Grandfather's '87 GN

[TacticalGN]

I edited that out. I probably should have clarified. I know there's no real reason to have edited it but I felt better

Ok, got it, LOL.

 

[TacticalGN]

Got it buffed today. Still got treesap in it because he didn't realize how bad it was so he didn't have his stuff for that with him. It looks so much better, just needs the bumper fillers and hood emblem put on

Man, she came out beautiful!!!

 

[fast86gn]

Very nice car. Welcome aboard Sir.

 

[Hahny]

Yup, your car cleaned up good. Now it's time to go cruise around town in it.

 

[JRC99]

It's been a LONG time. Car's still around, and broke again lol. Vapor canister is clogged, fuel PSI regulator is still bad, and I still haven't done the fillers. And the alternator crapped out. I got mad and parked it.

So, today I ordered the regulator and canister, and when it comes time to work on it I'll go get an alternator. A high school buddy, and a fellow GN owner, does paint for a living and he said he'll hook me up on the fillers.

Now, in the summer, I roast thanks to the T-tops, and Pap forbids removing them due to the notoriously bad sealing issues. I see the shades are available, but what's the right color? Is it 1598 or 1589?

Also, even looking like this it gets loads of attention and people asking if its' for sale. Answer is still no!

It's funny, looking at the picture you'd think it has 139,000 miles, not 39,000

 

[SLIC V6]

Keep nibbling away at the fixes, the car is well worth it!
39K, its not even broken in yet !!!

ENJOY !!!

 

[kidsixpack]

Wow great read! Welcome to turbo Buick.com. Lots of great info here. I’m local to you. Maybe I’ll see you at Hines. My favorite cruise! If I’m not mistaking my TTA came from Red Holmes. Not 100% sure, I have the paperwork but memory is slipping.
KID

 

[JRC99]

Wow great read! Welcome to turbo Buick.com. Lots of great info here. I’m local to you. Maybe I’ll see you at Hines. My favorite cruise! If I’m not mistaking my TTA came from Red Holmes. Not 100% sure, I have the paperwork but memory is slipping.
KID

There's a good chance of it, but I might not be in the National this year (I had it at Telegraph last summer, it was pretty fun!)
I'd rather be in this, if I'm honest. I'll daily the GN and take this to cruises.

 

[kidsixpack]

There's a good chance of it, but I might not be in the National this year (I had it at Telegraph last summer, it was pretty fun!)
I'd rather be in this, if I'm honest. I'll daily the GN and take this to cruises.
View attachment 351576

I like that better too! I don’t take my GN to many cruises. There’s always plenty of the around to look at.
KID

 

[JRC99]

Okay, this is perplexing, but hell, I'll take it!
Got it fired up recently. Alternator is charging it fine, and the canister doesn't seem to be affecting it. I'll take it! (I'm still keeping the new ones as spares)

HOWEVER, it whistles bad under full throttle. I'm trying to get Pap to drive it so he can diagnose it for me so I can fix that.

Here's a picture of my buddy's '87. It was rebuilt by his father, who passed away in 2005 and left it to him. He'll be painting the bumper fillers for me. I didn't know these came with manual windows. He's got it torn apart in the garage at the moment. The trans (apparently a Turbo 400 with a 4th gear added. Not a 200R4) has been nothing but issues since his dad built it, and the wiring's a mess. The car was a victim of an insurance scam fire, and it was his dad's dream car. He's looking to hurt some Hellcat feelings this summer.

 

[TexasT]

Those stock hoses from turbo to ic and out of ic to up pipe and up pipe to throttle body probably need replaced. They are thin and will let boost out. I use gates fuel filler neck hose but the venders sell sets.

 

[JRC99]

Those stock hoses from turbo to ic and out of ic to up pipe and up pipe to throttle body probably need replaced. They are thin and will let boost out. I use gates fuel filler neck hose but the venders sell sets.

I've replaced the ones on the up pipe, so the other two are probably the culprit.

I think I have spares laying around for the other two. How hard are they to replace?

 

[TexasT]

The one from the turbo to ic takes heat from the turbo and is most likely to fail. Not hard to replace but you will probably have to loosen the ic mounts so it can move around to get the hose over it. I like to use some hairspray to get the hose slipped on then it gets sticky to hold it on there.

 

[JRC99]

Gave it the first bath yesterday. Took it to my buddy's house and he schooled me a bit. There's no saving the paint on the hood, it's the dreaded cracking. Shame.
Drove pretty good, I still have to replace that hose, and I'm thinking the accumulator ball on the brakes is gonna have to be swapped soon (luckily we have spares). The battery did die again while I was washing it, but it was fine the rest of the day. Probably going to have to check the wiring out.

View attachment Eaton Truetrac2.jpg
It looks good in pictures, but not in person.
Oh well. Is what it is, because paint= money I don't have lol.

Also, could this be moved to Member's Rides or something?

 

[turbofrank]

Welcome and good luck in your repairs take care of that car. I bought my first Grand National in Ypsilanti Michigan. What a thrill in 1987.

 

[Hotfoot]

Welcome to the site

 

[JRC99]

Well, that was depressing.

Last year the car developed a whistling noise under WOT. I don’t mean the normal turbo sound either. So I replaced the hoses on the pipe that runs from the intercooler to the throttle body. Didn’t make a difference.

Today, I replaced the one that connects the turbo to the intercooler, and took it for a spin.



Not only is the whistle just as loud as ever, it won’t build but 4psi of boost, and it doesn’t even accelerate. At all.



For the whistling, I just don’t know. For the slowness, I’m thinking the fuel pressure regulator finally bit the dust. It’s been on it’s way out for years, making cold starts an absolute nightmare.

I'll figure it out eventually.