RIP Paul Brown (Kenny Brown's son) | FerrariChat

RIP Paul Brown (Kenny Brown's son)

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by Davesvt2000, Oct 14, 2012.

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  1. Davesvt2000

    Davesvt2000 Formula 3

    May 3, 2005
    1,144
    Central Mass.
    Full Name:
    Dave G.
  2. Whisky

    Whisky Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 27, 2006
    31,911
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    The original Fernando
    OMG, I knew him since he was little. Kenny opened up Project/6 here in Omaha in the mid 80's and managed the Saleen Team in showroom stock/General Tire series, he was a GREAT kid that grew up to be a great guy.
    I had not seen him since Project/6 disbanded and Kenny and Paul moved away from Omaha, going their separate ways, but I have kept up on Paul's racing exploits, this is a true shock to me.
     
  3. ferraripete

    ferraripete F1 World Champ

    damn shame. i did business w/ kenny and paul in 89-91. we developed corbon composite brake pads for the mustang. kenny and paul were both solid to work with and i had fond memories othem both. sad to hear..

    r.i.p. paul.

    pcb
     
  4. Whisky

    Whisky Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 27, 2006
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    The original Fernando
    Kenny took a Thunderbird here and shortened it by about a foot, foot-and-a-half, looked neat - and odd.
     
  5. autodoug

    autodoug Rookie

    Jan 16, 2011
    17
    Lincoln, Nebraska
    Full Name:
    Doug Kielian
    #5 autodoug, Oct 23, 2012
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2012
    Paul was my best friend for 22 years and a lot of other guys as well, I met Paul in 89 when he was handling the parts end of the biz for his Father Ken at a little shop in Omaha , he seam to know a lot back then as a kid and I was impressed and he was a very far advance for his age I thought, and he gave you respect as well made me feel at home. I was just a kid of 28 back then. My move to Lincoln, Neb. in 1990 from Colo. was in part because of Paul and the Mustang tuner business, that he was in. June of 90 I stopped in at a Mustang show at the Ford Dealership in Omaha I had my chopped 89 Mustang GT with me it was wild looking back then, some guy named Frank had me park next to Kennys Mustang race car, it drew a crowd right quick, Paul was there promoting the aftermarket performance business to the local crowd he came over and was interested in what I had done to my Mustang to make it look so different, then he call his dad.
    Ken was there in no time and walked circles around it and got very excited. Monday I was invited to come up Project Industries to look at a special Thunderbird project that Ken was excited about but he needed a craftsmen that could shorten the car. The next day Paul brought the rolling T-bird shell down to my little fab shop and he and I started in on a twenty two year long body and paint friendship that turned into the best friend I've ever had! He was one of my Groomsmen in 98 and I had been prepping and painting his race cars since 1990 with his buddies Frank Tim, Buba, and the Omaha gang of SCCA racers Paul and friends had a handful of change for a budget to go racing. Some of us guys with businesses, Bill V, Tim C, Stan, Mike T. would lend a hand where we could help and do some work on his car for charity always knowing that he was worth the effort, something about him even back then as a kid in his twenties made you want to help and be there! and knew you would get repaid in some manner. I ended up building 5 of the SWB T Birds and one Mark VIII. I also ended up doing the body modifications on all those Mustangs for Ken as Paul would bring them down and we go have lunch.

    Due to conflict of interest Paul left his dads shop and was basically on the street working in a Ford dealership warehouse boxing up parts! A few of us guys that were into Ford performance now had to look for him in that warehouse full of boxes to help us out. it didn't take long for the parts manger Mike Tetermen to recognize and soon set Paul up in a small unused dirty part of the dealership on L st. to try his hand at managing some counter sales of performance goods. Within weeks the place was clean tidy painted up and displaying speed goods, in 3 months Paul had the place packed with work, installs and sales were impressive, Paul had arrived and was kicking but with this performance sideline business. He decide that a competition race car was needed to help promote this new adventure, so he put together a fox body Mustang with help from friends and asked if I could paint it and I did the familiar paint scheme that you would see on all his cars up into the next decade, white & blue with a red accent stripe. Well it looked nice and we were all very proud when Paul competed & finish the De Moines Grand Prix race back in 93!

    There have been so many more wonderful adventures with Paul on and off the track, driving across country nonstop (the kid loved red Liquorish) maybe that was something to do with his red hair? stopping in at his Mom's place in Cozad Neb. at 2 am visiting and eating cookies and milk at her kichen table, to spending long hours in the shop repairing crashed race cars and masking off details of a horse's head to paint on the 99 Saleen Mustang! After Paul moved to L. A. to join the Tiger Racing effort and be with Carol, I would still go out and visit when I could but Paul made it ez for me because he always had some body and paint work lined up for me. Paul was a dynamo of projects, promoting, working and racing by this time! go man go! But he would still take some time out and relax, like on Easter Sunday for dinner he took me to an little old rundown restaurant with a squeaky sreendoor in a storage complex and we had pancakes! Pricless!

    Well a long the way Paul introduced me to his soon to be father-in-law and I straightened out the Ferrari race car of Carol's that got damaged at a event in Ks. Then Paul would invited me out to do some other work on vintage race cars, Ferrari Micholotti, 512 m, Alfa, and others all the while in the care of Paul and his new family and their great hospitality. I am grateful to have got to met and know Paul, work with him, race go carts and eat fish tacos on Tuesday with him. He help me launch my new Roller Hoop rotisserie and was the first one to say I think you have something there! Giving me confidence. Many of you knew him as a great racer car driver and up and coming super star in the racing world, I new him as that goofy red headed kid that would made up his own words and verse to almost every song and sing it as if he was for real, and have you busting a gut! rolling in laughter! you never really knew him until you went on the road with him, and you couldn’t wait for the next opportunity! That's the kind of guy Paul was, I'll sure miss my best friend!

    Doug Kielian
    Auto Kraft Body and paint inc.
    Lincoln, Neb.

    eating pancakes for Easter dinner, with your pal, come on … it does it get any better than that!
     
  6. Whisky

    Whisky Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 27, 2006
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    The original Fernando
    Great story, thanks Doug!
     
  7. ferraripete

    ferraripete F1 World Champ

    doug,

    you built one of the swb t-birds for rich labarbra. he also ended up a big user of our friction materials. kenny and paul were great to work with. i have fond memories of them both.
     
  8. autodoug

    autodoug Rookie

    Jan 16, 2011
    17
    Lincoln, Nebraska
    Full Name:
    Doug Kielian
    Yes I built all 5 of the SWB T- Birds and even one Lincoln, Mark VIII only two of them were for KB the others we just built on our own, Speaking of Rich Labarbra what ever happen to him and the SWB Thunderbird?? Paul told me years ago it got crashed and then ??? I'd like to confirm it's whereabouts or fate? If it's still around with some damage I'd like to have a chance to get it and repair it! It's a mystory to many who have interest in the SWB MN-12 cars. let me know if there is anything to know? I don't get on these web site much to busy in the shop so just call 402 474 2344

    Thanks
    Doug Kielian
    Auto Kraft
    Lincoln, Neb.
     

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