Episode 3 (1986-1987): Buick Turbo 3.8 liter V6

By 1986, the Buick Turbo 3.8 liter SFI V6 with the addition of an intercooler and other upgrades had matured into the ultimate 1980s muscle car engine. It not only could best every other American performance car engine from this era, it put to shame most of the performance engines found in much more expensive 1980s European sports cars.
1978-1989 Buick Turbo 3.8 Liter V6 Video Series:
Episode 1 - 1978-1983: • Episode 1 (1978-1983):...
Episode 2 - 1984-1985: • Episode 2 (1984-1985):...
Episode 3 - 1986-1987: • Episode 3 (1986-1987):...
Episode 4 - 1989: • Episode 4 (1989): Buic...
To read an article version of these videos please visit our website:
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[@jeffcharlton9660]

After more than 30 yrs of wanting one of these cars, I'm now the proud owner of an '87 Regal Turbo T.

[@blackthunder7342]

We are all so proud of you Jeff

[@2clicks2theright375]

Very fast car. Just imagine if they put the 4.3 into it with a turbo! Yikes!!

[@frankthespank]

Livin’ the dream!

[@scottieboy7853]

I will tell you this right now I have had debated conversations with airhead Camaro owners who sit there and try to tell me that a Z28 305 equipped late '80s model could I run a Grand national or T-Type Buick regal which is just absurd I mean a Mustang GT from that era would be three car lengths ahead of a Z28 with a 305 and a Grand national would be at least three car lengths ahead of the Mustang so what does that tell you! Like I tell people Camaros look fast in that era they wasn't really fast until they started to put the iroc 350 Corvette engine in it where it kind of started to be able to run legit 15 seconds quarter mile times!

[@jeffcharlton9660]

@@user98xp Thanks

[@Rusty_trombone62]

Rip mom 1940-1997. Thank you so much for lending me the cash to buy my 87 Grand National WE4 on February 25,1987 3 days after my 17th birthday. You worked 2 jobs till the day God took you from me so that we could live well. I will keep this car till the day I die then your granddaughter will keep it. I love and miss you.

[@stevem8128]

Aww

[@drippinglass]

God bless your Mom. 🙏

[@MClark-bv9tn]

She certainly loves you. Heritage is so very important. Thankyou

[@pabbqmgv]

I felt that man, well said.

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

Wow a GN at age 17? I’m wondering how much your insurance was? On August 23rd 1987 I bought a 1979 Mustang Indy Pace Car 5.0 4 speed. My insurance was $100 a month back then.

[@generalzod7959]

Gm never should have ditched the 3.8 v6. It was a great engine.

[@barretthompson4755]

here in Australia we had this engine without the turbo in the commodore from 89 until 94 they are a brilliant engine, if we could have had the turbo as a factory option they would have sold so many more, I would love to have a drive of a GNX

[@generalzod7959]

@@barretthompson4755yeh, i never owned a vehicle with the 3.8 v6 but, i drove a few including a friend's car and a rental. Both naturally aspirated. I was very impressed with how it managed to get good mpg when driven softly but, was quite peppy when you wanted it to be.

[@Texas_Cruiser]

General Zod yeah they got some get up and go for what they are.

[@jjs777fzr]

General Zod - the 2000-05 Monte Carlo SS etc used the 3800 series II. That engine is a decedent of the 3.8L from the 80’s. The ‘04-5 got the supercharged option. Although not supercharged I like knowing my ‘04 SS has a little in common with the almighty GN 3.8L power plant. I know my car has FWD....but with a few changes you can get near 300HP out of them. And its a nice sounding v6 and doesn’t get ricey with exhaust.

[@markwhite1780]

Like I said above.

[@larrygall5831]

I remember back in the late 80s, when I was young, there was one of these GNX models next to us. We were in a IROC-Z w/350 tpi, and that GNX blew past us off the line like we were standing still. Our backs were stuck against the seats of the 1 year old IROC, but that GNX was something else.. We just looked at each other an laughed. Very impressive.

[@scottieboy7853]

To be fair Larry that too important injection detune 350 that origin came from the Corvette wasn't really all that fast in the Camaro! They did it so the Camaro would not out run the Corvette! Cuz those Camaros are pretty light back in the day just like the Mustangs were! You still had a decent amount of torque but as far as the top end horsepower nothing all that impressive!

[@jonmcclane7433]

@@scottieboy7853 yep they were nice cruisers but by no means a street machine

[@privatepropertynotrespassi3760]

Backs stuck to the back of the seat I’m sorry I had to chuckle a bit js

[@wildestcowboy2668]

@@scottieboy7853 I'm glad you told that Joe Biden loving gun banning clown off. Camaro is GM and GM is junk

[@brandonbell5357]

It's a GN

[@Ladco77]

1987 Grand National. The first brand new car I ever bought. I bought it in late '87, right after the "Black Monday" stock market crash. They still had a number of them new on the lot and after the crash, people weren't lining up for expensive performance Buicks. As great as it was, I never fully embraced it because I missed the feel and sound of a V8, even though it was faster than the new V8's of the day. I loved telling people it was my economy car, and it was when compared to my '72 Trans Am. :)

[@Texas_Cruiser]

Ladco77 nice what ended up happening to the car?

[@Ladco77]

@@Texas_Cruiser Sold both of the cars by the early 90's while I was in college. As much as I liked the GN, the TA is the one I truly regret selling.

[@Texas_Cruiser]

Ladco77 man that 72 Firebird....I love the looks of those. But yeah things happen..life happens. Must've been fun times had in those cars.

[@cordeliaforlear16]

Dude "expensive Buick performance" is the best part of that. 80's Buicks were standard GM. Not bad, not good either. Mike Dobble was a Buick engineer who used the front engine-rear drive in the 80s Reagals. The 3.8l V6 was turbocharged, intercooled, and had electronic fuel injection. It was awesome and cool. It was a joke watching a Corvette beat by a hot-rod Buick.

[@Ladco77]

@@Texas_Cruiser I sold the GN when I went back to college and couldn't continue making payments. I sold the TA a few years later to help finance my tuition. It was a glorious time having them, but I really regret not finding a way to hang onto that '72. I doubt I'll ever be able to afford buying another one. It would be $40-60k to get one in solid condition that doesn't need a full resto. To think I sold my '72 for only $4500, but to be fair, at the time that was a reasonable price.

[@newdefsys]

My high school buddy's mom had a blue metallic T Type that she let him drive on a few occasions. Awesome fun ! And his mom was a hotty, too ! Great times back in the 80's

[@truthhurts1785]

Yeah I did your buddy's Mom twice

[@newdefsys]

@@truthhurts1785 Im sure it didnt take you very long.

[@nobodyhere4860]

Awesome episodes about the 3.8 turbos! Very informative! You forget to mention that the massive torque numbers are what made the first turbo V6's faster than it's V8 competitors!

[@DrBIeed]

I was lucky enough to have a dad that bought one new. Still sitting in the garage to this day. 😎

[@ct87gn25]

Don't ever sell her. You'll regret it like everyone else. Way to many stories of people who sold and regret it to this day. Ask me how I know. I sold my 68 Charger R/T for pennies back in the late 80's. Those cars are worth small fortunes today, and she was MINT.....

[@zeusandathena4094]

Good point. Still have mine. Bought 21 years ago. 3rd owner and only 61 thousand KMS on it. Won several shows..NEVER SEEN RAIN OR SNOW!! Canadian, car that is. My 16 year wants me to keep, but idk. Really want a hellcat 😊😊

[@ct87gn25]

@@zeusandathena4094 I bought my GN in 2001, so 20 years for me. I'm pretty sure she's not going anywhere anytime soon. I hear ya on Hellcat. I myself would settle for a Scatpack Challenger, manual and either dark blue or black please.......;)

[@spacecat7247]

@@zeusandathena4094 nope. Hang on to it You see where the values are going. watch the auction blocks at mechum and Barrett-Jackson.

[@zeusandathena4094]

@@spacecat7247 thanks space cat 😊. Hard for me cause want something newer. I'm in the medical field, and know ZERO about mechanics. But, lol when it comes out next month, I always seem to change my mind and want to hang on to it. Stay safe and healthy

[@clintquah]

Every time I revisited this channel I always end up with teary eyes, especially with me far and away from my home in Chicago.

[@everythingautomotiveeta5839]

I simply can not get enough of this channels content

[@clintquah]

This is the premium channel for all muscle car fans found and old. The commentator has brought out the sense of sadness and longing for a bygone era.

[@mikehunt9894]

I had an 1996 Bonneville with a supercharged 3 8L series 2 in it. It was a stout engine and it pulled that heavy car around quite well with power to spare.

[@raz_nick4048]

Put that engine in a light midengine fiero and see what happens

[@manoman0]

@@raz_nick4048 THAT was the right engine for a Fiero.

[@raz_nick4048]

@@manoman0 I got a 3800sc fiero soon to be turbo hopefully. The GN and t types were out of my reach so I decided the alternative cheaper RWD 3.8 powered car was a fiero, I got lucky with an 88 notchback

[@allygante3713]

This is one of the best car history channels on the planet keep up the great work

[@eroom2087]

Thanks for putting this on KZbin to show people how slow these cars really where even with a turbo

[@digitalkov]

Wow, that black GNX looks stunning! Those wheel arches! Whoa!!!

[@JonnyHolms]

I absolutely love this channel, keep up the great reviews of some great car's. Thanks

[@dorklyasmr6017]

My dad had one of the earliest Buick turbos; a 1978 Regal. My god it took forever for that turbo to kick in. You'd put your foot to the floor; then you'd have time to mull over in your head the day's events, think about what you might want for dinner, think about where you might want to go for vacation next summer... and then, BOOM, it kicked in and shoved you in your back seat.

[@Texas_Cruiser]

DorklyAsmr ha ha nice

[@briansmith8361]

I can't say enough good things about GM's 3.8 liter V6! My first car was a 1990 Buick Le Sabre Custom with a turboless version of this engine. It produced 165 horsepower and 210 foot pounds of torque. These were respectable figures for the era. Thanks to balance shafts later introduced to this engine, my V6 was smooth, torquey, and reliable. I consistently got over 20MPG, and although the car wasn't fast, it had adequate acceleration. I paid only $2200 for it in 2000, and drove it until February 2005 when I traded it in for a new Subaru WRX. I never got the pleasure of driving a turbo 3.8, but my turbo Subaru is a fine substitute for now.

[@bluesky-ud9wg]

Balance shafts? The only company that needed balance shafts for a V6. Toyota does not need balance shafts in the V6 engines because they know about quality.

[@nickwilczynski3684]

This has got to be your best video yet. Just absolutely awesome! So glad you do these.

[@chrisj197438]

GM headquarters in Detroit has the very first GNX produced on display and it is a beautiful sight.

[@DavidR-ub2dp]

Is it the GNX # 000?? I think thats the one wow

[@chrisj197438]

@@DavidR-ub2dp I believe it is the first one

[@chrisreynolds2410]

That wouldn’t be the 1st one it would be the zeroest one ever made.

[@MonroeMafia]

Man my grandmothers husband had a grand national he always kept it in mint condition I don’t remember what year it was, I was young and he sold it before I really got to appreciate how special of a car it is.

[@philbertdez3863]

A co worker in the early 90's had a 1987 GN for a couple of years before selling it to a well to do eighteen year old that desired the car enough to pay way too much for it. The new owner would wrap the car around a tree while doing burnouts in wet conditions in under a day. It's a sad fate for such a beautiful feat of engineering but at least the driver walked away from the accident with only his ego bruised. Thank you for the history lesson on the 3.8 litre wonder engine and Buick.

[@johnbehneman1546]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! TOTALLY AWSOME DOCUMENTARY!!!! GREAT VIDEO AND THANKS FOR SHARING!!!!

[@captainkirk4514]

I had a 1976 Regal with the 3.8 liter engine. By comparison, the 2 barrel carburated stock version was a gutless wonder. The Regals if the 1970s were quite a bit heavier than the they were in the 1980s, the 76 Regal with 3.8 was seriously under powered, but was a reliable car. I had a friend who had a GNX, of course he wouldn't let me drive it(some friend,huh) but I did go for a ride in it, what Buick did to that engine was nothing short of amazing! I thought my eyes were being sucked into the back of my head! It ran circles around my 1970 Chevelle with a punched out 355, it was crazy!

[@Izzy_Havoc]

Sir I must protest! The GM 2004R transmission was not computer controlled. The shift points and line pressure was controlled by a governor and a throttle pressure cable. The only thing the computer controlled was the torque converter lock up.

[@deyabelectric1]

The computer controls the torque converter lockup feature I believe. One of the best automatic transmissions out there for passenger cars, in my opinion.

[@Rusty_trombone62]

I had my original (matching vin) 200r4 transmission built to stage 2 by CK performance in New York almost 20 years ago or close to it. And it’s still hitting hard shifts and with my 3200 stall converter I never drop off boost. So you’re right only the lockup is controlled by the computer. I’m telling y’all a well built with hardened sunshell and better planetary gears 200r4 will pull your turbo regal well into 8s. Basically if you have it built right this transmission will sit behind anything your stage 2 turbo 6 engine throws at it. 25 years ago I was strongly considering having a 700r4 built and swapped in as well as a manual transmission conversion. What was the dealbreaker for me was my farther taught my about cars before he passed away when I was 9 (we lived in Brooklyn ny and he wanted my learning instead of hanging out on the streets). And he was a big GM muscle car guy honestly had he lived to see a Grand National he would have lost his mind because he loved the g body cars. But anyway I’m sorry for getting sidetracked. My dad always taught me about the value of a numbers matching car. He said you can build your engine as big as you want but don’t ever sell or throw away your original engine block, transmission case, or rear diff case because when numbers don’t match anymore the value of the car plummets. Now this was like 5 years before I had my 200r4 built by CK. I was just weighing my options because I knew I wanted a more aggressive shift or a manual transmission. But the fear of loosing value with a different transmission plus we lived in a very small apartment and my mother would have killed my if I stored the original transmission that matched my car in her closet. So I hung onto mine till I had enough money to build the strongest 200r4 that mike could build me out of my own transmission. (Because idk if y’all ever noticed but a 200r4 is one expense transmission to build. Twice the price of a 700r4). So I had it completely built to handle anything I throw at it. 20 years of launching on a L1 transbrake and a 2 step piggyback unit on the stock ecu with my own lockup switch it still shifts like it did when I bought it. I’m sorry for the long story I just got caught up in memory lane. I had my WE4 since it was new and I still can’t get enough of driving it. And had I gotten a manual transmission conversion I know I wouldn’t be happy. All I hear are horror stories about dropping boost and the 4 speed transmission blowing up at the track. I’m so confident that I would have no problem bolting on a precision 6262 ball bearing turbo with internal gate, 80lb injectors, and have Eric from turbo tweak make me a new chip for that turbo. And I guarantee the 200r4 handles it at 24-28 lbs of boost (I would do higher but it would blow my engine. My engine is stick with a griddle and arp studs on the rods and heads). So you got my vote for the 200r4. I know a lot of guys are going with the 400 transmission. It’s not for me.

[@davidsgarage44]

S1KRR yeah give me my overdrive i love my 700r's and 200's are cool too with od,,but for work trucks give me the th400...so much easier than the 4l60,4l80...i have an 87 ttype restoring almost ready for paint ill make a vid

[@Rusty_trombone62]

david peirce if you ever have questions about anything having to do with turbo Regals I would be happy to help.

[@Texas_Cruiser]

S1KRR nice story man don't worry about sidetracking or whatever it's all reminiscing about those times and memories. I'm 36 but have an old soul and my dad's favorite car at that time was the Monte Carlo SS. Not not the quickest thing on the block with the 305 but he liked how it was a bigger luxury style looking car with sport styling to it. I'd always ask hey what's that and he'd say that's a Malibu, that's a Chevy II, or that a Roadrunner. I'll never forget in the 90s as a kid I said wow dad what's that?!? And he said that's a Buick Grand National those are fast. I NEVER forgot that car. And this was before the internet blew up and the craze started over these cars like today. So albeit I really wasn't an adult in that era I have a special connection to these cars. I even like the base model Regals, Cutlasses, and I love the Luxury Sports. That they put t tops on these g bodies is funny but awesome at the same time! Anyhow I still aspire to have one one day and you got me thinking about that tranny in there a lot of folks aren't aware of or aren't so knowledgeable about their capability. I'll get in touch with you when I get one or when I start looking. I've had a post 2000 Vette and Camaro as far as GM cars are concerned. On the list for sure are an IROC Z (nostalgic for me from childhood), the 94-96 Impala SS (dad's favorite when they came out), and the one I'll get and keep for good or a long time will be the GN. That said I'll want a clean one in good overall shape. Shoot I'm rambling on too! Take care and happy holidays!

[@agp9844]

I was part of the original group that created the new version of the turbo Buick V-6 in the mid 70's at Buick engineering. I have a lot of documentation on this subject

[@andyharman3022]

Thank you for your service in pursuit of Horsepower!

[@blipco5]

Love your videos. Keep em coming.

[@anthonymacneil2279]

Barrett Jackson sold a few GNX ' S for a respectable $150,000 if I remember right

[@DavidR-ub2dp]

Yes those cars are in the 6 digit figures today its no surprise that those buicks are worth a mint today the one that was a Barrett Jackson had 50 miles on the odometer it was # 547 last gnx so mind-blowing that its still like new conditions today this is my dream car

[@anthonymacneil2279]

@@DavidR-ub2dp Absolutely, looking forward to see what it will sell for at this months auction

[@andregarant46]

Spectacular video! Thanks for the great info!

[@jalsr.speak2379]

In 1987 I watched a GN do 12 somethings at the track. I loved that car. I was Amazed that a v-6 could do that.

[@ALEX173446]

I have a 2000 Buick LeSabre with the same engine minus the turbo it's one of the most bulletproof engines ever made

[@toyoscio]

That's nice.

[@victorialouden1912]

BIG Al 24 different motor front wheel drive and RWD ARE DIFF BLOCKS

[@johndicarlo4469]

With no interchangeable parts. I'd say they're DIFFERENT!

[@johnmacdonald5483]

I agree whole heartily had a 88 park avenue and a olds Regency with the 3.8. Awesome power and reliability for the day.

[@Bartonovich52]

Same motor. 3.8 90 degree V6 based off the Buick 215 V8. Lots of the same motors have no interchangeable parts. Big fvcking whoop.

[@dpracing1]

Once heat soaked, they were sluggish, even SLOW. I slayed many GN’s on the street in the 90’s with my 5.0 Mustang. At the track, once cooled down, they ran as advertised.

[@TheDeckerts]

Found myself outside a GM dealer in 1988 at night. Don't remember if it was Buick, but they had a GN-X inside on the showroom floor. So yeah, I squinted. This car with a $29K base price had a "dealer adjusted" sticker price of just over $50K. They knew what they had.

[@joshua09ahs]

Your videos are awesome thanks for putting out this content.

[@lesdmark]

That transmission was not computer controlled. GM did not do that with any of their transmissions until the 90's

[@tensecondbuickgn]

Technically the converter clutch solenoid was controlled by the computer. but I agree the entire valve body was hydraulic n spring

[@johnneilan2306]

@@tensecondbuickgn whenever I have a chip burned I make sure the converter doesn’t lock up until 55mph. Nothing more annoying than the converter locking up driving around town

[@DavidR-ub2dp]

Yes the 4L60E transmission were out by the 90s they go rid of the vacuum control transmissions by then

[@toyoscio]

Lol, to think the following year the Regal was FWD with the 125 HP 2.8

[@guillermomunguia1746]

Love the g-body platform!!!!

[@djohnnineonesix820]

I swap the v6 on my regal for a Mexican 6.6L small block v8 out of a chevy pickup 400SS. And a corvette 700r4 upgraded transmission . The famous 454SS truck wasn't able to catch me up. That body was the best. No body rolling at all.

[@jeffreywhitlatch1409]

In 87, I had a 87 Mustang LX 5.0 HO . The only competition I had was some chick in a 86 Grand National. We'd go back and forth winning. I loved that G body. Miss my Buicks and Old's

[@thefiascogarage3215]

I had one of the black WO2 cars that were cancelled after the first 90 days of '87 production, which is where the "Turbo T" moniker for '87 came from in the form of the service bulletin. If you want to know what they were mechanically limited to? My Scanmaster read 147 mph before the stock D5 converter unlocked. I threw a stock trans and converter in it for a burnout contest. Fun times. If anybody has one and is looking to see what a mostly stock one can do? Swap in Comp 980 valve springs (buy the shims as well to set the height) and take your plug gap in to about .032 on R43TS' if you are going to raise the boost. Still to this day I see one and think, "That's my car" to the point of even reaching for the keys out of instinct. They do something to you that can't be undone.

[@thefiascogarage3215]

I'm feeling a "Surprise! Part 4" for the TTA. I can't wait for that and also the SyTy's. You are also going to have to consider covering the Turbo Chrysler K cars at some point. Specifically the Spirit R/T. 14.2's and a weird build? I had a '97 Cobra and a '91 R/T at the same time. I'd rather drive the Spirit because nobody saw it coming. Ever. A G35 with Skyline 350GT emblems, a couple C4's, numerous Mustangs and F-bodies, one cop car, the regular WRX's when we got them, and a vast array of ricers were lost in clouds of their own arrogance... and tire smoke. The only car I ever had that I could set the cruise control while doing a burnout w/ the e-brake on. THAT is a real Chinese Firedrill.

[@tjclt250r]

W02 is just the black out trim around lights and windows i think you mean you had the WE4 which was an all black turbo t....very rare i had one too

[@michaelhaulotte689]

The Fiasco Garage Thanks for the info on the WO4 , I have one and have never seen another. Any idea of how many WO4 ‘s they made ?

[@andrewpaul7441]

Gm(Buick)performance rated it at 400+hp @ 19 psi boost. The 87 t-type I ordered produced 19 psi boost with 112 oct fuel and added spring pressure to the waste gate. With a open y pipe before the cat it spooled incredibly fast needing drag radials.

[@MarkRVillano]

If there's one thing you could always count on with GM, it's that whenever they had something good that really worked, they'd totally abandon it within a few short years. If those bean counters had been running the show over at Porsche, the 911 would have been long gone by now.

[@roknroy1]

i was at the dragstrip alot when these came out. they ran low to mid 14s, mustangs and camaros with a few bolt ons ran the same

[@scottsmith6571]

87 had 245 hp and 355 Wink wink. I think over 300 hp and 430 ftlbs

[@regalgn1]

My bone stock 86 ran 14.20 in the 1/4 on street tires.

[@andrewdscott02]

'86 has 245hp. Buick lied in the marketing materials so they could bump the power by ten in '87 when the Corvette was getting a bump without having to do any additional work on the car. They sandbagged. Claims of 300hp are incomplete. The engine made 245 horsepower on its SAE certification test, and they only certified that powerplant once. That test is done at a specific temperature. The engine could make about 300 horsepower... if it was below freezing. The famous Car and Driver test where the car went 4.9s 0-60 was done on a four degree day in Michigan. The lower ambient temperature made the intercooler work better and the ECM and injection system was sophisticated enough and had enough spare capacity to compensate.

[@bilbobaggins4710]

@@andrewdscott02 I believe you coz if it made that much hp and torque it would have been quicker in the 1/4... I used to run them on the street against my '85 Vette and they didn't beat me by that much ...if I had sticky rubber in the rear I could have done much better

[@TS-jp1lm]

Nope...no where near those numbers

[@scottsmith6571]

An my stock 89 tta ran 13.50’s 3 times only 3 times I went down the track

[@scottyjones27]

I remember these machines!! I had 1987 IrocZ 5speed with 305TPI engine!! My cuz dad got one of these GN I tryed to drag race but GN wood just drive around me when turbo kicked n!!! Like I had missed a gear or something???

[@groovealate74]

Boy, that would've been a great engine to put in a Fiero!! This is an excellent episode, I love grand nationals, and this video is right on!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Ladco77]

The Buick GNX: The Hemi 'Cuda of the '80's.

[@victorialouden1912]

buddy GNX 455 WERE HEMI KILLERS BACK IN TBE DAY THAT IS WHAT THEY CALLED THE GNX STAGE 1 HEMI KILLER.

[@camclarke2663]

that's gsx and yes they would lay a whooping to the hemi

[@jdgreen214]

The hellcat redeye of today the GN is the hellcat.

[@crankychris2]

Test cars were carefully hopped up before turning them over to car test magazines. I owned a supercharged Riviera, once I opened up the exhaust and added an adj boost gate, over 300hp was easily obtained. Torque steer in 1st gear was scary. More fun was 60-120 mph dashes. That Riv was quiet and classy, though she moaned loudly every time I called down for warp speed!

[@RICKROCKERTHEORIGIONAL]

I am one of the lucky few alignment tech whom drove these cars..W F Buick dealer and Loved the Gran Nat. It felt like a Rocket ship.

[@markgriffin4900]

I worked at a Buick dealership in the late 80s. I still remember the first time I drove an 86 grand national. I almost rear ended someone with the right side of the car. I was taking a corner fast when the turbo kicked in and before I knew it I was going 50 mph sideways. The Grand Nationals had so much power they would shift into second gear while you were power braking them. The GNX is the only car I drove that chirped the tire shifting into 3rd gear. Another funny thing is at the proving grounds someone at Buick put bumper stickers on the Grand Nationals that said I brake for Corvettes.

[@tensecondbuickgn]

The horsepower numbers were definitely fudged. There was an interesting article written by the Cleveland plain dealer stating how the intra-divisionary rivalry between Buick and Chevy already caused problems with existing Corvette owners by building and approving the inter-cooled 3.8 l. It was considered sacrilege to upstage the so-called King of the Hill with a little v6 So the numbers were fudge to make it more palatable.

[@tensecondbuickgn]

The Cleveland Plain Dealer had an extensive article about how GM didn't want to cause any intra divisional rivalries and so the GN's power ratings were listed below the Corvette.

[@88tcoupe]

Great series, loved it! Maybe do a video on the '80's Monte Carlo SS?

[@jeremythompson9122]

They should do one on the Monte Carlo SS and Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 Aero Coupes. They were cool looking cars. Not the least bit fast but still pretty cool cars and it's pretty easy to swap in a hot fuel injected 350 in place of that weak 305

[@hushmoney2058]

I would get pissed off when people would call my 86 GN a Monte Carlo .....

[@88tcoupe]

@@hushmoney2058 I would too. When I had my '84 SVO Mustang, people would call it a 5.0 lol.

[@roroyo2708]

that brown 87 t type is still currently for sale in san francisco for 20gs on craigslist

[@ncchemist]

The Corvette crew inside GM killed it off after that Car and Driver review. It embarrassed the vette and paid the price. Those were sweet cars.

[@20alphabet]

Great video, very informative.

[@mheath7178]

Best cars ever produced!

[@dannyfields2065]

mag neto back in 1987 friend of mine was a big 87 grand national fan, knew nothing about mustangs or how to drive them, i had read different articles that a good driver in an 87 mustang gt could beat an 87 grand national. i was in the market for a new car, so i test dove a grand national, low boost you bogged badly, you put it up to 3 or 4 lbs boost and it spins wildly. then i took an 87 mustang gt out, and if you could drive it comes out like a shot. well my buddy ordered an 87 type (its a little lighter) i ordered an 87 mustang gt stick. we agreed we would run a best 3 out of 5 race right after we got them, with no mods to either car. well his came in on a thursday, mine came in on friday. so early sat morning we went to a marked quarter mile, and i knew the only way i would lose, was to miss a shift. i let his one passenger count, we were off, i beat him on every run, between 3 to 6 car lengths. the next week he took it to the drag strip and turned a best of 14.3 seconds.

[@colinsdad1]

The reason Buick killed off the GN wasn't just about the platform changes- the Warranty Issues they had with the 3.8 Turbo killed it off as well. My next door neighbor growing up worked as a salesman at the biggest Buick dealership in this part of Massachusetts. He used to drive GNs home regularly. When I FINALLY got my driver's license in 1988, he told myself and my Dad that his Dealer's Service Dept had been inundated with dead T Types and GNs. Reason? The first generation of performance chips, along with manual boost controllers, smoked those 3.8s. I tried to scrape the money together to purchase a T Type from him, but, I couldn't afford it on a High Schooler's Work income. Instead, I bought a 1986 IROC with the 305 carbureted, 5 speed stick from his dealership. It was a slug, speed wise, but, it handled quite well for back then. Funny part? My daily driver, a modded 07 Subaru Forester XT Sports 5 speed manual, runs mid 13s with a turbo 2.5L Boxer-4. Annnnd, I can carry my grandkids for a day out with Papa, with room to spare. How times have changed.....

[@tone7560]

It was also so easy to bump up the HP on these cars from stock levels, making them scary quick for the time. I remember just lining up with no cool downs whatsoever between passes and repeatedly whuppin mustangs of all kinds on a local Mustang club track day. GTs, Cobras, didn't matter. They all lost.

[@mostlypeacefulmisterputin]

Scrapping the RWD G-Body for the FWD W-Body is one of the most tragic events in automotive history

[@johnmacdonald5483]

Acutally its the exact engine minus the turbo. Thats why it was such a good candidate for the turbo in the grand national.

[@kickinvideo333]

I still have that C&D issue 😎👍🏼 Grand Nationals and Fieros had to die because they were superior to the Corvette in so many ways. Put a chip in the GN, a ceramic turbo with higher boost, and a hotter cam and you'll be in the 10s. Drop a similar Buick 3800 supercharged V6 in the Fiero and Presto! 10sec. quarter mile! Then upgrade the suspension on the Fiero and the Corvette loses its cornering crown. It was this internal GM pressure from Buick and Pontiac that was the real impetus behind the ZR1. In fact, it was this rivalry that led GM to develop the monster LS1 based off of the enormous success of the Corvette ZR1's all-aluminum LT5. Now the Fiero has two motor options with legendary pedigree to choose from for a weekend motor swap: the Supercharged 3800 and the insane transaxle LS4 V8

[@briansweeney8912]

My dad left me a 87 real deal grand national GNX. It's still ridiculously fast

[@stevehoch9528]

I could forgive the fact that the Grand National only had a six in it. What always bothered me was the regular buick Regal instrument cluster. The Olds 442 and the Monte Carlo SS both had a real gauge cluster. Mind boggling.

[@gregkistner1955]

Cool information!

[@orange70383]

The 86 3.8 turbo was a interesting engine, My friend bought new 86 GN and hitting 2nd would make smoke roll off the tires.

[@hushmoney2058]

Stealth Like I loved the fact all you would hear is the Turbo and then Skirt ....

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Great vid!!!!!!!!!!

[@rickym.5271]

Part 3 was uploaded at the speed of light.

[@tone7560]

I wish GM and Buick made a modern GNX out of the Cadillac performance car chassis today. Throw in a modern turbocharged, intercooled 6 cylinder turbo and imagine the HP it would produce.

[@hailstorm1986]

The Turbo 3.8 was the little engine that could roast tires. 😇

[@amergigolo1442]

Awesome car.

[@stude1965]

A guy at work had an 87 Regal with the T package. 307 Olds V8. His sister bought it new at the dealership she worked at. What a shame that it wasn't a 3.8. Turbo.

[@realbigdady]

Gm is great at getting something just right then killing it and starting over again. Lt4 vette, ats v, volt and any number of great cars.

[@jeffreyscott5799]

Could you imagine a world in which Buick still used a variant of this wonderful motor in those new rental car Regals their barely selling now! Ooooo an Encore GSX? A 12 second crossover? Heck even I would buy that?

[@jond1965]

Very fast car, and a great car as well.

[@thetoneknob4493]

imagine if Buick had teamed up with Mazda to use the mx5 platform but with their turbo v6 mated to a six speed gearbox. now that would have ben a fun car!

[@johneddy908]

9:52-10:08, that car was the 1989 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 20th Anniversary Edition. It was the Official Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500 that year and was the first of its kind that could pace the starting field to the green flag virtually as is, without any modification whatsoever.

[@Novusod]

Make a video on the 1991-1993 Dodge Spirit Turbo. It is one of the most under rated sleepers ever and very few people know about it.

[@Texas_Cruiser]

Novusod that car with some upgrades too...ridiculous

[@delcenordlund1124]

Yes

[@TRUCKOCD]

After they ended the longitudinal 3.8 they released the transverse 3.8 and they put superchargers on them, I think the 90s and early 00s Monte Carlo SS’s, Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, Impala SS FWD, Regal GS, Park Avenue Ultra, and 96-99 Riviera got them.

[@CHEGTO]

In 2003 I bought a mistreated 1987 regal t type white with red interior for 2,$000 and I loved that car to death I put almost 7grand into fixing her back up and owned her u till 2007 when a " friend " of mine wrapped her around a telephone pole while I was away on buisness. I've owned some pretty great cars over the years but that was one of my top 5 before I die cars and I will get another one one day

[@kingkonga245]

I love g bodies. Especially turbo charged ones. Why wont GM remake the gnx? Ford and dodge have their old muscle cars back. come on GM.

[@cpufreak101]

it's been rumored for a while that a Camaro-based GNX may happen, but since it's been said so often I doubt it's happening

[@timnugent6178]

Never gonna happen. .. it's now government Motors Company !!!!

[@jessepinkman8821]

GM is ran by idiots. Look what they did to Pontiac.

[@MTrefry2]

They tried, they made the Regal GS, but it was an awd sedan, not a rwd coupe.

[@cordeliaforlear16]

@@cpufreak101 I heard it was based on the Cadillac GTS. Front engine/rear drive. Buick better call Mike Dobble and come up with an awesome engine.

[@stevenallen6245]

G body for the win🏁🏁🏁🏁

[@thetreblerebel]

Got to be the coolest car out of the 80s. Turbo was the way to go. And now a days...the turbo is common place on V6s to get high HP. Fords EcoBoost etc

[@teflon-von4328]

Had an 85 wh1. Now my wife wears it around her finger. I remind her often.🤨🤨

[@tyjr14]

..great vidio, i have a black 1988 Monty Carlo SS, modified 305 HO. it pails in comparison to the GN but love the g-body's! guess I'm a 'closet' lover of this legend-forever!

[@joekurtz8303]

Regal T type was fun & had wicked acceleration . Shoulda' kept it around longer!!💨💨💨

[@lyleliliwort8489]

..now imagine putting the gnx turbo v6 into a 1978-1979 A or G body....just imagine it!!

[@earwax3243]

Great video. The under reporting of power was due to the Chevy guys complaining to GM because the GN could eat a vette for breakfast. Chevy wanted the Buick to be tuned down so not to hurt vette sales/reputation. Buick told them to pound sand. GM decided to allow buick to keep on with it and advertised numbers were reported well below actual numbers to appease chevy.

[@blackthunder7342]

Good video

[@CoastalAutoReactionCAR]

Just an FYI 86 5.0 went up in power from 85 not down. Love the videos! Cheers

[@bobvicki]

'85 5.0 with 4 barrel carb was rated 210, '86 dropped to 200 with the FI.

[@gsfbffxpdhhdf7043]

bobvicki 50 ho 225

[@billgates1682]

@@gsfbffxpdhhdf7043 That was the *'87* and up when they put the E7TE truck head on the 5.0.

[@ironeagle2526]

I had a 79 regal sport coupe loved that car until the turbo charger went out back then the were oil cooled not like today that engine needed special care because of the charger seeing that engine again brought back good memories

[@privatepropertynotrespassi3760]

The “G” body shuffle all the way down the track lol

[@kgbeezr75]

Cool car, cool engine, would still take a C4 any day over the incredibly dated 70s design of the Regal. That overall design is pretty synonymous with some of GMs darkest days. I can remember riding in those Regals and Cutlasses as a kid, definitely not a modern platform. All out speed isn't everything. Still a pretty cool testament to what GM could do at the time with what they had.

[@loveandbaconbrian1901]

Great video! Very interesting about sandbagging the official numbers...

[@plcwboy]

Finish reading that issue of Motor Trend. There is a Dodge a few pages after it which is about the same 0-60

[@HeatFilter]

Grand National vs Typhoon vs Syclone

[@douggorton1482]

Buick looses off the line but blows by them quickly.

[@samuelvelez1643]

Typhoon and Syclone were the GN killer

[@markbrinton6790]

@@samuelvelez1643 no they weren't, stop spreading lies.

[@dukecraig2402]

The 1987 Callaway twin turbo Corvette was Chevy's answer to the Buick Grand National taking the SCCA win in 1986, the gauntlet had been thrown!!! And Chevy was pissed!!!

[@badassbuick86]

And that still couldn't beat a GNX

[@michaelhaulotte689]

So corvette got angry and hit them with there purse , Corvettes suck !

[@edbtzkhud]

They ended up putting that engine in an all white Pontiac GTA in 1988.

[@blackericdenice]

This is why I bought a 2016 F150 2.7. I could not afford a GN in 87.

[@Texas_Cruiser]

blackericdenice ha ha

[@michaelhaulotte689]

blackericdenice How are these 2 stories even remotely related ? 🤔

[@Icutmetal]

@@michaelhaulotte689 They’re not; he’s reaching for relevance.