Yep, I missed seeing that post. It is exactly correct so sit down and I'll explain my GNX and how it came to be.
#000 is not my car, mine has no number on the dash at all. Mine was used by Buick for shows, displays and exhibits to boost interest in the GNX's. It is a 1986 Grand National that Buick sent to ASC for conversion to a GNX. I have all the internal Buick documentation on the car. It is a real GNX but not counted as one of the 547 nor is X-Ray or GNX 000.
I first saw the car in 1998 at the GS Nationals, the year of the never ending rain and straw was $5 a bale. It was parked under the Buick tent and during one of the downpours, I went under that tent to try to stay dry. I was looking over the GNX and noticed it did not have a GNX number on the dash...humm... Also, it had touch control HVAC and I knew GNX's had lever control HVAC. Hummm again... I'm an insurance agent so VIN's are my life, so to speak. I can read a VIN and tell you probably more than you wanted to know about your car. I noticed the VIN indicated this was a 1986 model year car. BIG HUMMM........
There was a silver haired gentleman standing near the car and I struck up a conversation with him. He introduced himself a Byron Scott or "Scottie" to his friends and he was the owner of the car in front of us. He had retired from Buick a few years before. I asked him about the no number dash, the HVAC controls, the obviously much better paint on the car, etc. He said, "Son, that's the prototype GNX". Of course, I had to know more so we sat down and continued our conversation.
Mr. Scott explained how Buick had used an 86 GN as one was available for conversion already in their fleet. My guess is they didn't want to take a car they could sell and make money on so they used one already "written off". They used this car for most all the photos taken of the GNX for publication as it had a "show quality" paint job on it and had been "massaged" to remove die dimples and ripples in the body and bumpers. They did NOT include the special GNX turbo or any other performance enhancing GNX upgrade as those parts were not visible on a turntable. It does have the proper GNX rear suspension and exhaust however.
After hearing this, I introduced myself to Mr. Scott and showed him the GSX Prototype I also own. I asked him if he ever planned on selling the GNX and he assured me it was not for sale. I told him I understood that my GSX was not for sale either. I told him how I had built a building to store the GSX in that is alarmed, sprinkled, has HVAC and that if he ever did consider selling, I would like a shot at the car as the GNX would reside next to my GSX in that same building. I would also do my best at showing the car as often as my schedule allows. He said, no, not for sale. OK, I understand. But before I left, I pressed my business card in his hand and told him if you ever reconsider, well, you know the rest.
I received a call about 6 months later from Scottie. At first I had no idea who he was or what he was talking about. Took me by total surprise. We talked for awhile and finally he asked me to make him an offer on the GNX. I thought about it for a little bit and told him he should come up with a number in his own mind he is comfortable with and let me know that number. He gave me a number and I countered and we agreed. In December 1998 my family and I drove to the Charlotte area and picked up the car in our truck and trailer. Mr. and Mrs. Scott were great hosts and we had supper with them that evening.
So that's the real story. Oh, I don't own it anymore either. Gave it away.....to my son Alex.
