[aukc]

from Hemmings Muscle Machines - April 2008



I like the quote "The engines always told me what they needed on the dyno"

[Keith Seymore]

Thanks, Mike - another excellent and appreciated addition.

K

[joegpho]

I did get to meet him but being in my 20s (and not going through an engine build) I didn't have much to ask him. (I think this was around 1996.) I did ask him about the HP on his 63 GP with the OHC 421 - about 450! He even drove the car up to 100 miles from home for a few shows.
I am glad I met him - but thinking back I wanted to ask him about any contacts he had with other famous GM engineers; I always wondered if he worked with Kettering at all, and what impression a guy like THAT had on HIM.
God Speed, MAC!

[gtoric]

The first time I met Mac was at the St. Ignace, MI show in June of 1987. I had my '67 GTO convertible there, having just finished its restoration a couple of years earlier. He looked my car over and gave it his stamp of approval. I had him sign my copy of the Hot Rod magazine dealer reprint. Jeff's copy of the reprint is in post #15. I also asked Mac about the HO/RA exhaust manifolds from 1967. He said that his engine group had started working on them as far back as 1964 for the GTO. Cost considerations kept them from the market until '67.

Took Mac for a ride in my GTO one nice day in the fall of 2009. Jeff Denison was also with us on that ride. I think that that was probably the last ride in a classic Pontiac musclecar that Mac had. Yes,I did give him a couple of burnouts. He had a grin from ear to ear.

[aukc]

Originally Posted by joegpho

... I always wondered if he worked with Kettering at all, and what impression a guy like THAT had on HIM.
God Speed, MAC!

according to the Hemmings article, Mac entered the GM Institute in 1937 and joined Pontiac in 1941.

Charles Kettering retired in 1947. So it might be possible ...

[gtoric]

By 1941, Kettering was the head of GM Research. After he retired, he did act as a consultant until the mid '50s. So, it is very possible that Mac at least met the man, but that is most likely the extent of his association. We'll never know for sure now.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by aukc

according to the Hemmings article, Mac entered the GM Institute in 1937 and joined Pontiac in 1941.

Charles Kettering retired in 1947. So it might be possible ...

Seeing the picture of Mac next to the original Pontiac (in my first post) got me to thinkin':

Pontiac started in 1926; Mac started at Pontiac in 1941, so the division was only 15 years old when Mac started there....

...at the time of his retirement he had been there 45 of Pontiac's 60 years, or fully three quarters of it's entire existance.

[Bart R. Orlans]

I had the honor of meeting Mr. McKellar at his home in 1991. He was a true gentleman, generous with his time unassuming and soft-spoken. Don Keefe and I were there to photograph his '63 Grand Prix with its amazing OHC 421 engine. The excitement of meeting this legendary man was something I will never forget.

May the Almighty grant him eternal rest.

[gtoric]

It would really be nice if Mac's '63 can be reunited with the OHC 421. That is the only car that that engine belongs in.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by gtoric

It would really be nice if Mac's '63 can be reunited with the OHC 421. That is the only car that that engine belongs in.

I read somewhere (here???) that the cams were going flat, and he gave the setup to some young Pontiac enthusiast that was a friend. Reason being, he dedn't want or need to pend the time/money getting it back in proper working order....That's why it currently has a conventional 421 HO in it .

If any of this is incorrect, set the record straight. It wasn't that long ago, that the OHC setup was changed...

I wonder who/where the car is now???
Jeff

Talk about an icon of a car. I'd bet the Barret Jackson folks are slobbering all over themselves, trying to get their hands on it...........(I hope they don't get it....)

[Brent Flynn]

RIP Mac... read lots of articles over the years about his cams... how exciting it must have been designing cams for the SuperDuty's in the early '60s... sad that legends that we all looked up to all our lives are dwindling away... just makes me want to make my cars run even better in their honor...

[gtoric]

Originally Posted by 77 TRASHCAN

I read somewhere (here???) that the cams were going flat, and he gave the setup to some young Pontiac enthusiast that was a friend. Reason being, he dedn't want or need to pend the time/money getting it back in proper working order....That's why it currently has a conventional 421 HO in it .

If any of this is incorrect, set the record straight. It wasn't that long ago, that the OHC setup was changed...

I wonder who/where the car is now???
Jeff

Talk about an icon of a car. I'd bet the Barret Jackson folks are slobbering all over themselves, trying to get their hands on it...........(I hope they don't get it....)

Let's just say that the engine was pulled out of the car under the pretenses that it needed "some work." Once the engine was separated from the car, it was just a matter of time before Mac was talked out of the engine by his unscrupulous mechanic, who was not particularly a Pontiac fanatic. Last I heard (several years ago), the dirtbag mechanic had sold it for cash and the engine has since disappeared into the vast, uncharted collector world. If anyone knows of its whereabouts, I'd like to hear from them. Chances are, it is currently sitting in a GP very similar, if not identical, to Mac's car. It probably won't be long until this fake turns up at auction now that Mac is gone. Remember, we've got the V.I.N. of Mac's car recorded, so we can document where that engine should properly be displayed.

Now that Mac is gone, it really doesn't matter who owns that special engine, but I my opinion, it should rest in Mac's GP. Mac's GP is currently part of his estate.

[gtoric]

Originally Posted by 77 TRASHCAN

I read somewhere (here???) that the cams were going flat, and he gave the setup to some young Pontiac enthusiast that was a friend. Reason being, he dedn't want or need to pend the time/money getting it back in proper working order....That's why it currently has a conventional 421 HO in it .

If any of this is incorrect, set the record straight. It wasn't that long ago, that the OHC setup was changed...

I wonder who/where the car is now???
Jeff

Talk about an icon of a car. I'd bet the Barret Jackson folks are slobbering all over themselves, trying to get their hands on it...........(I hope they don't get it....)

Let's just say that the engine was pulled out of the car under the pretenses that it needed "some work." Once out of the car, it was just a matter of time before Mac was talked out of the engine by his unscrupulous mechanic, who was not particularly a Pontiac fanatic. Last I heard, he had sold it for cash and the engine has since disappeared. If anyone knows of its whereabouts, I'd like to hear from them. It's my guess that the OHC is by now bolted to a GP very similar, if not identical, to Mac's car. FOM (friends of Mac) have the V.I.N. of his car recorded, so any fakes can be identified in the future.

Now that Mac is gone, it really doesn't matter who owns that special engine, but I my opinion, its proper place should be in Mac's GP.

Mac's GP is currently part of his estate. I'd love to see this car along with its special engine as part of a future Mac McKellar display in the new POMARC.

[higgenslake]

The "mechanic" is Kent Draper. He sold it to someone in the Waterford area.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by gtoric

Let's just say that the engine was pulled out of the car under the pretenses that it needed "some work." Once the engine was separated from the car, it was just a matter of time before Mac was talked out of the engine by his unscrupulous mechanic, who was not particularly a Pontiac fanatic. Last I heard (several years ago), the dirtbag mechanic had sold it for cash and the engine has since disappeared into the vast, uncharted collector world. If anyone knows of its whereabouts, I'd like to hear from them. Chances are, it is currently sitting in a GP very similar, if not identical, to Mac's car. It probably won't be long until this fake turns up at auction now that Mac is gone. Remember, we've got the V.I.N. of Mac's car recorded, so we can document where that engine should properly be displayed.

Now that Mac is gone, it really doesn't matter who owns that special engine, but I my opinion, it should rest in Mac's GP. Mac's GP is currently part of his estate.

Thanks for the "facts" I had no idea.......what a shame.

I'm assuming that Mac's car did get another engine after that..........

[PONTIAC LARRY]

R.I.P. Mac , Thank you for your brilliance in Pontiac engineering !

[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: