The G-body Buick Regal has always appealed to me as a beautifully styled car. The Regals of the ’80s are extremely versatile in that they can be formed into just about any iteration of a two-door car you can think of be it a drag car, track car, low rider, daily, or sports car. Naturally, the Grand Nationals and GNXs are the most sought after Regal models from this era as they came with turbocharged V6s and have a reputation for being fast, though the GNX came equipped with more power than the Grand National. This 1987 Buick Grand National has been cosmetically cloned to look like a GNX, and appears to have been cloned quite well. With only 56,041 miles since new, this car would be equally cool if reverted back to its original form. Find it here on craigslist in Nevada with a reasonable asking price of $12,500. Thanks to Rocco B. for sending this in!
In an otherwise black car, the light gray seats provide an excellent contrast and certainly promote the 1980s American styling of these cars. Although the seller provides fairly limited information about this car, the interior looks to be in near-mint condition and certainly reflects the low-mileage of the car. There are not many cars that enthusiasts routinely report lusting after the interiors of, however the Grand National is one of them.
Under the hood is the turbocharged Buick V6 that produces 245 horsepower. The GNX was rated at 276 horsepower, but the seller claims this is the original Grand National drivetrain which would make this the less powerful of the two. This is very similar to the 1987 Corvette’s power rating out of a 350 cubic inch V8 and the GNXs were the fastest US production car in 1987. To quote a recent video by Donut Media, “The GNX proved to America that there is a replacement for displacement.”
These cars are slick, sleek, and fast. Although they have now secured a place in muscle car history, that wasn’t always the case. Part of the allure before these cars became iconic was their rather unassuming appearance. I recently read a recount of someone losing their Civic in a race against a “grandma car” because he did not realize what a Grand National was capable of! Though known for performing, because they aren’t flashy these Buicks still retain some of that allure. With the value on these cars rising regularly, $12,500 seems like a reasonable price to pay for a nice, low-mileage Grand National with the valuable and sought-after GNX wheels. Would you keep it as a GNX clone, or revert it to Grand National?
As a prior owner of one of these, I can attest as to how fun they are! Just as long as you’re going in a straight line.
1987 cars had 245 horsepower, 1986 cars had 235.
87 By Far was the Best and Last year They had most of the Bugs worked out by then.
One of the last cars that my Grandmother owned was a 87 Grand National, and you would think my Grandmother thought she was a NASCAR Driver.
She is probably the only woman that ever scared me to death with her driving!!!!! She was 75 years young when she saw it sitting in a showroom and asked me to go with her to check it out, the next day she bought the car and they drove it off the floor, and she was in love, on the other hand my Grandfather and Father was not happy, but of course Grandpa was a Chevy Truck man and would not drive anything else, and my Dad could not figure out what a 75 year old woman need with a Buick Grand National. She drove it up until she had vision issues and had to give it up. She sold it to my Older Sister and her husband, and they drove it for many years trading it in for a minivan. I would from time to time see it locally, and it was still sharp looking the last time I saw it. Here is a picture of it, sitting out back of their home.
Your Grandmother is my hero.
Your grandmother sounds awesome! She also sounds like she drove a lot like how my grandmother did!
My Grandmother would drive every year to a small town called Clint in Alabama to go see her Aunt, and when Grandma decided she wanted to go some where, she and her Ladies group would go, Grandpa owned and worked a 200 acre farm, and he loved the land, so when Grandma went somewhere it was usually with her Ladies. After grandpa retired and sold the farm, he was 70 when he did that, they moved up closer to us, but Grandma would still get and Idea and go, if Grandpa went he took the truck, because of towing the camper, he was never a car guy, of course when you are 6’7″ the truck had the head and leg room for him.
That there is the steal of the year
I thought the same 12.5 for a decent GN is a steal
Steve and Steve, I also thought this!
Sweet! I wouldn’t touch a thing till I had a chance to drive it a while and let it say what it wanted ;-)
I like these cars also but why do so many people complain that a particular car would be better or more valuable if it had a standard transmission and yet nobody complains the Grand National only came with an automatic?
I was dealer tech at Buick back then. It was not unusual to have customers come in with 4 broken suspension springs, front glass popped out and a cracked frame at the pinion snubber from launching so hard. Of course many were running hot ECM chips, etc, but we fixed them all! Great car and great fun!
Very nice car👍
I have a 1987 Buick Grand National I’ve owned it since 1990 it has 61,000 original miles on it these were the fastest cars in 1987 13.8 in a quarter mile on street tires but they lied about the horsepower I had mine dynoed by Dyno Bob in 1992 it done with 302 horsepower they listed I’m at 2:35 because of insurance reasons but they ran 13 eighths in a quarter mile fastest production car for 1987 thanks.
The Buick Gnx was the fastest U.S. production car made the The Buick Grand National was number two.
I had an 87 GN and could shoot myself for selling it when a short lived midlife crisis hit I so wish today I had kept it with the price of these 12 500 and craigslist scares me
These were the obvious hot Buicks back then and now, almost a cult following with these to this day with their Darth Vader black good looks. I wouldn’t change a thing on this car and you really can’t beat the price. The sleeper was the regal t-type back then.
but 12 500?
Here is a link from the car in 2011.
https://www.sportscarmarket.com/platinum-auction-database/2438339
My gut is SCREAMING at me.I went to the Craigslist ad and as a current owner of 14 4th Monte Carlo’s and have owned at least one since 1985,I ha
Im a gn owner. Had her since i was 18. The GNX had no special vin. Number. Therefore if this clone is a good clone. Its a GNX!