Finishing Dad’s 69 GP 428HO 4spd
 

New year, so I though I would kick off a thread about my latest acquisition. My dad had 2 1969 Grand Prixs, a maroon automatic car and a gold 4-speed car. He had the maroon car when I was a teenager back in the early 80s and he picked up the gold car more recently. His bad health in recent years meant he did not have the energy to work on any of his cars, so a couple years ago he mentioned selling them and I said I was interested in the gold car. Log story short he passed away unexpectedly this past July before we could complete the sale. I was able to negotiate getting the gold car from his widow (not my mother – he was remarried), but it was not pleasant.

Anyway, since the car did not have wheels or tires, my brother and I threw some Rally II’s from his 68 Firebird in a rental car, drove to Florida, put the wheels on and trailered the car back to Virginia with a rented Penske truck/trailer. Here is a shot about half-way home

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...ictureid=13689

The car is a rust-free Texas car with a 428HO and factory 4-speed, no air conditioning. Dad had completed most of the work, I just need to finish things out. The engine is recently rebuilt, bored .030 over and was rebuilt by his neighbor. I think he kept most of it stock, but not sure. He did some engine compartment detailing while it was out, so it looks pretty decent.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...ictureid=13690

The car was repainted in the factory color – passable job, but not great. Interior is pretty much done except for a few minor things like droopy sun visors.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...ictureid=13691

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...ictureid=13692

It sill needs a few things:
- exhaust system – it has some pipes and mufflers they used for breaking in the engine, but needs a complete system
- rear differential seal leaks
- brakes seem not to work, but have not checked them out too much yet

Main problem now is that it won’t start – no spark. I’m still investigating that. My brother and I pulled the distributor to manually prime it, since we didn’t know how long it has been sitting. The priming worked great, just hoping that we didn’t screw something up when we pulled it out.

I’m sure I’ll have questions as I go, so I wanted to start a “build” thread to update as work progresses. My plan is to get it running and just enjoy driving it. When he bought the car, it was missing the engine and I think the rear end, so those are not original. I believe he replaced it with a 428HO from an automatic car. So not a numbers matching survivor or anything, but it has sentimental value to me and should be a cool car to drive around. If anyone here knows any history about this car, please let me know. I believe he bought it from someone in Texas in the early 90’s.

Dwight Crawford had one exactly like this. missing the engine and rear end. I looked at it and should have bought it. I bet its the same car.

69 GP
 

Very cool you were able to make the purchase and keep this in the family. Good having your brother, to have loaned his wheels/tires and come along for the ride home. Nice, clean S.J.

Nice solid car there, sounds like you're real close to burning some gas and enjoying it. Very cool that it's your Dad's car

Great GP Jeff, ordered like it was a GTO, love the Gold no vinyl top.

Way to go! Great car and story, it's in good hands.

Great that you were able to get your Dad's car and will finish it for him. Will be a fun car to drive!

The knowledge and connections in the Pontiac Community and this forum specifically, never cease to amaze me. Case in point if Dwight Crawford checks out.

That is interesting. Is he still around? I would love to document some of the history of the car.

(I get a Google hit for a letter he wrote regarding a Monk King car, so if he is well known, please pardon my ignorance :o )

And one other interesting thing - I looked at the PHS docs for this car and it was delivered to Monk King Pontiac in December of 1968.

I don't know about Dwight, I haven't talked to him in several years. hope he is and is doing good. that was a long time ago I looked at it. I would bet almost anything its the same car. same engine trans combo, same color with no vinyl top, missing engine and rear. I have pictures of it stashed away when I looked at it.

Great story and awesome car. Wish you many happy miles and know your Dad would proud. Hope I get to see the car and meet you at Norwalk 2020??

That's great you were able to get your Dad's car and keep the car in the family! You will love driving one of these cars with a stick. I've had this car in my personal registry for several years now. Have fun with it!

Jeff, very cool car & rare. I think 1 or 93. If you still don't have spark, look at the points & condenser, if it still has them. I had my coil wire break within the casing so I didn't see the break. All I did was wiggle the wire and it started. If it doesn't crank, then it could be the neutral safety switch on the clutch pedal. Gp Mike

A member here of PY worked at Monk King Pontiac
Goes by screen name of supcarbob

They were a performance dealer and had race teams/cars
A good number of neat cars have popped up with their name on the Invoices

You definitely came to the right spot on the internet.
Welcome to PY
Wicked 69 GP-SJ you have

one of my 70 ra4 ta's is from monk king. being so close to dallas, I have bought countless gto's, trans ams and big cars that came from monk king over the years.

Wow what a nice car. The 69-72 Grand Prix was the best car Pontiac ever made. Did you know some how John De got the big wigs to let him use the 68-72 Chevy el Camino frame for them. That frame is massive its the GM #1942 frame.. John hand picked what he could for that car..

The '69 GP frame is not the same as a "68-72" ElCamino frame.
This generation of GP frames has a 118" wheelbase & the front frame crossmember is unique in its design. The ElCo frame was 116" wheelbase & used the very common style front frame crossmember. Many folks also confuse the '70-72 MonteCarlo chassis with this generation of GP chassis, the Monte frame while extended slightly in front of the cowl, is also not the same as used under a '69,70,71, 72 GP.

Truly appreciate the '69 GP's styling & features, own a loaded out 428HO Model J. Have driven several dozen '69-72's, & have owned & methodically parted over 4 dozen '69-72 GP's. That said, not sure how one could state they were the "best" car Pontiac ever made. Best is very subjective, best at what... This generation of GP's are an extremely nice roadcar & with many components shared with or very similar to that of a same year Pontiac A-body, can make a decent project to restore. Unfortunately, unless the GP is an extremely clean original & bought right, OR a fairly solid straight near numbers matching high horse '69 or '70, one can literally be buried in one just getting it presentable.

Like Gary, I remember that '69 428HO GP, great to read its in great hands!

Hi Jeff,

Any updates on the 4speed car?

Yeah, I kind of dropped the ball due to some family health issues with my son. When I got the car, I told myself it was going to be road-worthy in 1 year or I would sell it to someone to finish out. I have 3 more months now. :eek:

I plan to work on it some this coming week: check out the rally gauge issues, get the new tires mounted on the wheels I got from Don and get my brothers wheels back to him, and take a look at the brakes. It does start and run now (at least it did a couple months ago), but the rally gauges don’t seem to work and I would like to see the oil pressure and temp when it is running.

Hopefully some more progress by next weekend :)