BUICK GRAND NATIONALS/ Turbo Regals

[Freedom Froggy]

Ight, for american performance cars, this car prolly ranks top 10

ok heres a little history

Comments: 1987 was the last year for the Regal and the Grand National, but Buick decided to go out with a bang (although the rear wheel drive G-body platform would last one more year until 1988). A whooping 26,555 Turbo Regals were sold, of which 20,193 were Grand Nationals. Buick made some changes to the powertrain and power increased to 245 bhp and 355 lb-ft. The grille was slightly revised, with the teeth set further apart and the Buick emblem siting on the left side. Chrome wheels also were new.

But the big news for 1987 was the introduction of the limited edition GNX. Only available for 1987, the Buick GNX represents the height of Grand National performance. In a nod to the famous Buick GSXs of 1970-1972, the GNX logo featured a larger "X" than the other letters, just like the GSX logo. All GNXs began life as fully optioned Grand Nationals that immediately left the factory and were sent to ASC/McLaren Specialty Products in order to be extensively modified. The modifications included a more efficient Garrett air-to-air intercooler and a special pipe that connected the intercooler to the engine coated with CERMATEL (Ceramic/aluminum) for increased heat rejection and heat disipation. Front fender vents were installed to pull heat away from the engine while driving. The GNX also received a special Garrett "hybrid" T-s turbocharger that used a very lightweight ceramic impeller (as opposed to metal in standard Grand Nationals). The decreased weight allows the turbo charger to spin up much faster, thereby decreasing the turbo lag time inherent in turbo charged engines. Maximum boost was set at 15 psi and the turbo used an electric wastegate. The turbo also incorporated special low drag, dynamic turbine shaft seals, and a built in contamination trap. All of these modifications added up to 275 bhp and a whooping 360 lb-ft. To handle this extra power, the transmission was beefed up with firmer shifts and the rear axle received a longitudinal torque ladder bar with a panhard rod to help prevent wheel hop and torque twist. It also received a special rear axle housing cover made of aluminum (with GNX embossed on it) that serves as an additional strengthening element and point for the torque bar. For even more strengthening, the car body received special structural reinforcements in the form of "behind the back seat bracing" and special chassis (steel cross member between the chassis rails) bracing. The GNX was the only Regal to ever receive 16 inch wheels. The wheels were made of a lightweight alloy and the rear wheels were wider than the front. The GNX came with P245/50VR16 tires in front and P255/50VR16 tires in the rear. Special welded in fender flares were added to the wheel wells to make room for the larger wheels and tires. The standard transmission was a reprogrammed Turbo Hydra-matic 200-4R four speed hooked up to a custom torque converter. Inside, the dash had a special Steward Warner analog gauge package. All GNXs were black in color and the only exterior identification was small "GNX" badges placed on the front radiator grille and rear deck lid. Under the hood, a special turbocharger heat shield had "GNX" stamped on it, similar to the aluminum rear axle cover. All GNXs received a special numbered plaque mounted on the passenger side dash which identified the number of that particular car (1-547). Also, the Fisher body plate has "GNX" stamped on it. Special "GNX" decals were used on the intercooler and other locations and there were several hidden I.D. stampings to prevent fakes. But all of this came at a price. The cost of the GNX option was a whopping $10,995, which resulted in a final MSRP of $29,900. All out performance doesn't come cheap.

Even more rare are the Buick Regal T-Type "Special T." These models had a Grand National exterior, but a Regal T-Type interior.

Production: Grand Nationals: 20,193 GNX: 547
Engines: Grand National: 3.8L V6 Turbo 245 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 355 ft-lb @ 2000 rpm. GNX: 3.8L V6 Turbo 276 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 360 ft-lb @ 3000 rpm.
Performance: Grand National: 1/4 mile in 14.23 seconds @ 98 mph. GNX: 0-60 in 5.5 seconds, 1/4 mile in 13.43 seconds @ 103 mph.

upgrades make these things PURE MONSTERS!

 

[ARon]

Man there are so many around here, mostly beat up but you get your sleeper every now and then. They can be very very fast. These is a video of one with over 1000 hp driving on local roads doin burnouts and donuts and shit, ive seen it before. They can be real crazy though.

 

[Freedom Froggy]

yea same here.. possibly the best idea performance wise an american car company has made.. plus the motor was strong and could take alot of power just like a supra

I seen one in little rock with a kenne bell supercharger on it.. DAMN!

 

[DarkPhantom13]

Those fuckers are fuckin tight! They are not that common here in cali though. I love Oldsmobile Cutlass Supremes better but this is the only Regal i would get.

 

[Freedom Froggy]

these are still selling for 12-15k especially the GNX

 

[C.R.Y.]

id love one. theyre sleepers because you wouldnt expect that type of performance from them. the only people who know about them are those who know about cars.

 

[PELLA]

drug dealers' car.

 

[Freedom Froggy]

drug dealers' car.

you sound like a fucking idiot lmao:laugh: :thumb:

 

[PELLA]

hahaha

 

[Duke]

hes right, though. it IS a drug dealers car. doesnt attract too much attention and fast enough to escape the rozzers in their bulky intrepids or whatever they got.

nice sleepers indeed. i dont even find them that ugly. they look kinda cool.

 

[DeeezNuuuts83]

Those cars can be pretty crazy. I have a video of an insanely fixed up twin-turbo one with both turbos popping out of the hood for maximum airflow. It was burning rubber on the dyno in the video, it's wild.

 

[ARon]

hes right, though. it IS a drug dealers car. doesnt attract too much attention and fast enough to escape the rozzers in their bulky intrepids or whatever they got.

nice sleepers indeed. i dont even find them that ugly. they look kinda cool.

Most drug dealers I know don't even have cars, and if they are movin shit they get wide body cars and shit. Cops in INTREPIDS, damn foreigners thinking they know America. I still think these are real ugly though, there are osme old cars that still look nice but I would of thought this was ugly back then probably, just respect what it can do.

But Deez up that movie if you can, I want to see that.

 

[Freedom Froggy]

stotle i dont see how you see these as ugly, too be honest i dont even see them as a dated body style.. they look soo much better than regular cutlass/regal

but yea. these things bring serious heat done right.. like i said.. one of the best american Car Ideas

 

[Duke]

Cool thing about their set up is that it kinda combines the best of both worlds. The engine is big, but small enough to get some highish reves out, and the turbo adds big torque and oomph. Massive potential.

How is it in the corners though?

 

[Freedom Froggy]

dunno

 

[ARon]

THe body isn't exactly ugly but just how they always went for that muscular shape makes them bad. They didn't pull it off that well, like I wouldn't restore one of these unelss I was racing, it's not something I'd try to drive around on normal streets. What also kills me is the ride height, understandably it's cus you can't just throw some rims and any tire on this. With as much power as you would have you need performance minded wheels, which aren't the best looking. Some of the new performance wheels foreign companies are coming with look pretty good but you can't just put those on this. I'm a huge fan of them, on the straight track that is a 1/4 mile long but nothing else really.
As far as handling goes I don't think it would be too great, partly because with as much power you are putting through the drivetrain and everything, your components would need to be real strong, and that means real heavy, which isn't the greatest asset when turning.

 

[PELLA]

id love to drive that car around like i didnt give a fuck

 

[C.R.Y.]

i know im resurrecting a dead thread, but i just drove one today. either a 86 or 87 not sure. but the fucking thing is fast. i was scared of driving it at first. i wasnt stepping on it and was scared because i knew what it was capable of. but when the owner told me to step on it, well i did like anyone else would. the turbo spooled and that shit was out. my heart was pumping like crazy. once the turbo spools the torque makes the wheels spin and go a little sideways. shit was fun though. i recommend you guys drive one, you will love it.

 

[C.R.Y.]

drug dealers' car.

it is. watch menace 2 society lol

 

[W210]

Cool thing about their set up is that it kinda combines the best of both worlds. The engine is big, but small enough to get some highish reves out, and the turbo adds big torque and oomph. Massive potential.

How is it in the corners though?

Probably like most other american cars.

I like em though, I would agree their in the top 10. V6+ turbo = cool.