I'll run this by some buddies of mine, I'm sure someone will have something...

 

Man, that would be great if their memories are better than mine. I've punched in every combination I can think of on Google and turned up nothing. I have my NHRA rule book from '68 and there's a photo of the car, but the driver's name doesn't show up. Thanks for your help - hopefully it'll turn up something!

 

If he was a record holder in a certain year, can't you find a website that has the record holders for each class?


That info has to be recorded somewhere.

 

My thought exactly. But, when I went to the NHRA web site for the events in '68, they only listed the top professional classes like TF, FC and PS.

 

1967 nhra record holding Firebird

The owner/driver of the 67 Bird was Tony Knieper. He was a mechanic at Stan Long Pontiac in Detroit. The Dealership sponsored the car, which was Plum Mist in color with "KING" in gold leaf letters. There was an article in HP Pontiac magazine a while back that mentioned Knieper and a black 68 Firebird ram air car that Tony ordered - the 68 car is on the cover of that issue. I remember that he ordered it for his younger brother to street race in the Detroit area. Both cars were basically ordered the same - ram air 400 motor, turbo 400 w/column shift, 4:33 posi, radio delete and "body dum dum" delete. The black 68 was at the Woodward cruise the past couple of years. The 67 record holder was destroyed in the towing accident that killed Tony and one of his younger brothers in June of 1968.

 

SS/FA record

The record was set at Columbus. Knieper won class at the 1968 AHRA Winternationals and was runner up for ss/fa class at the NHRA Winternationals. He went 12.35 at 113 against Dick Landy's 12.23. Back then the SS classes only allowed blueprinting the motor, an aftermarket intake manifold, headers, and a larger cam.

 

Thank you sooooooooooooo much for this information. Too many years have gone by and my recollections were getting very faint. All the photos I had seen were in black & white, so I was never aware the car was plum and not black. Again, thanks so much for taking time to refresh my memory.

 

1964 GTO 4Spd Stan Long Pontiac

Hello! I'm really surprised to see this thread. I knew Tony personally, he and I worked at the Chevrolet Warren plant at 9 mile and mound, 64-65. Tony was my mentor in drag racing! He talked me into a 64 Goat 4 spd because he raced automatic class. He did all the mechanic work to my car and made it FAST. 13.02 104MPH with NO HEADERS, just Dump pipes. He and I would test it on Woodward Ave against some stout Plymouth/ Dodge and other GTO'S. I can say we beat them all! At the Drag Strip it was different, I couldn't beat the Factory guys, they had next years toys out the back door from Pontiac, Cams etc. I got my Draft notice so I went and joined the Marine Corps , I spent 13 months of my 2 yrs in Vietnam. After returning home, Tony had moved to the Fire Bird body and was tearing up the track! My dad sold my car so I had nothing to race but spent time at the strip with Tony. It was shortly after that he died in that wreck coming back from Wisconsin or Illinois ???????, THAT ended my hopes of coming back to race. Tony was tutoring me before the war. I was devistated and never returned! Prior to the war, we spent time with Pete Seaton , Seaton's Shacker and Tony's Black 65 GTO. I had a Jade Green 64, Tri Power, 4 spd that we painted Stan Long on with white shoe polish, then raced at Detroit Dragway! I would go to New Baltimore on my own ( Borrowed Tony's Slicks) but missed the Trophy by a set of good headers!WOW, time has passed! Bill D.

 

Thanks for your response. After 5 years, it kind of surprised me - but glad you wrote. I campaigned an all-black '67 Firebird 400 4 speed fairly successfully at Dragway 42 in West Salem, OH from '68 to '70 - still have it sitting in my garage w/ about 10,00 miles.

Again, thanks,

Jim

Hello! I'm really surprised to see this thread. I knew Tony personally, he and I worked at the Chevrolet Warren plant at 9 mile and mound, 64-65. Tony was my mentor in drag racing! He talked me into a 64 Goat 4 spd because he raced automatic class. He did all the mechanic work to my car and made it FAST. 13.02 104MPH with NO HEADERS, just Dump pipes. He and I would test it on Woodward Ave against some stout Plymouth/ Dodge and other GTO'S. I can say we beat them all! At the Drag Strip it was different, I couldn't beat the Factory guys, they had next years toys out the back door from Pontiac, Cams etc. I got my Draft notice so I went and joined the Marine Corps , I spent 13 months of my 2 yrs in Vietnam. After returning home, Tony had moved to the Fire Bird body and was tearing up the track! My dad sold my car so I had nothing to race but spent time at the strip with Tony. It was shortly after that he died in that wreck coming back from Wisconsin or Illinois ???????, THAT ended my hopes of coming back to race. Tony was tutoring me before the war. I was devistated and never returned! Prior to the war, we spent time with Pete Seaton , Seaton's Shacker and Tony's Black 65 GTO. I had a Jade Green 64, Tri Power, 4 spd that we painted Stan Long on with white shoe polish, then raced at Detroit Dragway! I would go to New Baltimore on my own ( Borrowed Tony's Slicks) but missed the Trophy by a set of good headers!WOW, time has passed! Bill D.

 

Marine223, welcome to the site. this thread is over 5 years old. great story though.