87 GN real or Clone

[ICUturbo]

Maybe you guys and gals can help me, How can you tell if you
have an original GN, or a CLONE. Are there any tell tale signs.
Please help, Thanx in advance.

 

[Mikel]

You can tell if it's a real factory turbo car by looking at the vin number. For 86-87, the engine code (8th digit) should be a 7.

 

[ICUturbo]

Thank you Mike, you made my day.

 

[Wes]

actually your better off looking at the rpo codes in the trunk...if it says we2 as one of the options...it means it is a grand national

 

[ICUturbo]

Thanx alot WES I will look into that today, My main concern is that the car has been re-painted and I know it doesn`t really take that much to make a clone out of a regular buick, I mean it has the right motor and all but you just never know. I`m new to the GN world and I`m just a little concerned, Thanx to all who reply.

 

[ICUturbo]

OFF-TOPIC, How can I post a pic of my car on this forum?

 

[Mikel]

Originally posted by ICUturbo
OFF-TOPIC, How can I post a pic of my car on this forum?

Host the picture somewhere, then do this:

{img}www.yourpicsurl.com/yourpic.jpg{/img} Except use [] instead of {}, I used the {} so you could see the code and not just a red X

 

[KEVINS]

Beware, Geocities won't let you host the pic

 

[FlyinGN]

actually the only thing this will tell ya if it had a turbo engine in it originally. A lot of GN's started out as Turbo Regals and then people converted em to GN's. Look for the trunk code WE2. thats the GN option..

Originally posted by ICUturbo
Thank you Mike, you made my day.

 

[Wes]

it is possible to convert a we4 to look exactly like a we2...your only way to tell if this has been done is by the codes.....

 

[GNVAIR]

Without stating the obvious.......there are only 3 real ways to document a "real" GN.
1st would be with a window sticker
2nd would be with the build sheet found inside one of the doors (this lists the build date, vin#, main option codes ...WE2 specifically)
3rd would be with the decal on the underside of the trunk.
Thats it....no more, no less.
The only thing the vin# will tell you is that you have a turbo car. It does not designate it as a GN.

 

[qwknuf6 jr]

Originally posted by GNflyby
Well then GNVAIR it looks like I may be screwed, Because my car has none of those things you mentioned except the Vin#.
Any suggestions would be greatly appeciated.

If your vin # indicates its a "real" turbo car , then you are not screwed . 99% of the value of the veh is in the mechanical part of the "turbo package"which is identical between ALL turbo cars .The GN is cosmetic package only

 

[FlyinGN]

this is true. The only difference between a GN and a turbo Regal is the interior, wheels and other minor trim differences.. Thats it.

 

[pwrhws]

If you look at the tag under the deck lid make sure the vin on the label coincides with the vin of the car.

If you really think your being had the take note of the rivets that hold the vin tag in place, they should be six sided instead of round. Hard to get but not impossible.

Look real good at obscure parts of the car, check for different colors of paint and such.

 

[Mikel]

Originally posted by qwknuf6 jr
If your vin # indicates its a "real" turbo car , then you are not screwed . 99% of the value of the veh is in the mechanical part of the "turbo package"which is identical between ALL turbo cars .The GN is cosmetic package only

Yep, that's why I just mentioned that. If it's a factory turbo car, you are pretty much in.

 

[Four-Four-Two]

what about the tag under the hood near the wiper arms? does it say WE2 on it?

 

[UNGN]

If it has the GN package it HAS to have WE2 on the trunk sticker. Also there is no such thing as a Regal Limited with the "GN package". Its either a Limited or a GN and they are mutually exclusive.

Check here for more info:

Regal RPO's

 

[ICUturbo]

UNGN Check the KBB.com site, go to 1987 Buick Regal Limited Coupe, and let me know if you see Grand National Pkg as an option or not. Check and you will see that it came as an option.
So you see The 1987 Buick Regal Limited came with the GN Pkg, And there is such a thing.

 

[salvageV6]

Nope no such thing as a Limited-Grand National the packages were separate and mutually exclusive.

The Grand National package excluded other option packages and was pretty much a separate deal in 1987.

Gotta find that WE2 somewhere.

 

[UNGN]

KBB is confused. They know a little about a lot of cars. A little knowledge is dangerous. Go to the GNT-type site, check your trunk sticker codes. GNT-type knows a lot of information about 1 car. Your car.

If it does not have a WE2 code on the trunk sticker and the trunk sticker VIN matches the dash VIN, it is not a GN, period. No matter what KBB says. If your trunk sticker has M47 (buick limited coupe) and WE2 on that sticker, please let us know. If it doesn't have WE2, it's a GN "clone".