Estate Find: 1986 Buick Regal T-Type

The seller has listed this 1986 Buick Regal T-Type to settle his late father-in-law’s estate. The late owner was only its custodian for about a year, but it appears it didn’t see much action during that time. It runs and drives, retaining its numbers-matching turbocharged V6 under the hood. It has a few minor flaws, but addressing them this winter would have it raring for action once the warm weather arrives. The seller has listed the T-Type here on eBay in Milford, Connecticut. They set their BIN for this potent beauty at $20,000 OBO.

Buick introduced the turbocharged Regal Sport Coupe in 1978. It remained on sale until the end of the 1982 model year before the company renamed it the T-Type in 1983. The company chose not to release a Grand National in 1983, making the T-Type one of the company’s high-performance favorites. Our featured classic rolled off the line in 1986, and while the seller describes the paint shade as “Rosewood,” I believe the correct name is Medium Red. The car presents nicely, with no major paint or panel defects. The underside shots reveal a poorly executed patch on the driver’s-side floor. However, rectifying that problem shouldn’t be difficult if the buyer removes the seat and carpet to improve access. The trim and glass are in good condition, but I’m not sold on the wheels. They are period-correct, but since they would compromise brake cooling if the buyer pushes the envelope, I would probably replace them with something more appropriate.

The secret to the T-Type’s success was hidden under the hood. Buick took a different approach to high-performance motoring, discarding the tried-and-true V8 route. They equipped the T-Type with a 3.8-liter V6, sporting fuel injection, a turbocharger, and an intercooler. The investment proved worthwhile: while the most potent V8-powered Regal delivered 140hp and 255 ft/lbs of torque, this car’s V6 places a factory-claimed 235hp and 330 ft/lbs at the driver’s disposal. No manual transmission was available; all T-Types featured a four-speed automatic, power steering, and power brakes. These cars were genuinely fast when new, and are still considered respectable performers four decades after this car left the line. The seller confirms that this classic is numbers-matching. It runs and drives, but has a couple of faults. An unidentified oil leak leaves a spot or two on an oil pan bolt near the starter, and the brake pedal sinks to the floor if you hold it down for a while. Neither problem is earth-shattering, and will probably be fairly easy to address.

The positive vibes continue inside this Buick, with a small hole in the driver’s seat as the most obvious flaw. The remaining Red cloth and vinyl look pretty good, and there’s no evidence of the typical sagging headliner. The dash is tidy, as is the console. The pad has cracked in a couple of places, but the new owner could hide it beneath a cover if they don’t want to spend the money on another pad. Buyers could spend a small fortune on creature comforts, but this car’s first owner restricted their cash splash to air conditioning, a tilt wheel, cruise control, and an AM/FM radio/cassette player. Functional issues include A/C that doesn’t blow cold and a stereo that produces sound through only one speaker.

There is no doubt that, in the eyes of some, the 1986 Regal T-Type doesn’t possess the cachet of a Grand National, or the brutal performance of the following year’s GNX. However, that doesn’t mean we should underestimate the T-Type, because it offers performance comparable to the Grand National at a traditionally lower price. This T-Type has a few shortcomings, but none are insurmountable, and indications suggest they wouldn’t cost a fortune to address. It has generated healthy interest, and the seller’s willingness to negotiate will undoubtedly help it find a new home.