Steele Thurkelson, RIP

[Kiwiboss]

I just got word that Kiwi mechanic and long standing Shelby American employee Steele Thurkelson passed away last week in Los Angeles. I had the pleasure back in Nov 06 to spend sometime with Steele and he even invited me to a Shelby American reunion while i was in LAX once. I really enjoyed talking with him back them, he was born in Napier i believe and told me he was at the opening meeting of the Teretonga race track as he had the chance to fly over the track that day(don't quote me here but 1957?) he went on to work in England as most Kiwi mechanics did and to the USA from there.

Steele was a fabricator and engine man at Shelby American and i believe built the 427 engines that took McLaren/Amon to there famous 66 win and also the Gurney/Foyt GT40 winning car as well. I was told by others that he was a master at building the throttle linkages on the weber carburetor systems. His sometimes nick name was "Stainless Steele"

He was 85 i believe, RIP Steele

Dale M