What did you think about turbo buicks at first?

[DragCamaro]

1. what did you guys think when you saw the first turbo buick you saw?
2. first time saw one driving?
3. first time you drove one?
4. now how do you feel?

1. i always thought they looked mean as hell, my friends said it looks like a grit ride, but i saw a fast, dark, and somewhat comfy ride

2. it was fast, but i didnt really like the sound so much

3. i loved it. the thing pulled so hard, i was sitting up not expecting it and was thrown back into the seat the second the boost kicked it. at the time it was basically open downpipe, it was amazing

4. i wish i had more money to do stuff with but man i love the car. it turns some heads too, and now im addicted to the sound. i like it as much if not more than my old ls1 camaro, especially when the cutout is off and you hear the turbo whistling. cant stop smiling when im driving it.

 

[JOHNDEEREGN]

I thought they were badazz looking cars but NO WAY was one going to eat my 87 GT LOL.

I remember that night very well, a guy by the name of Brent Knight pulled up beside me in his new GN.

Light turned green and I led through the intersection but by the second WHOOSH there he went:biggrin: We both modded our cars a step at a time over the next year.

I would spend $1500 a whack and he would spend $500 a whack and he would still hammer me.

I became a changed man that night and have never looked back

 

[turbov6joe]

It was 1986 and I was riding my 10 speed to baseball practice when I saw a GN pull up to the stop sign. I could not keep my eyes off of it and the driver knew it. When he pulled out he matted it and the tires broke loose sending the car sideways....I was standing there in amazement! I knew from that point on I would own one of those black cars. A few months later my buddy Mike's father bought a new 1986 T-Type...silver with grey interior. When it had just 400 miles Mike asked his pop to take the car cruising. Mike picked up my other buddy Scott and I and we went out hunting Mustang GT's. After a tank of gas and many won races, that night solidified my desire to have a TR. In 1991 when I got home from Desert Storm I bought my first 1986 GN from the original owner who was getting a divorce and she stood a chance to aquire the GN. I kept that GN for 13 years and sold it to buy a 1989 TTA which I kept for 3 years and sold to buy the 1987 T I have now.

 

[Fachie Motion]

In 1986 I was driving in my Olds with a Chevy 350. I was on I95 in Bridgeort doing about 75 when I passed this black blob all tinted out pulled off on the shoulder. The next thing I know the thing is right on me. I pulled to the center lane and slowed down thinking he wanted to race and then the red and blues in the grill started flashing . When the trooper pulled me over he was more interested in showing off his new GN than anything else , he didn't even give me a ticket. When he took off I couldn't believe how mean and fast the car was , knew I would have to get one.

 

[turbofrank]

1. Back in early 80s when servicing my Park Ave wife said that black car
looks good you should buy one. My comment no its a V6 can't be fast.
2. Didn't really see one on the road until 87 or just didn't notice.
3. While new car seaching ford salesman says there is not but one car that
can beat the Mustang iam like what. his answer that damn Biuck Gn
off i went.
4. Still feeling good.

 

[notacarlo]

1986 - My aunt wanted one, She was a gear-jammer and a wonderful woman. She ordered one from a local dealer, something fell through and she ended up with a Monte - which she hated. She died of lupus back in 1989. She sitted for me every summer that I went to Connecticut for 15 years. This is how I became aware of the Buick.

1990 - my best friends brother bought a pristine hard top. He modded the car by making parts for it. He was in the aircraft industry and had access to all kinds of cool materials. His brother and I used to go out with him to Fenders here in Dallas back in the day. I saw that car do things I never thought possible. From that day until today - I can pick a GN out of a parking lot of 10,000 MCSS's in less than 2 seconds.

1991 - bought a 1984 Two-tone hot-air car - ran it into the ground. (silly me)

2000 - bought my GN and never looked back. When I drive it today, it feels like the first day I went for a spin with my friends brother....these cars infect you with a smile a mile wide.

I bought my GN for my aunt Jackie and me and it will be with me forever.

I also named my daughter Jackie.

 

[mjdwyer23]

i grew up with dale cherry's kid.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

Think it was the 88 Car Craft Street Machine Nationals East that they held in Englishtown NJ. Bunch of freaking V-6 black cars beating up on our beloved 60's / 70's musclecars. One of our car club members had a T-Type but wasn't too impressed with it when I rode in it but it was an 85 so that explained a lot, (sorry hot air guys).

When it came time to sell my 66 Chevelle due to impending fatherhood, I wanted something more family friendly with comfort creatures but still fast. The 87 GN came to mind as I didn't feel like going thru the headache of building another hot rod from scratch. Two weeks after the Chevelle went bye bye my GN was in the garage.

Took a while to get used to the difference between a big block supercharged V-8 pro street car that drew attention everywhere I drove it to sort of blending in with the Buick. Turbo Regals seem to get more respect as the years go on as I draw quite a few people around my GN when I pull into cruises these days.

 

[kh440]

was very skeptical about them. I remember what problematic slugs the 70's early 80's versions were and all the stuff I had read about the 84/85 models didn't exactly make we want to give up my Barracuda-which was why I ordered a new 442 in the winter of 85. Well, fast forward to summer of 86 when said 442 was stolen and put in a river bank during the police chase (back then cops were actually allowed-even encouraged to catch bad guys)

Anyway-worked for the Buick dealership at the time and my best friend was one of the salemen there. Knew I was just about to sign the papers on a monte carlo and urged me to go to lunch with him and test drive something I just HAD to drive to believe. He comes to the parts counter tossing me the keys to the last 86 GN we had in stock...Well by the second time I floored it I had forgotten about that monte. The fickle finger of fate three weeks later brought a silver 87 turbo T into my life and I have had a love/hate relationship with these cars for 23 years now....longer than my marriage lasted

 

[SIXBANGR]

summer 1987 i was car shopping at the Chevy dealer. Walked around the corner and there was a very nice 1984 GN parked on the end. Bought it that day. Drove it one year and traded for my '87 brand new in March of 1988. Some days I am happy about it.

 

[bird]

Great thread,

It was 1988. I ran up against one of these with my small block 81 z28. Gave it to me hard. My buddy Vinnie had told me about these gn's before. I was in denial because of the v6 thing. I feel in love with em. Took me a few years to get one but i never looked back when i finally did.

 

[John Larkin]

I had a buddy who was completely into GNs (owned 4 over a few years, kept selling and buying) but had no idea how to hot rod them other than a chip and power braking the launch. We went for a ride in 1991. When the car got sideways just before the 1-2 shift I thought it was neat but still I still preferred old muscle. Flash forward to 1999, I had just completed an El Camino and had to decide whether to build up a hot engine for it or not. Saw a GN at work, called the same buddy to ask about how they hold up. Within 3 months his car became for sale and then it became my car. I still have it. Fun...

 

[Roc87]

1. Thought they looked a whole lot better than a Monte Carlo, was disappointed to hear you couldn't get a 350 in one

2. It was '86 or '87, had read about them a bunch in the magazines, but the first one I remember seeing I was in my Dad's 84 Vette that had a gutted cat & a chip, the GN SMOKED that vette right up until around 110mph when I'm guessing their factory chip had a speed limiter, then the vette finally caught up (Yeah, I was 9 or 10 with my Dad doing that kind of stuff on the streets )

3. Wanted one ever since I saw that one hand my Dads vette its ***. Finally in May '00 I found an Astroroof in the Autotrader. I remember asking the guy what an Astroroof was! Had 107k miles on it, a "set of gears", a drop in K&N, and a Hypertech chip. That was the first GN I had ever even ridden in, much less driven one, didn't seem to have much bottom end, but sure pulled good above 40mph. Wasn't two weeks before someone tried stealing it and just ended up with my Alpine, if it weren't for the stock Alarm, it would have been gone! While in the shop having the column repaired I had them add a Duttweiler neck to the IC and a 2-piece 3" downpipe and gut the cat. Wasn't too long after that I ordered a bunch more stuff from Postons, about 8 months later I found TB.com and realized I wasted abunch of $ from Postons

4. Have my days when I want to park it down at my Dads and leave it there for a while, I'm at the very end of the "Bolt-on" deal and I strongly believe if I keep pushing the high mileage engine to attain my goal of getting kicked off the track for no roll cage, I'll end up doing some expen$ive damage. Paranoid to drive it anywhere that I won't be able to keep an eye on it the whole time. It'll still pull 99.9% of the cars on the road (Probably more than 50% of those trailered to the track too )

 

[SS_Sean]

1. what did you guys think when you saw the first turbo buick you saw?
2. first time saw one driving?
3. first time you drove one?
4. now how do you feel?

1/2. I remember the GN's back in the 80's. 87 was the year a graduated, and they were WAY too expensive for a kid like me. I loved the car, though. I completely forgot about them until one showed up at my race track a couple years ago. I looked the car over and started coming here and reading up on them. (hooked)...

3. I bought one in '06 and have been working hard to get this combo up and running. I've only driven the car a couple thousand miles. I loved the stealth, the power, the torque and the gas mileage. They are great all-around cars!

4. Still glad I made the purchase!!

 

[SGRIM]

1. what did you guys think when you saw the first turbo buick you saw?
2. first time saw one driving?
3. first time you drove one?
4. now how do you feel?

.

1. Love at first sight!

2. Had to have it, no dought!

3. As happy as ever and grinning ear to ear. Burned a brand new set of BFG's off in 2 weeks:biggrin:

4. Still love them, still my favorite car of all times!

 

[DragCamaro]

haha thanks for all the replies guys. its pretty cool to see how devoted most people are to them, ive been trying to get one for about 3 years myself and finally lucked into this one. by far my favorite car ive ever owned, only problem is the cool guy with his backwards hat in the sti didnt wanna play, musta thought my goofy sounding monte carlo wasnt worth the time lol

 

[JoeNational]

It was mid 90's and I lived on a very busy avenue in Brooklyn, NY and used to see lots of cars. Mostly 3rd gen camaro's, mustangs, etc... but one night walking across the street with my father to enter our building I saw this black car. I remember thinking that is not a monte and I go to my father, whats that? He goes "thats a grand national". I go a what???. well fast fwd a few years and we finally got the internet in the house and I did all the research I could about them. Found the Grand National, turob buick web ring. That is actually how I found these forums.

Went on autotrader in 2001 when I graduated HS and found two for sale in my price range. One for $5000 on Staten Island with a bad title and one for $4800 in Bayonne, NJ. I went and called the NJ one and saw it that weekend. It was the orginal owner that left it bone stock. Me and pops took it for a drive and I remember the smell of it (car has never been smoked in and still has that same smell ). Well, when my father nailed it I got jolted into my seat as I was sitting in the back seat. I was sitting on the very tip of the seat to see everything that was goin on.

We bought it the next weekend for $4500.00 cash money. I remember driving in my fathers jeep behind the GN as he wanted to drive it home since he had many fast cars back in his day. Of course he wanted to test it out. When he first nailed it and the car went sideways on 81st btwn 10-11th ave... I just about jumped out of my seat and started to yell in joy.. It was August of 01 and I had the windows down and people just started to look at me like I was crazy.

I live in NC now with no family and everytime I drive that car it reminds me of the day me and my father brought it home and how happy it made me. It actually makes me feel like I brought a piece of home with me. My plan is to never get rid of this car. I have dropped about 33g into it over the years and ran the number you see in my sig. I love this car and it is not just a car to me like I'm sure we all share. It is an extension of me and some people will just never understand why we care so much about a piece of metal.

Sorry it was so long and drawn out...

 

[Roc87]

only problem is the cool guy with his backwards hat in the sti didnt wanna play, musta thought my goofy sounding monte carlo wasnt worth the time lol

Maybe he knows what it is and doesn't want to look bad? From what I've seen most guys with the SRTs, WRXs, Evos, etc. all know what Grand Nationals are and what they are capable of, I cant get any street action in the GN anymore (probably a good thing, I'd be sitting downtown )

 

[GregInAtl]

1. what did you guys think when you saw the first turbo buick you saw?
2. first time saw one driving?
3. first time you drove one?
4. now how do you feel?

1. I was not impressed w/ them stock looking, still aren't.
2. not impressed by seeing one cruise by back then
3.I knew I had to have that car!
4. I have that exact car that turned me onto them. It took 21 years, but THAT car is in my garage today.

 

[87natl]

1. Love at first sight. I was raised a Buick man. V8's , of course.
2. I kept driving by Peacock Buick staring at it.
3. I was test driving the car I was going to buy.
4. 15 Years later, same car, stil love it. It just gets faster.