True GN?

[Koll]

I am going to call tonite about a Grand National that is forsale locally. I have the vin number, but also read it wont tell me 100% if it is a GN or not. Its supposdly an 87, DigiDash. From what my father tells me its clean inside and out. Is there an RPO sticker or something I can look for?

 

[gofstbuick]

On the trunk lid is an options code sticker. The only way to tell if it is a real GN is based on the options code. That sticker has the VIN number associated all the options available for the vehicle

 

[Paul Clark]

I'll bet someone here could tell you if you posted the VIN.
Think there's supposed to be a 7 in there someplace.

 

[bison]

I'll bet someone here could tell you if you posted the VIN.
Think there's supposed to be a 7 in there someplace.

86's have a 7 for the 7th number in all TR's i think. Not sure what the option number for the GN package is. Somebody please chime in. The VIN does not reveal a GN. Use the vin plate and the option sticker in the trunk. Wait till someone posts the code for a GN.

 

[MeanBuicks]

The VIN number will have a 7 for the engine code but that only verifies it as a turbo Regal. The Grand National package was an option identified on the RPO trunk sticker as WE2.

 

[Real-T]

Here is some info too:

http://gnttype.org/general/vin.html

http://gnttype.org/numbers/rpo.html

Also you mention it was an '87 with digital dash ? I think digital dash was only availably on the '86 ?

Not that it's a big deal, maybe he just got the year wrong ?? '86 also had a different grille, chrome along the top......'87s were all black....

 

[turbofish38]

Digital was an option on 87's too. Check for the SPID label in the trunk. Look for the codes:
WE2-Grand National
WE4-black turbo-T
If neither code is there make sure it has the LC2 code. If it does than it is a turbo Regal. If it also has the W05 code than it is a turbo Limited.

You dont need the SPID to check what model it is. Look at the cowl tag up on the left side of the cowl. A legit GN will show the codes AR9,19L,19U,82C.

If it is missing the SPID label and cowl tag than run as far away as you can.

 

[Koll]

It is
1G4GM11A5HP406841

From the VIN decoder I found out its (or was) a Regal Limited with the engine code A (3.8L 231 V6 2BBL).

I guess someone made a knock off. Im gonna go look at it tonite. If its not too boogered together I might offer him something.

 

[bison]

It is
1G4GM11A5HP406841

From the VIN decoder I found out its (or was) a Regal Limited with the engine code A (3.8L 231 V6 2BBL).

I guess someone made a knock off. Im gonna go look at it tonite. If its not too boogered together I might offer him something.

Throw a low number out there. Theyll take it.

 

[flattype]

So the guy was trying to pass off a regular regal as a real GN? Thats just not right to try to screw people like that.

 

[TurboMonte 2]

I don't think I would throw him ANYTHING resembling $ if he's trying to pass this off as a GN--dishonesty is more than price deep!

 

[Koll]

Well went to see it. What a....well just read ahead.
1) Upon start up smoke outta tail pipe (turbo).
2) Rear main seal leak
3) Tranny leak
4) Had to restart it ~4 times within 5 minutes (kept dying).
5) Overboosting the piss out of it. When he got on it the needle went past 20 (I would say to ~22-24). I was paying attention to the road as I didnt trust him.
6)..........THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE.
Thats right. We were driving (only made it one block) and all of a sudden it just died. He tried to restart it, nothing. So we pull over. Pop the hood. He played with the neg terminal and tried again. I got out and started looking. As he is turning it over, I notice sparks from under the downpipe then all of a sudden, a fire. The neg battery cable. The downpipe had melted the plastic away. Then the bare wire arc-ed itself off of the frame and made the plastic around it catch fire.

Needless to say, STAY AWAY.
Car is located in Long Branch, NJ. It has draglites, nonworking gauges above the glove box and a digidash.

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

Im just going to take a guess, if its tagged as a 2bbl regal and he is passing it off as a GN, hmmm stolen?


Wait, its a 87, digital dash limted na car converted to a turbo car?
How much?
BW

 

[turbojimmy]

I'm thinking someone took stolen GN parts and put them in a non-stolen NA body. Must be a recent conversion, too if the battery cable melted through on the test drive. Sounds like a quick-n-dirty attempt to flip the stolen parts. Someone should try to get the last few digits of the VIN off of the block or trans case.

Is he selling it as a GN? Or did he admit that he put a GN drivetrain in a NA body?

BTW, the negative cable melting through on the DP wouldn't hurt anything. It must be the positive cable that's touching. He probably has a black cable for the positive.

Jim

 

[Koll]

He was asking 4500. Thats before it caught fire. He is passing it off as a GN. Also he said the car is orig. from Brooklyn and hes only owned it since sept.

 

[kh440]

The only phrase that comes to my mind is "can of worms". Probably not a situation you want to get involved.

 

[TURBOTERRORV6]

leave that POS alone..

 

[Koll]

Yeah. Ive been thinking of a project car to do for 1/4. Now I am just gonna go back to putting the 454 in the 84 olds.