Liberty Blue '69 Grand Prix SJ 428HO 4-Speed

[grantprix]

I just returned home yesterday from a road trip to West Chester, Ohio to work on my friend Scott's newly acquired GP. This car was restored in 1990 and shows extremely well for it's age. Kudos to KV, the previous owner who took great care of it all of those years!

The plan was to sort out some things, mainly under the hood. Correct numbered & dated components needed were sourced and then sent out for restoration prior to my arrival. Carb, alternator, starter and master cylinder were all replaced. NOS parts installed included both radiator hoses, distributor "R" cap & rotor, points & condenser. Reproduction parts included air cleaner & engine tune decals, dated plug wires, heater hoses, dated hose clamps, molded hood insulation pad, battery cables and battery.

I also restored a set of correct '69 "JK" code Rally II's just prior to leaving home for Ohio. Scott had a brand new set of the "bias look" redline radials waiting for them. Several other little things were addressed as well. It was fun to be a part of taking this car to the next level. And I must say, she runs very strong and drives great!

[grantprix]

NOS dated voltage regulator and reproduction belts as well.

[grantprix]

Interior.

[60sStuff]

Geezzz Grant,

I wish you would come to my place and sort my cars. 🙄

[grantprix]

And a video link... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAGkCpn0z1o

[olredalert]

----Grant,,,Love this 69! What a great color for a GP, and probably the 1st GP I've seen that looked this great to me without a vinyl top. I'm wondering where the air shock pump is, am I just not seeing it?.....Bill S

[grantprix]

Bill... it's the very last photo, but it posted sideways.

[grantprix]

I missed these with the lamps lit up.

[olredalert]

----Thanks, Grant! I'm not sure if it was posted yet. Anyway,,,I knew if you had anything to do with this piece of artwork that it would be there!!! Are you joining us at MCACN this year? Buy you a beer if so.....Bill S

[grantprix]

Geezzz Grant,

I wish you would come to my place and sort my cars. 🙄

I've seen your cars, they are well sorted!

[napa68]

That is gorgeous!!

[grantprix]

----Thanks, Grant! I'm not sure if it was posted yet. Anyway,,,I knew if you had anything to do with this piece of artwork that it would be there!!! Are you joining us at MCACN this year? Buy you a beer if so.....Bill S

I hadn't planned for it, but I'll look you up for that beer if I do!

[Xplantdad]

Very nice!!:headbang:

[67ssmn]

very nice job! great car, not many without ac i bet, did they ever have a factory tach?

[6t7 camaro]

I like that a lot!

[1967Z28]

Super nice GP! Well done.

[RPOLS3]

Stunning

[60sStuff]

There is so much to like about this 69 GP SJ.

Just one of the details I appreciate is the engine paint finish.
You see so many engines with a heavy thick paint job and this car has a light spray like the factory would have done, nice.

Thanks for sharing your friends car.

[grantprix]

very nice job! great car, not many without ac i bet, did they ever have a factory tach?

Yes, an in dash tach was optional. Hood tach was dealer installed only on GP's.

[grantprix]

For those of you that may remember Morris Restorations, that's who did this car back in 1990. Bob was well known for quality restorations and paint/body work.

[grantprix]

There is so much to like about this 69 GP SJ.

Just one of the details I appreciate is the engine paint finish.
You see so many engines with a heavy thick paint job and this car has a light spray like the factory would have done, nice.

Thanks for sharing your friends car.

I agree. And the black finishes on the core support, inner fender wells, firewall and under hood are very close to factory as well.

[NorCam]

Wow! Stunning! Gorgeous!

I've always been a huge fan of GPs and this one is awesome!

[olredalert]

I agree. And the black finishes on the core support, inner fender wells, firewall and under hood are very close to factory as well.

----There was only a bit of surface rust on my SJ's radiator support down low on one side. That whole peice is dip painted. I have the original runs to prove it, so I chose to just do the affected areas and leave the rest alone. There were a few minor spots on top of the support right above the battery probably from battery acid but I felt strongly that I shouldn't redo the upper side of the support. The runs are still there!....Bill S

[grantprix]

----There was only a bit of surface rust on my SJ's radiator support down low on one side. That whole peice is dip painted. I have the original runs to prove it, so I chose to just do the affected areas and leave the rest alone. There were a few minor spots on top of the support right above the battery probably from battery acid but I felt strongly that I shouldn't redo the upper side of the support. The runs are still there!....Bill S

Yep, that's how they did them. That paint was very durable and shines up easily if in good condition. Great that you could preserve it.

[67since67]

Beautiful GP!! Love the attention to detail! - Bill W

[Mallard]

Absolutely beautiful car! Brings back memories, I had a 69 GP SJ 428-370 HP (turbo 400 auto), back nearly 50 years ago. Interesting though, mine had a twin snorkel air cleaner.

[napa68]

Beautiful GP!! Love the attention to detail! - Bill W

Me too!!

[carnut4life]

Absolutely beautiful car! Brings back memories, I had a 69 GP SJ 428-370 HP (turbo 400 auto), back nearly 50 years ago. Interesting though, mine had a twin snorkel air cleaner.

The dual snorkel air cleaner was a $9.48 option on all 1969 Grand Prix's.

[grantprix]

Absolutely beautiful car! Brings back memories, I had a 69 GP SJ 428-370 HP (turbo 400 auto), back nearly 50 years ago. Interesting though, mine had a twin snorkel air cleaner.

A lot of guys added dual snorkel air cleaners from GTO's back in the day. I did it too.

[grantprix]

The dual snorkel air cleaner was a $9.48 option on all 1969 Grand Prix's.

Really? I've never seen or heard of this, is it shown on the order form?

[grantprix]

The dual snorkel air cleaner was a $9.48 option on all 1969 Grand Prix's.

Oh, I see what you're referring to now... UPC code K45, HD Dual Stage Air Cleaner. This was just a heavy duty element with additional oiled foam around the paper element.

Here's a photo of the HD instruction label from one of my old '69 GP's.

[carnut4life]

Really? I've never seen or heard of this, is it shown on the order form?

It was listed under sale code 731 UPC K45 as "Air Cleaner Dual Stage HD $9.48" I've seen at least half a dozen Grand Prix PHS's over the last few years the have it listed. The few I've seen this one had the dual snorkel air cleaner, maybe the owners added it then? They sure look better than singles that's for sure.

https://www.xr793.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/1969-Pontiac-Accessorizer-Booklet.pdf

[olredalert]

----The K45 dual stage air-cleaner was included in the Y88 basic group which is probably why we have seen quite a few on 69 GP's. My 69 has the Y88 option with the dual snorkel!.....Bill S

[Charley Lillard]

Can I have it ?

[grantprix]

----The K45 dual stage air-cleaner was included in the Y88 basic group which is probably why we have seen quite a few on 69 GP's. My 69 has the Y88 option with the dual snorkel!.....Bill S

Bill... K45/731 had nothing to do with a dual snorkel air cleaner, it was the element only as I mentioned above and could be had with either the small single snorkel 400 air cleaner or the larger single snorkel used on 428 engines. Not to say that the factory "never" installed a dual snorkel or one slipped through on a '69 GP. Here's a few more photos of the Model J 400 that I referenced above.

[grantprix]

Can I have it ?

Me first!

[carnut4life]

Me first!

I'd take it too, but I'd rather have Scott's Espresso Brown SJ.

[grantprix]

I'd take it too, but I'd rather have Scott's Espresso Brown SJ.

Yep, hard to beat a 13K mile survivor with three pedals.

[grantprix]

Quite the pair...

[carnut4life]

Great shots, thanks for posting them Grant.

[olredalert]

----Love these two GP's. Would love to own either one! What a pair!!!.....Bill S

[WILMASBOYL78]

Amazing cars...those hoods look a mile long.

:beers:

[markjohnson]

Those cars are absolutely criminally overlooked in the shadow of Goats & ‘Birds. That wrap around dash is among the prettiest ever and I gotta lean towards that sexy blue beast sans vinyl top!

[GM Powertrain]

428HO, 4 speed, no AC and no vinyl top. The holy grail of '69 Grand Prixs'. I passed on an original triple black, California '69 GP 428HO auto car late last year. Bench seat car. Ordered with a power bench according to the PHS but came through with a manual seat track. Now I'm rethinking my decision...

[grantprix]

428HO, 4 speed, no AC and no vinyl top. The holy grail of '69 Grand Prixs'. I passed on an original triple black, California '69 GP 428HO auto car late last year. Bench seat car. Ordered with a power bench according to the PHS but came through with a manual seat track. Now I'm rethinking my decision...

I turned my friend here in Auburn onto that car, he loves it. It's a very rare combo with the bench seat (that's a late production offering) combined the 428HO and factory triple black. I doubt there's another one like it. We looked into the power seat deal, no evidence of the special welded brackets on the floor so it must have slipped through without it. Another strange thing is that it was sold new with standard steel wheels and hubcaps, but shows Rally II's on the invoice. The car did sit on the lot for several months before being sold so possibly a wheel swap was done for another buyer of a different car? It's a great car, runs and drives excellent. Car was originally for sale in Lodi, CA around 2011 by the original owner's family. There was no mention of it being an HO so I never did go look at it... DOH!