Knafel 68 Tin Indian
 

Here is some stuff on the 68 Tin Indian GTO.

The late Goatfinder sent me the car pic, and Brian Steinbrick the old magazine ad.

Below that a satellite photo of the Knafel lot as it is today, just for fun.

http://www.empgmc.com/race/knafel/goatfinder.jpg

http://www.empgmc.com/race/knafel/68Knafel8-17-68.jpg

http://www.empgmc.com/race/knafel/knafellot.jpg

Knafel 66 Tin Indian
 

Now this is too cool. When I bought this 1983 April HPP off the newstand over 20 years ago, this article flew right past me. I found it again for the first time last night.

Of course now the car has surfaced restored by Merle Green, cool to see a picture of Arlen.

http://www.empgmc.com/magazines/april83hpp22t.jpg http://www.empgmc.com/magazines/april83hpp23t.jpg

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Re: Knafel 66 Tin Indian
 

Steve,i know you like Knafel info,so i thought i would pass this one on to you.Two weeks ago my brother and i were at a guys house checking something out,and we noticed an odd looking supercharger sitting on top of a small block Chev,and i asked him "Where did you get that?"He told me it was a Latham supercharger,bought it from a guy in Akron by thename of Bill Knafel,in the mid sixties! It had to be the one off of Bills 63 Grand Prix convertable! He had not even got around to bolting it up to Chevy motor,it was just sitting on top of it,been that way for 40 years! Now if i just knew where the 63 GP convertable was ,i would be in business!

Re: Knafel 66 Tin Indian
 

No way, that's cool.

I don't know anything about this car, you have any pics? I take it you can purchase the blower if wanted.

Do you by chance know who the Heck brothers are?

Re: Knafel 66 Tin Indian
 

http://www.nhra.com/2005/images/Museum/Vanke-web.jpg

Bill
 

Any idea how Bill died?

[ QUOTE ]
KNAFEL PONTIAC's Arlen Vanke (builder & driver) & Bill Abraham (builder, deceased in 1967),

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: Bill
 

I think it was an auto accident.I remember when i was a kid,after the Pontiac dealer closed,Bill Knafel had a used car lot a couple blocks from my house,always had some GTO,s,neat stuff.Anyway,he said Abraham was across the street(cemetary)

Knafel Pontiac
 

Too bad, I had a feeling it might be something like that or racing.

John why are the Magnum's non existent now, the originals that is? Are there any survivors? And what about the Golden Sabre, ever heard a hint of one surviving?

Re: Knafel 66 Tin Indian
 

The Heck brothers- Vance and Phil(P.J.). Vance out of Marion,Ohio just a little south of me. P.J. lives down in Gallipolis,Ohio.

Re: Knafel 66 Tin Indian
 

Since they sold the car, what are they doing now? Any other cool stuff?

Re: Knafel 66 Tin Indian
 

They have been liquidating a lot of their Pontiac stuff lately. They are into guns big time-like machine guns! Jim

Re: Knafel 66 Tin Indian
 

Some change from rare Pontiacs.

Re: Knafel 66 Tin Indian
 

Thought this was cool too... fell out of one of my vintage drag racing magazines...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../knaflegto.jpg

Re: Bill
 

[ QUOTE ]
Any idea how Bill died?

[ QUOTE ]
KNAFEL PONTIAC's Arlen Vanke (builder & driver) & Bill Abraham (builder, deceased in 1967),

[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

My dad grew up with Vanke and Abraham. My pops said Abe died in a rental car in Indy. He was going a little to fast and hit a guard rail. The guard rail ended up inside the car and cut him in half. My pops was at his wake over on North Main in 67.

A worthy bump. May 1972.
https://i.ibb.co/Vpdv6f2/Screen-Shot...3-05-32-PM.png

Sorry guys but this thread needs some kind of pictures

Any of these late 60's/early '70's Knafel cars still around?

The GTO was supposedly crashed by a teenager in 71 and totaled

It was ordered just like the Stephen Pontiac 68 lightweight seam seal sound deadener delete (steohens paid extra for a guy to walk w the cars to make sure they didn’t get anything but needed that would add weight) . , radio and heater delete probably through Tim nell I know that’s who stephens worked with they discuss it (working w Tom ) in the 71 rodder and super stock article. . I talk w bill Eckstrom and Tom Mc innis of stephens a bit because I grew up near the dealership they haven’t talked since about 73 so I can cross stories between them to make sure it’s not blurred memories. Lol it’s been a long time and there were quite a few cars. It’s interesting how the listing for this 68 sounds so much like the Stephens’s car, and the 68 69 race birds I’ve looked into are so similar as well, clearly were being told how to order these cars
My bird was similar but had to have the heater for defrost by law in 69.

Most of the info I got was in the early 90s from these guys it’s a little harder for them to remember now but I wrote it all down as I learned it back then .

Green tin Indian
 

Does anyone know if the car still exists? My Uncle, John Watson drove for Knafel NHRA Drag Championship 1968. John and his brother Tom Watson bought the green Tin Indian and raced in for 4 years and then sold it.

I would not even know how to go about tracking the car down if it still exists.

Any ideas are appreciated.
Jennifer Watson Jolly

the firebird is owned by a friend of mine. no idea on the gto