Worlds Ugliest Grand National Contest

[V6 Gun]

Hello Long Time Buick guy here. This beauty is my latest project. She is a previously restored 1985 Grand National that was in a garage fire. The garage was hit by lightening and burnt. This poor GN still ran and drove despite its horrid appearance before I removed the body. The plan is to swap the frame to the cutlass body pictured.

I am in the planning stages of the project and will have many questions and be seeking advice from those "in the know."

 

[V6 Gun]

Cutlass T-Top Body

Here is the body I plan on dropping on the GN frame.

 

[jdpolzin]

Here is the body I plan on dropping on the GN frame.

So you are not going to restore the GN? What wrong with the Cutlass frame?

 

[V6 Gun]

The GN's body is warped, melted and has a lot of surface rust. Not to say it couldn't be done, but given my love for the cutlass and the shape of the rust free cutlass. I bought the Cutlass before the GN with the intention of doing a turbo Buick conversion.

 

[jdpolzin]

The GN's body is warped, melted and has a lot of surface rust. Not to say it couldn't be done, but given my love for the cutlass and the shape of the rust free cutlass. I bought the Cutlass before the GN with the intention of doing a turbo Buick conversion.

Cool! Looks like a nice Cutlass! Might be easier to just swap the drivetrain into the cutlass instead of swapping the body onto the frame.

 

[DJ Red Barron]

That poor, poor GN.

But I must say, your plans are really cool. That will be a really bad ass Cutlass when done.

 

[79TurboCutlass]

Should have driven the GN that way. It looked like Christine.

 

[V6 Gun]

Should have driven the GN that way. It looked like Christine.

I drove it around my development twice. Brand new neighbor look on face was priceless... I had to move......

I spent a lot of time trying to decide on how to proceed on this project. I always want to pull a body from the frame. And now that I have a lift it just seemed I had to do it this way. It was actually very easy to do and it is easier to clean and paint the frame. I wanted to change everything anyway (steering box, brakes, springs etc) so I figured the body was the way to go.

To complicate things more I have a complete IC engine and computer from a 87 GN that I've had since dinosaurs roamed the earth that I am considering using for this as well.

Does anyone know if the Hot air motor andturbo will fit under the stock cutlass hood???

 

[TurboV]

I started tearing up...

 

[buickbert]

Does anyone know if the Hot air motor andturbo will fit under the stock cutlass hood???

i say use what you have from the ic setup and make it a ic'ed car.

buickbert

 

["Turbo-T"]

I'm going to agree here, why swap the frame? I'd just swap the engine and trans if you're going to and save yourself the extra work of frame swapping. No reason to unless the Cutlass frame is bad. The GN engine will fit into the Cutlass with minimal mods.

Or better yet...since you say it's an 85 GN, which is a hot air car....could just sell the whole burned hulk and use the IC engine you have....would be worth it more than using the hot air engine IMO. Do you also have the turbo Buick fuel tank, wiring, etc?

Should be a cool project though.

 

[V6 Gun]

I'm going to agree here, why swap the frame? I'd just swap the engine and trans if you're going to and save yourself the extra work of frame swapping. No reason to unless the Cutlass frame is bad. The GN engine will fit into the Cutlass with minimal mods.

Or better yet...since you say it's an 85 GN, which is a hot air car....could just sell the whole burned hulk and use the IC engine you have....would be worth it more than using the hot air engine IMO. Do you also have the turbo Buick fuel tank, wiring, etc?

Should be a cool project though.

I don;t have ant of the other IC TR accessories other then the engine and computer. I needed the 85 to complete the swap. It has everything complete and assembled and ready to drop the body onto. If swap everything I would need the entire front end with steering box. entire re3ar suspension, run fuel line etc. The body is 12 bolts, brake lines, e brake, steering col, rad, wire harness, etc. Plus I get to fully paint the body and frame seperately.

I have decided to swap the IC engine in place of the HA set up before I drop the body on.

 

[87 Regal T]

It hurts me to see a GN die I am in the process of saving one that was real bad but that car looks worse . Cleaning up the frame of the GN and swapping to the Cutlass is a good idea good luck with that car maybe some 87 T wheels would look good on it.

 

[CzyKats44]

This is from 2009 ... any updates/pics?

 

[87 Regal T]

An update would be cool.I will try and post pics when GN I am saving gets done its a uncle and nephew project

 

[rodruckus]

I think we have a leader emerging from the pack.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[CzyKats44]

An update would be cool.I will try and post pics when GN I am saving gets done its a uncle and nephew project

I'm thinking we won't see any updates ... V6 Gun only posted 6 times, most of them in this thread.

 

[Nick Micale]

The guys who are wanting you to "save" the GN, have no clue how much damage has been done?

The fire kills body panels and they will always be warped. Anything not metal will need replacing if not now, but soon.

I have done some minor restoration on fire damaged cars, and it is expensive, difficult and usually not worth the expense, even with less damage than this car.

The Cutlass with an intercooled Buick V-6 will be one desirable, kick-ass ride!

 

[87 Regal T]

I would not try and save the burnt GN Building the Cutlass is the way to go .Saving my nephews car is what I am talking about It was NOT burnt