“Mac” McKellar is the third from the left of the Pontiac engineers standing for the 1971 Pontiac Inventor’s Presentation. He was recognized for inventing an “induction air heating means.” Jay Wetzel is to his right and chief engineer Stephen Malone is standing on the right with one of the awards. - photo-credit John Sawruk
Big Mac to Go Malcom “Mac” McKellar spent over 40 years as Pontiac’s engine designer Story by John Gunnell
neer for Pontiac Motor Division. During this period, he helped develop high-performance V8s and two unique Tempest series ontiac engine designer Malcolm “Mac” McKellar passed engines. The Tempest power plants were called the “Indy Four” away on April 9, 2011 in Florida. McKellar, who was 90 and the overhead cam “Sprint Six.” years old then, suffered a stroke and died shortly afterwards. When Pontiac started in 1926, its first chief engineer Ben AniWhen he died a big part of muscle car history passed away. bal was known as an engine wizard and set a tradition for the If you are into Pontiac performance engineering of the late company’s engineers to follow. However, his successor George 1950s or early 1960s, the name McKellar is probably familiar Delaney, who took the job in 1947, wasn’t an engine specialist. to you. Malcolm R. “Mac” McKellar spent over 40 years of his When market pressures forced Pontiac to start developing its life—between 1941 and 1982—working as a staff motor engi- first postwar V8 engine, Delaney called on Mark Frank, a staff engineer on engines, to supervise the project and uphold the tradition.
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Frank had two assistants who worked closely with him: Clayton B. Leach and Edmund L. Windeler. Leach held an A. B. degree in mathematics from Park College and then attended the GM Institute from 1935 to 1937. He joined Pontiac in 1937, the same year Mac McKellar came aboard GM. Windeler earned his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Polytechnical Institute in 1936, the same year he joined Pontiac as an engineering test driver. He was appointed supervisor of the company’s Power Development Section in 1945.
In the early ‘60s,” Mac” McKellar was turning out hot cams and other engine goodies for cars like this ’62 Catalina convertible. His engine designs helped Pontiac get a firm hold on third rank in industry sales. - photo-credit GM Media 28 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2020
Mac’s father—Charles McKellar—worked for General Motors as a foreman at the GM Proving Ground in Milford, Mich. His son got to see some of the cars he brought home and must have been impressed by the Pontiacs, as he bought a used 1937 Pontiac as his first car. It cost the princely
