Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

Grand National Powered: 1970 Fiberfab Avenger GT40

Kit cars are a fascinating segment of the vintage car marketplace, as they run the gamut of being near-production grade examples to absolute battle traps assembled in a privateer’s garage, with no limit on how many beers were consumed during final assembly. Fiberfab is one of the better-known companies that had a reputation for putting some actual R&D behind their kit designs, and the models they produced are generally sought after today. This example was created in homage to the Ford GT40, and the owner claims to have driven it regularly before deciding to park it. The drivetrain is from a Buick Grand National, making this one of the more interesting kit car projects we’ve seen. Find it here on eBay where bidding is over $3K with the reserve unmet.

Most of the time, these VW-based kits have fairly generic or anemic engines that don’t live up to the sexy lines of the body. That’s not the case here, as the builder of this Fiberfab chose to drop a drivetrain from a Buick Grand National into, which almost seems like too much power for the fragile Beetle chassis. Regardless, there’s rarely that level of thought put into kit car builds, so perhaps we should just be grateful that someone decided to make a car designed to mimic the iconic GT40 actually perform like one. This particular kit car has had some other alterations made, as the taillights, fenders, and engine cover all appear to be custom touches when compared against the “typical” GT40 replica.

The seller claims to be the longtime owner despite the car looking like it was just dragged out of a barn. He does admit to not driving it lately, but the mold on the seats and dust on the body is a little worse than we would expect for a car that was simply parked and forgotten. The mold especially, as that usually indicates moisture was lurking wherever it was stored. Now, I could be wrong about whatever is marring the seats being mold, but I don’t think I am; please review the photos and correct me if I’m wrong. The interior looks largely complete and finished to a high degree – another feature of kit cars that isn’t always guaranteed. The seller notes he has owned it for eight years.

I’m still a little shocked that it got that dusty just sitting in his garage for eight years (he says garage, not barn), but who knows how dusty it gets in Brooklyn, New York, where the car is located. The engine is said to run well, and I’d love some more details on the original build and what other fabrications or fortifications were made during the install. The seller notes the fiberglass shell is in good shape but it may need a repaint. There’s a dedicated following for original Fiberfabs, and with the custom bodywork and upgraded engine, this is likely one of the more desirable ones we’ve seen in recent years. Would you drive a kit car with a setup like this Fiberfab?

Comments

  1. Avatar Pat L Member

    I seriously question the Buick Grand National engine claim. Don’t see a turbocharger on that engine. Good luck getting any boost into the engine with that open element air cleaner.

    Like 13
    • Avatar Steve R

      The very first GN’s were not turbo charged, however, they were produced in such limited numbers that it’s almost a certainty this isn’t from one of them. As someone once told me, if they are willing to lie about one thing they are willing to lie about everything.

      Is it just me, or does this car look like it’s been under water. How much flooding occurred in the Brooklyn during hurricane Sandy?

      Steve R

      Like 12
  2. Avatar CCFisher

    The 1982 Regal Grand National was available with a non-turbo 4.1L V6, but I think it’s more likely that this is an ordinary 3.8L V6 and the seller is just trying to apply a little turbocharged polish.

    Like 5
  3. Avatar DON

    I may be a pessimist , but parking a dirty moldy ,long dormant car in front of the Dollar Tree and telling me it runs and drives great raises a few flags for me. That, and the fact that there’s a tow truck in some of the pics that likely hauled it to the parking lot …

    Like 10
  4. Avatar Alex

    Are you sure that this is an Avenger? Fiberfab made a similar body style but was a Valkyrie. Kit was not based on a VW chassis and other underpinnings but had custom chassis etc and used larger engines.

    Like 2
  5. Avatar Bob

    Hey folks, it certainly looks like this jewel went swimming in the East River, possibly “Jimmy, (break your legs), DeAngelo went for his last dunk in it. It certainly is priced to sell, just don’t sell it to “Pizza Face Rocco Luca” He’ll take it personal if he gets knicked on the deal.

    Like 3
  6. Avatar Steve Clinton

    No extra charge for the dirt.

    Like 2
  7. Avatar Tom

    The Grand National part seems to be missing. I’m surprised that the seller doesn’t ras a “muscle car”. Hard pass on this one…

    Like 2
  8. Avatar Daniel W Wright

    Why would you tow a car to a parking lot to take photos? The cobwebs on the carburetor are a sure indicator that this car has not started or moved under its own power in a long time.

    Like 4
    • Avatar Mike

      if they drove it there, they did so with their head out the side window. the windshield is beyond filthy

      Like 2
  9. Avatar bone

    I’m guessing its a flipper

    Like 3
  10. Avatar Willie Whiskers

    Not worthy of the time and effort of Barn Finds. Seems to me that this is just a fabricated story by an unscrupulous owner and someone at BF took the bait thereby giving him enough exposure to catch some unsuspecting person. Seems a shame that BF would get drawn in.

    Like 3
  11. Avatar FordGuy1972 Member

    “The seller claims to be the longtime owner.” I don’t consider 8 years to be a very long time.

    “He does admit to not driving it lately.” What does the seller consider “lately?” Last week? A decade or two?

    The seller claims to have “other toys” and needs to thin out the garage. I’d hate to see what his other toys look like judging by how this one looks.

    I’m guessing lazy flippers are offering this car for sale. This car looks like it’s been sitting for a very long time where the storage conditions were pretty bad. Or maybe as some here have mentioned, it’s a flood car. Not much info about the car making me think this guy knows nothing about it, plus he’s lying about it having a Grand National motor. I’d wouldn’t trust the seller about anything. If you are interested in this sorry-looking car, you had better give it a very close in person inspection. I wouldn’t buy this car sight unseen, that’s for darn sure.

    Like 6
  12. Avatar banjo

    the giant blister for the air cleaner almost looks like a “Mr. Fusion”. Maybe this is Doc Brown’s long lost prototype! It looks like It’s been hiding in a mine since the 1880s!

    Like 2
  13. Avatar Frank

    That is the vw based gt, It could be a g.n. motor without the turbo as you could put a four barrel on them.
    15 or so years ago, went to a car show in Carlile Pa. for kitcars, There was
    an Avenger (vw pan version) that had an early turbo gn motor that was mated to the vw transaxle.
    I have the v8 version and it has a dedicated 4″ square tube chassis. The title interested me as I am thinking about putting a ’85 Riviera front subframe with it’s turbocharged motor into the car to retain the v8 performance and gain the overdrive.
    Originally, the v8 version used a corvair transaxle that is inverted, Makes it
    a bit weak (first one lasted 2 1/2 days lol). only has a 6 1/2″ ring gear.

    Like 4
  14. Avatar Frank

    Kit cars are only as good as the builder. I’ve seen a few in my days working at a friends high end restoration shop in New England. People can make a mess if they can’t measure correctly or think they can throw a heavy 500 hp engine in it and expect it to handle like a Ferrari. The DIY guys who shop at the local hardware store for door and hood hinges or use hardware nuts and bolts and think they got this. They do a death trap on wheels!

    Like 1
  15. Avatar Gerard Frederick

    The whole thing strikes me as an insult, the condition, the filth, the shady story, pass. As a fomer car man back in the day, I get mad when I see such a mess. The seller has ZERO respect for the vehicle or for any potential customer, he´s got no pride.

    Like 7
    • Avatar David

      Look closely at the photo with the tow truck…it’s backed up to what appears to be a Sebring or Neria…either way, another black kit car from what I can see.

      Hmm…

      Like 0
  16. Avatar Frank D

    One of the better kit cars, Manta Mirage with some updates makes one hell of a kit car. Just think what the price it could be with a little soap and water 4 hours of labor would do. Some nice lines on the Avenger!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Mark

      A clean up might show all the flaws too much!

      Like 0
  17. Avatar Slantasaurus

    Only red flag missing from this ad is the seller asking you to wire money.

    Like 3
  18. Avatar Fredrogersrules

    Take your money and doo a Fiero V8 conversion instead! There was a while back a 65 Corvair that had the V8 conversion kit done- a 327 three deuce set up that ran for 3G’s, but sold almost immediately……

    Like 2
  19. Avatar chrlsful

    good lookin car, too bad it aint

    Like 0

Leave a Reply to Pat L Cancel reply

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.