Hey fellow members. I think it would be interesting to hear from others about about the 1st time you ever heard or saw a Turbo Regal or Grand National in action. How about the first time you drove one. I am 27 and was to young to own one when they were new. I always like to hear stories about how amazing it was that a little v-6 would beat anything in sight. I think it would be interesting to hear how it all began. Maybe this thread will become a sticky.
Stories about your first experience with a Turbo Regal?
- Thread starter brittken
- Start date
I was driving my totally stock 91 Z28...I see this guy with a third brake light that says UD LOSE...I was like yeah right, it's just a black Buick Regal.
Turns out it was a Stage motor...I got waxed from a 10 MPH roll, it looked like I never tried and I was all over it.
Turns out it was a Stage motor...I got waxed from a 10 MPH roll, it looked like I never tried and I was all over it.
Russ Merritt
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2002
I was 18 workin for a Buick dealership. I was a valet. had to take down info on cars we were fixin. After i finished the repair info, there was a sweet straightaway heading down to the back parkin lot. Need I say more. 
HOOKED! Reel me in!
HOOKED! Reel me in!striker_29
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 31, 2001
In 87 a guy in my class got a brand new one in 9th grade when he got his license. He had been bringing magazines to school for a couple of weeks and narrowed it down to a Monte SS or a GN. We said dude the Gn is the fastest thing going get that, and about a week later he did. T Top car loaded with everything, I got to ride in it when it had that very new car smell
turbot2112
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2001
i was 18 and a seinor in highschool. i had this badass 79 ta, thought it was the fastest thing around. my buddy took his brothers gn to school and was saying how fast it was, i was like what the hell is a grand national, a v6, ill smoke that thing. well he pissed all over me, couldnt believe it.well 4 years later i bought my t and did some work to it and then pissed all over him.
i heard about them back when i was probably 8 my dad was talking to a friend who had a tta and i started looking to see what a gn was, i found a picture in a model car magazine, at the time i thought it was the ugliest car ever made, but i heard they were fast. I kept hearing things about them here and there and before i ever saw one or ridden in one i was wanting an lc2 to put in my vega my dad ended up getting an 87 t-type somewhere that was going to be mine but never ended up in my hands. i remember the first day we took it out just putting down the streets with fake plates on it i was really suprised how comfortable it was, we went from a dead stop and i was really disapointed at first, i even remember my exact words, "thats all the fas, WOOH!" after that i was hooked!
my dad ended up getting an 87 t-type somewhere that was going to be mine but never ended up in my hands. i remember the first day we took it out just putting down the streets with fake plates on it i was really suprised how comfortable it was, we went from a dead stop and i was really disapointed at first, i even remember my exact words, "thats all the fas, WOOH!" after that i was hooked!Im 17 and after a 2 month war with my mom to get her to believe that i could be responsible enough to own and pay for my GN. I finally found one that was in my range and went to see it. Got a test drive and was absolutely amazed and excited.
about one week and one hole in my bedroom door later I bought it and enjoyed every second of it.
about one week and one hole in my bedroom door later I bought it and enjoyed every second of it.
thomas_quinn
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2001
Cant really rember when I decided I wanted one but I saw one at a used car lot. My mom said she would help me get a loan if I got a job so the next day I got a job. The bank said no to giving a loan for that much so I dropped it. Probally 2 years latter I bout a 84 with the motor torn apart in feburary almost a year later and I still havent driven it.
age 13, i was in florida on summer vacation and i went to a toys R us and in the parkinglot was a bad ass black car with a jiffy lube logo. that car always stood out in my head.
than, flash foreward to age 15, i was watching the show "American Muscle Car" on speedvision, and the show was on the 87 buick GNX. i realized that it was one of those sweet cars that i had seen in florida. than i got on turbobuick.com, and bought my first GN localy just before i turned 16
than, flash foreward to age 15, i was watching the show "American Muscle Car" on speedvision, and the show was on the 87 buick GNX. i realized that it was one of those sweet cars that i had seen in florida. than i got on turbobuick.com, and bought my first GN localy just before i turned 16
TR Custom Parts
Mark Hueffman - Owner
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
http://www.buickgn.com/GNVSCHEV.JPG
Here's a picture of me racing my 66 Chevelle against a brand new GN back in I believe 1988. This was at the Car Craft Nationals East when they had it at Englishtown NJ.
All of my friends and I thought we were pretty cool with our 60's/70's musclecars up against these new fangled black Regals. We were sure surprised when they were keeping right up with us and even beating us into submission with measly little V-6's. We all hated these "modern musclecars" me included. They just weren't right.
Years later after I had pro streeted the Chevelle http://www.buickgn.com/LASTPIC.JPG and my wife got pregnant I decided that I wanted a car with creature comforts and a back seat for the baby so we could all still go to car shows/cruise nights. I thought of what car would satisfy all of those requirements and a GN seemed to fit the bill. Sold the Chevelle at a show I attended and two weeks later found my GN at the Englishtown fall swap meet in 1995 with only 4700 miles on it. The rest is history. Now in addition to being a TR owner I am also a vendor. Funny how things work out sometimes.
Here's a picture of me racing my 66 Chevelle against a brand new GN back in I believe 1988. This was at the Car Craft Nationals East when they had it at Englishtown NJ.
All of my friends and I thought we were pretty cool with our 60's/70's musclecars up against these new fangled black Regals. We were sure surprised when they were keeping right up with us and even beating us into submission with measly little V-6's. We all hated these "modern musclecars" me included. They just weren't right.
Years later after I had pro streeted the Chevelle http://www.buickgn.com/LASTPIC.JPG and my wife got pregnant I decided that I wanted a car with creature comforts and a back seat for the baby so we could all still go to car shows/cruise nights. I thought of what car would satisfy all of those requirements and a GN seemed to fit the bill. Sold the Chevelle at a show I attended and two weeks later found my GN at the Englishtown fall swap meet in 1995 with only 4700 miles on it. The rest is history. Now in addition to being a TR owner I am also a vendor. Funny how things work out sometimes.
Evans Ward
Love those LC2/ Y56 cars!
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
Bought a new '86 GN in August of 1986 in Albany GA at the age of 28. (late production model). During the test drive, all the young salesman could say was awesome! Did I get on it during the test drive...... you better believe it! I had been reading about them in the magazines and had seen an '85 GN around the streets of Macon here and had admired the car. Not many had a clue what the car was back then or it's performance potential. Insurance was kinda high then being younger with a few marks on the 'ol driving record! Bought it and since then, have only gone two years without an intercooled Turbo Buick car. (98-00) I really love the TR's with their subtle sleeper status. GN's are cool cars but difficult to maintain and keep clean with the black and I really love my chromed out Granny car TR now!
In '94 my brother and I travelled to Ogden, UT (from Indiana) to see, inspect, and probably purchase my Limited from it's original owner.
We were supposed to meet the owner at the Motel at 08:00. Brother and I were walking back from breakfast at 07:30 to be sure we were on time. When we got about 100' from the entrance I saw a new looking but "older" car, beautiful deep blue, nice wheels, looked kinda "Special". Brother and I always alert each other to something cool, and as I was telling him to look I realized it was "My" car!!
Still have it
Bob
We were supposed to meet the owner at the Motel at 08:00. Brother and I were walking back from breakfast at 07:30 to be sure we were on time. When we got about 100' from the entrance I saw a new looking but "older" car, beautiful deep blue, nice wheels, looked kinda "Special". Brother and I always alert each other to something cool, and as I was telling him to look I realized it was "My" car!!
Still have it
Bob
Tom Tom Turbo
Turbo Goes Woo Woo
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2002
I was 3 years old when my dad bought the car in my sig (brand new) and now I have owned it for almost 2 years. I was hooked on the car first when we did a friggin 360 merging on the interstate....he was going 40 and floored it, that combined with a morning dew on the road equaled the best carnival ride I was ever on! The clincher was when I watched him spank a 1985 Porsche 944 turbo that belonged to his boss
In 1986 I was just finishing high school in smalltown, Saskatchewan. I was working at the local taco joint, and was an avid reader of Car and Driver. When I first saw the turbo regals, I hunted up every article I could - I was a little insane for them. My temp boss at the restaurant was from "civilization" where decent cars were commonplace, and he told me he was going to drive a T-Type and asked me to come along. I went, and we piled in with the salesman. The boss proceeded to put the car through it's paces (he was a good driver, capable of the movie style tail kickouts and whatnot). When we entered a highway onramp and he got on it hard while still in the turn, doing lots of countersteer and plenty of smoke, I was hooked. It busted the tires going into 2nd again, and the salesman was just about ****ting.
About 8 months later, I was working for my buddy at a detailing shop, and we got a call that the local grunge car dealer had a car for us to clean. They were usually disgusting dirty even to sit in, so we always flipped for who had to drive the POS. I lost. We drove over, pulled in the lot, and we both said "No. Way.". Sweet 87 GN in the lot. Yup, that's the one. Just needed an engine shampoo and a few interior spots detailed. My buddy tried to pull rank, but I said "screw you". Took the long way back to the shop that day.......and I was even more in love.
Fast forward to 2002. I'm now working in the US, still single, and realize that the prices on these things aren't going down. The GTP is a fun car, it's paid for, but I have never got the GN out of my mind. I drool every time I see them. So I bought mine last summer with the intention of owning it for 6 months. I think most of you know the eventual result of an idea like that.
I bought it in Columbia, Missouri. When I phoned the guy and arranged to go see it, he phoned me daily for a week prior to the visit, telling me about it, asking me questions. Telling me about the guy who sold it to him that he wouldn't sell it back to. Fanatic, though knew little about the car. When I went to see it, he talked to me for 1/2 hour before he let me see it. When he rolled up the garage door and pulled the bedsheet off the car, I knew I'd found what I needed. It was repainted in 96, and with exception of not being properly stripped of trim, the paint is a beautiful smooth mirror with 2 dings in it. He waxed it twice a month.
I haven't spent a boatload on it, but I keep finding things that I want to add. It's a gradual process. I love my GN, and I really don't envision selling it anymore. There are undoubtedly a wife and family in the future, but I'm going to hold on as long as I can.
About 8 months later, I was working for my buddy at a detailing shop, and we got a call that the local grunge car dealer had a car for us to clean. They were usually disgusting dirty even to sit in, so we always flipped for who had to drive the POS. I lost. We drove over, pulled in the lot, and we both said "No. Way.". Sweet 87 GN in the lot. Yup, that's the one. Just needed an engine shampoo and a few interior spots detailed. My buddy tried to pull rank, but I said "screw you". Took the long way back to the shop that day.......and I was even more in love.
Fast forward to 2002. I'm now working in the US, still single, and realize that the prices on these things aren't going down. The GTP is a fun car, it's paid for, but I have never got the GN out of my mind. I drool every time I see them. So I bought mine last summer with the intention of owning it for 6 months. I think most of you know the eventual result of an idea like that.
I bought it in Columbia, Missouri. When I phoned the guy and arranged to go see it, he phoned me daily for a week prior to the visit, telling me about it, asking me questions. Telling me about the guy who sold it to him that he wouldn't sell it back to. Fanatic, though knew little about the car. When I went to see it, he talked to me for 1/2 hour before he let me see it. When he rolled up the garage door and pulled the bedsheet off the car, I knew I'd found what I needed. It was repainted in 96, and with exception of not being properly stripped of trim, the paint is a beautiful smooth mirror with 2 dings in it. He waxed it twice a month.
I haven't spent a boatload on it, but I keep finding things that I want to add. It's a gradual process. I love my GN, and I really don't envision selling it anymore. There are undoubtedly a wife and family in the future, but I'm going to hold on as long as I can.
I was about 13 years old and I saw a GNX in a Dupont Registry magazine, I didnt know what it was at the time, but I fell in love with the black boxy look. I didnt know anything about what a TR was but I dreamed of having one someday. Three years later I saw a artical in Car Craft about the GN and realized their potential. I was in the 11th grade and my friend needed a car, a guy at his dads work was selling a 87 TR. I only new of the GN at the time and didnt know that a Turbo regal was the same. I told him forget about it, its just a V-6. We went to check the car out and when we went for the test drive, I was in the back seat. We stopped at the bottom of a big hill and my friend got behind the wheel. The guy said to give it some gas up this hill and then I felt the torque of these motors for the first time going up that hill. I could not believe this V-6 could be so fast. We got back to the guys house and I couldn't stop smiling
Two years later I finally bought my own, a WE4 and to this day will never forget the reason I love these cars so much......INSANE TORQUE!
buickfreak
Member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2002
I always had big block cars and always loved Buicks since I was young. Got really hooked on the 86-87 Intercooled model, but bought a new house in 86 for the family and had to cancel the Turbo Buick to raise the kids and pay the house. My wife told me you'll buy whatever you want later, that was the deal. Later in 96 bought my White Turbo T with 20,000 miles on the clock from a 74 years hold ex Leman racer who new exactly what kind of car it was. My wife got hooked on it pretty bad, so I bought a second Turbo Buick in 98 with 13,000 miles from a police officer who drove it occasionnaly in week-end. My wife and I go race together, she loves racing and she know what kind of Power and Torke those Cars can deliver. She's a Buickfreak like me and whe will be stepping up to Stage in a near Future. I've made a really good deal with her. Nice day. Gilles.
I was 17 in January, 1986. Dad wants a new car to replace his 76 Black Chrysler Cordoba. He prefers a black 2 door car with a v8. We go the the Buick dealer, and the salesman is pushing this v6 turbo car that just came off the truck. "Nope, no v8". He buys an Oldsmobile, and I find out about 2 months later what the deal was with the GN. For over 2 years, I begged him to trade the Olds. Within that time, he changed jobs and got a company car. Mom gets the Olds and she drives her car about 3k miles per year. DAMMIT! I'd have a low mileage GN original!!!If I only knew!
For over 2 years, I begged him to trade the Olds. Within that time, he changed jobs and got a company car. Mom gets the Olds and she drives her car about 3k miles per year. DAMMIT! I'd have a low mileage GN original!!!If I only knew! Ok, 2nd story.
I was selling cars at the local Pontaic dealer for a short period in late 89. We had a hardtop TTA that just wouldn't sell, but I was gaga over it. Some dude comes in, says he's thinking Corvette or TA. I said "the vette is nice, but this thing is faster". Well, this thing wasn't because the cheezy dealer was putting 87 octane in it. We drove it and you could feel it "surging". He went on and I was pissed. I drove that car every possible chance, and I didn't hold back. I even had a buddy come and "help" when we moved many cars to a car sale across town. We were racing all the way, me in the TTA, and him in the Turbo Grand Prix. I'd also like to mention that I was pleasently surprised at the power of the Turbo Sunbird convertible we had there too.
I was selling cars at the local Pontaic dealer for a short period in late 89. We had a hardtop TTA that just wouldn't sell, but I was gaga over it. Some dude comes in, says he's thinking Corvette or TA. I said "the vette is nice, but this thing is faster". Well, this thing wasn't because the cheezy dealer was putting 87 octane in it. We drove it and you could feel it "surging". He went on and I was pissed. I drove that car every possible chance, and I didn't hold back. I even had a buddy come and "help" when we moved many cars to a car sale across town.
We were racing all the way, me in the TTA, and him in the Turbo Grand Prix. I'd also like to mention that I was pleasently surprised at the power of the Turbo Sunbird convertible we had there too.