Has the GN BEEN OVERSHADOWED

[SS_Sean]

That's some funny shiznit right there.... :biggrin:

 

[TurboTnZ06]

Check out the CorvetteForum at this link

Buick GN - Corvette Forum

Lot's of talk about the GN, MOST of it good with many Corvette owners, either having one now or did have one! Nice to know others appreciate it!

LOL - I'm TurboTnZ06 on that forum

 

[Black Power]

GN's haven't been overshadowed. Pull up at a gas station and people start talking about how they ran 10s out of the factory. I was at the track last night and I had a lot of people that thought I was gonna run down a 9 second mustang

IMO they are one of the most feared cars of all time, right up there with the old Hemis, ZL1 cars, Cobras, etc, whether they are on par with them performance-wise or not. Just a different time period.

Good investments for the future also. :biggrin:

 

[Robbie-87plz]

Vortech, I get the same comments....yesterday, had a guy tell me he was sure they were twin turboed v-6's from the factory. Not sure if he was talking about Gale Banks' setup or not... Chances are, he wasn't aware of it.

BTW, my wife prefers driving the GN over the Cobra.

 

[batmansbuick]

They will continue to climb in value. Look at the coverage the classic Musclecar mags are giving them (Musclecar Review, Hemmings Musclecar, etc.) TR's are getting on the same pages as classic Mopars, Camaros, etc.

The real question becomes where will the TR world go, more cars bought and taken off the streets and tracks for garage queens? As a new TR owner would you mod to race or restore?

 

[psycho6cyl]

Attention......

I wish I got half the attention you guys got.. Once in a while I get the thumbs up but I gotta spool that puppy up to let you them import guys hear the whistle.. If youre loking for flat out attention (in my oppinion) this is not the car.Its a car guys car. These cars can be easily modded and still maintain drivability. I havent owned many cars ut i know that this one is definitly a keeper. Getting involved with a GN is like a marriage. For better or worse, sickness (these cars can be tempermental) and in health and till death do us part. Seriously its a fun car to own and withh all stress and agrivation i dont regret it. The only suggestion can make is start witha decent and spend some $$ on it. Good luck and enjoy! ...... Jeff

 

[Mr86t-type]

Guys,

All GREAT Comments however I'm shocked that no one has Mentioned one of the Most Important, and STILL NOT DUPLICATED things about the Turbo Buicks,
thier Incredible ability to LAUNCH!!! Yea, there are some MEGA Horsepower cars out there now, NONE of them can LAUNCH as good as a TB, and therefore WIN at the Stoplight Drags! Just look at the 2002-2004 Cobra's they make a TON of power, but with thier IRS it takes $$$$ to get them to Launch worth a Dam, and even the New GT500's, yea thier a Solid axle, but even They spin like crazy....

 

[TT/Ameasap]

The TTA is overshadowed period. Look at this thread and no mention till now:redface:

 

[Sweet6]

I get complients nealry everytime I drive my GN. Granted I do not drive it much. :biggrin: I think these cars are only going to go up as long as the car is well maintained. I think these cars have a lot more character than any other American car built since. My $.02.

 

[saywin]

Dude,
I don't know where you live, but I get thumbs up, compliments, stares, drool, smiles and red carpet treatment all the time.
poor guy!

 

[Brer Rabbit]

Heres what I think....

Someone else mentioned that we own these cars because we love them, as a 16 year old back in 1990 I was just entering the car driving age (legally that is ) and always thought of them as super elite cars. Today owning one is both great and sometimes aggravating, considering the fact that the general street racing crowd is deathly afraid of our cars. It is real hard to get a race with my car, unless its a buddy. Stock suspension cars that are quiet as a church mouse and runs 10.00s on drag radials---u gotta love it. My car isnt that fast but it may as well be the way people shy away from races. the phrase "Buick Fast With Class" says it all.

 

[d0n_3d]

Ever since I've been driving my car at the age of 16...I've gotton nothing but compliments on it. I can remember back in high school when the 97 Mustang GT came out and my buddy drove his Mom's. He thought he was the fastest thing in school until one night when he ran his Mustang against my then bone stock GN on the highway. I put 10 cars on him and hit the fuel cutoff at 124 mph on the stock chip and he finally caught up to me like 20 seconds later. He actually admitted defeat and couldn't believe I had just a V6.

Everywhere I go, I get asked is the car for sale...I can't stop at a gas station and NOT get someone trying to talk to me about it. Hell I even had this really good looking girl pull up next to me at a stoplight one time and freaked out and told me that my car was her dream car and that she always loved how fast they went down the track.

When you mention the words "Grand National" most people know and respect the name. I know for a fact the GN is a very popular car in northwest Indiana and always has been. Everyone at the local car shows know exactly everything about the car...it's amazing how many people know all the cool details about them.

As far as value...give them another 5 years when the cars turn 25 years old and they will surely skyrocket in value. You will see a 10k mile or lower GN go for $50 grand easily...the GNX will be in the $150 grand range. These cars aren't old enough like the 60's and 70's cars to gain that much value yet...but give them time.

 

[d0n_3d]

In my personal opinion, all of the new car manufacturers are trying to snag a piece of the appeal that these cars had and currently have. With regards to the looks and performance. But they all fall short.

Honestly, there never has been or ever will be a more sinister looking car than an all blacked out Buick GN rolling up on you at night with just the parking lights on. Every time I see one pull up and park at a cruise in, I can just imagine Darth Vader stepping out.

To me, I think of GNs as Vaders ride, and the myriad color selection of the Turbo Ts and T-Types as sharks, stealthy prowling the streets for their next meal. Everyone that knows or is into real cars, respects the GNs for their sinister black look. Not many people really know about Ts and T-Types that are not black. A true sleeper effect. Since I've been taking Sarah to the local car shows, I get all kinds of people who are confused when they stop and look. Questions like, What is this? Is this a GN? Did you put this motor in the car? Things like that. It's comical actually.
In the meantime, I'll leave everyone with this.
Vader does have a sense of humor after all.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5blbv4WFriM[/YOUTUBE]


Patrick

My car used to look like that I really miss those days...

 

[Christophah]

IMO they are one of the most feared cars of all time, right up there with the old Hemis, ZL1 cars, Cobras, etc,

I agree bigtime. In my area, there are alot of fast cars around......Fbodies, Cobra mustangs, Lightnings, old school muscle, etc. But everybody respects Grand Nationals. People who know just know not to **** with them at all. It could be a 14sec. car, or a 9sec. car. You don't know till you GO! I love these cars and CAN'T WAIT TO OWN ANOTHER ONE.:biggrin: In my opinion, there is no other car made now or ever that looks meaner or more sinister than the Buick Grand National.

 

[BOP4ever]

Well I took the plunge... got a 55000 mile car its clean and drives nice gets good MPG has a few mods,.... and is slow as he$#@$#..

LOL

I power braked it to about 10 psi it started to spin I let off the brake it spun about 20 feet shifted to 2nd bogged downshifted back to first... no spin and it tooled up to 60 mph where I lifted and drove home.... I liek the car I just have not got the performance where I am impressed yet... I thinkit is ove boosting hitting about 19 psi.. it even seems to loose power when th eboost goes over about 14.. knock retard maybe... I am going to extend the waste gate and limit the boost to about 12-13 and see how it feels.

Thanks for all the replies !

 

[imjoesnuffy]

Get that car checked out. If you are overboosting and getting knock, a new set of headgaskets will be in your future.

 

["Turbo-T"]

I get far, far, far more thumbs up driving my 10 second malibu around on the street, and I've literally had people honk and hang out their window screaming at me that they love my GN when I drive it around. I've never had that response from anyone driving one of the nicest Chevelle's you'll ever see.

Wow, I find it hard to believe people actually would like a 78 Metric Malibu over a classic 70 Chevelle....must not have good taste....

GN's are another story, because the 81-87 Regal platform was a good looking model.

I just remember how comfortable my old Regal was, I want to find another one so bad....with a turbo...but it's not looking like it's meant to be....:frown:

 

[UNGN]

Well I took the plunge... got a 55000 mile car its clean and drives nice gets good MPG has a few mods,.... and is slow as he$#@$#..

LOL

I power braked it to about 10 psi it started to spin I let off the brake it spun about 20 feet shifted to 2nd bogged downshifted back to first... no spin and it tooled up to 60 mph where I lifted and drove home.... I liek the car I just have not got the performance where I am impressed yet... I thinkit is ove boosting hitting about 19 psi.. it even seems to loose power when th eboost goes over about 14.. knock retard maybe... I am going to extend the waste gate and limit the boost to about 12-13 and see how it feels.

Thanks for all the replies !

When I bought my car, it wouldn't run faster than 14.8's in the 1/4 mile. That was the fastest run. Most runs were in the mid 15's. The guy I bought it from swore it was the fastest stock TR he had ever ridden in

After I fixed the header leaks, the dead MAF, broken rear sway bar, broken motor mount, put a new fuel pump in it, and got rid of the cherry bomb exhaust, it went an easy 12.26@110.5, spinning the drag radials with the stock turbo, Stock intercooler and stock injectors with a $25 Thrasher 108 chip and a cone K&N.

 

[GullsGN]

I have had my GN since it was new. It has a few mods ;-). It is a consistant show winner each year (the wife made me move the trophys and plaques out to the garage), and I drive it every day. It is unbelievable how many people admire these cars. It draws people evey time I stop somewhere. And, to me, one of the best points about this car is I get 25 miles a gallon. Try doing that with a nice 60's beauty.

 

[tim87tr]

There are two 50K mile cars on E-bay with actual bidders in the $18-21K range.

5 years ago these would be $10-12K cars.

Of the cars you listed, only the '03-04 Cobra can touch the TR for the ability to run mid 11's with minimal mods (and no spray), and they are more expensive and likely always be more expensive than a TR.

Chris, you would be surprised at the values of Cobras coming down now, I guess due to the new GT500 coming out. I looked online at hundreds of them, then bought one. It is turning out to be a great open track car At this point in time a 50k mile GN and 2003 Cobra are similar in purchase price if the TRs are pushing $20,000.