[Nomadac]

Originally Posted by Jeff Hamlin

He was a great engineer and part of the driving force behind the Pontiacs of my passion. OHC equipped!

I too was one who would have treasured a meeting with him but never had the opportunity.
Sadly he will be another Great One lost.

I've always wanted to meet and talk with John Z, Bill Knafel and Mac.
but never had the chance.

Rest in Peace.

Rest in Peace Mac.
I never had the chance to meet or talk to Mac, but I knew John Z. and Bill Knafel. I was Bill Knafel's Pontiac Service & Parts Rep. for several years so had numerous conversations with Bill and all of his Managers at his dealership.

I remember when John Z. was GM of PMD and sat in several Zone Meetings, etc. when John was in the Zone for Dealer Meetings. He was the most knowledgeable GM during my 20 years with PMD. I even had the opportunity to drive his 1968 Firebird Ram Air II Co. Car while I was at the old Central Office for training. The Security Guard in the Corporate Garage saw me driving my 68 Firebird Ram Air II Co. Car and asked if I would like to drive John's car. Took it for a short spin on Telegraph Rd.. It was an automatic and mine was a close ratio 4 speed and ran better IMO.
Lots of great memories from the past. So many of the Old Pontiac Guard are gone, but never forgotten.

[66GTO Jim]

Originally Posted by Nomadac

Rest in Peace Mac.
I never had the chance to meet or talk to Mac, but I knew John Z. and Bill Knafel. I was Bill Knafel's Pontiac Service & Parts Rep. for several years so had numerous conversations with Bill and all of his Managers at his dealership.

I remember when John Z. was GM of PMD and sat in several Zone Meetings, etc. when John was in the Zone for Dealer Meetings. He was the most knowledgeable GM during my 20 years with PMD. I even had the opportunity to drive his 1968 Firebird Ram Air II Co. Car while I was at the old Central Office for training. The Security Guard in the Corporate Garage saw me driving my 68 Firebird Ram Air II Co. Car and asked if I would like to drive John's car. Took it for a short spin on Telegraph Rd.. It was an automatic and mine was a close ratio 4 speed and ran better IMO.
Lots of great memories from the past. So many of the Old Pontiac Guard are gone, but never forgotten.

It is posts like this that keep their memory alive. Thanks for sharing some cool stories from one of the great Pontiac Dealerships of the 60s and 70s. Jim

[Nomadac]

Originally Posted by 66GTO Jim

It is posts like this that keep their memory alive. Thanks for sharing some cool stories from one of the great Pontiac Dealerships of the 60s and 70s. Jim

Jim I called on Knafel Pontiac beginning Oct. 1967 for approx. 3 years during some of the Tin Indian racing days. I knew Arlen Vanke, that drove for Bill, before I started working for Bill K. as I was born and raised in Akron, OH. back then and an avid drag racing fan. Arlen used to call me Arnie Beswick when I walked into his speed shop. Being assigned to the Cleveland Zone office for over 10 years and calling on almost all of the 88 dealers in the zone at one time or another. Later I traveled in the Central Region which included Pontiac, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Charlotte, Atlanta and Jacksonville Zones I then had the opportunity to visit many great Pontiac Dealerships in these Zones. Met some fantastic people and a lot of Pontiac racers both Drag and NASCAR. Brings back some great memories for me also.

[aukc]

Sorry for not posting this at appropriate time, I was not aware of this article until recently when Don Keefe mentioned it in recent Smokes, so I hunted down this issue of Collectible Automobile and had to order it from back issues, just arrived today.

While a traditional biography is fine, I really like the interview approach to a personality profile, I think it makes the interview and the article truly a piece of Pontiac heritage:

[Keith Seymore]

Thanks again, Mike - it's never too late to add to this thread.

K