Update 7/24/20 – This Grand National is back on eBay with no reserve. How high will it go this time around?
From 4/27/20 – This 1987 Buick Grand National has just under 7,000 original miles and is yet another time capsule grade example that offers buyers the opportunity to buy a near-new example of one of GM’s most loved performance cars. The seller details the obvious high degree of originality, from the original tires to the power antenna that still works, but most important is the lack of any stress cracks on the frame which would potentially indicate lots of burnouts in its past. And, depending on your opinion on structural integrity, this Grand National has a solid roof panel – no T-tops or moonroof here – which some consider more desirable. Find it here on eBay with bids to $33,922.
To me, it’s almost hard to get excited about a low mileage Grand National anymore. That’s not taking away from the car’s impressive performance or its place in GM muscle car history; no, it’s more that if you can’t pull the trigger now, just wait a few days and another one will turn up. Unlike all the comic books you thought only you held onto, however, Grand Nationals still pull strong money even if a time-capsule grade example rolled across the block two days before this one did. In the case of today’s example, I’d wager the solid roof panel is driving some additional interest, as “slicktop” models of almost any performance car always drive more interest.
The interior remains spotless, as you’d expect, with plastic still wrapping the steering wheel and covering the floor mats. What’s most impressive in the case of this example is that despite having over 6,000 miles on the clock, the owner has done a magnificent job of preserving the car in museum-like condition. This includes the aforementioned detail about no evidence of hard use, further confirmed by the original Goodyear Eagle GT tires which the seller feels there is still plenty of use in as they’ve never been removed, patched, or otherwise abused. I can’t quite tell what’s happening with the accelerator and brake pedals – is that wear or grime? Or a covering of some sorts?
The engine bay is spotless and shows zero signs of modification (obviously), and the seller notes the often-missing brace for the battery is included. It was removed when the GM OEM battery was pulled out for winter storage. One slight deviation from stock is an aftermarket chip, but the seller does note the original is included. This detail is a surprise, as I wouldn’t even touch the ECU if I was keeping a car like this as an investment-grade piece. Regardless, there’s very little to fault, and the seller highlights that the paint is in gorgeous, original condition courtesy of a two-day professional detail. If you had to have a perfect GN, what would you look for in a car?
It’s becoming clear no Grand National on the planet has more than 10k miles on it.
No surviving Grand National that is. I had four friend with them, they drove them everyday, three were stolen and never seen again, the other had their car stolen several times then sold it.
There was a local ring of car thieves that ran a chop shop for these cars, the head eventually spent several years in prison. A friend knew him, he had a performance shop and his mom was active in his city’s politics.
Steve R
Sometimes I wonder about these so-called “barn finds”. Just how hard would it be to take a Regal from that era and make a fake Grand National? Fakes in the antique furniture and art world are bought and sold every day. Surely it happens with antique cars that are in high demand, rarity, or have that certain mystique which drives prices higher and higher.
Not terribly difficult, but getting a build sheet and RPO sticker to jive with the VIN will be tough, as well as being able to send the VIN out and get it decoded. Mechanically, it’s drivetrain, fuel lines, pump, ECM, (maybe the trans, I can’t remember if the 200 in the TRs was the same as the regular Regals) then the interior. It would be damn silly and expensive to fake one that good..
Kind of sad that so many of these were socked away. They were built to be driven.
I’ve never understood it, either. If I’d bought this car in ‘87, I’d have driven the wheels off of it.
exactly what I did to mine. beat the balls off it, blew the motor, had it rebuilt right and kept on doing it until I sold it. Had nearly 50k on rebuild and trans when I was done with it,
If you had to have a perfect GN, what would you look for in a car? If it has a V8 and a 5-speed manual of course. And, if does have the chromed grille and another color like blue, green, red, beige, gold… because original Grand Nationals to me aren’t worth my attention anymore. They feels like just another Grand Prix, Monte Carlo, Cutlass or anything G-Body alike…
They may feels like just another Grand Prix, etc but they sure don’t goes like those slugs. Not a very good observation.
You need to bone up on the Buick Grand Nationals…..NO V-8 engines….They were a Turbo-Charged V-6 and could smoke the tires all day long while running circles around stock V-8’s. yawn!!! go back to sleep now.
Craig Hanson
Kind of how many feel when they see the dozens of post 74 vettes on here that my Camry can out run…
The underhood pic isn’t very good but from what you can see, it looks good. It takes lots of effort to keep an engine looking good, even if a car isn’t used much. Finishes wear and tarnish over 30+ years.
If id. bought this new , in the first 2 weeks id a had this milage and more on it and half would have been burn outs
Man this is my second in dream cars
First is a impala 63 convertible
36K and reserve not met. He’s not letting this go for less than $50k.
It says something when the seller puts rags between the lift pads and the frame. I’d bet this car is mint and just as described. Beautiful specimen!
I know of a 23,000 mile 87 recently sold for $39,000. He is gonna hold out for $50,000 as was mentioned here. It takes plenty of will power to own a car 33 years and never drive it. Cars are meant to be driven. Looks like he keeps it at a storage unit. Hope it was climate controlled being in Buffalo. Tons of snow. High humidity. My dad was born there and it snowed 6 months out of the year. Good luck. Too much $$$$$ for me.
Hey, at least we’ve had a break from these for a couple weeks! Cool cars for sure but lately they are like cockroaches crawling out from under the fridge. The 1969 through 1972 Corvettes are the same too recently. I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d say this but I’ve become bored of these. In all truth I only looked at it because I was curious about what the comments would be. I wasn’t disappointed.
Looks like a great car, but I always wonder when I see the odometer wheels not completely lined up straight. Just me, but I’ve never seen one do that unless they have been given a roll-back.
You are right Tom. Your comment made me look at the listing pics and yes, this car has been clocked.
It could be the reason that once again it didn’t sell.
Too bad, with the condition of the car he would have got good money for it anyway ,but now could get jammed up cause he tried to hit the lottery
I’ve had quite a few GM’s with odometer’s that don’t line up perfectly, including ones that I have had a complete history on. It’s not that unusual at all. I have had ones that looked like this, then miles later you look and it is lined up perfectly. GM, somewhere in this era, designed the odometer to show silver or white lines between the individual wheels to show it has been tampered with. But that being said, you can disassemble and reassemble them to read any mileage you want if you have general mechanical skills.
I’ve had them too but with more miles and closer to the sequential advance as they started to move to next number.
Look at the right screw, it’s gouged at the points that happen when you loosen it
Not sure about sellers comment on the original tires. There’s not plenty of use left in any 1987 tires, Bub. I wouldn’t drive it down the street with those things.
Final bid was $51,987. A 1991 Corvette ZR1 bid to $29,100 with 3,600 miles on it. Shows a huge difference in desirabity!
The bidding has a few more days and it’s at 48.5k
Cool, let me dig that out of my couch cushions and throw in a bid ;-)
All kidding aside, I guess I saw that 51,987 figure from the last auction. Guess the bidder fell through? Regardless, looks like she’s pushing that again now!
With over 20k of these built it amazes me the money people are spending on these shoe box looking cars. I had a 89 Turbo Trans am and by it was by far one of the fastest cars I had owned and it looked good doing it. Never lost a race to a GN and glad I got rid of it before I got killed.
GN Shoebox. I like that.
Blah,blah,blah until the check is written.
There’s something that is about this car that doesn’t add up for me. The listing says the exhaust system is all original, however, the rear section appears to have been replaced. Also there has been mentioned the odometer numbers appear to be slightly off, and what are those two slotted screws below the odometer?
All the turbo regals with the digital dash has those 2 screws.
Check out the Ebay listing, this guy will definitely baffle you with bull***t.
As a Buick guy I’ve always liked these, but as time goes on the legend has grown that they were incredibly fast cars, but really they were equal to a high compression 350 4bbl in hp stats, 1/4 times and on the street. But for a new car in the 80’s that was impressive and cool to see, but not incredible
What was, and still is incredible is how easy it is to drop these cars to mid-11 second rides with very few mods and a good tune while never having to open the engine.
My 87 fixed roof was equipped with a now antiqueTE44 turbo, Terry Houston down pipe (pretty rare as Terry ended up in prison early in production) and with a test/dump pipe sitting in place of the catalytic converter, 45lb injectors, adjustable fuel pressure regulator, and a “hot-wired” Walbro fuel pump on street tires it ran a best 11.92 at 113, and it was repeatable (11.92-11.95’s) all day, and I’m not the best driver. I eventually added a Razor’s Alky injection system and a new chip from Julio, wicked the boost up to somewhat conservative 22lbs, it was much faster but never got it back on the track to get some data, but I would bet it was in the 11.50’s with ease. A set of drag radials would have helped those 60′ numbers. But as JoeMac says, an unopened engine, extrememly simple bolt-ons that can be done in a day. Mine was a 67k mile car, solid roof, crank windows, manual antenna, no cruise control, remote drivers-side mirror, not passenger, EQ Cassette radio and Concert sound. The car also had a front frame triangular reinforcement/bracing, as well as the behind the rear seat, wheel well to wheel well bracing.It launched well and went straight. It also had power locks and seats, and of course, ice cold air conditioning! It went the way of a race car over in Savanna GA some years back running some crazy numbers on the same original block… all on 6 lonely cylinders. These cars are a freaking riot to own.
Man the memories, best friend in high school his brother in law had a 86’ (this was 1987).
I remember thinking how stupid the speedometer was only going to 85.
Nothing could touch the car, had a friend whose Dad had a 1967 GTO 389 tri. That got interesting some nights!
Now in my 50’s, it would be tough go after a classic or setup a 2020 Challenger 6-speed?!
The sad thing about these cars is they are still a six cylinder and they sound like s**t.They were fast cars but the sound was just not for everyone. Nothing in the world sounds better then a V8 singing its song of rpm’s thru a good duel exhaust.
In your opinion …
Yes Jim Having owned both a 87 GN and a 89 Turbo Trans Am they just did not sound like a performance car. All ready had death threats from the rice burners and the V12 screamers and a V8 is music to a true muscle car guys ears. I now have a Hellcat Redeye and still own my 69 427 Biscayne and the sound they both produce is intoxicating to say the least.Have fun with what ever you own.