mel riggs
06-07-2006, 12:08 PM
#21
JC Performance Engines
Gold Member
Re: mel riggs
Originally Posted by el indio
the smell of money you save doing business with him......9 acres of pure boating pleasure.definitly worth the trip to meet theese folks...........a real American family business...........Mel his lovely wife and daughter and three sons really are living the dream..........for the record he worked and raced for Carl Kiekhiffer the fonder of Mercury.....................m.m..........p.s...... he has my 800sc mercs all rebuilt and ready to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.............mark.
When's the swap out?
06-07-2006, 12:37 PM
#23
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Sussex, WI
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Re: mel riggs
And if your ever up there make sure you have Mel tell you the story about kicking Reggie Fountain off the seawall at Lake X and not letting him get out of the water.
06-07-2006, 02:23 PM
#24
Registered
Re: mel riggs
Another thing about Mel...... In 1966, I injured my ankles badly in the Sam Griffith Race (2 Finishers out of 60 boats). Up to that point, everyone just stood behind the wheel or the chicken bars and held on for dear life. I designed, and Biltrite built the first racing bolster cockpit. I couldn't race otherwise. When we showed up athe Dupont Plaza hotel for inspection for the Key West Race in the fully bolstered 'Donzi Blue Devil', most of the guys jumped in, felt the security and jumped out. Next race, every boat had a bolster cockpit except one....... 'Mona Lou', with Mel and Odell Lewis. Tough mothers. They never ever put one in, and they called me the "p" word every time they saw me.....
06-08-2006, 12:07 AM
#27
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Re: mel riggs
I store my Magnum in Fond du Lac at a buddies house.......I must drive right by his farm on the way there.
Should I stop by next time?........would he like to see an old 27 Sport?
Should I stop by next time?........would he like to see an old 27 Sport?
06-08-2006, 10:47 AM
#29
Registered
Re: mel riggs
When I moved up to race in Open Class......all the hot set-ups were using Kiekhaefer trim tabs. Mel built me a set of tabs that were lighter, stronger and trouble free. The guy knows his stuff when it comes to offshore.
Here is photo of him in his younger days.
Here is photo of him in his younger days.
