I was out to visit my car this weekend. I looked for build order above gas tank but had no luck as the tank has been out in past. Oh well I did snap a pic of trim tag. Also was wondering about the ground strap from firewall to carb stud. Is that part of it still attached on firewall?

Too bad about the build order not being there, but that's not uncommon. That's been my luck on the last two '69 GP tanks I pulled, once the tank has been out before they tend to disappear. Yes, that clip on the firewall is for the ground strap, that end of the strap is like a flat blade terminal and it simply pushes in to that clip. I just noticed your location... I lived in Bend from 1994 to 1997 and then LaPine until 2002. My son & ex still live in Bend. I bought a loaded '69 GP 428HO auto from the owner of Eberhard's Dairy in Redmond in 1996.

That's a great story! Small world. My dad's 69 limelight green sj was from Lapine. Thanks for the info on ground strap. Are those exact straps hard to find?

No kidding, does he still have the Limelight Green SJ? You're welcome. Yes, that particular one is difficult to find. The later ones with an eyelet on each end are a little easier to find.

He does still have it. It's now a non factory dark green, has a 455 with tri power. Nice car, someday I'll have it and return it to original colors and put original 428 back in it. He bought it back in 1993 I believe. I just love these cars. I have been mainly a GTO guy, but the Grand Prixs are a special car unmatched by anything. I will have to add that ground strap to my parts needed list lol

That's great, he's had that one a long time. Sounds like a beast! Yes, these GP's are great cars. I too have had several GTO's over the years and was what initially brought me to Bend... did you ever attend The Tiger Run show? I'll check my parts stash for that ground strap, I may have one?

I did attend Tiger Run events. I went to first one in 1991 at age 6. Then went to all of them until around 2009 when I moved out of state. I would bring my 72 endura lemans as a teenager, then I bought, restored and brought my 69 GTO to the last few that I attended. I moved here to Bend last year. I vaguely remember seeing a few GP'S over the years of attending. That would be great if you had an extra strap laying around.

Small world indeed... my first year for Tiger Run was in 1993 when they had it at the college there in Bend. I drove my older brother's Solar Red '68 GTO convert up from Sacramento that time. The following year I took my Limelight Green '69 GTO hardtop which was held at the fairgrounds in Redmond. That following September we moved to Bend. Had a lot of fun at that show over the years and I'm sure we crossed paths a few times. I took the "Eberhard's GP" to the 1996 show. You may remember a Castilian Bronze '69 SJ 4-speed there in 2002 in the for sale section, that car now belongs to a buddy of mine who's brother actually bought it new... there's been a few articles written about that car. Anyway, I'll PM you after I get a chance to look for that strap.

I remember that bronze car! One of my favorite GP colors! Also great on 71 GTOs. Thanks for looking

Not sure which car you're referring to so I just list them all.

The now-scrapped (in 1985) 69 Model J that my dad bought off of our neighbor was Midnight Green with parchment interior - no vinyl top. That was the 1 of 3 HO 3spd car.

My current car is a late production HO M-20 Model J, white with white vinyl top and black interior. Not crazy about white but with 119 total HO/stick cars one cannot be too choosy!

The std 428 SJ/auto that I am keeping tabs on is brown with saddle leather and some off-color vinyl top. The invoice does not show a vinyl top for this car. The docs I got for that one are from GM of Canada; by memory I think it sold new in Dorval, just west of Montreal.

Dorval car must have been sold at Harland Motors, closed down about 10 years ago. A common practice of montreal area dealers was to add their own vinyl tops. There was a company that would go to dealers and install vinyl tops right in the parking lot, they did it for about $25 less than dealer wholesale cost from the factory. Most dealers didn’t mention to customer that their top wasn’t GM of course. They’d find out soon enough though, they used thin cheap vinyl that would fail prematurely and the trim edge was a flexible fake chrome looking material that could be hand bent around corners.

Update on GP: Pulled front clip and engine and trans. I plan on replacing rh quarter and wheelhouse this winter as well as other needed metalwork.

thanks for updating your project here. good to see it's still being done. too many times it seems, they get started but never finished. look forward to seeing more of it, when you have time to share.

Can't wait to see this car done! I will drive up to see it in person.

I would love that! I may reach out for info along the way as I really want this to be correct.

Anytime, would love to help!