The ‘80s were a great time for people who loved cars. Prognosticators who told us that computers and fuel injection would be the end of performance as we knew it couldn’t have been more wrong about the future of hot rodding and even the automakers themselves were not afraid to experiment with the new technology. With computers that could instantly determine how much fuel was required, OEMs suddenly had the ability to do all kinds of fun things with internal combustion, including forced induction. Buick had been experimenting with turbocharging on their V6 engines for their Indy racing program for several years, and in the mid-80s brought that technology to the street in the form of the T-Type and Turbo Regal, which ultimately evolved into the towering Grand National. Grossly under-rated at 245 horsepower and 355 pounds of torque (coincidentally just 5 horsepower and 5 pounds of torque below the Corvette’s L98 V8), the nasty black Buicks were suddenly the cars to beat on the street and the cars to fear at the track. With just a few inexpensive modifications, the GN could dip well into the 12s without losing its street-friendly nature, and more significant upgrades could make the sky the limit. If you wanted to go fast in 1987, there weren’t many better ways to do it than a big, bad, black Buick.

This particular Grand National shows just 37,155 original miles and has had just two long-term owners (or three if you count the guy who owned it for about a month in 2002). In that time it has never been used as a daily driver or in inclement weather and the most recent owner informs us that it has probably only been in the rain 3-4 times in its life. The ultra-clean undercarriage certainly suggests this is true. That’s almost entirely original black paint and it wears fresh urethane bumper fillers, a notable weak spot on any GM car of the period as they tended to crumble and crack with age. No accidents, no rust, no parking lot dings, just GM sheetmetal just the way it was in 1987. And everything is black: bumpers, grille, headlight surrounds, window trim, door handles, all of it, which makes this car look menacing (as it should). Fit and finish on these cars was quite good for General Motors of the ‘80s and thanks to the low mileage, the doors swing closed with a solid THUNK, not a loose WHAP like the high-mileage pieces. You’ll note a textured surface on the rockers to protect it from stone chips, and, of course, the bulging hood that advertises the turbocharged V6 powerplant underneath. Scoff if you want at “just” 3.8 litres, but it’ll be a mistake.

The interior is equally well-preserved, and the GN came standard with grippy cloth buckets, racy two-tone upholstery, and a center console with a T-handle shifter. A leather-wrapped 3-spoke wheel neatly ties sport and luxury together and every option was standard except T-tops: A/C, power windows and locks, cruise control, a tilt wheel, rear defroster, and more. Built on a bit of a budget, the gauges are standard Regal with a tiny little LED tachometer and boost gauge tucked down in the corner. You’ll note this car carries a vintage security system that still works with the keyless remote to deactivate the system, and there’s a VDO boost gauge neatly installed on the A-pillar, where it’s a lot easier to see than the factory bar graph. Not shown but also installed is an aftermarket Scanmaster wide-band O2 sensor that monitors boost, fuel mixture, and ignition so you can get it tuned exactly and keep it in the safe zone. Stainless elbow rests on the door panels keep the upholstery from getting worn (because you’re going to put your arm there, guaranteed) and the notoriously saggy GM headliner was recently replaced. Everything works except the A/C, which is operational but needs a shot of R12 or a conversion to R134a, but we will let the next owner decide how to proceed. The trunk is detailed to stock specs with its original mat, as well as the space-saver spare and factory jack assembly.

Buick took a risk by putting turbochargers on their venerable 3.8 liter (or litre) V6, but it paid off with the Grand National. Intentionally under-rated to keep it from stepping on the Corvette’s place at the top of the food chain, it was easily the most powerful engine GM was building in the late ‘80s. Whatever the numbers, there was effortless torque on tap at any speed and everyone knew better than to mess with these cars on the street. With just 37,155 original miles, this one has never been damaged or removed from the car, and it remained 100% stock until about 2005 and 35,000 miles when the second owner decided he would like a little more punch. Contacting well-known Grand National expert Red Armstrong for advice, he followed Red’s instructions to build a streetable 12-second Grand National with bolt-on parts, which include a modified fuel pump, a custom ECU chip by Eric Marshall, 160-degree thermostat, Magnacore spark plug wires, breather bypass kit, Accufab adjustable fuel pressure regulator set at 48 PSI, Dutweiller intercooler, Mark Huffman intake with K&N air filter, Hooker cat-back exhaust with stainless catalytic converter bypass pipe, and an intercooler air deflector. Together the mods keep the GN’s user-friendly nature (this car actually starts and idles better than any stock Grand National we’ve ever had) but gives it wicked acceleration, particularly on the roll. It’s happy on pump gas, although a bit of octane booster is recommended just to be safe, and if you’d like to dial it back a notch all the original parts are included in the trunk. Maintenance has been borderline fanatical, with synthetic oil every 1000 miles and a recent transmission service and fresh fluid in the rear end.

Underneath, it’s easy to believe the claims that this car has only been in the rain three times in its entire life. The floors, rockers, trunk, and tire well are immaculate and aside from some very minor surface scale on the bare metal parts, it’s completely unmarked. The 200-4R 4-speed automatic transmission snaps off crisp shifts and serves up quick downshifts to get the boost into its sweet spot, and with 3.42 gears on a limited slip, it’s easy to get the power to the pavement. It’s also a comfortable highway cruiser with that deep overdrive. The Hooker exhaust sounds a little weird because it’s a boosted V6, but it’s never intrusive or loud and those who know will recognize the dominant sound of the turbocharger and waste gate. The suspension and brakes are stock and adequate for the car’s performance, but it’s no secret that these cars were built for straight-line work. Factory chrome wheels are the best take on the Grand National look and carry 215/65/15 Goodyear radials all around.

Documentation includes the original owner’s manual and window sticker, showing a price of $19,143 in 1987. All the factory components that were removed for upgrades are also stowed in the trunk, along with a fitted cover.

It’s hard to over-state how significant these cars were. They were only built for a few short years, then Pontiac built a one-year-only Turbo Trans Am using this engine, and then it was gone forever. That’s really a shame because the performance potential in these sturdy engines is almost unlimited. A few simple, inexpensive bolt-on parts like this car has can transform the car’s performance without changing its personality, which is really what fuel injection does best. With beautiful preservation, exceptional attention to detail, and a clean pedigree, this is a great Grand National that has never been abused. Why not find out why these cars are special and give us a call today!