Vehicle Description
Over the past four decades, General Motors has proven itself a
modern day warrior. The company literally OWNED the '50s and '60s,
and no matter how much corporate bean counters tried to quell its
spirit of performance, true gearheads ALWAYS kept the flame lit.
And I'm not talking about Corvettes or the incredible Cadillac
V-Series. I'm talking about cars that are fast, fun and highly
attainable. In the early 21st century, the guys at Pontiac worked
with GM's Holden division to send world-class muscle to American
shores. During the stuffy '70s the venerable Trans Am soldiered on
with big displacement motors and flashy good looks. In the mid
'90s, Chevrolet's visionary Impala SS brought a new sense of cool
to the full-size segment. And in the '80s, it was this car: Buick's
bad-to-the-bone GNX that proudly separated the winners from the
losers. All black, all business and so ruthless even your shut-in
grandmother knows it means trouble, this exclusive coupe backs 360
lb./ft. of turbocharged torque with sinister aesthetics and an ASC
McLaren-tuned suspension!
HISTORY/CONDITION
Capitalizing on the success of winning NASCAR's 1981 and '82
Manufacturer's Cups, Buick kicked off the Grand National legacy by
introducing a specially tweaked version of their 1982 Regal.
However, it wasn't long until GM's conservative luxury crew assumed
the full identity of renegade performance division by slathering
black paint onto highly modified G-Bodies that featured unique and
menacing aesthetics. And, in 1987, the brand shunned all
brightwork, sourced some serious performance bolt-ons, printed a
batch of "GNX" emblems and announced the "Grand National to end all
Grand Nationals".
Sporting only 841 original miles, this GNX was purchased as a
surprise birthday gift for the husband of its first owner.
According to notes included with the car, that owner paid a little
over double MSRP and, according to pictures included with the car,
that husband was a very happy man. So happy, in fact, that he
rarely drove his new toy, and absolutely refused to wash or wax the
car in order to keep its paint in optimal condition. Throughout the
next 17 years the Arizona-based Buick would add just 510 clicks to
its as-delivered total of 24 miles before shipping off to Vegas
where it met its second owner. Seven years later, circa 2011, owner
number three would haul the car to Minnesota with just 625 miles on
its odometer. But, not without some difficulty. See, the car's
second owner reluctantly agreed to sell his beloved Buick, and
eventually tried to back out of the deal. However, not all was lost
as the car's third owner, a major Shelby collector, was sure to
provide a good home. After four years, a few more Shelbys and about
180 miles, the collector, probably tiring of good-natured
harassment, sold the car back to its second owner. And today, this
magazine-featured Buick is likely one of the lowest mileage,
heavily documented GNXs in existence!
ENGINE
Speaking of survivors, and GM's core strengths, if anyone ever
creates an ultimate engine survivors list Buick's stalwart, 231
cubic inch V6 will surely be at the top. Introduced as the
Fireball, and eventually renamed the 3800, its early '60s design
was sold to Kaiser, bought back by General Motors and, with the
help of turbos, superchargers and continuous improvements, would
remain one of the company's core powerplants until the turn of the
century! In addition to compounding tweaks accrued during the life
of the Grand National series, the original sixer behind this
coupe's Vader-like grille benefits from significant mechanical
improvements. For starters, GM sourced a better version of the
car's Garrett turbo that featured a ceramic impeller and larger
intercooler. A CERMATEL-coated connection pipe marries that
re-engineered blower with its Jet Black foundation. And a specific
EEPROM makes sure everything plays well together. Those carefully
calculated upgrades were good for a newly impressive 276 horsepower
and substantial 360 lb./ft. of V8-slaying torque. And that power
created numbers that not only bested GM's own Camaro and Corvette,
but also catapulted Buick to the forefront of '80s performance!
Presently, the car's low-mileage mill is 100% stock inside and out,
featuring lucid ancillaries that are barely broken in. Everything,
from its "BUICK" branded hood mat to its correct 25526109 casting
number, is in showroom-fresh condition. And one glance at our
pictures reinforces the fact that this coupe certainly hasn't seen
anything more than carefully planned miles on sunny summer
days.
DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION
The car's hot engine spins torque through an original, "BRF" tagged
4-speed that's a member of the ultra-reliable Turbo-Hydramatic
family; an honorable and faithful group that's survived behind GM's
toughest performance blocks for decades. That seasoned transmission
twists a set of original gears, which offer a great combination of
starting line grip and high-speed cruising. And, under that
first-class drivetrain, an ASC McLaren-tuned suspension provides
world-class handling ability. Unrestrained, Buick GNXs were
probably legitimate 150 MPH sports coupes. But the factory knew the
limitations of the Regal's aerodynamics, suspension and brakes, and
wisely chose to reign in the fun long before peak velocity.
Speaking of brakes and the like, power-assisted discs and drums
provide solid stops. Quick-ratio power steering makes cornering
easy and turning a cinch. At the corners, original wheels spin
original 245/50VR16 Goodyear Eagle VR50s in front of original
255/50VR16 Goodyear Eagle VR50s. And, aesthetically, the bottom of
this Buick is exactly what you'd expect from an immaculately
maintained, low-mileage survivor.
INTERIOR
Inside this awesome street bruiser, you'll find an original,
tri-tone interior that's virtually spotless. Typical Buick fashion
dictates more comfort than sport, but then, that's what GM's entry
luxury brand has always been about. And naturally, that means this
Grand National is loaded with all the features you'd expect,
including power windows, power locks, climate control, cruise
control and a tilt steering column. In front of that wheel, pliable
factory buckets appear to have been looked at more than they've
been sat in. Opposite those seats, factory-spec Stewart Warner
gauges inhabit a blocky dash that's free of warps and cracks. Below
that dash, a factory console frames an elegant factory shifter. In
front of the driver, a satin-spoke steering wheel looks '80s glam.
And behind the passengers, a lined trunk seems big enough to abet
weekend travel.
PROVENANCE
Part of this incredibly documented Buick's sale is an original
Factory Invoice that breaks down the following optional
equipment.
J47: 1987 REGAL 2-DOOR COUPE ($11,562)
ORDER NUMBER: GNX041
19: Black paint ($00)
583: Gray cloth interior ($00)
AU3: Electric door locks ($145)
A01: Tinted glass ($120)
A31: Power windows ($210)
A90: Electric trunk release ($50)
B34: Carper saver ($25)
B35: Carpet saver ($20)
B48: Trunk trim ($47)
B91: Black door edge guards ($15)
CD4: Pulsating windshield wipers ($55)
C49: Electric rear window defogger ($145)
C95: Front seat reading lamp ($24)
D64: Lighted mirror ($58)
D68: Remote outside mirrors ($30)
G80: Limited-slip differential ($100)
K34: Cruise Control ($175)
N33: Tilt ste...for more information please contact the seller.
