1987 Buick Grand National

Description

Hello Turbo Buick Fans and Collectors!
I am going to give a short version summary and a longer more detailed version:
Here is the short version...
Here is an original, ultra low mile, unmodified/unrestored 1987 Buick GNX.
It is Now a 35 year old classic.
A Bone stock time capsule.
Like New!
What makes these cars so rare and a valuable blue chip collectible?
Limited production (547 made) for
one
year
only
.
Deemed the fastest production sedan
in
the
world
.
GNX Built by HAND at McLaren
True McLaren DNA!
...and the longer version:
-
GNX's are up across the board and should continue for years to come
;
low mile, high mile, or in the wrapper. Predicted to double in 5-10 years. Todays prices will seem like a bargain. Some doubted it as a 100K, 200K, 300K car and look where they are today! I will be storing this for the winter around the end of the month.
-GNX #281- Recently went through everything with no issues, no warning lights, no leaks, creaks, squeaks, or seeps of any fluids
- Original 3.8L Motor and TH 200-4R Transmission with 1,872 actual miles, started and run to temperature at least 2 times a year, and driven very sparingly
- GNX specific parts are factory original
- I only run NON-Ethanol fuel with Mobil 1 Full Synthetic Oil with ZDD Plus additive
- Sits only through winter covered in heated storage
- Has factory original paint, professionally detailed to showroom condition with ceramic coating (for an extra layer of protection)
- Factory Original Paint is like new. No chips, dents, checking, or hand prints, header panel near factory perfect, has a
couple paint blems on drivers side roofline, can only see in direct sunlight
- Detail looks like a perfectly still lake
- Near flawless interior, original new car smell
- Power Windows work without issue, and function at normal operating speed
- Unused cigarette lighter
- Undercarriage exceptionally clean, NO messy undercoating
- Orange "P" still on Rear End
- Clean Steering Wheel, feels like brand new, no sticky feeling
- Correct body gaps throughout
- No Stress Cracks
- Paint on Rocker panels usually chip or flake off, this GNX has been well preserved and looks great
- Doors, hood, truck open and close as they should. No sagging. Just the right sound and feel
- All 6 pieces of glass (Windshield, Side Windows, Side Wings, Rear Window) appear factory original as the markings are typical
- Original Weatherstripping clean, no dryrot
- Original 9 Hole hood liner with correct factory numbered clips, all matching numbers
- Original and unused jack and spare in trunk
- Original low restriction exhaust system including catalytic converter. Running the car to temperature will prevent
condensation from sitting in the pipes by evaporation. The worst thing you can do is start it up for 2 minute runs. (You would see LOTS of rust/rot on the exhaust no matter how low the miles!) I run to temperature at least two times a year.
- Still in break-in mile range (5,000 mile break-in at the time!)
- Beautiful numbers matching drivetrain with no mods
- Never molested; chipped or tuned, not even bolt ons
- Comes with factory accumulator ball and a safer factory correct brand new one is installed (pictured).
- Original Goodyear Gatorback Tires (directional, cannot be rotated) biggest tires available at the time
- Brand New AC Delco Gold Bettery (GM warranty, good at any GM outlet)
- Copy of original window stickers with documentation, Buick, GNX, ASC, and Molly letters
- Buick, Delco, GNX book in original shipping box, GNX Manual, checklist manual, maintenance schedule, GNX dealer service bulletin
- Pristine Grand National to end all Grand Nationals original poster
- Evolution on the GNX poster (Thick)
- ORIGINAL (White) 'Partners in Quality' and (Yellow) 'Flint Assembly' stickers, unused - These were slapped on the windshield at McLaren on the outside of the drivers side windshield. Put them on if you do not drive it for a more authentic wow factor
- Previous owner documents
- 2 sets of GM keys
- Clean and Clear title
- United States ownership
- Runs and drives smooth, tight like it was when brand new
- Cold and warm starts without issue
- Original solid black GM floor mats, they usually are replaced by aftermarket colorful ones
- No sagging headliner, no bumps, humps, lumps, or clumps, perfect
- New GM Power Antenna - works fine
- Winters in heated storage and always covered up
- Constantly changing auto market will make this increase in value
- Many entertainers have owned them
- The GNX was the only car to be displayed on the turntable in the Corvette museum 'other' than the Corvette itself
- Deemed the fastest production sedan in the world
- Very Limited Production
-
Investments from day one, and decades to come
-
Last
Year
for the
Rear
Wheel
Drive
Buick G Body, end of an era
- GNX parts were and still are exclusive
- 200 originally to be made. Then 500 to represent the Indy 500 and Daytona 500 (also Buicks 500 best selling dealers). Then a 'select 60' program to qualified dealers, but only 47 made it, hence the 547 made.
- An Official 35 Year Old Classic
- Delivered New in Michigan
- This May Be Significant to Some Serious Houston Collectors  (#281)
- GNX Registry book these at 4,900!
The difference between the GN and GNX were:
A Tuned Motor
GNX Turbo Shield
Bigger Turbo, adjustable wastegate (with ceramic impeller for quicker spool; much less lag than the GN)
Increase in Boost over the GN (about 15 PSI, compared to about 9 PSI)
Ceramic Downpipe
Larger Intercooler
Custom torque converter and transmission cooler
Reprogrammed Transmission
Unique low restriction dual exhaust
"Dented" mufflers done at McLaren for clearance (this is factory original, not a defect) GNX only
Some Badging delete
Exclusive GNX Badging
Functional side vents for cooling
Fender Flares for wider tires
Stewart Warner Gauge Cluster with 8,000 RPM tachometer and 160 MPH speedometer
Unique Dash plaque
Exclusive GNX wheels and tires
Support bracing behind rear seat for increased torque
Aluminum rear end GNX Cover
Modified suspension with ladder bar; rear end raises with heavy launch. Unheard of at the time. (I experienced it only once)
Different sound than the Great Grand National
RPO Sticker has T2L
Impossible
to duplicate with factory original parts
Professionally Detailed Paint Correction With Ceramic Coating
Beat the (375 HP) 1987
Twin
Turbo
V-8 Callaway Corvette, a GM oops
Underrated at 276 HP (and yet keeping up with 400-450 HP supercars)
The last car I sold was my last GN, the car hauler from a large chain said it was the nicest one he has ever seen, THIS GNX is one of those cars
Keep it a garage queen or drive it very sparingly
Warmed up AND Cooled down properly; this is imperative!
Richard and myself went through the car
I bought this years ago because of my obsession for Turbo Buicks, I did not buy with hopes for making or fear of losing money
I do not charge fees or commission, you pay what you bid
Cash, check, wire, and other payments accepted
I can help assist in shipping
I reserve the right to end listing early for a private sale
Reason for selling: Family
As is, where is, all sales final
By buying/bidding you accept these terms
Thank-you
Tags:
ASC McLaren GNX
1982 (1983; no production this year for GN's) 1984 1985 1986 1987 T-Type Turbo-T Turbo Regal Limited prototype Richard Clark (Hi Richard!) Darth Vader Lord Vader Star Wars X-Ray Hemi LS6 Judge 442  Ram Air OAI W-30 WS6 GTP GXP Firehawk G8 GTO Firebird Mustang Cobra Corvette ZR1 Z06 Hennessy Ford GT 40 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo Eleanor Smokey Bandit Cannonball Run Burt Reynolds Humvee Hummer H2 H3 NASCAR Red Yellow Green Black White Blue Checkered Flag 2020 2021 2022 2023 Corvette ZR1 ZO6 Aluminum ZL1 Yenko Dukes of Hazzard Porsche Ferrari Daytona Lamborghini Bugatti Rolls Royce Maserati Bentley AMG Mercedes Gullwing Lingenfelter Hennessey Supercharged Speedster Roadster Spider Pierce-Arrow Rotisserie Restoration Survivor Resto Mod Carfax July 4th July 14th and on and on
For 1987, a lightweight WE4 (turbo T) option was offered. Only 1,547 of this variant were produced. The differences between a WE4 and the Grand National were the interior trim package, wheels, exterior badging, aluminum bumper supports, and aluminum rear
drum brakes
as opposed to the Grand National's cast iron, making the WE4 a lighter and faster car. The rear spoiler was only available as a dealer-installed option. 1987 was the only year that the LC2 turbo option was available on any Regal, making it possible to even see a Limited with a vinyl
landau roof
and a
power bulge
turbo hood. Turbo Regal Limiteds were one of the rarest models of turbo Regals produced second only to the GNX at 1,035 turbo Limiteds. Turbo Regal Limiteds could be ordered with many options with most having chrome external trim but for could have been built with the full black-out trim WO2 option making them extremely rare (similarly, a base Regal could also be ordered with the Turbo 6, and, the WO2 blackout trim was also available; all rare). Limiteds were treated to a very luxurious interior with plush carpeting and optional bench pillow seats and a
column shift
. It was also possible to order the 1987 Regal T with the 5.0/307 V8 instead of the turbo 3.8/231 V6. The 1987 model would be the end of the manufacture of the
RWD
"G-Body" Regal, but
GM
had to extend the build of the Grand National to meet customer demand into December.
Buick Regal T-Type
1987 Regal T Turbo with rare blackout WO2 trim package
Buick GNX
Buick GNX
GNX
[
edit
]
For the final year, 1987, Buick introduced the limited production GNX, for "Grand National Experimental", at ,900 (,317 in 2021 dollars
[14]
). Made in partnership with
McLaren Performance Technologies
/
ASC
, Buick produced only 547 GNs with the interior trim package, that were then sent off to
McLaren
and upgraded into the Buick GNX. Buick underrated the GNX at 276 hp (280 PS; 206 kW) at 4400 rpm and a very substantial 360 lb⋅ft (488 N⋅m) at 3000 rpm of
torque
,
[15]
although actual output is 300 bhp (304 PS; 224 kW) and 420 lb⋅ft (569 N⋅m).
[16]
This was created to be the "Grand National to end all Grand Nationals". Changes made included a special
Garrett AiResearch
T-3
turbocharger
with a ceramic-impeller blowing through a more efficient and significantly larger capacity
intercooler
with a "Cermatel (ceramic-aluminum) coated" pipe connecting the intercooler to the engine. A GNX specific
EEPROM
, low-restriction exhaust with dual
mufflers
, reprogrammed turbo Hydramatic 200-4R transmission with a custom
torque converter
and transmission cooler, and unique
differential
cover/
Panhard
bar included more of the performance modifications. Exterior styling changes include vents located on each front fender, 16 inch black mesh style wheels with VR-speed rated tires, and deletion of the hood and fender emblems. The interior changes of the GNX included a serial number on the dash plaque and a revised instrument cluster providing
Stewart-Warner
analog gauges
,
[17]
including an analog turbo
boost gauge
.
Dragstrip
performance was measured as faster than the
Ferrari F40
and the
Porsche 930
with a
1
⁄
4
mile (402 m) time of 12.7 seconds at 113.1 mph (182 km/h) (0.3 and 0.8 seconds quicker, 2.9 and 13.3 mph (21 km/h) faster) and a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) time of 4.6 seconds (0.4 and 0.3 seconds quicker, respectively).
[18]
GNX #001 is the 1986 prototype currently owned by Buick and sometimes makes appearances at car shows around the US. The GNX used a unique
torque arm
that was mounted to a special, GNX only, rear differential cover, for increased
traction
. The torque arm rear suspension alters the suspension geometry, making the body lift while planting the rear tires down, resulting in increased traction.
The stealthy appearance of the all-black GNX and Grand National (and the resemblance of its grill to his helmet's mouthpiece), coupled with the fact that the Grand National was initially released during the popularity of
Star Wars
movies, earned it the title "
Darth Vader
's Car".
Car and Driver
covered the GNX model's introduction with the headline "Lord Vader, your car is ready". Due to the turbocharged six-cylinder engine, the Buick make, and the black paint Grand Nationals were sometimes referred to as the "Dark Side". The "Dark Side" contrasted with the more common V8
Mustangs
and Camaros that were popular at the time.
[
citation needed
]
TYGGPGGSUJLYMYWYWHTYSJ
Going fast with class!