Help explain 87 Turbo T to this misinformed person

[Shawn N]

Made a comment on a 87 Turbo T on for sale on Youtube to help inform a seller several months ago. Got a reply from a guy that the 1547 WE-4's are the only Turbo T's in the 87 model year. Lets set him straight that in 87 the T-Type package was dropped from the Regal line and all (LC-2)base Regals, Limited and WE-4 are all Turbo T's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iFohthmOpE

 

[Shawn N]

Alright so I'm looking through 87 RPO codes. Y-56 being T package WE-4 being Turbo T package (nothing lightweight is mentioned). I have seen one Regal "T" w/o an LC-2 RPO engine on the SPI. Gnttype.org 87 TR model year breakdown list WE-4 as Turbo T. The base and Limited are not broke down as Turbo T and are separate models. I know that WE-4's were a last minute sale before RWD Regal's production ended and Buick really pushed the Turbo T phrase with them. Why would Buick badge all three cars the same then if Turbo T is separate from base and Limited? Does a WE-4 have Y-56 in the SPI breakdown is my next question?

 

[Shawn N]

Looks like Y-56 is in the SPI breakdown on WE-4

http://buickturboregal.com/rpo-option-we4-turbo-appearance-package.html

Only thing I can find GM that states Turbo T besides the WE-4

http://www.gmhightechperformance.com/features/1307_1987_buick_regal_turbo_t/viewall.html

 

[T-CHRGD]

All I "know" is that I, and the Buick salesman I bought my car from, have been calling my car a "Turbo T" since August of '86, when it arrived at the dealer (long before the WE4's were even imagined). This has been a point of contention for a long time, as there seems to be no prior official GM acknowledgment. I think GM officially called the WE4 a "Turbo T" because that is what people were calling the former "T Types".
JMO.

 

[TexasT]

You can call it what ever you want but GM referred to the WE4 as the "Turbo T" and the rest as T-pkg. See bottom right corner.

What other documentation can anyone supply? Love to see some.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[T-CHRGD]

You can call it what ever you want

Thanks, I will, as I always have.
At the time, you could also get the "T package" with the V-8.
I think that's why "we" felt the need to refer to "Turbo" with the "T".

 

[2TURBOT]

THE ONLY TRUE TURBO-T IS THE WE4 OPTION CODED CAR all others are 1987 regal with turbo or turbo regals


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[TexasT]

Y56-T pkg
LC2-turbo engine
WE4-Turbo T pkg
WE2-Grand National
The numbers don't lie, you can refer to anything as what ever. Just as Mopar has 023 cars and the ZL1 in a 1969 Camaro got you an aluminum 427, Buick had codes that denoted packages or options. With out WO5 it is not a limited in 1987 and w/o CF5 it isn't a factory astroroof.

The numbers don't lie.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[Shawn N]

Thanks, I will, as I always have.
At the time, you could also get the "T package" with the V-8.
I think that's why "we" felt the need to refer to "Turbo" with the "T".

Seen one of those V-8 T's in a local junkyard several years ago. Headed straight to Alan Young Buick to talk to the 20+ year parts managers to explain that one. Busted out some old GM books to find it was a option for any Regal. Also found out about W-02 being an option for any Regal including Limited. T-43 (spoiler) was a dealer add on also. My local TR buddy has some strange options on his base Regal. He has paperwork for it and the original sticker. I will check it out this weekend and see if I can find anything there.

 

[Shawn N]

All I "know" is that I, and the Buick salesman I bought my car from, have been calling my car a "Turbo T" since August of '86, when it arrived at the dealer (long before the WE4's were even imagined). This has been a point of contention for a long time, as there seems to be no prior official GM acknowledgment. I think GM officially called the WE4 a "Turbo T" because that is what people were calling the former "T Types".
JMO.

LC-2 Turbo Y-56 T package=Turbo T. Makes sense to me !

 

[corsair231]

I have to agree. A WE4 is the only one that is officially a Turbo"T" because GM gave it that name in print. The rest are a Turbo T because people have given it that name as a nickname. Calling an 87 Regal Turbo a Turbo T is no more accurate (or wrong) than calling it a T-Type. People that know these cars, know what you mean, while to people that don't know them the only thing that is important is, "It's not a real Grand National".

 

[chopped39]

Thats why I went with the limited. I looked a gn but my insurance was $1000 cheaper with the limited and the sales man said the car was lighter than the gn so I would think it would be faster Mine also has the t package

 

[TexasT]

Seen one of those V-8 T's in a local junkyard several years ago. Headed straight to Alan Young Buick to talk to the 20+ year parts managers to explain that one. Busted out some old GM books to find it was a option for any Regal. Also found out about W-02 being an option for any Regal including Limited. T-43 (spoiler) was a dealer add on also. My local TR buddy has some strange options on his base Regal. He has paperwork for it and the original sticker. I will check it out this weekend and see if I can find anything there.

Not breaking news.
A big stainless trim on the rocker/door bottom could be had on any chrome Regal and so could cornering lamps and coach lights. Having any or all didn't make it a Limited.
That sheet I posted shows the combos and if you need more head on over to gnttype.org and search it up. Also plenty of info if you google up we4. There is a nifty site that explains a bunch.
To get leather in 87 it had to be a Limited. But in 86 you could get that in your T-Type. I know of two in the Dallas area.
Buick opened it up in 87 and there are wild combos out there. Rare, sure but desirable , maybe to the right buyer.
Turbofish38 has a spid collection that is wild. He doesn't post any more but he was an encyclopedia of gm info.

Almost like calling the GN a nice Monte. The general public takes the Al Bundy theorem, "don't know, don't care" in most cases.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[Shawn N]

Most non Buick folks refer to them as Grand National's anyway. I just tell them T-Type/Turbo T same drivetrain different color and choice of interior. I have never been a fan of the Turbo T name or the badging. There is only 1 turbo 6 emblem on the whole damn car and it's not even seen unless the hood is up. The 86/87 GN got 11 of them. At least the 84/85 TT had the power 6's on the fenders below the T-Type badges.

 

[Shawn N]

Thats why I went with the limited. I looked a gn but my insurance was $1000 cheaper with the limited and the sales man said the car was lighter than the gn so I would think it would be faster Mine also has the t package

Most TR's were 100 to 200lbs lighter than it's GN counterpart. Most GN's had the heavy options 6 way power seats, t-tops etc. My old GN was 3500lbs and the my current T is 3200lbs.

 

[chopped39]

Most non Buick folks refer to them as Grand National's anyway. I just tell them T-Type/Turbo T same drivetrain different color and choice of interior. I have never been a fan of the Turbo T name or the badging. There is only 1 turbo 6 emblem on the whole damn car and it's not even seen unless the hood is up. The 86/87 GN got 11 of them. At least the 84/85 TT had the power 6's on the fenders below the T-Type badges.

Thats why I used to love pulling up next to corvettes and mustangs back in the day. They would ask me if that was my dads car and after I whooped them They would pull up at the next light and I would say its my Moms car. And like I stated above Insurance was a grand cheaper.In 1989 that was alot of money

 

[chopped39]

Most TR's were 100 to 200lbs lighter than it's GN counterpart. Most GN's had the heavy options 6 way power seats, t-tops etc. My old GN was 3500lbs and the my current T is 3200lbs.

I never weighed anything but the first time I pulled a Gn wheel off I knew there was a difference right there.The we4 would be about the same weight as a limited I would think except the seats in the limited are heavier than the gn seats.

 

[Shawn N]

Not breaking news.
A big stainless trim on the rocker/door bottom could be had on any chrome Regal and so could cornering lamps and coach lights. Having any or all didn't make it a Limited.
That sheet I posted shows the combos and if you need more head on over to gnttype.org and search it up. Also plenty of info if you google up we4. There is a nifty site that explains a bunch.
To get leather in 87 it had to be a Limited. But in 86 you could get that in your T-Type. I know of two in the Dallas area.
Buick opened it up in 87 and there are wild combos out there. Rare, sure but desirable , maybe to the right buyer.
Turbofish38 has a spid collection that is wild. He doesn't post any more but he was an encyclopedia of gm info.

Almost like calling the GN a nice Monte. The general public takes the Al Bundy theorem, "don't know, don't care" in most cases.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

Yeah my TR buddy base Regal has the rocker trim, Limited front clearance lights and full size Limited outer dew sweeps. Strange car indeed. Vinyl roof and opera lights would make it the ultimate sleeper. I will have to come out to Dallas to meet you or plan a night were we can round up a DFW Turbo Buick meet at Keller's.

 

[MeanBuicks]

It'd be interesting to know why the GNs were spec'd with the heavy steel bumper reinforcements and cast iron brake drums. One would think, since the lighter parts were available, they'd have been put on the halo car. I can kind of see the steel wheels as they were made to emulate the Bassett stock car wheel but damn they're heavy.

 

[Shawn N]

I never weighed anything but the first time I pulled a Gn wheel off I knew there was a difference right there.The we4 would be about the same weight as a limited I would think except the seats in the limited are heavier than the gn seats.

Yep those bench seats are pretty heavy along with the steel 86/87 GN wheels. I have the exact same interior as WE-4 with non power seats.