvis never drove it, it just sat in the water! |
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