Just heard the news that Walt Knoch passed away...he was a legend around Detroit. I grew up a mile and a half from his shop. We used to pedal our bikes over there to stare at the Puffer in the showroom and look at the parts in the display cabinets. Walt was many things..we heard...male model..he was a good looking SOB in his younger days..a hell of a drag racer..national record holder when it meant doing it on your own..no corporate sponsor bs..Walt had cool shit...that simple...his Kustom shoebox from high school..the Hemi Cuda Convertible, the Corvettes, the motorcycles, so much cool stuff..when he sold the place I was able to get into “the other building” Walts early puffer body in the rafters, Jimmy Jones skirts, stromberg repair kits, Dayton wire wheels with knock offs, Hemi Stuff...amd Walts lair..looked like an old ski lodge..all brick and wood, tons of killer stuff everywhere..Walt was simply put...a bad ass...a mans man...and a life long hot rodder....RIP Walt...the Motor City will never forget you...
The AMT Double Dragster kit with the Fiat was patterned after Walt’s Puffer II before it was chopped, that model was one of my favorites. And I see that he liked marshmallow Peeps- I’m not a drinking man but I’ll hoist a Halloween Peep in his honor. Godspeed Walt
My dear brother RIP was lucky to have once driven one of Walts early puffers. May they both do some bench racing up there.
Wally was a good guy. Researching drag racing it is easy to run across his name-pretty accomplished drag racer. Met him at a car show some years ago as we both had black 62 Vettes at the show. Would occasionally run into him at Autorama and the like and he always would say hello and tell some tales. RIP.Wally.
A couple years ago i tried to find some info on him, what he did for a living, what his parents did etc. He was on another forum i frequent he went by (i believe) “Iron cross” . His stories were very interesting. Apparently his parents bought him two new corvettes while he was college. He and his family seemed to be very successful. I know his family ran the speed shop and i believe he was a lawyer. I would love to read a biography. Also his brother Al makes quality reproduction corvette interiors.
Yes, Walts Family were well off.. he would say I have lots of cool shit..cause I never needed money, so I never had to sell it...
Some of his things were sold a while back, one was a van that was bought new then partially dismantled, maybe to be customized? It sat that way for 30-40 years then was sold with under a hundred Miles on it.
Condolences to the Knoch family and friends on the passing of Walt...he certainly was a avid participant in go fast and more... Thanks for sharing this loss to the Community @loveoftiki with additional thanks to the others sharing Walts legacy... Regards, Stogy
Yep...never met him but by all accounts he was a swell guy.....rock the heavens with your departed friends - Walt !
Well we are losing too many of the good guys from our youth lately. He was always one of my favorites and I have posted many photos of his cars in the Altered thread. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-altered-thread.1010937/
Last I saw him was about 3 years ago at the local VFW Cruise Night. He was not only a Detroit Drag Racing legend but also a Downriver legend. I'm sure he will be reminiscing with other Downriver legends such as Bill Hines, Dick Dick, and others about the good old days Downriver.
Never knew he was a movie star for a little while: https://wongowomen.wordpress.com/2017/05/27/walter-knoch/
What a life! Knoch, Walter J., Jr. age 84, of Taylor, October 09, 2020. Beloved husband of Wendy Knoch. Loving father of John (Julie) Knoch, April (Creighton) Gallup, and Ursula (Joe) Vaughan. Dearest grandfather of Olivia Mabel Vaughan, Vivian Pearl Vaughan, and Isabel Noelle Knoch. He is also survived by his cousins Al Knoch, Beverly Greenberg, and his dearest friend Ray Gaddis. He is preceded in death by his parents Walt and Amelia “Millie” Knoch. Walter belonged to the NHRA, NCOA, Kappa Sigma, and L’Apache. He will be taken in a custom-built Harley hearse for a final ride. Highlights of a Legendary Life Recruited by the Detroit Tigers at the age of 16, but didn’t play due to an injury Had a choice between Michigan State for baseball, and Michigan for football, so he played Michigan Football because he liked their helmets Self-Proclaimed “Beach Bum” Mr. Florida, 1960 Piloted his own plane Lived in New Orleans for a month until he ran out of money as a college student Went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami, Florida Starred in a movie and was slated to be the next Western star Modeled, but didn’t stick with it because the clothes were too small for his physique Broke the world record for building the first 6 second car in the NHRA Won Junior Eliminator at the NHRA Nationals in 1961 and Middle Eliminator in 1962 Built speedboats and award-winning race cars with his father in the 50s and 60s, carrying on the legacy into the 70s after his father’s passing Part of the ‘W’ Club at Roosevelt High School in Wyandotte, Michigan and was honored for some of his life achievements Ski Instructor in Aspen Member of Action Vans Honored at the Indianapolis 500 in 2004 Horse enthusiast and Member of the Arabian Horse Association (bred and showed his own blue-ribbon mares)
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