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25,486 Original Miles: 1987 Buick Grand National

This 1987 Buick Grand National is a documented, 25,486 mile example that has been in storage since 2010 following the previous owner’s passing. The seller is a family friend who purchased the car from the deceased’s wife, and he notes that despite obviously needing the full assortment of tasks associated with reviving a long-dead car, this Grand National is a surprisingly solid example under all that grime. Find it here on eBay in a no-reserve auction with bids to $10K.

The Grand National started life in California before moving to Tennessee with its first and only owner prior to the seller coming into possession of it. The seller notes the bottom of the car is incredibly solid, which you can attribute to the California climate and also to the storage building the GN was stored in – it appears to have concrete floors, a sure-fire way to help keep the bottom intact. Note the troublesome bumper covers at both ends are missing.

Inside, the cabin is in need of a good cleaning, but does appear to be reflective of a low-mile example. The seats just look too clean for this  car to be faking its claimed limited road use, and I find fabric is such a tell-tale sign as to whether a car has more miles on it than advertised. I’ll bet the interior would really pop with a proper detailing. Cars like this Grand National, effectively a low-mileage driver-quality example, don’t pop up too often, especially in no-reserve auctions.

By the way, thanks to Barn Finds reader Patrick S. for the find. The seller notes that the Buick fired up with a new battery and starting fluid, and that the car sounded good. Not much else has been done by way of analysis, but the seller isn’t advertising it as anything other than a low-mileage Grand National he dragged out of storage. The low-mileage and one owner history make this Grand National a very tempting project, and one that will likely appreciate nicely.

Comments

  1. Avatar ruxvette

    Sooo, rodents of some sort have left a mess under the hood. I wonder where else they’ve been?

    Like 9
  2. Avatar Rx-7 TurboII

    “Cars like this Grand National, effectively a low-mileage driver-quality example, don’t pop up too often”

    Except………..every other day on every auction site and car advertisement site on the face of the earth…lol

    Sorry Jeff, great write up but its true!
    😉

    Like 29
    • Avatar Iggy O.

      I believe the key part is what everyone is leaving out — “especially in no-reserve auctions”.

      Like 1
  3. Avatar Doc

    Was going to grab a acorn and begin blowing a whistle to scare off the mice!

    Like 8
  4. Avatar Classic Steel

    I hope the family knew what the car was worth.
    Its a low mile car and can clean 🧽 but sitting hurts the mechanicals. I hope the turbine works properly etc etc .

    Good luck on sale !

    Fyi the bumper plastic is one Benjamin and not to bad to get

    1981-87Buick Grand National T-Type-Regal Full 4pc Fiberglass Bumper Filler Set https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F263387873843

    Like 2
  5. Avatar scott frank martin

    BGN with miles! 😱

    Like 3
  6. Avatar Mike

    OMG, what kind of MONSTER would put more than 1,500 miles on GN?! I guess some men just want to watch the world burn.

    Like 11
  7. Avatar Superdessucke

    My mom had a ’15 Malibu that the mice set on. They did massive and impossible to diagnose damage. She had to trade it in. Yet, 11k and climbing. Have people lost their freakin’ minds?

    Like 1
  8. Avatar DAVID Lewicki

    They’re crawling out of the woodwork. More and more. Better yet, they were meant to be driven. Why put them on a pedestal ? Save that for a few GNX’s

    Like 3
  9. Avatar Fiete T.

    With the bumper filler non-existent and the dirty/worn appearance…I’m betting 125k is more appropriately on the odometer

    Like 6
    • Avatar JOHN Member

      The bumper fillers disintegrated all by themselves, they were not made of the best material. There are aftermarket fillers available, even a one-piece rear.

      Like 4
  10. Avatar Gene Parmesan

    Look everyone! FINALLY, a “low-mileage” barn-find Grand National has emerged!

    …I’m gonna stick my head in a microwave.

    Like 5
  11. Avatar Djjerme

    This thing has ALL the surface rust. Sorry, it’s California days are long behind it, this is a rust belt queen. Parts car.

    Look at the engine photos, everything is covered in rust. It may be surface, but it’s going to take time or money to make this thing just drivable again. I wouldn’t even turn it over without a full fluid change, and that includes all the brakes and drivetrain..

    Like 1
    • Avatar Paul B.

      Rust Belt? Tennessee is definitely not in the rust belt. My 81′ LeMans was just brought to WI from CA earlier this year and has some surface rust/patina on the body, just a real world example.

      It screams 125k miles with the amount of wear/surface rust though and must of been kept outside a long time.

      Like 2
  12. Avatar Walter

    Thankfully it made it out of the demolition derby relatively unscathed….

    Like 1
    • Avatar JOHN Member

      Demo derby? This car appears to be dent-free, it’s just missing the bumper fillers that self-destruct and make it look so bad, along with the paint. The paint on these from the factory was usually pretty poor, many were re-painted by the dealers before delivery to the customers they were so bad. There are few, VERY few GN’s that have original bumper fillers on them. As I mentioned previously, there are several vendors that reproduce this part. Even cars that are in ideal storage conditions are subject to the fillers turning themselves into powder.

      Like 3
  13. Avatar Mark

    Car was bought out of a storage garage that must have had a massive roof leak based on all the surface rust inside and out.Just an observation.

    Like 1
  14. Avatar Karl

    I have asked before and still have not gotten an answer concerning what makes grand Nationals so desired? The have a 3.8 liter v6 with a small turbu charger the engine made maybe 200 HP? Ok so it’s NOT performance. The body was used for other models of cars that were even more boring so that’s not it. It’s a Buick, good car company but that can’t be the draw?
    Somebody please enlighten my obvious ignorance concerning the Buick GN?

    Like 1
    • Avatar John Oliveri

      The last time I made a comment like that, some ass challenged me to a street fight, your absolutely correct, I who owned a new 1980 Pontiac Grand Prix with this horrendous legendary 3.8 liter Buick motor that burnt oil w 20,000 miles on it, had blowby, and couldn’t stop knocking even w premium in it, how it became so special is from people that don’t know any better, GM built some real trash back then, including the Oldsmobile 307 Motor and the other Legend that they put in the Trans Am, the 403 anchor, that’s y I drive foreign cars today

      Like 1
      • Avatar Karl

        Thanks for the info John I am not going to say that’s what I expected but certainly not surprised. Thanks again for the suspected answer

        Like 0
    • Avatar Paul B.

      I’ll assume you aren’t really trolling, or just not a car guy.

      Look at the numbers a bit closer, the intercooled 86/87’s were *rated* at 245hp/355 ft lbs of torque. For a V6 even today that’s still pretty good, let alone V8’s for a long time. In the 80’s that was about as powerful as any(non supecar/exotic) car would be and would hold it’s own through today and with the aftermarket support the car had/has there is much more potential.

      Like 4
    • Avatar Djjerme

      Well, I can’t speak for everybody, but from what I recall of the time period…

      When the later models came out, yes, they were just a G body with a turbo charged V6, but for what it was (Power to Weight) it was quick compared to everything else out there, 200 hp was big back then (the vette was putting down what 275 or 300 at best?)

      The big attraction at the time was that they were one of the first cars I saw street racing, where they usually had a laptop in the passenger seat and could be tweaked on the fly. Again, I personally saw some of these eat up small block/big block cars on the street – not bad for under 3.8 liters.

      Like 3
  15. Avatar Djjerrme

    To the haters:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dNxHkveTVY

    Sure, the GN loses in the end, but it’s also 30 years older and going up against a modern, 700 hp beast. I’d say it fared far better than any other late 80’s domestic product would have.

    Like 1
  16. Avatar Barry

    Just the look of that Buick brings back memories of some good times.

    Like 1
  17. Avatar Steven

    It’s obvious to me that my definition of a “really solid car” is different than some. This rodent-riddled, rust-filled car (with rust even on the steering wheel) tells me this is going to need some SERIOUS work, not just a good washing.

    Like 2

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