Vintage Pontiac Pics

[Xplantdad]

Neat pics Tommy! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif[/img]

[m22mike]

Worth another look.. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]
Anderson of course became Knafel Pontiac

[mockingbird812]

Cool radical looking engines! Thanks!

[StealthBird]

The first pic is the prototype RAIV air cleaner as used on a 1969 GTO. This setup used 4 air inlets, consisting of 2 hood scoops, and 2 hoses, and this was how they came up with the name Ram Air IV. The setup was abandoned before production started, but a 1969 GTO was road tested by a magazine with this setup, and Pontiac issued a diagram showing the system worked.

The second pic is one of the coolest Pontiacs around. This was Jim Wangers Ram Air Firebird, known as the Blackbird, which he had built to compete in the Woodward Ave street wars. This car faced stiff competition from cars built by well-known speed shops, as well as factory built engineering cars from Chrysler, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, and Ford. The Blackbird is now owned by Dr. Eric Schiffer, who is a wealth of information about those Woodward Ave street wars.

[StealthBird]

Second pic is Truman Fields 1968 Firebird RAII, which cleaned up on dragstrips back in the 70's and 80's, and is still around today. Truman won the 1973 U.S. Nationals Stock Elimnator title, then later went on to become 1982 and 1983 IHRA Stock Eliminator Champion. After a retirement of sorts, Truman came back in 1993 and ran the Pure Stocks, becoming the first Pure Stock car to break into the 11's.

[nova7579]

I would love to have the wheels off of the Hard Times Firebird.....are they Fenton's???
Brian

[mockingbird812]

<span style="font-style: italic"> &quot;I also got him in a bit of trouble with my grandmother, who while babysitting found me collecting grass clippings at the neighbors, putting them in a plastic bag, and informing her that I was gathering it for my uncle. Apparently he had some grass in bags but 3 or 4 year old me worried he was running low......</span>&quot;

That is a beauty of a story and very, very funny [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/haha.gif[/img] ! Are you still that literal?

Great photo by the way! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[StealthBird]

Great photo, and great story! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

Continuing with some 1968 pics:

1968 GTO at the track - note Ram Air pan on ground

1968 Pontiacs at the Auto Show, 68 GTO centerstage

1968 Myrtle Motors 428 Firebird

[grantprix]

Here's a few old photos from the 1969 Detroit Auto Show...

[StealthBird]

Grant, those are GREAT pictures!! Are those yours, or were they found on the web?

Here's a couple more from 1969:

1st photo - 1969 Trans Am debut at the 1969 Chicago Auto Show. Note the 69 Bird on the turntable in the background, that's the same yellow one from your photo.

2nd photo - 1969 Knafel Pontiac Golden Sabre GTO. Knafel sold these with RAV engines and Hurst wheels. Mr. Knafel claimed he received a batch of 1969 GTO's with FACTORY installed RAV engines, but this has never been proven. Knafel received a great number of RAV crate motors.

3rd photo - 1969 Trans Am in a dealer showroom, this is from an original 1969 Pontiac Newsletter.

4th photo - notice in the background of the 1969 Chicago Auto Show picture, there's a sign that reads, &quot;To win jacket, drop ticket stub here.&quot; The jacket was a Judge jacket.

5th photo - Vintage 1969 photo of a Pontiac salesman posing with their new 1969 Judge, all wearing their Judge jackets.