buick grand national "fastest production car in '87?

[dpopiz]

my roommate claims that the buick grand national was the fastest production car in 1987..
true?

 

[DainBramaged]

I don't know; however, they quit manufacturing it because it was embarassing to have a faster stock GN than a stock 'Vette.

 

[acemcmac]

probably. That car was gangsta. With a perfect black gloss paint job and the orginal wheels restored to chrome shinyness, that car is the most pimped car ever.

 

[arcenite]

Originally posted by: DainBramaged
I don't know; however, they quit manufacturing it because it was embarassing to have a faster stock GN than a stock 'Vette.

QFT. Though I can't think of a car off the top of my head, are we counting exotics too?

Edit: If so, the 1987 Ferrari GTO & 1987 Ferrari F40 owns the gn
Edit2: I <3 the GN & the GNX.

 

[BW86]

The GNX was. What an awesome car.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Pure sex.

 

[SampSon]

It was the fastest production car in America in 1987.

 

[imported_Trippin315]

Originally posted by: acemcmac
probably. That car was gangsta. With a perfect black gloss paint job and the orginal wheels restored to chrome shinyness, that car is the most pimped car ever.

Negative. 1984 white Caddy De Ville, Matching red canvas top and red leather interior and wood grain dash with the fully chromed wheels.
Grampa's car.

 

[thetxstang]

It was indeed the fastest American production car you could buy in 1987. Buick conservatively rated the engine at 235 hp, but many insiders said the engine was actually making just over 300 hp.

 

[spacejamz]

Darth Vader, your car has arrived...

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: thetxstang
It was indeed the fastest American production car you could buy in 1987. Buick conservatively rated the engine at 235 hp, but many insiders said the engine was actually making just over 300 hp.

Hooray for factory turbo charged V6s. I hear they had a hell of an appitite for head gaskets, though. I've seen a fully-restored (possibly always been in good condition) 87 GN around town. It's black, of course, with limo tint, and looks absolutely beautiful.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: dpopiz
my roommate claims that the buick grand national was the fastest production car in 1987..
true?

True.

in 1986 and 1987 the Buick GN and T-type Regal were the fastest production cars made.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: thetxstang
It was indeed the fastest American production car you could buy in 1987. Buick conservatively rated the engine at 235 hp, but many insiders said the engine was actually making just over 300 hp.

correction:

1986 HP = 235 (under-rated) TQ = 330

1987 HP = 245 (re-rated but...) TQ = 350

 

[CraigRT]

I love Grand Nationals.. there are a bunch floating around my town, most in gorgeous shape.. cool car

 

[essasin]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: thetxstang
It was indeed the fastest American production car you could buy in 1987. Buick conservatively rated the engine at 235 hp, but many insiders said the engine was actually making just over 300 hp.

correction:

1986 HP = 235 (under-rated) TQ = 330

1987 HP = 245 (re-rated but...) TQ = 350

But eveyrone who ran one didn't keep it stock for long

 

[DaTT]

I have much respect for that car. Beautiful in every way. Ford built the Thunderbird SuperCoupe to compete with it in 1989, of which I owned a 1990....also a beautiful car.

 

[SuperSix]

Yup! They were indeed the fastest. "Production" applies to marques that had a certain amount produced, so an exotic that they only made 20 or so wouldn't qualify.

The program was killed for 2 reasons:

1. GM had already planned to kill off the rear-wheel drive G-Body platform (Cutlass, Monte Carlo, Regal, Gran Prix)

2. The prima donna Corvette division was whining that they weren't the horsepower/speed champs at GM anymore, and demanded the Buick program be disbanded.

The powertrain made another apearance in 1989, in te Pontiac Turbo Trans Am, (albeit with FWD cylinders heads to get more shock tower clearance), and that car is the only Indy 500 Pace car to require no modifications to keep up.

They deliberately rated the HP figures lower to keep the Corvette pansies quiet, and to stave off increasing insurance rates. The rated figures were taken from the rear wheels, where all other cars are rated on an engine stand, at the flywheel. Figure in approximately 30% drivetrain loss, and you can see the cars had MUCH more than most everything oout at the flywheel.

It's not only the HP, it's the MASSIVE torque these motors put out, somewhere in the 400ft/lbs in near stock form.

It's not true that they "eat up headgaskets". It IS true that once you DO blow the factory head gasket, you have to be more careful. IF the car is tuned correctly, and care is taken, they will take 20+ lbs of boost everyday, and a little more.

MUCHO info - http://www.gnttype.org

Oh - and "Grand Nationals" aren't mechanically different than standard Turbo Regals, it's just an appearance package.

<---- Has owned and driven TR's (Turbo Regals) for over 10 years.