whats the differance

[supercoupe5]

what is the differance in an 86 and an 87 GN. the only thing i can tell from looking at pics is that the grill on an 86 is chrome on the top, but i am sure there is more than that. any insight on this would be greatly apprecated. thanks dave

 

[Project TNX]

You couldn't get the chrome trim on an 86.

Some Buick engineer scribbled 235 hp instead of 245 hp down on a piece of paper.

There is a few more but I'm distracted because I am waiting on a Chipotle Burrito, lol.

 

[Blazer406]

what is the differance in an 86 and an 87 GN. the only thing i can tell from looking at pics is that the grill on an 86 is chrome on the top, but i am sure there is more than that. any insight on this would be greatly apprecated. thanks dave

You are correct... the '86 has a small chrome strip across the top of the grille. They also had black pull straps on the inside of the doors.... where the '87 has gray.

HP was 235 HP (rated) in '86 as mentioned above. I don't think there were actually any difference in actual HP.... just the rating. I believe they were really close to 300 HP..... but GM has the unwritten rule (well documented on the web) that no GM vehicle should have a HP rating exceeding the HP rating of the vette for the same year....

HTH

 

[turbofish38]

It depends on how technical you want to get. The only exterior clue is the grille and this applies to all of the IC cars. I could write a book on the differences if you really want to get nit-picky. Really no difference IMO. They made the same power when they were stock and price depends on the condition of the car.

 

[BadAssGN]

a few quick differences. the ecm connections are different, the Climate control option was not available in 87... like Eric said there are a number of little differences but noting critical

 

[mikec1969]

It always amazed me how the 86 GN had lower production numbers, but the 87's seem to be more desirable. Any idea why?

 

[RGS87GN]

i guess im wrong but myself and everyone ive ever met says the 86 wasnt intercooled? if this is such a commen misconception im guessing that would lower the desirability (sp)

 

[49-blues]

I think the powersteering cap also opens in reverse direction,the 87 is more diserable in my opion because the 87 grill is better looking and better air flow plus it was the last year of production.

 

[Blazer406]

i guess im wrong but myself and everyone ive ever met says the 86 wasnt intercooled? if this is such a commen misconception im guessing that would lower the desirability (sp)

They are on crack. Everybody here knows '86-'87 were intercooled.....pre '86 were "hot-air" cars.

 

[mikestertwo]

The main differences are cosmetic. Grill, door pull straps, electronic climate control option on 86's, diameter of the cruise control diaphram. Other than that, they are identical. I have owned both years and those were the only differences. As far as the production numbers, 86 vs. 87, I can only assume because the pre 86's had so many reliability problems that it took a little while for the redesign on the 86's to catch on and that's why the 87's became so popular and were made up to the end of the 87 production year.

 

[bison]

Another thing on the production numbers for the 87's was that GM produced them well into the 88 model year ending in December of 87. This would account for the huge difference in production numbers. The GN's were hot items in the summer of 87 and a lot of dealers could not get any for over a month. When they reappeared they sold like crazy.

 

[onefastcar]

Kid the other day asked me in my driveway if mine was a gnx i laughed and said it wouldn't be sitting out here then he asked how many turbos does it have i said and pointed at the one in the garage and said it'll have 4 now , there are alot of misconceptions about these cars i don't know how many people have called mine a monte i just laugh.:biggrin:

 

[INTERCOOLED]

Another difference was the Limited Slip Differential or Posi (G80):

1986 GN - Posi was an option

1987 GN - Standard

 

[Blazer406]

Another difference was the Limited Slip Differential or Posi (G80):

1986 GN - Posi was an option

1987 GN - Standard

For some reason....I am thinking it was not standard in '87 until late in the model year....

 

[TClassic]

Another small..Never Mentioned difference is the RADIO, it has a Yellowish
instead of Green Illumination, and it turns On/OFF with the Volume button, and a few other Real Small differences...

 

[zeus87gn]

Wasn't the transmission vavle body changed in 87?
You know, the BRF trani?

I want to say that the 86's didn't have that and wouldn't hold up as well.

 

[turbofish38]

Another small..Never Mentioned difference is the RADIO, it has a Yellowish
instead of Green Illumination, and it turns On/OFF with the Volume button, and a few other Real Small differences...

All Buicks used the green flouro display radios. If its yellow than somebody stuffed a Pontiac or Chevy radio in there.

 

[TClassic]

All Buicks used the green flouro display radios. If its yellow than somebody stuffed a Pontiac or Chevy radio in there.

Well thats what I thought too, but when I picked it up from the Original Owner, honest older guy his 70's, he told me it was in it from Day 1...it was
a Dealer Demo though, and had 645mi on it when he picked it up....

 

[turbofish38]

Here is just a short list of some of the differences I have noticed. I wont go into detail on the exact year as it gets really screwed up on some of the later build 87s.
Heat shields on exhaust manifolds.
Crossover pipe.
Wire harness heat shields(or lack of)
Battery Cables.
PS reservior.
Oil Cooler Hoses.
Springs
Shocks
Cruise control servo
Interior Trim
ESC Module
Chip

 

[Evans Ward]

Wasn't the transmission vavle body changed in 87?
You know, the BRF trani?

I want to say that the 86's didn't have that and wouldn't hold up as well.

Hey Patrick,

86 and 7 Turbo Buick trans were same and both have the desirable BRF valve bodies. No internal or external differences there.