Went to the Kirban Open House today. It had been 23 years since my last Buick show & observed this...

XS29L9B

New Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Last time I went to a Buick show was at Covington Buick GMC in Maryland back in the spring of 1995, which was before I bought my 1987 GN (in Dec. 1995). A few observations from a nicely attended event with a great host. Thanks DK and Staff for putting this event together. It was a nice day, weather cooperated, and about 70+ Turbo Buicks were around and about. So the rest of my observations...

When I last shopped for a Turbo Buick, these were 8 year old cars. The weather stripping, seat material, dashes, etc., were largely uncracked and well-preserved. The cars were modified, but not to the extent of what I see today. There's some pretty cool stuff out there!! Rust? Some of the cars from the north had rust already forming, but some of the cars today were really clean, which was good to see how well they were preserved. Some, of course, still had rust.

The number of really clean cars though, seems to be diminishing. Seems like a car is either REALLY well preserved, or its driver quality. A couple cars were certainly a work-in-progress, and I can appreciate that. It's just something you didn't see over 20 years ago. Consoles out, seats ripped apart, etc.

Again, great to see the car, and was fun to go to a Buick-only show like I had back in 1995. Where does the time go?
 
Last edited:
It's been 30+ years since these legends were offered to the public. Even some of the really low(er) mileage examples with 30-60k miles are showing some major signs of ageing now. That's why the REALLY clean examples are pulling big money. A lot are works in progress for that reason, as you know. For me, I mildly modded my GN as I'm not going to be humbled by some new V6 powered sedan or even a base performance model Mustang, Challenger or Camaro. But I did keep most of my stock parts to return to stock in the future for a higher resale of course. ;) Good to see your interested in the Buick Turbo Regal's again. Seems like once these cars get in your blood, they stay there for life.
 
It's been 30+ years since these legends were offered to the public. Even some of the really low(er) mileage examples with 30-60k miles are showing some major signs of ageing now. That's why the REALLY clean examples are pulling big money. A lot are works in progress for that reason, as you know. For me, I mildly modded my GN as I'm not going to be humbled by some new V6 powered sedan or even a base performance model Mustang, Challenger or Camaro. But I did keep most of my stock parts to return to stock in the future for a higher resale of course. ;) Good to see your interested in the Buick Turbo Regal's again. Seems like once these cars get in your blood, they stay there for life.

Yes, definitely in my blood. A few friends had GN and TRs back in the late 80s/early 90s, when they were just considered used cars. I think the going rate was around $12k-$14k for a 20k mi car.

Nobody talked about hot wiring fuel pumps, MAF translators, body braces or frame bushings. Those all came in the past decade or so.

I've been on the sidelines for the past 20+ years, having sold my 1987 GN for some quick cash for the down payment of our house. My wife wanted the car gone, and I wanted a nicer house. We both won, but I have not gotten the TR out of my system.
Still have the same house... and wife...
 
Cool video. Looks like most popular mods 28 years ago were headlight covers and chrome shields/pipes.

Here’s pics from yesterday

495CC20B-AE79-4CC4-BDB1-93F34EE63B88.jpeg
900A248B-D1A4-4534-A53B-5ECCDC6EA420.jpeg
26DD08EF-2420-466C-8B88-62FDF039EE03.jpeg
509BF428-D21A-4956-B4A5-B43C3D8462CB.jpeg
468DA4FD-E214-48A3-8C2C-ABF927EEB3F6.jpeg
D9090489-1059-4853-A894-F14A79A3F96E.jpeg
FE0F551F-339A-432E-9CE3-77F9087BBBE4.jpeg
D73070AD-8447-4856-8DCA-C4B2668926B8.jpeg
A5DDA6FA-5C8D-42E1-9AC4-F1C1CE2CB709.jpeg
6D4A52F5-2362-4B4F-AF1D-6437BCDD818F.jpeg
 
34549CE5-BCF7-4D47-9D52-C51353F265D7.jpeg
211D04B0-2523-4881-AD92-27987452575F.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • 7700DE62-E804-4B11-9B1D-F5F31B71C828.jpeg
    7700DE62-E804-4B11-9B1D-F5F31B71C828.jpeg
    1.8 MB · Views: 69
  • 2455A132-F8B0-4915-898C-4807D4235935.jpeg
    2455A132-F8B0-4915-898C-4807D4235935.jpeg
    3.1 MB · Views: 110
  • 7154BB5A-3B8E-43E4-BDA3-51F51E04A79E.jpeg
    7154BB5A-3B8E-43E4-BDA3-51F51E04A79E.jpeg
    3.1 MB · Views: 83
  • 02F04EAE-F522-4A37-9B4E-10AD205B4A9E.jpeg
    02F04EAE-F522-4A37-9B4E-10AD205B4A9E.jpeg
    2.9 MB · Views: 85
  • 28C9A055-0E59-46A9-848F-0F6DAF0C7FA4.jpeg
    28C9A055-0E59-46A9-848F-0F6DAF0C7FA4.jpeg
    2.2 MB · Views: 89
  • 188675A8-0808-4AAC-B910-EF3E6CCC22C2.jpeg
    188675A8-0808-4AAC-B910-EF3E6CCC22C2.jpeg
    2.4 MB · Views: 61
  • 0F2DC371-D195-4E86-B088-078C10145675.jpeg
    0F2DC371-D195-4E86-B088-078C10145675.jpeg
    3.4 MB · Views: 59
  • D33C9A9D-A512-4837-82E1-E2C4C863D52D.jpeg
    D33C9A9D-A512-4837-82E1-E2C4C863D52D.jpeg
    722.3 KB · Views: 59
I thought about driving up there yesterday, but decided to work on the car instead. Glad you had a good time.
 
Been to several and it's always a good time, I always get a kick out of hearing Dennis pronounce radiator with a short a. This pic is from 2015 on our return trip to New England at a rest stop in CT. These smokin hot cougars barreled in n piled into a small bathroom at the same time, figured they were game so asked them to pose with my buddy who's in a wheel chair paralyzed from a motorcycle accident. He and his wife just had their first child so we had to miss this one. It's great Dennis still puts this on, can only hope he does it again next year..
Screenshot_20180422-204756.png
 
Top