1987 Buick Grand National

Description

If you want a perfect, low-mile Grand National, they're out there but you'll pay a huge premium. However, if you're interested in owning and driving the nastiest piece of GM iron from the '80s and a reasonable price is on your list of must-haves, this 1987 Buick Grand National should fit the bill just fine. We will also note that this is only a 2 owner car, the current owner purchased from the original in 2006. It's hard to believe there's many Grand Nationals running around that haven't lead a hard life, but unfortunately it's the truth.

Many people know that if you want the full badass treatment, you went with basic black and only black. These are some of the most sinister cars ever to come out of a GM factory and despite its mileage (which really isn't a lot for a 28-year-old car) this one still looks ready to rumble. The paint is glossy, the body panels are crisp and sharply defined so you know there's no shabby bodywork hiding underneath, and all the familiar Grand National styling cues are intact, including the hood scoop and subtle spoiler on the deck lid. This one has been driven but it has also been properly maintained and never used as a daily driver, and as a hobby car almost from the very beginning, things like the urethane bumper covers, chin spoiler, and weather seals are all in excellent condition. And if you're a fan of these cars, you'll probably want one without the T-tops, which proved to be a little too flexible with all that horsepower churning through the chassis, making this one with its solid roof feel more substantial on the road.

The two-tone gray and black interior was standard-issue for the Grand National, offering comfortable bucket seats with custom embroidered headrests, a center console, and a lot of options like A/C, power windows and seats, cruise control, and a tilt column. Black carpets worked well with the gray interior and the three-spoke leather-wrapped wheel sets the tone for what is to follow. Proper GNX gauges that were installed by a Buick dealer replace the factory gauges and it includes both a proper tachometer and a boost gauge, remedying the one shortfall of the Buick's original setup. The installation is so nicely done that most folks won't even think twice, they'll just assume it came from the factory like that. Nice! But beyond the gauges, everything else appears stock, including the AM/FM/cassette stereo which should bring back memories for anyone who drove a car in the late-80s. Monogrammed floor mats protect the carpets and the back seat looks almost completely unused. The Grand National is also a full-sized coupe, so you get a spacious trunk with the original space-saver spare still in place.

The heart of the beast is a 3.8 liter turbocharged V6 that's legendary for its Corvette-threatening performance. Despite that reputation, they're also relatively bulletproof if you take it easy on the modifications, and this one remains fairly stock under the hood. There are upgrades to the ignition system and newer hoses on the turbo system, but when you turn the key, this one barks to life easily and idles, well, like a Buick should. It still exhales through a catalytic converter and recent exhaust system and the 2004R 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission snaps through the gears with authority. 3.42 gears get you into the boost quickly so the GN always feels ready to strike, and even though it's a Buick, the suspension is buttoned-down enough to make even twisting roads fun. This one wears the popular and attractive GNX-Trans Am style alloy wheels with black centers and fat 255/50/16 BFGoodrich performance radials.

These cars are huge fun and the right ones can be both affordable and a smart investment. Call today!