TGP Pace car(s)

[Turbo v-sick]

It sure would be nice to know where these are hiding...

[White93z34]

I seem to recall someone posting a picture of one scrapped at a u-pullit yard not too long ago.

[Turbo v-sick]

Yes I remember that one too and yes It could have been a pace car we'll never know for sure. IIRC it's build date was 5/89. I bought seat covers and several other items from that car. These on the other hand have pre-production rims and I believe were mostly built towards the end of 1988 early 1989.

[Turbo v-sick]

I seem to recall someone posting a picture of one scrapped at a u-pullit yard not too long ago.

Here it is.

[mfewtrail]

I'm curious if the pictures above are all the same car and they threw different vinyl on it for the various events it paced. If not, then they produced several pre-production cars with that weird version of crosslaces on them.

[Turbo v-sick]

I'm curious if the pictures above are all the same car and they threw different vinyl on it for the various events it paced. If not, then they produced several pre-production cars with that weird version of crosslaces on them.

I thought that as well. The second from last has the Daytona 500 car in the back ground and I did confirm all these pictures were taken the same day.

[Heartbeat1991]

I think those crosslaces are GTA wheels.

[ManicMechanic]

No, WAY different than GTA wheels.

[Heartbeat1991]

Oh yeah, way different. Here is a pic of a GTA wheel.

[ManicMechanic]

Yeah, you can see the deeper lip.

[Heartbeat1991]

The rears didn't have the deeper lip, but the center of these look more like the pace car wheels than the TGP wheels, which are quite different.

[1988PhantomFE3]

I love all pace cars, wish I could fine more of the W Body ones still out there...

[ManicMechanic]

Ed, you may know him from somewhere else but a guy that goes by Lee93 is on GMsquarebody and we have been posting in my pace/official truck thread quite a bit, you should check it out again. I sent you the pics of his 1985 Indy Hauler.

[mfewtrail]

I thought that as well. The second from last has the Daytona 500 car in the back ground and I did confirm all these pictures were taken the same day.

 

I skimmed through when posting as always and didn't even pay attention to the 2nd one making a cameo in the background of one of the pics.

 

 

You probably already know this but the Black car from this car & driver article has the same pre-production wheels on it as well as dual outlet exhaust tips. I'm glad they didn't give us the same plenum as that car.

 

http://img223.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=47354_tgp_article2_122_117lo.jpg

Edited November 30, 2013 by mfewtrail

[Heartbeat1991]

I skimmed through when posting as always and didn't even pay attention to the 2nd one making a cameo in the background of one of the pics.

 

 

You probably already know this but the Black car from this car & driver article has the same pre-production wheels on it as well as dual outlet exhaust tips. I'm glad they didn't give us the same plenum as that car.

 

http://img223.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=47354_tgp_article2_122_117lo.jpg

 

What plenum? I think I like the quad exhaust outlet better. And those wheels look like they have the lip of the GTA rears. Hm

[Turbo v-sick]

You probably already know this but the Black car from this car & driver article has the same pre-production wheels on it as well as dual outlet exhaust tips. I'm glad they didn't give us the same plenum as that car.

http://img223.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=47354_tgp_article2_122_117lo.jpg

Yes got that one in the collection. It appears after the GTA crosslaces were replaced with a metric lug pattern that they went through a few subtle design changes before settling on the production style. It's hard to tell but it looks as if the Pikes Peak prototype had these rims early in life but now sports production rims? I have noticed differences between the 89-90 nascar pace cars as well. The 89's had nascar on the drivers lower hood vs the 90's that were on the drivers bumper cover. Also the 89 Daytona cars only were missing the black trim under the headlights on the bumper cover that production and later pace cars received. To my knowledge the first 7 pace cars were cloth no sunroof and I would seem to think no sunroof on all pace cars to accommodate the light bar. One could also "speculate" that the 7 Daytona cars were the first 7 for the 89 model year with 1G5WP14V4KF271829 that is cloth no sunroof at #8 and first on Matts List of 89's. This would correspond with the ASC car code of GPT-9 for car 284920. All pace cars and event cars for the 89 Daytona were supplied by Pontiac's show car division. The TGP was utilized in several Winston Cup, Bush Grand National and Arca races throughout the 89-90 season and from what I've gathered some of these pace cars were pulled off showroom floors decaled up used and returned to dealers for resale. To my understanding the Daytona Specific TGP was auctioned off for charity after the race. It's unclear if the back up pace car was auctioned or utilized for the 90 500. The TGP was used in all the races at Daytona for speedweeks in 1989 and 1990 for a total of 8 each year. Any thoughts/inputs or corrections are welcome as not all of this is written in stone and I would like to hear thoughts from the community of what they may think. Here are a couple of youtube vids one of the 89 Winston 500 @ Talladega and the 90 First Union 400 @ North Wilksboro In North Carolina and last the Arca 200 @ Michigan in 90. All Have TGP pace cars... Also with a quick youtube search you will find that a TGP Paced many of the races for winston cup and the Bush Grand National series in 89-90. Along with several Arca races during that time frame...

 

Edited December 1, 2013 by Turbo v-sick

[Euro]

I would imagine they had 1 car for each race, especially back then. I can't recall any 2nd Gen Pace Car getting re-labeled for another race, but I could be wrong.

 

 

Awesome pictures, where did you find these?

[Turbo v-sick]

I would imagine they had 1 car for each race, especially back then. I can't recall any 2nd Gen Pace Car getting re-labeled for another race, but I could be wrong. Awesome pictures, where did you find these?

I have had these for a while, I had wondered if the community had ever seen them. I just re-found when looking up some pikes peak TGP pictures. I've always wondered why their are no TGP Pace cars for sale/viewing. I have gone through most of the 1990 Winston cup season and found the TGP Paced these races.

Daytona 500 02-18-90

Pontiac Excitement 400 Richmond 02-25-90

Transouth 500 Darlington 04-01-90

Valleydale meats 500 Bristol 04-08-90

First Union 400 North Wilksboro NC 04-22-90

Winston 500 Talladega 05-06-90

Pepsi 400 Daytona 07-07-90

Diehard 500 Talladega 07-29-90

Champion Spark Plug 400 Michigan 08-19-90

Tyson Holly Farms 400 North Wilksboro 09-30-90

Atlanta Journal 500 Atlanta 11-18-90

There were a few races in the 1990 season I could not see the pace car so I could not make confirmation. I will work on the 89 season for Winston Cup and BGN series. If time permits I will also search more arca races as well.

Edited December 2, 2013 by Turbo v-sick

[Euro]

Awesome. In addition to the one found in a j/y a number of years ago, I just remembered that there was a member who had one as well. And from what I recall, it was also the pace car shown in the movie Days of Thunder. IIRC it was the Daytona race, but I can't seem to remember. It's been a while since I've watched it. Larry M was his name, and the car got totaled in an accident probably 5-6 years ago.

[Euro]

Ahh. From searching, it appears it wasn't an "actual" pace car, just used for the movie. I can't seem to link the thread for some reason, something is up with my browser and this site..

[Turbo v-sick]

Yes I remember Larry I always thought it was odd that his car had a sunroof and I never saw a sunroof car in the movie? With all my research I have yet to see a actual pace car with a sunroof. I went through all the 89 Winston cup races I could find and the TGP was used quite a bit.

Daytona 500 02-19-89

Pontiac Excitement 400 03-26-89

Transouth 500 Darlington 04-02-89

Valleydale Meats Bristol 04-09-89

Pepsi 400 Daytona 07-01-89

Diehard 500 Talladega 07-30-89

Champion Spark Plug 400 Michigan 08-20-89

Miller High Life 4oo Richmond 09-10-89

Peak Performance 500 Dover 09-24-89

All Pro 500 Lowes Motor Speedway 10-08-89 I think I know where this car is?? No confirmation only talk...

Holley Farms 400 North Wilksboro 10-15-89

AC Delco 500 Rockingham 10-22-89

 

There were several races the pace car was not identifiable(was red) and some of the races could not be located.

Edited December 2, 2013 by Turbo v-sick

[BrianG]

Great information and research!! It is sad/odd that none seem to have readily known locations or fates.

[mfewtrail]

Great information and research!! It is sad/odd that none seem to have readily known locations or fates.

 

One of the issues is the lack of documentation of any car that could have actually served pace duty and then got sold to the public. The first two cars Adam posted I assume those did not actually have VINs since they have the pre-production wheels on them.

 

 

Here's a blurb from Jeff M's old site. Not sure why he or Jim removed all the information from it....

 

 

"A total of 26 proto-type Turbo Grand Prixs and TSTEs were built, starting off with 2 gold 1988 Grand Prix SEs one of which was sent to be assembled and setup by Frank Peterson Racing/Leo Payne Pontiac and raced at Pikes Peak taking the Show Room Stock win over the heavier AWD GMC (prototype as well, possibly with the Buick GN Turbo Motor) Syclone at the time. There was also initially 1 burgundy LE that was a turbo test-bed, and 1 white Turbo Grand Prix 2-door, 2 red Turbo Grand Prixs 2-doors, 4 black Turbo Grand Prix 2-doors and 2 red TSTE. There were also 7 Pace Cars of which headed up the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5 which were used in the 1990 movie Days of Thunder with Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Randy Quaid and Robert Duvall. There was also mention of a rear wheel drive Turbo Grand Prix Pace Car. There was also a yellow 2-tone down the center, Turbo Grand Prix. "

[mfewtrail]

That TGP posted in a junkyard w/ the pace sticker on it was in Florida IIRC. That may lend some credibility to the fact that it could have been an actual pace car.

[Euro]

White TGP