Back before Winston bought the naming rights to NASCAR’s top Cup competition, it was known as the Grand National Series. So what would be a more fitting name for Buick’s new performance model for the intermediate Regal line-up. NASCAR’s version of the Regal would propel Darrell Waltrip to back-to-back championships in 1981-82. This 1987 Grand National, from its last year of Buick production, has just 1,000 miles on it, implying that its sole owner bought it to squirrel away for a rainy day. It will be offered as part of a “downsizing auction” from Trenton, Ohio on September 19, 2020 with details here on Anglin Auctions.

The second generation of the Regal ran from 1978-87, but Buick found the most success with the restyled models from 1981 until the last of the rear-wheel cars. The Grand National was Buick’s top-shelf performer in a Regal package, although other variations were offered along the way, including the Sport Coupe, T-Type, WH1, Turbo T, Regal Limited w/Turbo, base Regal w/Turbo, and – the Holy Grail – the GNX. You almost needed a scorecard to keep track of the players, especially in 1987. You can find more information on these Buicks here on GNTType.

Production was always limited, although 1987 would go out on a high note with nearly 21,000 Grand Nationals produced plus more than 500 of the GNX. The Grand National used a 3.8-liter Turbo V-6 in its last two production years, benefitting from an intercooler. With a new, two-piece aluminum intake manifold, airflow increased by 10 percent, giving the engine 235 hp in ’86 and 245 hp in ’87. These were cars to be reckoned with on the drag strip, capable of breaking the 14-second barrier in the quarter-mile. Special thanks to CarandDriver for the specs.

We’re not given much information on this particular Grand National other than it is a one-owner car that has T-Tops and is all original. It comes in black, which was the only color offered on these hot cars. The photos provided show a well-maintained car that has only averaged 30 miles a year. The plastic pieces around the bumpers may have faded a little. Cars like this seem to be going anywhere between $30-75,000 on the internet, depending on mileage and condition. This car would surely qualify for the high end of that range or even higher. It will be interesting to see if it sells and for how much. If it sells at the high end, the owner will have doubled his money over 33 years. He could have done better in the stock market.