Jack Evers
Member
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
I've been obsessed with these turbo cars since I bought my first one in 1987. My interest has waned over the past few years but I've hung in there as my closest friends were in the GN community. After giving the matter some further thought, I've decided to go ahead and sell the GN and the parts I've accumulated over the years. I'm convinced the close friendships that have developed over my Buick years will endure.
I bought this 1987 Grand National from Mike Zimmerman, our engine builder, in February of 2005. The car's odometer read 95,000 miles, but the motor had only 200 miles on the build that he did to it. Mike had built this motor as you might expect a builder such as Mike to put together a motor for his own car. He spent a week on the heads alone, hogging them out, installing big valves and getting them to flow huge numbers for stock heads. He installed billet steel mains, JE pistons, a 214/210 roller and roller rockers. He had the car to the track only once, and with a TA49, blue tops and a Dutt neck intercooler, ran 11.5's at 115 mph.
Mike was asking $16,000 for the car when I looked at it in February. I ultimately bought it for $14,000. Within a week I replaced the turbo with a PT52, the injectors were changed over to 50 lb's and a V4 Intercooler replaced the Dutt Neck. I also installed a MaxEffort thumbwheel and CenterLine Convo Pro's with new BFGtires. Another set of Convo Pro's was purchase along with a set of MT Street Radials and a 3600 top hat L/U converter. A set of new Monroe top of the line shocks was installed at that time as well. John Craig rebuilt my PT52 and the exhaust runs through a TH stainless down pipe into a TH 2 3/4" dual exhaust.
The horsepower this car was now making was too much for my stock rebuilt 2004R and she sent away. At that point, we had the tranny rebuilt was many billet parts, to a high 10 second build. The converter was also sent to Hughes here in Phoenix for a complete overhaul.
Shortly after the tranny rebuild, I took it to the track and with the PT52 only putting out 22 pounds boost, I had runs of 11.1 and 120+ MPH.
Ten second runs for this car would be a no brainer with a bigger turbo and more injector. I elected not to do that as the car does not have a roll bar and it's too nice a car to chop up with a roll bar or cage. The car now has 98,000 miles on the clock but only about 3,000 miles on this motor and less than 1,000 on tranny and converter. I've made less than 20 passes on the car since I've owned it and never put more than 22 pounds of boost to it. Oil pressure is 30 psi at hot idle and about 60 psi at hot cruise. Engine is as strong as when it left Mike's shop.
This car was purchased new in Arizona and has never left the state. There is no rust to be found anywhere and the body and interior are excellent. There is nothing left to be done to this car. To duplicate this engine build would cost an estimated $5,000.00.
This is a great car.
Second set of Convo Pros with new 28" MT Street Radials go with car.
$15,000.00 or best offer. No trades.
I bought this 1987 Grand National from Mike Zimmerman, our engine builder, in February of 2005. The car's odometer read 95,000 miles, but the motor had only 200 miles on the build that he did to it. Mike had built this motor as you might expect a builder such as Mike to put together a motor for his own car. He spent a week on the heads alone, hogging them out, installing big valves and getting them to flow huge numbers for stock heads. He installed billet steel mains, JE pistons, a 214/210 roller and roller rockers. He had the car to the track only once, and with a TA49, blue tops and a Dutt neck intercooler, ran 11.5's at 115 mph.
Mike was asking $16,000 for the car when I looked at it in February. I ultimately bought it for $14,000. Within a week I replaced the turbo with a PT52, the injectors were changed over to 50 lb's and a V4 Intercooler replaced the Dutt Neck. I also installed a MaxEffort thumbwheel and CenterLine Convo Pro's with new BFGtires. Another set of Convo Pro's was purchase along with a set of MT Street Radials and a 3600 top hat L/U converter. A set of new Monroe top of the line shocks was installed at that time as well. John Craig rebuilt my PT52 and the exhaust runs through a TH stainless down pipe into a TH 2 3/4" dual exhaust.
The horsepower this car was now making was too much for my stock rebuilt 2004R and she sent away. At that point, we had the tranny rebuilt was many billet parts, to a high 10 second build. The converter was also sent to Hughes here in Phoenix for a complete overhaul.
Shortly after the tranny rebuild, I took it to the track and with the PT52 only putting out 22 pounds boost, I had runs of 11.1 and 120+ MPH.
Ten second runs for this car would be a no brainer with a bigger turbo and more injector. I elected not to do that as the car does not have a roll bar and it's too nice a car to chop up with a roll bar or cage. The car now has 98,000 miles on the clock but only about 3,000 miles on this motor and less than 1,000 on tranny and converter. I've made less than 20 passes on the car since I've owned it and never put more than 22 pounds of boost to it. Oil pressure is 30 psi at hot idle and about 60 psi at hot cruise. Engine is as strong as when it left Mike's shop.
This car was purchased new in Arizona and has never left the state. There is no rust to be found anywhere and the body and interior are excellent. There is nothing left to be done to this car. To duplicate this engine build would cost an estimated $5,000.00.
This is a great car.
Second set of Convo Pros with new 28" MT Street Radials go with car.
$15,000.00 or best offer. No trades.
