1987 Buick Grand National

Description

If you've been hunting for the right Grand National to stash away in your collection, this 1987 GN might be the smart choice. With just under 11,000 original miles (not a misprint), it's incredibly well preserved in every possible sense of the word. However, it also lives up to the big, bad, blown Buicks' reputation for mayhem with a few well-chosen performance upgrades that make this car a serious threat, even today.

Buick's black bombshell commands attention, even if you don't recognize it as the most feared car of the 1980s. The deep black finish is every bit as nice as it was when it rolled off the showroom floor and seems to defy the decades with no swirl marks, no fading, and only the most minor signs of age. In fact, thanks to the care it has received over the years, this car might even be nicer than new in some ways, as it features a fiberglass filler on the front bumper, which replaces the original urethane piece that was prone to sagging over time. It has always been properly stored in a climate-controlled environment and we don't have any problems believing claims that it has never even seen rain, let alone anything more serious than a lawn sprinkler. We've sold quite a few of these cars, but this is the one everyone in the shop is talking about and it truly deserves all the attention it's getting.

The two-tone gray interior is every bit as nice, although the modifications are a little more prominent here. The bucket seats look virtually new, as you'd expect, and all the factory equipment is intact, including the A/C, power windows and locks, cruise control, tilt wheel, and a rear defroster. But once you're behind the wheel, you'll notice that it's been sensibly upgraded with Stewart Warner auxiliary gauges mounted on the center console and a Garrett boost gauge and knock sensor on the A-pillar, all critical when you're running a boosted engine. There's also a Scan Master data system on top of the dash for instantaneous read outs. Monogrammed floor mats protect the immaculate original carpets and even the original AM/FM/cassette stereo remains in the dash. The trunk is outfitted with the usual mouse fur mat as well as the original space-saver spare that doesn't look like it's ever seen pavement.

Everyone claims they want a stock Grand National, but the first thing they do when they get it home is open a catalog and dial up some extra boost. Instead of doing that particular dance, why not take this car home and the hard work is already done for you? There's a Turbo Tweek chip that bumps boost to a street-friendly 16 PSI, along with high-flow fuel injectors, an adjustable fuel pump, custom motor mounts, and powdercoated turbo piping and headers. A throaty 2.5-inch exhaust system gives the turbo motor a unique sound and reduces back pressure and it still includes high-flow cats so it's legal in places where you have smog checks. The engine is still fresh and beautifully detailed, the 2004R 4-speed automatic clicks off effortless shifts, and 3.42 gears make it very punchy off the line. It's also been upgraded to 4-wheel disc brakes, a good thing when your car makes this much horsepower, but the stance is unaltered and it wears stock steel wheels with 215/65/15 Yokohama radials.

Documented with a dealer invoice, reproduction window sticker, reproduction build sheet, and other important papers, this is a pedigreed GN that's built just the way you'd do it yourself. Call today!