This particular GN has been in the same owner’s hands from new and better yet, he’s an engineer at NASA, so he probably knows a few things about going fast.
52,166 original miles. One owner from new. Upgraded seats, a few small bolt-on upgrades, otherwise stock. Runs and drives very well, still very fast. A nicely preserved Grand National that remains affordable and desirable.
As an icon of the 1980s, the Buick Grand National is finally having its moment in the spotlight. It was legitimately the nastiest car of the decade, packing technology that wouldn’t be commonplace for another 30 years, and creating a unique place in the 1980s landscape: the true muscle car. It wasn’t a Mustang or a Camaro, it wasn’t a sports car like the Corvette, it was a mid-sized everyday car packing serious blasting powder under the hood—the same formula that created the horsepower wars of the 1960s. And when you dress it all in black like this 1987 Grand National, you had a winner. This particular GN has been in the same owner’s hands from new and better yet, he’s an engineer at NASA, so he probably knows a few things about going fast. It’s wearing mostly original paint, although it appears that the hood was repainted some years ago and has been touched up along the windshield edge since then. But it has obviously never been wrecked and original paint on the quarters and rockers means no surprises later. The black finish shines up nicely and the filler panels are in good shape with minimal cracking, although they’re a little weathered which is common. Nevertheless, it’s definitely got the right look!
The interior has been augmented with a set of aftermarket bucket seats, replacing the factory stools that were barely adequate for the car’s performance mission. In truth, they work rather well with the otherwise stock interior, blending in with the gray carpets and factory door panels. Grand Nationals came only one way—loaded—and this one has the few available options, including T-tops. Other features include power windows and locks, remote mirror, A/C, tilt steering column, and cruise control, as well as the standard GN stuff like the bar-graph tach low in the instrument panel and a console with T-handle shifter. Everything works, although the A/C isn’t quite as cold as we’d like, but that should be easy to remedy, and it will need a headliner unfortunately—the originals always crumble and fail. You’ll also note it’s been augmented with a boost gauge mounted on the A-pillar and a remote-controlled Kenwood AM/FM/CD stereo head unit in the center stack. The carpets remain in excellent condition, the back seat is virtually unused, and the T-tops don’t rattle or squeak, suggesting all the weather seals are healthy. And as a GM intermediate, there’s plenty of space in the trunk, which includes the original mouse fur mat, jack assembly, and a space-saver spare that’s never been used.
The Buick’s turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 really needs no introduction. It was arguably GM’s most potent engine of the era, and there are myriad stories about the factory intentionally under-rating the Grand National to keep it safely under the Corvette. Whatever the case, it’s plenty powerful, even today, making this an ‘80s car that still puts a big grin on the driver’s face. This one has not been significantly modified like so many of its siblings—just an aftermarket air cleaner assembly and mandrel-bent pipes to help the turbo inhale a little easier. It makes that familiar Buick V6 buzz and yes, the idle is a little up and down when it’s cold, but they all do that. On the road it remains docile and easy to drive, but when you punch it and give the turbo half a second to come online it’s seriously fast. Of course, the 200-4R 4-speed automatic transmission is right there with you, dropping down a gear or two to make the most of the engine’s punch—believe us, when you put your foot on the floor you’ll want to make sure it’s already aimed where you want to go. You’ll also find that the floors are completely solid and this car has never spent a day in the salt or slush, and the replacement dual exhaust system has the right sound. Handling is more ‘80s Buick luxury car than sports car and the brakes are still discs and drums, but that’s how they were built and it remains highly entertaining to drive. Factory steel wheels were chrome plated for a little flash and these are outfitted with fat 255/60/15 BFGoodrich T/A radials all around (and we should note that we have new center caps on order and they will be included with the car).
Extras include the original owner’s manual, T-top bags, receipts dating back more than 20 years, and a heavy-duty subwoofer for the aftermarket stereo.
These remain perennial favorites for a number of reasons—the performance, the story, and the look. We like this one because it’s not one of those ultra-low-mile examples that you can’t drive without killing its value and it isn’t a highly modified example that’s been thrashed at the track. Instead, it’s a very clean, usable, driver-grade GN that’s just right for going out every Friday and looking for some fun. If that’s something you remember, perhaps this is your car. Call today!
Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.
