Every weekend I'm at Barnes & Nobles rumaging through car mags. Since GM Hightech mag went south I still see many muscle car mags out there but am very disappointed that no GN's are recognized/featured. Lots of various muscle, new and old, but still no GN. I know there are many spectacular built GN's out there. So why do these mags have no interest?
Is the GN losing respect?
- Thread starter robertf
- Start date
I think a lot of it has to do with the majority of them pretty much being the same build over and over. Only a few people here have something out of the ordinary. When I'm completely done with mine, I'll send you a link to the publication it's in 
Take for example, - 69 camaro. Hundreds of engine variations capable, thousands of paint schemes possible, wheels tires suspension, tons of options. Buick GN.... black paint, GNX style wheels, champion valve covers on a 3.8 or 4.1 stroker engine, done deal lol
Take for example, - 69 camaro. Hundreds of engine variations capable, thousands of paint schemes possible, wheels tires suspension, tons of options. Buick GN.... black paint, GNX style wheels, champion valve covers on a 3.8 or 4.1 stroker engine, done deal lol
I believe it is due to the era. Not very many American Auto Enthusiasts are interested in cars after the late 60's, early 70's. The rest of the 70's on up through the 80's, 90's, etc, were fairly dismal times for American made performance. There were a few exceptions, but it has only been fairly recent that exciting cars were being built again.
Dennis Kirban
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
kirban 2 cents worth
few thoughts on the question...first and formost its a game of numbers more chevy fans more mustang fans for the era than Buick fans..so that market gets catered to more than our cars. .on another note who really cares the dollar value is on our side...when it comes to selling them.
On almost any given day your car on the street garners respect and a thumbs up....I know form using an open trailer all those years to cart over 300 back to my house including GNXs...
Our cars just don;t have the numbers to have magazine chase them down to do articles....
Kind of like the AMXs from the early 1970s or the handful of supercharged Studebaker Larks....of which I had one....the element of surprise from a traffic light was well worth it. 2 door sedan bench seat dog dish hubcaps dual quads supercharged 57 Pontiac rear 4 speed.....and a weird engine sound with the a supercharger.
enough said.
denniskirban@yahoo.com
few thoughts on the question...first and formost its a game of numbers more chevy fans more mustang fans for the era than Buick fans..so that market gets catered to more than our cars. .on another note who really cares the dollar value is on our side...when it comes to selling them.
On almost any given day your car on the street garners respect and a thumbs up....I know form using an open trailer all those years to cart over 300 back to my house including GNXs...
Our cars just don;t have the numbers to have magazine chase them down to do articles....
Kind of like the AMXs from the early 1970s or the handful of supercharged Studebaker Larks....of which I had one....the element of surprise from a traffic light was well worth it. 2 door sedan bench seat dog dish hubcaps dual quads supercharged 57 Pontiac rear 4 speed.....and a weird engine sound with the a supercharger.
enough said.
denniskirban@yahoo.com
Having the only GN in my area, I received countless thumbs up form late model muscle car drivers. The car gets stares everywhere I go. People stop and gawk, ask questions. I can park next to a new SS/Mustang GT, yet the crowd gathers around mine. I personally think a well done 10 sec GN is magazine worthy.
TURBOTIMMER
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2002
I think this statement answers your question.
I agree it receives respect form from people in general. I'd just love to see an article or 2 in magazines.
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2010
Last edited:
TURBOTIMMER
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2002
I agree there's not many write ups on turbo regals now that GMhigh tech is gone. Probably never see a magazine sponsored build, as those builds are funded by vendors. I just don't see our small vendors donating parts for a build for such a low production niche car that the general population doesn't understand.
At least we have this online...
http://www.gm-efi.com/features/feature-cars/buick/car-feature-second-chance-grand-national/
http://www.gm-efi.com/features/feature-cars/buick/car-feature-second-chance-grand-national/
SS/GN
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2005
I don't want any more press than I already have I like being the only one around, makes me feel special I brought a rotted out GN home 6 hours away on an open trailer. My wife looks over at me and says" you are not going to believe this but we just got another thumbs up on our parts car" Try that with a Mustang
I like being the only one around, makes me feel special I brought a rotted out GN home 6 hours away on an open trailer. My wife looks over at me and says" you are not going to believe this but we just got another thumbs up on our parts car" Try that with a Mustang
CzyKats44
This is the way.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2014
My answer from the cheap seats: No
If anything, what some of the members of this very board have attained with budget builds, with pump gas builds or with full blown race cars is currently making that legend/respect grow. On the street, doesn't matter slow ,fast, GN, TType, Turbo T, Turbo Limited, HA, people stop and stare.
I do agree with the builds all being generally the same, there are only so many configurations that work ... you know some Mags want to do a Turbo LS write up, I personally would rather not read about that. Recently there was gonna be a GN on some garage mod show that guys were looking forward to. On the show they hacked up a GN, yanked and got rid of what makes it special, this turned some guys off.
Finally, magazines like newspapers are slowly becoming an antiquated way to communicate. In the information age people want to see videos IMO.
If anything, what some of the members of this very board have attained with budget builds, with pump gas builds or with full blown race cars is currently making that legend/respect grow. On the street, doesn't matter slow ,fast, GN, TType, Turbo T, Turbo Limited, HA, people stop and stare.
I do agree with the builds all being generally the same, there are only so many configurations that work ... you know some Mags want to do a Turbo LS write up, I personally would rather not read about that. Recently there was gonna be a GN on some garage mod show that guys were looking forward to. On the show they hacked up a GN, yanked and got rid of what makes it special, this turned some guys off.
Finally, magazines like newspapers are slowly becoming an antiquated way to communicate. In the information age people want to see videos IMO.
Quick Chick
Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2015
If you go online you'll see a lot of GM love, especially G-Bodies.... What I do know from GM High Tech Magazine (which just in my opinion, has gone downhill) - They were interested in a GN in NY, but unless it ran 8 seconds or better, they would not feature it. Which was surprising to me but ok.
John Larkin
Sublime Master of Turbology
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
8 second car huh? They must think that sells magazines. Too bad there are only a handful. Sad for them to not cater to the average enthusiast.
So true that our cars get more than their fair share of attention in public. I know mine usually gets a ton. Everywhere I go I see thumbs up, snapping necks, people coming up to chat, etc. I can see how these are not good for repeat magazine exposure as the drivetrains are unique and most of the cars out there follow a recipe. When it comes to other things like suspension / wheels / stance, there are plenty of other G Bodies that will share that attention. Chevy / Ford is a completely different story. Take the Hot Rod Crusher Camaro for instance. For those of you who have followed that car, it has gotten more drivetrain swaps than you can shake a stick at over the last 20 years since it first showed up in Hotrod. It has also gone back and forth between drag setup and pro touring. At least the paint has remained the same since '96. That goes to show how something that does not have a unique drivetrain and a huge aftermarket can be reinvented over and over again.
ttypewhite
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2001
A lot of these magazines attribute our cars with speed. In 86/87 our cars were something to fear on the streets. Today it's a different ball of wax. What i usually see featured are the race car Buick's which just a select few have this sort of thing. It represents what the capabilities are in terms of straight line, but there isn't enough of them out there to get the coverage. A lot are just made for that purpose and don't really look that nice, especially for a magazine that pans through the whole car. I do notice that the Pro Touring area is starting to gain a lot of traction with our cars though, because it opens our target audience. Not everyone wants to see a race car with slicks and skinies. Pro Touring targets a greater brand of enthusiasts with a wider brush, like speed, looks, handling, braking etc. I find myself gravitating to that more now, because when I went to the strictly qtr mile deal with my car, it ran decent at the track, but drove like shit on the streets. No disrespect to anyone doing this, as I still live vicariously through you, but this new direction has me enjoying my car more then I ever have before, especially on the street.
