1987 Buick Grand National... Before-n-After pics...

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 1987 Buick Grand National... Before-n-After pics... (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 9/18/2006 2:38:42 PM EDT

Bought this car on Aug 13th... Been wrenching on it for about a month now...

Already has one "win" under it's belt... Sat night I raced a 91 Mustang with GT40 heads/Intake and Nitrous. Went from a roll. Walked about 4 cars out on him and held him off. The 'Stang is a confirmed low-12 car.

I never even bothered to turn my nitrous on.

Here's a few before-n-after pics of my GN for entertainment...

Pics are gone... (old photo-hosting acct is closed)

Posted: 9/18/2006 3:03:29 PM EDT

[#1]

looking good Art.
I take it the previous owner drove it in the winter?

Posted: 9/18/2006 3:27:24 PM EDT

[#2]

Awesome car. How much did you get it for?

Posted: 9/18/2006 3:29:34 PM EDT

[#3]

Looks good.

Posted: 9/18/2006 3:29:35 PM EDT

[#4]

Might I just add...

"Muuuuhahhahhahhahhahahhaahhaahhahhahaahhaahaha"

Thats a nasty...nasty...nasty fucking vehicle. If I could find one, I'd scoop it up in a heartbeat.

Scott

Posted: 9/18/2006 3:38:37 PM EDT

[#5]

As ususal, excellent work brother. That's a mighty fine looking car you have there.

Posted: 9/18/2006 4:54:48 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
looking good Art.
I take it the previous owner drove it in the winter?

Yeah, it seems that way... Most of the car is solid. The 1/4's have the typical rust in the lower corners, and the doors are junk.
The guy lived 1 block off the beach in LI NY. So when it wasn't being driven on salted roads, it was being hit with ocean sea salt spray.

(I could heaar the seagulls when I picked it up)

Posted: 9/18/2006 5:01:43 PM EDT

[#7]

nice.

is this the ebay 'special'?

Posted: 9/18/2006 5:17:23 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Awesome car. How much did you get it for?

Paid the guy with 45 $100 bills. Loaded it on the trailer and brought it home.
2nd gear was knocked out of the trans, so I didn't even test drive it.

Got it home and began the transformation and de-junking process.
I sold the broken 200R4 trans for $300, and countless other items off the car to help fund the new parts.
I've probably got a total of about $1500 worth of actual cash invested into it. The rest was paid for with old parts.

Some of the improvements include:

PT67 turbo = $750 (used w/10 miles on it... sells for $1k)
50lb injectors, LS1 MAF sensor, MAF translator, computer chip = $500 (used)
cold air piping kit w/K&N filter = $185 (new)
TH400 trans with transbrake = $1200 (gotten free by trading a pair of Dover garage tickets w/Hot passes)

10" race convertor = $1200 (gotten free from under my workbench...originally for another car)
HD TH400 driveshaft with 1350 U-joints = $318
Pair of new back tires = $150
PTE Front mount intercooler = $850
remote oil cooler = $135
Autometer gages = ??? (Had most of them leftover from other cars) (Tach is out of Elliot Sadler #38 car)
Scanmaster came with car
3" Turbo downpipe and Hooker dual exhaust came with car.
Nitrous system was leftover parts I had in the garage.

Posted: 9/18/2006 5:19:25 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
nice.

is this the ebay 'special'?

Nope... Found this one on a turbo Buick website classified ad.

Posted: 9/18/2006 5:30:08 PM EDT

[#10]

Sweet ride!

Posted: 9/18/2006 5:39:08 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:

Quoted:
nice.

is this the ebay 'special'?

Nope... Found this one on a turbo Buick website classified ad.

whew, thats a relief

Posted: 9/18/2006 6:14:07 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

Quoted:
looking good Art.
I take it the previous owner drove it in the winter?

Yeah, it seems that way... Most of the car is solid. The 1/4's have the typical rust in the lower corners, and the doors are junk.
The guy lived 1 block off the beach in LI NY. So when it wasn't being driven on salted roads, it was being hit with ocean sea salt spray.

(I could heaar the seagulls when I picked it up)

Hopefully you can prevent it from spreading...although it does make it a kick ass sleeper!

Posted: 9/18/2006 6:30:03 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:

Quoted:
looking good Art.
I take it the previous owner drove it in the winter?

Yeah, it seems that way... Most of the car is solid. The 1/4's have the typical rust in the lower corners, and the doors are junk.
The guy lived 1 block off the beach in LI NY. So when it wasn't being driven on salted roads, it was being hit with ocean sea salt spray.

(I could heaar the seagulls when I picked it up)

Hopefully you can prevent it from spreading...although it does make it a kick ass sleeper!

...In as much a GN could _ever_ be called a "sleeper"

Posted: 9/18/2006 8:09:02 PM EDT

[#14]

Yeah I dont think theres anybody that races anything on the street that doesn't know what a GN is. Nice job Art your making that thing badass.
I remember several years ago at the track i saw the perfect sleeper. A T-Type painted grandma's Regal tan that was in the low 11's high 10's. Looked like absolutely nothing special at all. Now that is what I call a sleeper.

Posted: 9/19/2006 7:19:47 AM EDT

[#15]

...In as much a GN could _ever_ be called a "sleeper"

Bide your time a bit more. There's a whole new generation coming up who won't have had their heads out of the iPods long enough to know what a Grand National is or can do.

I've ALWAYS loved that car. Congrats.

Stay safe

Posted: 9/19/2006 7:28:32 AM EDT

[#16]

He! Is always good to know that GM is still taking Ford's lunch. Nice work on it; keep it up.

Posted: 9/19/2006 7:49:01 AM EDT

[#17]

My cousin had a GN ... What a great car that was!

Ever since, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the 'National.

One of the few cars I've driven in that people would look over at you and smile at you, or nod approvingly... Just because it was a cool car.

I remember my cousin (Joe... RIP) laying a patch probably 100' long with some junk tires starting at my Grandma's house... That went over real good!

Posted: 9/19/2006 1:02:48 PM EDT

[#18]

Awesome

Posted: 9/19/2006 3:48:36 PM EDT

[#19]

I bought one new at the end of 87. Sure wish I kept it along with the new 64 GTO, new 66 mustang convertable, new 68 Olds 442 and the new 70 Road Runner.

Posted: 9/20/2006 5:34:04 AM EDT

[#20]

You did a nice job cleaning that up. I live in salted-road land as well and get a terrible pain in my head everytime I see someone driving something like that in the winter.

Posted: 9/20/2006 5:55:43 AM EDT

[#21]

Very nice, ya did good work on it. Ive always been a fan of the GN and GNXs

Posted: 9/20/2006 7:14:35 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:

...In as much a GN could _ever_ be called a "sleeper"

The rusty doors,etc make it look neglected, worn out. Humm maybe stealthy would be a better word!

Posted: 9/21/2006 7:01:45 AM EDT

[#23]

Nice project. With the ole' 3 speed what ring gear are you running?
Did you retain the 10 bolt or go 12? Great cruiser

Posted: 9/21/2006 3:50:25 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
Nice project. With the ole' 3 speed what ring gear are you running?
Did you retain the 10 bolt or go 12? Great cruiser

The GN's came with the beefier 8.5" 10-bolt, which is more than sufficient to survive any abuse I can give it. (The 12-bolt only has an 8-7/8" ring gear anyway)
The non-turbo Regals only came with the weak 7.5" 10-bolt. Funny thing is, even the Monte SS with the HO 305 still only got the wimpy 7.5" rear.

The gears are the original 3.42's... With a redline of 5800rpms, it should still be enough gear to put me in the 10's and low-120's MPH with the taller tires I have on the car.
If I need to go faster, I may drop down to a 3.23 or even a 3.08 gear.

It's definitly been a learning experience... These cars are unlike anything I've ever worked on before. Generally, bigger cam, steeper gears, bigger headers, etc... is what made my stuff go faster.
This car is the opposite... Turbo motors spool best and make boost under load. They don't like steep gears, big cams or big headers. Stock headers and cam will easily go into the 10's with these cars.

Posted: 9/21/2006 4:35:21 PM EDT

[#25]

.

Posted: 9/21/2006 7:07:24 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Nice project. With the ole' 3 speed what ring gear are you running?
Did you retain the 10 bolt or go 12? Great cruiser

The GN's came with the beefier 8.5" 10-bolt, which is more than sufficient to survive any abuse I can give it. (The 12-bolt only has an 8-7/8" ring gear anyway)
The non-turbo Regals only came with the weak 7.5" 10-bolt. Funny thing is, even the Monte SS with the HO 305 still only got the wimpy 7.5" rear.

The gears are the original 3.42's... With a redline of 5800rpms, it should still be enough gear to put me in the 10's and low-120's MPH with the taller tires I have on the car.
If I need to go faster, I may drop down to a 3.23 or even a 3.08 gear.

It's definitly been a learning experience... These cars are unlike anything I've ever worked on before. Generally, bigger cam, steeper gears, bigger headers, etc... is what made my stuff go faster.
This car is the opposite... Turbo motors spool best and make boost under load. They don't like steep gears, big cams or big headers. Stock headers and cam will easily go into the 10's with these cars.

Interesting take on the turbo 3.8.
Would cleaning up the heads ( port/ polish) be necessary?
The nitrous is an added benefit to forced induction engines.
Cools combustion correct?
Great sleeper to unsuspecting C-5's, F-bodys etc.

Posted: 9/22/2006 6:59:19 PM EDT

[#27]

Excellent car Art.

Posted: 9/23/2006 6:50:05 AM EDT

[#28]

This is awesome that there is so much performance that can be extracted from this car.

Posted: 9/23/2006 8:53:48 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
They don't like steep gears, big cams or big headers. Stock headers and cam will easily go into the 10's with these cars.

That's what some people think. My buddy had a cam custom-ground for his '87. We fabbed up a true 4" exhaust - it's a monster. First and only street car I've ever been in that will pull the front wheels off the ground.

That said, it's a one trick pony. Brutally fast in a straight line, but that's it. The brakes are scary, and the handling is truly white-knuckle stuff. He should just retire it from the road and make it a 1/4 mile car.

Posted: 9/23/2006 12:38:56 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
The GN's came with the beefier 8.5" 10-bolt, which is more than sufficient to survive any abuse I can give it. (The 12-bolt only has an 8-7/8" ring gear anyway)
The non-turbo Regals only came with the weak 7.5" 10-bolt. Funny thing is, even the Monte SS with the HO 305 still only got the wimpy 7.5" rear.

Yep. The 84 up Turbo Regals, the 84 Hurst Olds, and 85-87 Olds 442's were the only G-bodies to get the 8.5". That's just more proof that Chevy and Pontiac suck.

ETA: The G-body platform can outhandle most European sports cars if you play your cards right. This is the FE3X Cutlass, capable of 1.04 G's on the skid pad. It was loaded with Hotchkis suspension at the request of GM, so all of the parts are off the shelf stuff still being made. The poor handling old G-body that could. It's only .01 of a G short of the Ferrari Enzo's performance.

Posted: 9/24/2006 1:54:46 PM EDT

[#31]

Just threw a set of wheels-n-tires on it today...

I took so much weight out of the car, the front end sits too high now...
'Gotta chop the springs next.

Posted: 9/24/2006 2:03:59 PM EDT

[#32]

Sexy! And I am not really even into cars.

Posted: 9/24/2006 2:20:56 PM EDT

[#33]

Looks great. I love Weld Stars. If you aren't careful, NHRA is going to make you put a cage in.

Posted: 9/24/2006 6:06:47 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:
Looks great. I love Weld Stars. If you aren't careful, NHRA is going to make you put a cage in.

If I was going to run it at the track all the time I'd probably put a bar or cage in it... Since it's a street car 98% of the time, I'm leaving the interior factory looking.

Posted: 9/24/2006 7:47:29 PM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Looks great. I love Weld Stars. If you aren't careful, NHRA is going to make you put a cage in.

If I was going to run it at the track all the time I'd probably put a bar or cage in it... Since it's a street car 98% of the time, I'm leaving the interior factory looking.

Sounds great, street is fun. Classic American Hot Rodding theory, comfortable solid American 2 door, and with a big engine and a touch of insanity. If you have room to spool up, you should be able to pull up to just about any street car, Z06, Ford GT, or Viper, and eat them alive.

Posted: 9/24/2006 7:49:58 PM EDT

[#36]

I like it!

Posted: 9/24/2006 8:00:46 PM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:
looking good Art.
I take it the previous owner drove it in the winter?

Striker you shoudl know better, it is hard to not drive a vehicle in Winter, after all Winter is 8 months of the year

Posted: 9/24/2006 8:15:50 PM EDT

[#38]

Most gearheads know what a modified GN is capable of so you're probably going to have to trick that young kid or old granny into a street race.

Posted: 9/27/2006 9:36:26 AM EDT

[#39]

Just chopped the front coils down to get the nose lower... The car sat too high after removing a bunch of weight...

Posted: 9/27/2006 1:21:17 PM EDT

[#40]

Ok. I want pics of a wheels up launch.

Or smoke. Lots of smoke.

Posted: 10/7/2006 9:04:04 PM EDT

[#41]

Nice. Nothing is better than an eighties turbo car. I had a slightly modded '84 T-bird Super Coupe. Fun times.

Posted: 10/8/2006 2:18:41 AM EDT

[#42]

I always liked the GN. The cars in the 80's were so bland and boring. Then, there was the GN. Damn thing was like the Batmobile...and, it could back the image up!

Very sweet car you got there!

Posted: 10/8/2006 7:04:39 AM EDT

[#43]

That car looks fantastic. When I was in high school two of my buddies worked at the local Buick dealer. I spent quite a bit of time around these cars back then. I clearly remember starting their only GNX, sorry I don't remember which number it was. The owner's son lent us a demo t-type every once in a while so we could hit the local cruise nights. The owners son had a white T-Type that he put the black bumpers, grill, and trim from the GN on. That car looked fantastic! And he lent it to us on a few nights for a little street action. Those were good times.

Why remove the heat and AC on a street car?

Good luck with the car.

Posted: 10/13/2006 3:05:36 PM EDT

[#44]

Quoted:

Why remove the heat and AC on a street car?

The free space and weight removed are worth more to me than the AC...(which I never use)
I plan to put a small remote heater unit under the dash for chilly weather.
I drove it in to work today in mid-30's temps and it wasn't bad at all with a sweatshirt and light jacket.

The term "Street car" is very loosely defined in my book....

Posted: 10/13/2006 3:52:13 PM EDT

[#45]

without the overdrive trans will this be to much strain on the engine? When I had mine the trannys(4thgear) overdrive went and the rpms were way to high on the highway.

Posted: 10/13/2006 4:09:27 PM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Why remove the heat and AC on a street car?

The free space and weight removed are worth more to me than the AC...(which I never use)
I plan to put a small remote heater unit under the dash for chilly weather.
I drove it in to work today in mid-30's temps and it wasn't bad at all with a sweatshirt and light jacket.

The term "Street car" is very loosely defined in my book....

"street car" and "daily driver" are 2 different things.

Street car means it's legal for the street. Not that you are neccesarily going to have all the creature comforts in it.

Posted: 11/1/2006 10:31:10 AM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:
without the overdrive trans will this be to much strain on the engine? When I had mine the trannys(4thgear) overdrive went and the rpms were way to high on the highway.

Nah..

The car will still hit 120+ mph trap speeds at the dragstrip with only three gears.
The biggest thing I notice is that I don't speed down the highway as much. I just cruise with traffic.
2000-2200rpm is approx 60mph. I have 28" tall tires on the rear, and a fairly tight 10" race convertor... so it's still very streetable and drivable.

I drive it back-n-forth to work everyday (35miles round trip) as long as it's not raining.
It's still WAY better on gas than my 454 powered Dually.

Posted: 11/1/2006 11:05:24 AM EDT

[#48]

Posted: 11/1/2006 11:14:50 AM EDT

[#49]

Quoted:
The gears are the original 3.42's... With a redline of 5800rpms, it should still be enough gear to put me in the 10's and low-120's MPH with the taller tires I have on the car.
If I need to go faster, I may drop down to a 3.23 or even a 3.08 gear.

You don't have overdrive?

Posted: 11/1/2006 11:17:58 AM EDT

[#50]

Quoted:

You don't have overdrive?

Not anymore. The factory 200R4 trans just won't hold up to the abuse.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 1987 Buick Grand National... Before-n-After pics... (Page 1 of 2)

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