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Mark: Adding excitement to new and classic cars
January/26/2010 at 2:16 pm
Former GM engineer and racer John Heinricy giving me advice on the "line" around the our road course at our Milford Proving Grounds in Michigan.
Mark A Stielow, Engineering Group Manager for Ride, Handling and Steering, Global Vehicle Dynamics Center, Milford Proving Grounds
Classic Camaros: Classic cars and hot rods are my passion. I’m working right now on the restoration of my 12th Camaro – a ‘69 Camaro. My previous Chevy projects include: ‘69 Camaro RS, ‘69 Camaro RS, ‘69 Camaro, ‘69 Camaro (first One Lap of America car), ‘69 Camaro, ‘88 Chevy Truck, ‘95 Chevy Truck,’ 67 Camaro (Red Witch), ‘69 Camaro (Thrasher), ‘69 Camaro, ‘69 Camaro (Mule), ‘64 Chevelle (Malitude), ‘69 Camaro (Camaro X), and a ‘69 Camaro.
Car Awards: Hot Rod Top 10 1993, Winner Car Craft Real Street Eliminator 1993, Hot Rod Car of the Year 1996, Chevy High Performance Car of the Year 1999, Hot Rod Top 100 cars of all time.
Daily Driver: I love the classic Camaros for fun, but I like the Tahoe and Avalanche for daily driving. I have to drive back and forth to work on I-696 — a fast-paced, busy Detroit freeway. Nothing beats a Tahoe. When there’s 8 inches of snow on the ground, you can still hit it.
I always wanted to work in the auto industry. I grew up in North Kansas City, Missouri, where my dad had a garbage hauling business. I was always working on cars in high school and college. I purchased my first Camaro, a white 1969 Camaro, in 1988 during a summer internship with GM. At the time, I was assigned to the F-body showroom stock racing program.
When I hired into GM full-time, I was assigned a project at the Desert Proving Grounds in Mesa, Ariz. So I bought the car in the classifieds, rebuilt it in the Embassy Suites parking lot and had it hauled back to Detroit. When I finished that ‘69 Camaro, it was my first project ever featured in a magazine. It was recently voted a Hot Rod magazine Top 100 cars of all time.
The "Mule," a 1969 Camaro that I built as a project build-up in Popular Hotrodding Magazine.
I worked in the HPVO (High Performance Vehicle Operations) group for six years at GM. I think my background with classic cars and hot rods outside of work has helped. It’s hard to think like a car guy unless you are a car guy. While in the group, I was involved with the CTS-V, STS-V, HHR SS and the Cobalt SS.
I get a kick out of going to car shows and seeing some young kid with a hopped up Cobalt SS. That’s what I would have been doing when I was younger. The CTS-V and STS-V are great for customers who are a little bit older and have a slightly bigger budget.
The "Red Witch," a 1967 Camaro that I built that was Hot Rod Magazines' car of the year in 1996 and on the cover.
I recently started working on ride, handling and steering for global center of expertise. We’re doing some work on a future Buick program right now. Buick has some great vehicles right now and the driving experience is a lot different now than it used to be. I really think the Buick showroom is looking good and we have some more good products coming. I had a chance to spend some time in the new LaCrosse and Regal. Both cars are great and have a good balance of fun to drive, luxury and value.
Brusch
Jan 27th, 2010
I like the red one!
Rap
Jan 29th, 2010
Red one is “Red Witch” which just went across the block at Barrett Jackson this past weekend.
Ben Herr
Jan 29th, 2010
Mark, I have always been impressed with the cars you have built! Your attention to detail is as good as it gets! I have redone my 1975 Corvette. Your efforts inspired me. My car is not as good as the cars you have done, but it is the best I can do and I am very proud. I enjoy the cleaning, repairing and replacing parts as necessary to restore and/or improve my classic GM car! I’m glad you are on our team!
Brad
Jan 29th, 2010
I work out at Milford also and remember years ago before getting into GM I was working at the corner of 12 mile and Mound. I would see you go by in your white camaro and think, “man, somebody built a killer camaro like nothing I had seen before”.
Mel Fox
Jan 29th, 2010
Stielow!!!! Great to see you on here!!! Always enjoy reading about (and looking at) your project cars!!! GM’s more than lucky to have you on board
jim suppes
Jan 29th, 2010
Needs more engine.
A blower would be nice.
Pete
Jan 29th, 2010
I grew up reading Mark Stielow’s builds in high school and college – every component was often scrutinized, optimized/modified and perfected (the Mule Camaro exemplifies my point). He is one of the many engineers working at GM that I hold in high regard! Mark is definitely known to hotrod enthusiasts around the world; I’m glad that he is noted as one of our best and brightest at GM!
BTW, I moved up to Michigan a little over 3 years ago to work at my dream job (@GM); since I’m so close to your place of employment (I work in Pontiac) and you have a few extra Camaros…. only partially kidding!
jeff
Jan 29th, 2010
Hi Mark, keep up the good work!
Chris Berube
Jan 29th, 2010
I have had the privilege of working directly with Mark at HPVO and can confirm he is the consummate car guy. GM is lucky to have him.
Tony
Feb 2nd, 2010
Mark Stielow…father of the Pro Touring craze! Seeing you and Heinricy in the media inspired me to join the company a few years ago. I remember reading about the ZR1 brakes on your white ‘69 back in the early 90s when you competed in RSE. It seemed so exotic then…I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Mike
Feb 2nd, 2010
Awesome man.
Weird how much you are like me, I grew up in KC too and started restoring cars during highschool. Always knew I wanted to work for GM and now am here working for such an amazing company.
My first car I started a 67 camaro is just getting to the final stages of completion. Hopefully someone will find it worthy of car of the year or even a magazine if not, its what I wanted and I built it, its mine.
Much respect for those who pursue their hobby in their line of work.
Richard Newton
Feb 3rd, 2010
If you learned from John you learned from the best.
Richard
Daniel Barcutian
Feb 19th, 2010
Mark,
I had the chance to take a closer look at the Camaro with the ZR1 components at the Hot Rod Power Tour last year [I had my 71 Pontiac for a few legs of the event]. One of the first ones I’ve been able to see up close.
I was a big fan of “Malitude” among others. I’ve noticed a few of your builds [long before I hired into GM] on a few sites and magazines.
Great work.