GNX ,Prototypes,Parts,Build Info, EXC

[my85grandnation]

I would be interested in a reproduction shield as well if they werent outrageous in price.

[MENTL231]

There Is A Shield On Ebay Right Now!! Not Sure If Its The Real Thing Or A Joe Harrington!! We'll Have To See What It Goes To! I, In Fact Own A Sheild, And I Can't Tell If Its A Real One Or Not!! They Look The Same.. And Mine Has The Square Mark On The Back Where The Bolts Went Through!

[GNX Guy]

I'm 95% sure its one of mine.

[X Ray]

Like my dad once told me, don’t believe everything you read. Here is a good example. Pictured is the print made for the GNX rear differential. If you make the part to the print it will not even come close to fitting on the vehicle. The print was never updated to represent production released component. The print will make a nice picture you can hang on the wall but don’t make a part off of it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Originally Posted by GNX Guy

I'm 95% sure its one of mine.

Joe,

How many repro GNX shields did you make & sell?

When was the last one sold?

Did you keep any for yourself?


Plan on ever doing any more?


Thanks!

[hottrawd]

Originally Posted by X Ray

This is something that I almost forgot . I was going through some of my boxes in the basement looking for material to add to this thread and I came across this. Yes it is true we built a PPG pace car. This is a copy of the fax that authorized us to start building the vehicle. I wish I had a picture of the finished vehicle but do not….sorry . I do remember that it did look cool with the lights.

Well I'm new to the world of GN, and just ran across this thread today. Thought you might find my story interesting. I have a 84 GN in the body shop that has been there for just over 2 years. I was looking for some parts for mine on ebay, and the guy I bought a bumper from said he had lots of other parts for sale, that he was getting out of GN's. He told me he had an 87 GN that he was probably gonna sell also. I told him if he really wanted to sell the car to let me know ( since I've been waiting for mine so long and wanted another one to drive). He called me back a few days later and said he'd sell the car to me, and that it had 68,000 miles on it. So I made arrangements to go to Michigan from TX. and pick up the car labor day weekend this past year. He told me instead of flying up and driving it home that if I brought a trailer he'd let me have all the parts with it.

When I got there he showed me the car, which really may not have been quite worth what he was asking, but when he showed me all the parts he had then I knew he was making me a good deal. He had 3 turbos, 3 intercoolers, 3 ecm's, a set of pistons and rods 4 more bumpers, 2 front seats in great shape, and more. On top of that he had OEM GNX flares, OEM GNX vents w/inner fender ducting, OEM GNX insturment clutster that he had already installed, and OEM GNX wheels that he had already installed with the original gatorback tires. He also had extra gatorback tires.

I was wondering if maybe you knew him, his name was Donald Booher. He said he retired from Buick after 35 years, and that all these GNX parts came off one of the prototypes that were built. He also gave me a sign that ws used in showing the PPG GNX pace car at shows (I'll post a picture as soon as I can figure out how), and he gave me what was supposedly the gas filler that was used on the car that was used on the GNX Indy pace car.

[hottrawd]

http://s256.photobucket.com/albums/h...t=DSC00482.jpg
http://s256.photobucket.com/albums/h...t=DSC00482.jpg

[K5Cruiser]

Pic from the link hottrawd posted.

[X Ray]

Thanks for the pictures and the information ... FYI, I can tell by looking at the inner fender ring that one nearest to the sign is a prototype part and the other two are production.
The sign is a very nice piece of nostalgia. As for Donald Booher the name dose not ring a bell but then again I am bad with names. Thanks again for this information and story I greatly appreciate it. Regards Rick

[callmeebryan]

This is an awesome thread. I have been a buick owner for only 6 months now and the car is as old as i am!

The history that backs these cars is just completely amazing, especially for the GNX. I am so thrilled to be a part of the community.

[hottrawd]

Rick, did you get my emails of the other items I had? I have another question for you also. I noticed on the sign that I have for the GNX pace car it said that it was painted with PPG Deltron enamel. Was the paint job on the pace car solid black or did it have some striping or lettering on it?

[BuickLC2Turbo]

Originally Posted by TurboGNNN

What did ASC do with all the Grand National Rims and parts that came off the cars to turn them into GNX's?

Many of the take off parts were just thrown in the dumpster!We saw a dumpster full of take off exhaust systems and dash clusters.Rumor in the day was the wheel/tires were being sold for $250.00 a set.Many,many cars were seen with GN wheels around the Detroit area during that era.Grand National dash badges were just pried off before the numbered GNX badge was installed.An old friend worked at ASC at the time and was responsible for the install of the turbo/intercoolers.I have some items that I would like to share but I would like to get with Ray first to discuss things......

[X Ray]

Originally Posted by hottrawd

I noticed on the sign that I have for the GNX pace car it said that it was painted with PPG Deltron enamel. Was the paint job on the pace car solid black or did it have some striping or lettering on it?

The car was painted all black ....I do not know what appliqués were added (if any) after it went to PPG. Regards

[X Ray]

I wanted to bring this thread back up for our newer members.....
I know I have been delinquent in adding material for a long time, but I do plan on adding more info soon.
Regards, Rick.

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by X Ray

I wanted to bring this thread back up for our newer members.....
I know I have been delinquent in adding material for a long time, but I do plan on adding more info soon.
Regards, Rick.

Rick,
I just discovered your thread. Great stuff! I look forward to you next installment.
Thanks!

[rarperformance]

Don't mean to butt in. Put me down for a GNX cover too, if you decide to make them again.

[clonegnx]

Ditto I will take one, come on Joe make another run.

[ccbrett]

Rick Auto week done an article titled sideways at any speed you wouldnt happen to have any photos of it would u feb 1986 i think.

[ccbrett]

Rick was xray done on the assembly line too. Sorry if you have already ansewred that.