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djd1987

Hi there
Joined
May 5, 2008
Messages
51
I purchased my 87' GN in 1996. I have done some aftermarket stuff, and had the engine rebuilt. I have received tons of help from everyone on here with technical issues. Now I have another question. I have seen tons of 87's, but mine seems to be the only one with a chrome grill. I have confirmed it is defintly a 87'. Not sure why mine is chrome. I think they look better with the all black. Should I but a black grill, or paint mine, or just leave it?

Thanks
 
If what you are referring to is a chrome strip across the top and the rest of the grill is black then you have an '86 grill. Are you absolutly sure your car is an '87? :D
If it is a full chrome grill then it is not a GN grill. All black is correct for an '87.
 
87" chrome grill from factory

I checked all the numbers and they all match for a 87'. The door sticker says it was manufactured in 2/87. I can't believe mine is the only one with a chrome grill direct from the factory. I bought the car from the original owner. I have the original window sticker too. Wierd, huh? :confused:
 
Well you purchased the car in '96...thats almost 10 years the original owner had time to wreck the front and then some bone head put on a chrome grill :D I've seen lots of GN's gerry-rigged and wonder what in the heck was the owner thinking when they did that :rolleyes:

FYI, I haven't priced grills lately, but I think a new NOS one would cost a lot of $$ if you find one...EPITOME (the company that makes the diecast cars or ours) is comming out with duplicate grills and headlight bezels, they had some pilot models at the GS Nats a few weeks ago, seems like a preorder grill was around $250-300 and they are designed stronger than the originals.
 
Get your hands on a black grill. Someone put that chrome one in, that's not a mistake that the assembly plant would make.
 
Are you sure you have a GN? I'm not knocking you but I have seen where some people call any TurboRegal a GN. If your car aint black and does not have the W02 code on the SPID label in the trunk than it may have rolled off the line with a chrome grille. Are the headlamp bezels chrome too?
 
It is definitely a GN. I have all the original paperwork and window sticker. But i noticed that the SPID on my trunk lid is WE2 and not WO2. I cannot find anything on how to read the SPID's. Anyone have a link?
 
I am not sure where you can verify this but..

The WE2 includes WO2 etc. I guess that means Buick felt it did not need to include the the WO2 on the SPID. I will go out to the garage and check the SPID on my wreck and post if I find anything different.

Bob
 
BlackMetal said:
Get your hands on a black grill. Someone put that chrome one in, that's not a mistake that the assembly plant would make.
Click to expand...


Yes it is - we're talking 1980's American cars. When I bought my '86 GN brand new from the dealer, one of the headlight bezels was chrome!
 
XLR8 said:
Yes it is - we're talking 1980's American cars. When I bought my '86 GN brand new from the dealer, one of the headlight bezels was chrome!
Click to expand...

Actually "black's" right, the factory wouldn't have made that mistake, BUT, I can tell you what probably happened (and this was and is VERY common), your car was damaged in transit, and somebody grabbed the easiest part available at the moment. Hoping it would be remedied by the time of sale.
 
Yeah I'm with Dave on that. Look at the SPID label in the trunk. That is an abreviated version of the instruction sheet. Everyone has a right to their own opinions but knocking the boys on the assembly line is crossing the line. That is one mistake that you would never catch GM doing at the Pontaic assembly plant. If there was one car,one model that anybody working for GM took pride in building it was the GN. To hang a chrome part on that car would have been sacrilege to those guys. Plus all the quality control stations the car has to pass through before it leaves the line. Don't believe me? Than why was the GN the very last car to roll off the Pontiac line?Why was the second to last GN raffled off to the assembly line workers? Like I said the GN was the Chuck Norris of GM. And everybody knows you dont mess with Chuck.:)

Plus I work for a dealer. I know what goes on behind the scenes.:frown:
 
Since were on the topic of line workers & what happened back then I have a story. Mine was a V-8 LTD with the V-8 sticker already on the AC box that says Carbed with a diagram. (still have it) The VP of GM Canada Nick Hall pulled the car for his brother-in-law off the line & told them stick in a 3.8 Turbo, 2004r, 3.42 rear etc. etc. This was a loaded LTD with what should have had power seats but they didnt do that with the Moonroof option. (I added them to both sides later) The badges were 3.8 Turbo hood, the Red "T" on the front fenders, Grand National on the Pass trunk & 3.8 Turbo deivers trunk & no dealer name plate.
Also, he did NOT want a hood emblem so they used a GN header panel! Only LTD I know of thats like that with no ornament! I have asked everyone about it. Eric, I'm sure you can verify the hood ornament on the LTD model.

Just shows with the pull of the VP of GM how he got what he wanted for his brother in law. I got the car a few moths later in May of 88.

PS: My SPID label is correct but my Serial # is sorta weird.

Back to topic, I doubt the line would put on a chrome grill for anyone other than maybe the President or VP & especially on a GN. Wouldnt happen without someone catching that. The dealer accident sounds more likely to me?
 
personally, i like the regular Regal grille better- it lays flatter and just looks sleeker to me- and think the chrome would accent the otherwise blacked out GN really nicely.
is there a pic of the offending GN grille so we can all see it?
 
I would guess either the dealer replaced it or possibly the owner did. he wouldn't even have to have wreaked the car to need a new grille. we all know strange things happen sometimes. For example, probably 15 years ago I was at a family gathering at a lake. A group of us was standing outside talking when one of my cousins managed to back his boat (on the trailer) into one of my uncle's cars - he managed to plant the outboard prop. almost dead-center in the grille my uncle's old Ford Granada. busted up the grille pretty good, but didn't put a scratch on the header panel. :eek:

maybe your the original black '87 GN grille was the victim of an outboard prop. :p

bottom line, *all* '87 GN's had the same all-black grille. if you want a black grille, get one. be prepared to shuck out some dough for a new one or even a good used one. Another option woud be to paint your chrome accented grille. find someone with a sandblasting cabinet, remove your grille and *carefully* sandblast the chrome finish off, then get some satin black spray paint and "fix" your grille. might look kinda cool if your grille is the one with the "BUICK" logo embossed in the top cross-bar. :biggrin:
 
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