GMHTP Power Trip 10-Second Turbo-T
This 1987 Turbo-T is the GM High-Tech Performance project car called Power Trip. Some of the most respected names in the Buick world built it to do two things: run 10s on slicks, and handle long commutes in reliable, air-conditioned comfort.
It’s still comfortable, reliable, and crazy fast. However, since I have several other projects that need my attention now, it’s time for Power Trip to find a new owner.
This is a powerful street/strip machine that you can race and road trip, and I’ve spent lots of time and money in the last year to get it ready for you. I’m even throwing in some cool GMHTP items as part of the deal.
However, while the paint looks great the body has a few dings. And it had one minor front end accident with me driving in 1995, and a 1988 accident with the previous owner that the police no longer have records for. It feels and drives just fine though, so if you want a fast TR at a good price and don’t care about it being investment-grade perfect, this one is for you.
This post is ridiculously long because I now live in the sticks of Nebraska, four hours from the nearest major airport. Along with the pics, videos, and receipts in the link below, this ad should explain exactly what kind of shape this Buick is in. That way there will be no surprises when you take the stagecoach up from Denver to see it in person.
Nearly 100 photos, videos, invoices, time slips, and vehicle history reports can be found at:
GMHTP Power Trip Dropbox
Highlights:
GM High-Tech Performance project car from 2002-2008
$31,000+ in upgrades in last 15 years
Cal Hartline, Jack Cotton, Eric Schertz, and Ron Joseph built it
10.4 ET at 128 mph quarter mile in race tune with slicks/skinnies
Reliable 11-second street car w/current tune, ran a 300-mile road rally in 2016 with no issues
3,460-pound hardtop with low options, including aluminum drums/bumper brackets, and manual windows/seats
Fixed factory weaknesses with a GNX dash, vacuum brake system, body bushings/GNX bushings, and front and rear chassis bracing
8,000 miles on fully rebuilt engine/trans/rear end, 168,000 on chassis
11+ inch wide rear wheels will fit thanks to cut frame rails
Repainted in modern clearcoat in the mid-1990s, cut and polished in 2019
Cold A/C, converted to R134a
Multiple theft deterrents and locking wheel nuts
880-Watt Pioneer/Sony stereo, Bluetooth digital media receiver, 3.5-inch front, 6x9 rear speakers, 10-inch Bazooka sub, run off of a 5-channel amplifier
Owned for 25 years
Performance:
10.45 ET at 128 mph (race tune, 28-30 psi boost, 5 psi launch, C16 race fuel, Englishtown, NJ)
559 rwhp, 550 lb-ft torque (race tune, 24 psi boost, C16 race fuel, SuperFlow dyno)
472 rwhp, 461 lb-ft torque (19 psi boost, pump/race fuel mix, Dynojet dyno)
150 feet, 60-0 braking
Ratings:
Mechanical: 9/10. Every part from engine to axles was professionally built and installed by Cal Hartline, Eric Schertz, Jack Cotton, and Ron Joseph. Around 30 quarter mile passes after build with no issues. 150+ compression in all cylinders. Maybe a drop or two of oil from the rear main. Rear of driveshaft has slight wear where it used to hit the now-removed GNX suspension’s brace.
Interior: 7/10. Cracked/glued upper dash trim panel, driver side mirror adjuster broken, door panels and buckets in good shape with no rips, headliner and carpet was replaced, carpet now has a couple small stains. B&M shifter sits in slightly modified console, back seat hasn’t been used since high school. Giggity.
Exterior: 8/10. Body has a few small dents, minor crack on B pillar from before I braced the car, one front amber lens is cracked. Base/clear repaint was just professionally polished to remove orange peel, new factory style front and rear bumper fillers just painted and installed. Front rims have slight chrome pitting in hub area, needs new drag radials.
Busted Stuff:
Power antenna
Third brake light won’t illuminate even after new housing/bulb and cleaned brake switch
Dash wideband O2 not connected (XFI wideband works)
Cruise control doesn’t work with GNX-style dash
XFI oil and fuel pressure connection is disconnected
Sale Includes:
GM High-Tech Performance magazines with “Power Trip” build, in rare GMHTP binder
Original 11/14/07 Englishtown timeslip printout of GMHTP track day with 10.45 run
GMHTP license plates, old style and new style
All-Buick “Buicks That Fly” special GMHTP issue
Extra Cometic head gasket kit
Big bag o’ Buick bolts
Locking wheel nut keys
Original owner’s manual
One set of keys
The Deal:
$17,000, no trades, wire transfer only
One lien, Buick used as collateral on my new car loan through a local bank. Titles in Nebraska are filed electronically, so once the bank gets the wire, it will take a week for the paper title to come to me so I can sign over to you. But once my bank gets the wire transfer, you can drive or ship the vehicle immediately if you like.
Due to my remote location in Nebraska, I’m happy to do a FaceTime session with serious buyers showing engine startup, vehicle condition, driving, etc.
We have two good mechanics in town. If you want to arrange for a pre-purchase inspection I can point you in the right direction.
Driving Characteristics:
This street/strip Turbo-T was built over 10 years ago, and was set up for max power at the strip. It pushed an estimated 600 rwhp and 600 rwtq at the 28-30 psi boost level during its 10.45 run.
The combo includes a roller cam, 3500-stall converter, 67GTQ turbo, headers, and a vacuum brake system. It’s not as responsive as a stock-combo TR, or as responsive as a modern-day 10-second combo using today’s quick spooling turbos and modern converters.
However with only a 5-psi launch, it spun the slicks hard at Englishtown’s sticky starting line. Even with low-boost launches the torque is immense; as it is only used for street duty now and I’m no spring chicken reflex-wise, a little lag before max boost is fine as it easily smokes the drag radials through two gears.
Drivability around town is smooth, and with the lockup converter it cruises at 70 mph at around 2,000 rpm. Due to me having to request another tune (thanks Cal) years after the build that Mr. Hartline fine tuned himself, the current “baseline” tune will occasionally stall during cold starts and idling at cold coolant temps; my laptop crashed soon after, so the next owner should update the XFI software, have the tune cleaned up by an XFI expert, and adjust the dual fan turn on temp.
Accidents:
1988: before I owned it, the Box Butte County (Alliance, NE) police department filed report #188024688 on 6/4/88. I contacted the Box Butte County Sheriff’s Office and Nebraska State Patrol but could not get any accident info.
1995: Lancaster County (Lincoln, NE), minor front end damage when Powermaster failed on me and I hit the rear of a compact car with the nose. Police weren’t called. My ex-brother in law insurance agent approved a nose and grill replacement, plus a full repaint, proving that even douchebags can occasionally be helpful.
FYI I’ve done 60,000 miles since the 1995 accident, and the frame / alignment / tire wear / driving feel are all fine. And yes, that means that I spent over a decade driving through NYC and Jersey, and the Buick never got a scratch. Call the freakin Guinness Book.
Odometer: estimated 168,000 miles
1993: Bought with 70,000 miles on odometer
2004: Original dash replaced at 158,065 miles in GMHTP GNX-style dash story
2004-08: Garaged in Queens except for 1-2 tech stories and track days/month in E-Town, NJ.
2008-11: Shipped to and garaged in Clearwater, FL. Driven to car shows and 3-4 tech stories
2011-Present: Shipped to and garaged in Western Nebraska. Driven around town, went to local shows, one Tour Nebraska event and one 300-mile road rally in 2016. Got new speedo working through XFI system in 2012, current new speedo reading is around 2,300.
NOTE: on the Carfax report seen in my Dropbox folder, there’s a 5/11/06 date from the Florida DMV that says “vehicle purchase reported.” This is wrong as I didn’t move to Florida until late 2008, and had registered the Buick in East Elmhurst NY (Queens) 2 months before that 5/11/06 date.
This 1987 Turbo-T is the GM High-Tech Performance project car called Power Trip. Some of the most respected names in the Buick world built it to do two things: run 10s on slicks, and handle long commutes in reliable, air-conditioned comfort.
It’s still comfortable, reliable, and crazy fast. However, since I have several other projects that need my attention now, it’s time for Power Trip to find a new owner.
This is a powerful street/strip machine that you can race and road trip, and I’ve spent lots of time and money in the last year to get it ready for you. I’m even throwing in some cool GMHTP items as part of the deal.
However, while the paint looks great the body has a few dings. And it had one minor front end accident with me driving in 1995, and a 1988 accident with the previous owner that the police no longer have records for. It feels and drives just fine though, so if you want a fast TR at a good price and don’t care about it being investment-grade perfect, this one is for you.
This post is ridiculously long because I now live in the sticks of Nebraska, four hours from the nearest major airport. Along with the pics, videos, and receipts in the link below, this ad should explain exactly what kind of shape this Buick is in. That way there will be no surprises when you take the stagecoach up from Denver to see it in person.
Nearly 100 photos, videos, invoices, time slips, and vehicle history reports can be found at:
GMHTP Power Trip Dropbox
Highlights:
GM High-Tech Performance project car from 2002-2008
$31,000+ in upgrades in last 15 years
Cal Hartline, Jack Cotton, Eric Schertz, and Ron Joseph built it
10.4 ET at 128 mph quarter mile in race tune with slicks/skinnies
Reliable 11-second street car w/current tune, ran a 300-mile road rally in 2016 with no issues
3,460-pound hardtop with low options, including aluminum drums/bumper brackets, and manual windows/seats
Fixed factory weaknesses with a GNX dash, vacuum brake system, body bushings/GNX bushings, and front and rear chassis bracing
8,000 miles on fully rebuilt engine/trans/rear end, 168,000 on chassis
11+ inch wide rear wheels will fit thanks to cut frame rails
Repainted in modern clearcoat in the mid-1990s, cut and polished in 2019
Cold A/C, converted to R134a
Multiple theft deterrents and locking wheel nuts
880-Watt Pioneer/Sony stereo, Bluetooth digital media receiver, 3.5-inch front, 6x9 rear speakers, 10-inch Bazooka sub, run off of a 5-channel amplifier
Owned for 25 years
Performance:
10.45 ET at 128 mph (race tune, 28-30 psi boost, 5 psi launch, C16 race fuel, Englishtown, NJ)
559 rwhp, 550 lb-ft torque (race tune, 24 psi boost, C16 race fuel, SuperFlow dyno)
472 rwhp, 461 lb-ft torque (19 psi boost, pump/race fuel mix, Dynojet dyno)
150 feet, 60-0 braking
Ratings:
Mechanical: 9/10. Every part from engine to axles was professionally built and installed by Cal Hartline, Eric Schertz, Jack Cotton, and Ron Joseph. Around 30 quarter mile passes after build with no issues. 150+ compression in all cylinders. Maybe a drop or two of oil from the rear main. Rear of driveshaft has slight wear where it used to hit the now-removed GNX suspension’s brace.
Interior: 7/10. Cracked/glued upper dash trim panel, driver side mirror adjuster broken, door panels and buckets in good shape with no rips, headliner and carpet was replaced, carpet now has a couple small stains. B&M shifter sits in slightly modified console, back seat hasn’t been used since high school. Giggity.
Exterior: 8/10. Body has a few small dents, minor crack on B pillar from before I braced the car, one front amber lens is cracked. Base/clear repaint was just professionally polished to remove orange peel, new factory style front and rear bumper fillers just painted and installed. Front rims have slight chrome pitting in hub area, needs new drag radials.
Busted Stuff:
Power antenna
Third brake light won’t illuminate even after new housing/bulb and cleaned brake switch
Dash wideband O2 not connected (XFI wideband works)
Cruise control doesn’t work with GNX-style dash
XFI oil and fuel pressure connection is disconnected
Sale Includes:
GM High-Tech Performance magazines with “Power Trip” build, in rare GMHTP binder
Original 11/14/07 Englishtown timeslip printout of GMHTP track day with 10.45 run
GMHTP license plates, old style and new style
All-Buick “Buicks That Fly” special GMHTP issue
Extra Cometic head gasket kit
Big bag o’ Buick bolts
Locking wheel nut keys
Original owner’s manual
One set of keys
The Deal:
$17,000, no trades, wire transfer only
One lien, Buick used as collateral on my new car loan through a local bank. Titles in Nebraska are filed electronically, so once the bank gets the wire, it will take a week for the paper title to come to me so I can sign over to you. But once my bank gets the wire transfer, you can drive or ship the vehicle immediately if you like.
Due to my remote location in Nebraska, I’m happy to do a FaceTime session with serious buyers showing engine startup, vehicle condition, driving, etc.
We have two good mechanics in town. If you want to arrange for a pre-purchase inspection I can point you in the right direction.
Driving Characteristics:
This street/strip Turbo-T was built over 10 years ago, and was set up for max power at the strip. It pushed an estimated 600 rwhp and 600 rwtq at the 28-30 psi boost level during its 10.45 run.
The combo includes a roller cam, 3500-stall converter, 67GTQ turbo, headers, and a vacuum brake system. It’s not as responsive as a stock-combo TR, or as responsive as a modern-day 10-second combo using today’s quick spooling turbos and modern converters.
However with only a 5-psi launch, it spun the slicks hard at Englishtown’s sticky starting line. Even with low-boost launches the torque is immense; as it is only used for street duty now and I’m no spring chicken reflex-wise, a little lag before max boost is fine as it easily smokes the drag radials through two gears.
Drivability around town is smooth, and with the lockup converter it cruises at 70 mph at around 2,000 rpm. Due to me having to request another tune (thanks Cal) years after the build that Mr. Hartline fine tuned himself, the current “baseline” tune will occasionally stall during cold starts and idling at cold coolant temps; my laptop crashed soon after, so the next owner should update the XFI software, have the tune cleaned up by an XFI expert, and adjust the dual fan turn on temp.
Accidents:
1988: before I owned it, the Box Butte County (Alliance, NE) police department filed report #188024688 on 6/4/88. I contacted the Box Butte County Sheriff’s Office and Nebraska State Patrol but could not get any accident info.
1995: Lancaster County (Lincoln, NE), minor front end damage when Powermaster failed on me and I hit the rear of a compact car with the nose. Police weren’t called. My ex-brother in law insurance agent approved a nose and grill replacement, plus a full repaint, proving that even douchebags can occasionally be helpful.
FYI I’ve done 60,000 miles since the 1995 accident, and the frame / alignment / tire wear / driving feel are all fine. And yes, that means that I spent over a decade driving through NYC and Jersey, and the Buick never got a scratch. Call the freakin Guinness Book.
Odometer: estimated 168,000 miles
1993: Bought with 70,000 miles on odometer
2004: Original dash replaced at 158,065 miles in GMHTP GNX-style dash story
2004-08: Garaged in Queens except for 1-2 tech stories and track days/month in E-Town, NJ.
2008-11: Shipped to and garaged in Clearwater, FL. Driven to car shows and 3-4 tech stories
2011-Present: Shipped to and garaged in Western Nebraska. Driven around town, went to local shows, one Tour Nebraska event and one 300-mile road rally in 2016. Got new speedo working through XFI system in 2012, current new speedo reading is around 2,300.
NOTE: on the Carfax report seen in my Dropbox folder, there’s a 5/11/06 date from the Florida DMV that says “vehicle purchase reported.” This is wrong as I didn’t move to Florida until late 2008, and had registered the Buick in East Elmhurst NY (Queens) 2 months before that 5/11/06 date.