trunk emblem on the wrong side
- Thread starter Drew L
- Start date
Welcome!
By registering with us, you'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.
TurboJunky
Fire the Federal Gov't
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2002
- Messages
- 5,104
Hmmm....something's very fishy. 
Not to mention the Monte SS exhaust tips look.....oh, Chevy like.....puke!
Not to mention the Monte SS exhaust tips look.....oh, Chevy like.....puke!
NASSTY
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2002
- Messages
- 2,118
Very strange,maybe the boys on the GM production line went out for a liquid lunch the day they put the finishing touches on that GN.Originally posted by 1970gsx
Yeah, that's odd. A 9000 mile car that's never been painted with the emblem on the wrong side. Maybe it's Ausrailian
Chris Cornett
Member
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2003
- Messages
- 438
Believe it or not I have seen that screw up before on a car on a lot.
P
pat83t
Guest
This discussion came up at Turbo Thunder IV up here in Oregon last month. It turns out that quite a few of the people had seen low mileage GN's with the emblem on the other side. Apparently GM made this "mistake" on several vehicles. The exhaust tips are tacky though.
TurboJunky
Fire the Federal Gov't
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2002
- Messages
- 5,104
I'll check with people who worked on the production line. My entire family is retired GM blue and white collar.
I don't believe such an oversight can be made and pass quality control on a regular basis. My uncle worked quality control at the GMC Truck Center during the late 1980's and earlyl 90's and filled me in on this phenomenon.
GM was very specific as to where that trunk emblem was placed, down to the 1/16". GN emblems were not reported to be in short supply during production so it's doubtful they ran out during assembly, then reattached later. Another possibility is damage to the vehicle requiring factory repair prior to dealer delivery. This too would somewhat rare to have the deck lid repaired on so many brand new cars.
Unless an owner can say they bought the car brand new from a dealer I'd suspect repaint or specific emblem removal/replacement for some reason.
Repaint is fairly easily detected on GN's unless it's done by Earl Schieb. It's hard to reproduce the factory orange-peel and hairline scratches. Factory Grand National paint SUCKED. The section of my deck lid that has the emblem goes from horrible to terrible orange peel....not reproduced for an attractive re-paint.
I know cars weren't manufactured perfectly, errors occured and the GN was no exception. My 1st GN's dash plate was for a standard Regal. I owned my GN many years before someone pointed out the fact it didn't say "Grand National" but instead read "Buick Regal". I wasn't a GN aficionado at the time and didn't know it was incorrect. I've been told by several sources that one of two things may have occurred. They may have run out of specific plates that said Grand National or it was a drunken error and quality control missed it. That's much different than an emblem on the wrong side of the deck lid.
My $.02
I don't believe such an oversight can be made and pass quality control on a regular basis. My uncle worked quality control at the GMC Truck Center during the late 1980's and earlyl 90's and filled me in on this phenomenon.
GM was very specific as to where that trunk emblem was placed, down to the 1/16". GN emblems were not reported to be in short supply during production so it's doubtful they ran out during assembly, then reattached later. Another possibility is damage to the vehicle requiring factory repair prior to dealer delivery. This too would somewhat rare to have the deck lid repaired on so many brand new cars.
Unless an owner can say they bought the car brand new from a dealer I'd suspect repaint or specific emblem removal/replacement for some reason.
Repaint is fairly easily detected on GN's unless it's done by Earl Schieb. It's hard to reproduce the factory orange-peel and hairline scratches. Factory Grand National paint SUCKED. The section of my deck lid that has the emblem goes from horrible to terrible orange peel....not reproduced for an attractive re-paint.
I know cars weren't manufactured perfectly, errors occured and the GN was no exception. My 1st GN's dash plate was for a standard Regal. I owned my GN many years before someone pointed out the fact it didn't say "Grand National" but instead read "Buick Regal". I wasn't a GN aficionado at the time and didn't know it was incorrect. I've been told by several sources that one of two things may have occurred. They may have run out of specific plates that said Grand National or it was a drunken error and quality control missed it. That's much different than an emblem on the wrong side of the deck lid.
My $.02
- Joined
- May 29, 2001
- Messages
- 1,598
Maybe Billy-the-emblem-attacher was on vacation, and Bobby-the-temp didn't know his left from his OTHER left! 
TurboJunky
Fire the Federal Gov't
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2002
- Messages
- 5,104
Anything's possible but I believe the production line either has machinery or some type of mechanical template for proper and consistant emblem placement. I'll check on the manufacturing GM used at the time for consistant emblem placement.
I assure you Goober isn't simply grabbing an emblem from a 55 gallon drum, peeling off the emblem backing and eyeballing it's placement.
I assure you Goober isn't simply grabbing an emblem from a 55 gallon drum, peeling off the emblem backing and eyeballing it's placement.
TurboJunky
Fire the Federal Gov't
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2002
- Messages
- 5,104
Emblems on the wrong side? Which ones?....the same emblems are on both sides of the car. Were you the original purchaser from the dealer in 1987?
TurboJunky
Fire the Federal Gov't
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2002
- Messages
- 5,104
HuH?
The GN emblem was only installed on the LEFT (driver) side of the trunk lid and in an extremely specific spot. There was nothing on the opposite side. In my opinion a tiny handful (and I mean TINY) *may* have slipped through quality control with emblems in the wrong place, but by no means think it was anything "wide spread". I'd say it's about as rare as mis-printed US currency. It happens, but in such rare occasions it'd be considered non-existant.
Non Grand National Turbo Regals ALL had an all chrome (as opposed to chrome/black hood version) "3.8 SFI TURBO" on the left side of the deck lid and an all chrome "Buick" on the right side.
The GN emblem was only installed on the LEFT (driver) side of the trunk lid and in an extremely specific spot. There was nothing on the opposite side. In my opinion a tiny handful (and I mean TINY) *may* have slipped through quality control with emblems in the wrong place, but by no means think it was anything "wide spread". I'd say it's about as rare as mis-printed US currency. It happens, but in such rare occasions it'd be considered non-existant.
Non Grand National Turbo Regals ALL had an all chrome (as opposed to chrome/black hood version) "3.8 SFI TURBO" on the left side of the deck lid and an all chrome "Buick" on the right side.
BobbyBuick
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
- Messages
- 2,209
mine is on the wrong side and when we repainted i reattached it to the wrong side ive owned the car since june of 87 10 k on it
reattached it to the wrong side
Interesting......................I don't know I would have done the same. I would think it would raise to many questions on a resale, just like it is here. If it's not for sale I can understand that. I see repaints with all of the emblems removed which is also neat. Drew
Interesting......................I don't know I would have done the same. I would think it would raise to many questions on a resale, just like it is here. If it's not for sale I can understand that. I see repaints with all of the emblems removed which is also neat. Drew
BobbyBuick
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
- Messages
- 2,209
To be honest when we repainted back in 92 I knew nothing about these cars mine went 15.20s.
I took pictures of everything before being removed.
I spoke with Ken Moser about it when I noticed it in 97 @ the Nats car show.Mine was the only one on the pass side.From what I hear its more common than you might think.cars probably not goin anywhere soon anywho!!!!!!!!!
I took pictures of everything before being removed.
I spoke with Ken Moser about it when I noticed it in 97 @ the Nats car show.Mine was the only one on the pass side.From what I hear its more common than you might think.cars probably not goin anywhere soon anywho!!!!!!!!!
According to TT/A 1223 which is logical, incorrect emblem placement at the factory was rare. If we see it 16 years later it has a much "better" chance to be in the wrong spot from a repaint. BobbyBuick, during the repaint had you known the emblem was in the wrong spot would you have repositioned it to the correct location? Drew
I agree with TT/A. Its not haphazzardly plopped on a trunk lid. Its REALLY unlikely that they could be put on the wrong side. These guys do it many times a day. Its not like they forgot what side it goes on. Id say its next to impossible to se a REAL non painted or changed GN with the emblem on the right side. Unles the original owner wanted to change it for whatever reason he wanted to.. I have seen real mileage untouched GN;s many times over the years and every one had the emblem on the left side.
Frank
Frank
emblem on the wrong side
................whatever the reason as to why it's on the wrong side, it's on the wrong side. As a buyer ( GN buyers should be well versed as to what we are buying) they should pick up on that. If not, the explaination as to why the emblem is on the wrong side shifted to the new owner!!!!!!!
Drew
................whatever the reason as to why it's on the wrong side, it's on the wrong side. As a buyer ( GN buyers should be well versed as to what we are buying) they should pick up on that. If not, the explaination as to why the emblem is on the wrong side shifted to the new owner!!!!!!!
Drewuh yeah i can vouch for that...back when i was poor and my factory paint was flaking off i took my car to earl schieb and yeah the paint job is HORRIBLE...all kinds of orange peel and the hairline fine scratches are all over the place...one day when i get the money i am getting a PROFESSIONAL job!
