The Buick Grand National gets all the attention but a buyer could also order a Turbo-T (formerly called a T-Type) Regal in 1987. This is example is located in Fort Worth, Texas. It was recently listed here on Facebook Marketplace for $31,500. This car was bought three months ago from the original owner who was in his 80’s. In 1987, Buick produced 20,193 Grand Nationals, but the Turbo T models are significantly rarer (6,850 Turbo-Ts and 1,547 WE4 cars). While black was the dominant color for any turbo car that year, finding a Charcoal over Silver combination with these mechanical credentials is a true find.
Unlike many Turbo-Ts that have been modified over the decades, this find is a refreshingly stock survivor. It retains the legendary 3.8-liter Sequential Fuel Injection (SFI) Turbo V6, designated by the LC2 engine code. Underneath the factory heat shield sits the original Garrett TB0348 turbocharger, still breathing through the stock air-to-air intercooler. Because it hasn’t been tampered with, the engine bay is a time capsule of 1980s engineering—right down to the factory-correct hose clamps and vacuum line routing. The power is sent through the mandatory 200-4R four-speed automatic transmission, which was specifically calibrated with the BRF valve body for the turbo cars. This particular Buick is equipped with the heavy-duty 8.5-inch rear end, featuring the RPO GU6 3.42 gear set and the G80 Limited Slip differential, ensuring it still puts the power down exactly as the engineers in Flint intended.
Step inside, and you aren’t greeted by the standard two-tone bucket seats found in the Grand National. This car features the cleaner Silver/Grey interior (Trim Code 15I), which provides a sleek, monochromatic cockpit that matches the exterior perfectly. The dashboard remains crack-free, and the factory 85-mph speedometer—a quirky reminder of the era—sits behind the leather-wrapped sport steering wheel. It’s a cabin that feels more “Regal” and less “Race Car,” until you notice the boost gauge start to climb.
While the Grand National relied on a menacing, monochromatic look, this Turbo T is the ultimate wolf in sheep’s clothing. The Code 15 Charcoal/Grey metallic paint presents well, accented by the correct T-Type aluminum wheels (which were lighter than the GN’s steel versions). The body lines are crisp, and the owner notes that while it’s a high-quality driver, it retains the soul of a survivor. It lacks the flash of its more famous siblings, making it the perfect platform for someone who wants to surprise a few modern sports cars at a stoplight.
Thanks BJ. One of my favorite cars. The intercooler equipped T-Type. Buick didn’t miss much with these, neither did the owner grabbing the optional posi rear.
3.42 gearing helped these heavy coupes move off the line, then shortly after that the Turbo spooled up, and you were gone. 🏁 ↩️
Great cars indeed. In my imaginary car collection i’d have one of these over a GN. Heavy is relative though. Compared to todays cars these were featherweights. A Buick like this tipped the scale at around 3550 lbs. Same weight as the smaller F body GTAs and 350 Irocs. Today a new Mustang weighs 3950 lbs.
The original owner must have loved this car. Super clean!
these were really tough cars, I had three of them back in the day, ran an 84 regal T type past two hundred thousand miles with no engine problems, had the trans rebuilt and beefed up at eighty thousand miles, had an eighty five that was to beat up to fix, I used the driveline in a street rod that I still drive today, my son took the 85 body and made a race car out of it.
We had a teacher in our High School that had a grey T Type, a lot like this. Lets just say……. She was very popular with the male students!! I remember us just drooling over it in the parking lot. I remember her telling us that it wasn’t the first popular car she had, she also had a brand new ’64 Mustang that had thr same effect on the kids. Great memories with this one. Thanks Bruce. Very nice one here.
Yes, those mid 80’s Buicks were tough to beat. I never owned one but had a few friends who did. I would take this car over a Grand National for just driving it. The Grand Nationals are becoming investment pieces just like many, many good cars ( that were meant to be driven!)
I would take this one over the same year GN just pasted here recently, and pocket the 20K.
I preferred these T-Type turbos over the GN back then too. I started shopping for one and then a new GLH-T showed up at a local dealership and I got distracted.
3rd t type this week i have seen come up for sale. i would rather have 1 of these over a g/n any day. they made less of these.
My white 87 T-Type was never overlooked. The people who knew what a GN was knew what the T-Type was also. It was the wheels, the grille and the hood that made folks notice it.
I had one of these as a company car for a week in Denver. Took a couple of nice runs up into the mountains. What a sweet ride! The listing is already taken down, so there is likely a happy new owner.
I remember the first time I saw one of these in ’88 or so and just thought it was a basic Regal, until I spotted the “3.8 SFI Turbo” bump out on the hood, and thought wow…what a sleeper. I still think, wow…what a sleeper!