[1oldgoat]

I have the chance to buy a 69 GP SJ that is showing 60k on the odo. Seller claims it's correct. The car is Espresso Brown with gold vinyl interior, power seat, gauges, AM-FM, A/C, no tilt, no power windows or locks, no posi. It has some minor rust in the trunk and bottoms of both front fenders but the floors are solid as are the window channels. It has had a quarter panel replaced many years ago (only a so-so job). Runs great, numbers matching 428 XF code engine and trans. Needs the drivers seat re-covered. The original carburetor has been replaced with an Edlebrock but the air cleaner and other parts are there. The A/C compressor is in the trunk but all of the lines, brackets and hardware appear to be present. The wheels are all Rally II's but are a mis-matched set.

What do you guys think it's worth? Thanks for your input.

[red1975pacer]

11k based on the color, lack of options , and the fact it needs work.

[1oldgoat]

Red, thanks for the input. Any suggestion on where I could get a decent used gold seat cover? Maybe a passenger seat?

[red1975pacer]

Any seat covers in used condition would probably be all chewed up. the best solution may be to replace both front seats. Don't just do one, do em both for they'll match.

[1oldgoat]

Here's a picture of my new GP SJ.

[1oldgoat]

Loaded up and ready to head home.

[blubomber]

Great find. Expresso Brown was a popular color back then.

Kind of surprised that the SJ does not have tilt wheel but that can be replaced pretty easily. You don't even need a GP to make the swap.

You do have cornering lamps and I suspect the parts are there for automatic level control; pump in the engine compartment and control mechanism by the right rear control arm. That was std on SJ's.

The 428 XF should be the HO edition which came with long branch manifolds and dual exhaust. Correct Q'jet carb would be 7268.

You probably have disc brakes.

8 track or Reverb (if non stereo) is easily added.

Power windows and power locks are pretty easy to add as well but you do have to take the dash out. (Not hard to do if you already have the steering column out) Contact me if you are interested a correct vacuum power locks setup.

Wood grain steering wheel is a nice addition and can be found or purchased. They are easy to re-finish even if they have a crack or two.

Seat material can be ordered from SMS Fabrics in Oregon. Not cheap though. Others may have better suggestions.

Gold vinyl top might be a nice addition.

Contact "North" on this site for more extensive information. He bought an SJ just lack winter/spring.

[1oldgoat]

Thanks for the comments! I plan to keep it as close to original as I can. It is definitely not my favorite color. It does have the automatic level control, disc brakes and has the AM-FM Stereo with 8-track. Thanks for the suggestion on calling SMS. I'll also checkout North's site. Thanks.

[blubomber]

"North", John Hall, does not have site but you can PM him.
His GP SJ is expresso brown with gold interior as well. He also has a '69 Bonneville Brougham convertible in expresso brown with gold interior and white top.

I wouldn't be surprised if a good buff job did wonders bringing the color back out of the paint. There might be something you could apply to the vinyl top to freshen the color on that as well.

I understand about wanting to stay true to original. Tilt wheel makes it easier to get in and out of for me as I get older. I just like the looks of the wood grain steering wheels.

Nice to hear it has additional options. Very sharp car.

[1oldgoat]

Thanks. I am hoping the paint will come back and be presentable. We just want to make a cruiser out of it.

[69GP428HO4SP]

XF 428 is the standard 370HP, XG would be the HO 390HP version with the factory long branch exhaust manifolds.

[1oldgoat]

Yes, it's the std 428 engine. Do you know if the GTO ram air manifolds will bolt on? I know the long branch ones will. I have a nice set of d-port GTO ram air manifolds that I would like to use since it needs a new exhaust system anyway. Thanks for the input.

[69GP428HO4SP]

Yes the RA manifolds will fit, I had a set of RA III's on one of my GPs before upgrading to the HO manifolds. Might want to check the motor mounts when you have the manifolds off and replace if they are wore, it's easy to change them when the manifolds are off.

[blubomber]

I think the only difference between the XF (370hp) and the XG (390hp) motors was that the XG (428HO) had the long branch manifolds and the larger volume air cleaner intake.

Unlike the full size YH v. YK (428HO) the XF had larger valve heads #48 or #16's (manual transmission?) just like the XG. It also had 4 bolt main caps installed and had the .067 cam (A/T). The distributor (weights and springs) set up was slightly different as well.

The full size YH 428 had small valve #46 heads, slightly less compression ratio, a slightly different carburetor (262 v. 268), more restrictive and smaller exhaust manifolds and pipes, the .066 cam, and the smaller air intake.

I think the XF was std on GP SJ's.

In '69 the 428 became std engine on Bonneville but for economy of scale they used the same std #46 heads used on base Catalina 400 2 bbl cars and 2 bolt main caps although all 428 blocks were drilled for 4 bolts.

#16, 48 and 62 (full size cars) heads were 2.11 intake, 1.77 exhaust valves with screw in studs v. 1.96 intake and 1.66 exhaust with press in studs on the #46 heads.

Having said all the this I am a huge fan of the 428 in any form.

[1oldgoat]

I think I will use the RA III manifolds, thanks for the info! Blu--this 428 has #62 heads and doesn't appear to have been messed with.

[1oldgoat]

Do you guys know what the standard axle ratio was for a 69 SJ? There is nothing on the PHS so I am guessing it is whatever is standard for a 428 automatic with A/C.

[Ram4king]

Most likely a 308 or 278 axle The 62 heads are correct also. Nice find.

[1oldgoat]

Thanks Don. Do you have a posi rearend for it by chance?

[blubomber]

I've seen both #62 and #48 heads on 428 A/T GP's. I think maybe the #16 heads were used on M/T cars but can't say with certainty. Maybe the #48's were used on the XG 428HO's. To the best of my knowledge they are all the same head: valves, springs, screw in studs. Just a different code number to ID application.

My guess is that the std rear end was a 3:08. That is what came on my Bonneville with std 428 and A/C.

Several years ago I parted a Bonneville Brougham convertible 428HO. Std rear end for B body cars with 428HO and A/T was 3:42. 3.23 with M/T (very few made, maybe less than a dozen). Posi was not std. You had to order that.

BTW: They only made about 726 YK coded 428HO's for the B body cars and about 1,240 XG coded 428HO's for the GP's. Or phrased another way only about 2,000 units for a total production run of some 450,000 cars: 250K Catalina's; 100K Bonneville's; 112K GP's

[1oldgoat]

I wish this was a 428 HO! I hope to find a posi for it. I'll leave the rest pretty much original. Thanks for the info!