[GTO.PAUL]

Thanks for the pics. Paul

[Back Channel]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Doug, here is the total 350HO production for '69 A-bodies (courtesy of Fred S. and Diego R.):

Tempest 2-door coupe: 85
Tempest 4-door sedan: 10

Custom S 2-door coupe: 87
Custom S 2-door hardtop: 597
Custom S 4-door hardtop: 30
Custom S 2-door ragtop: 45
Custom S 4-door sedan: 55

LeMans 2-door coupe: 117
LeMans 2-door hardtop: 2,687
LeMans 4-door hardtop: 254
LeMans 2-door ragtop: 271

Total: 4,238 A-Bodies w/350HO

Dennis

Interesting that the production of 1969 A-Body cars equipped with the 350 H.O. engine option does not include any station wagons. Was this engine option not available for 1969 A-Body Safaris?

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by Back Channel

Interesting that the production of 1969 A-Body cars equipped with the 350 H.O. engine option does not include any station wagons. Was this engine option not available for 1969 A-Body Safaris?

No, the 350 HO wasn't available in wagons primarily because PMD never offered dual exhaust on A-body wagons, and the 350 HO option came with dual exhaust as part of the package.

Dennis

[Back Channel]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

No, the 350 HO wasn't available in wagons primarily because PMD never offered dual exhaust on A-body wagons, and the 350 HO option came with dual exhaust as part of the package.

Dennis

Thanks for the information.

[north]

There was also no sprint option on wagons in 69, unlike the lack of dual exhaust option on wagons in relation to the 350 HO there was no technical reason for the lack of Sprint on the wagon so must have been just insufficient demand. That means only the 1bbl 250 and the 2bbl 350 were offered on 69 A body wagons. Similarly the 428 HO was not offered on full sized wagons in 69, probably because it would have required specific wagon only larger diameter tailpipes and resonators.

[SD455DJ]

The Custom S is almost whole again. Front sheet metal is now installed along with the bumper and grilles. Just needing final alignment tweaks, the front valance and some minor chrome installed and it's drivable again...well, waiting on the front bench seat at the upholsterers too...kinda need that to drive.

Dennis

[b-man]

Stunning.

Never thought I’d be into a 4-door but this one’s a game changer.

I’ve always liked the Plain Jane cars, better yet an original 350 HO sleeper.

[JSuchma]

Dennis, who needs a seat......that's what those milk crates in every shop are for.
Looking good! It is a COOL car indeed, but I can vision an IA2 block with big cubes under those heads and intake. Painted Pontiac metallic blue of course!

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by b-man

Stunning.

Never thought I’d be into a 4-door but this one’s a game changer.

I’ve always liked the Plain Jane cars, better yet an original 350 HO sleeper.

Thanks B-man. Thanks for the kind words! This has to be the quickest we turned a car around to be ready for the summer car season, as long as we get the front seat back soon. It is an odd-ball for sure, and very plain. I'll be getting those 215R75-14 WW Hankooks in a couple weeks to make it more grandma looking. We're going to keep the small-looking deluxe wheel covers on to complete the look.

Dennis

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by JSuchma

Dennis, who needs a seat......that's what those milk crates in every shop are for.
Looking good! It is a COOL car indeed, but I can vision an IA2 block with big cubes under those heads and intake. Painted Pontiac metallic blue of course!

Funny you say that, that's exactly what Dan used to sit on to drive the car back to the shop (less than a 1/4 mile). Thanks for the kind words as well.

Dennis

[JSuchma]

I frequent a lot of body shops in my business. Every one of them has at least one milk crate laying around.

[Stuart]

So is the 8 track player going back in?

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by Stuart

So is the 8 track player going back in?

Stuart, Well...? We took it and all the wiring out for now (power & ground is all), but it's pretty easy to reinstall if we get the bug to do so later. I would like to think we will once I go through the 8-track and make it work a bit better. Probably needs a good cleaning. It is an odd period piece and part of the cars history.

Dennis

[Stuart]

The rubber drive belt inside the 8 track is probably toast, but there are places that sell replacements.

(My first job out of engineering school was at a company that built magnetic tape heads. I was there in the late 1970s so 8 tracks had gone by the wayside and they had moved on to computer disk drives, but their tape heads had been used in most GM factory tape decks in the early 1970s and we still had plenty of parts laying around in the lab.)

[SD455DJ]

Stuart, when I get it apart, I'll post some pictures to get your advice. I'm sure the former owner (wife) will wonder why it isn't there (in the car that is).

Dennis

[SD455DJ]

We got the front valance on with the turn signals and side marker lights today, so that wraps up the body side of the equation. Now we just have to get the front seat back from the upholsterer! We have to check for a bad ground as the driver turn signal doesn't light the running light filament of the bulb (tried several new bulbs...same result every time), and the signal and hazard lights flash dimly, but at the normal pace. The passenger side turn signal works great in all modes.

Dennis

[north]

I recall that the 69 Twmpest-LeMans wiring harness is different than the GTO due to the grounding for the parking lights. I believe the goat lamps have a ground wire in the socket but not the Tempest-LeMans which uses the parking lamp ground comes from the metal lamp bracket.

If the valance is painted heavily it might not be grounded to the body.

[SD455DJ]

Thanks North! I recall 3-wires to the connector socket, one being a small round hole in between the two larger spade receivers. We were thinking that's a ground wire in the socket...?

Dennis

[Shiny]

That is a strikingly beautiful car. Thanks for sharing the effort and results.

The front bumper and grill are amazing tributes to the era for me. Is that original chrome? Wow.

Mike

[SD455DJ]

Thanks Mike! We appreciate it. Yes, the chrome is original and looks presentable, but is old and you can see hazing when you look at it closely but is perfect for the condition the car is in...for a driver.

Dennis