1987 Buick Grand National Walkaround with Steve Magnante

[@jamesmisener3006]

Worked on a new house in Nova Scotia in 1988 and the owner had one. His new driveway was still gravel and limestone dust at the time and he would clean his wheels and tires every night when he got in the garage only to drive out the same drive in the morning! Every morning we were there before he left and we'd get a nice 1st, 2nd & 3rd gear tire squeal show as he turned onto the main road. Cheers 🇨🇦

[@wranglercody8422]

My dad has a 87 GN he bought in 2001 from our neighbor who was the original owner. It’s a awesome car and super clean just like this one. He did do some upgrades. Bigger turbo, bigger intercooler, methanol injection, it’s lowered with some Boyd Coddington wheels. And it’s 1 of about 200 with the sunroof.

[@joejackson9172]

86 GN had 235 hp and 330 foot pounds. 87 GN had 245 hp and 355 foot lbs

[@justinwhite7980]

Those #s were derived from testing 1986 models. Zero difference between 86-87 drive-trains.

[@joejackson9172]

@justinwhite7980 agreed. The extra hp and torque was only due to a reprogrammed chip in 87.

[@StingrayLS7]

Beautiful car on my wish list thanks ...

[@JT-sl3ui]

Buick built 20,740 Grand Nationals the last production year 1987. 547 went to ASC/McLaren to become the GNX or Grand National experimental.

[@kurtzimmerman1637]

the 80's had a few fun cars and this was one of them! thanks for the video Steve!

[@cub1009]

My mother worked for GM in the 1980s and into the early 2000s. She was given cars to drive. She said the Buick Grand National was one of the fastest vehicles she had ever driven. At the time GM engineers referred to these big RWD cars as " last of the dinosaurs" before FWD and plastic bumpers took over. It really was the end of an era.

[@rikwilkinson1451]

Always one of the favorites

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

The Grand National and Pontiac Fiero are two of the worst mistakes that GM made. Not the making of them. The discontinuation of them. They kept improving them and had them really good. And just because they didn't sell as many as they wanted, they stopped making them. Just imagine if the Grand National and Fiero had been continued. With modern technology they would be unstoppable. The Grand National would own the drag strip. And the Fiero would own the road course. The Grand National would be great to have stock. Especially a GNX. But I want to get a Fiero and put a modern GM 2.0 turbo in it with a 5-speed, coil overs, 4 wheel disc brakes and some sticky tires. That would be nice. If I only had the money...

[@raz_nick4048]

My dream car is the GN but I got to own a Fiero with a cammed 3800sc and it was a beast! Totally recommend whatever setup you go for!

[@forgotmylogininfo]

Gm killed the Fiero from day 1. the last ones made were what the designers & engineers wanted to start but the accounting offices wouldn't let that happen when it was first rolled out

[@cuzz63]

This car was a game changer.

[@JohnB-le2pi]

Great video! I have owned my 1987 Grand National since 2008. It has lots of go-fast goodies and is a beast! Buick kept making GN's well past Sept 1987 (traditional introduction date of the 1988 model year) and the last one rolled off the line in early December 1987. I have the dealer invoice and window sticker for my car and it was sold new at Post Road Buick in Marlborough Mass. It stayed in that area about 9 years before it made its way out here to Minnesota. Keep up the greats vids Steve- I love the model car segments! I also collect redline Hot Wheels, Topper Johnny Lightnings, HO slot cars (Aurora AFX, G-Plus, and Tyco Pro) and vintage R/C cars. Like you I'm nuts about anything car related!!

[@mikechurch2359]

This is one of my favorite car's

[@haroldstrickland8416]

I've got an '86 T-Type Regal. What classy cars these are. Great drivers & very unassuming until you press the skinny pedal. Hold on & have a good time when doing this. Steve, that GN was beautiful & was also a great video. Keep it up please.

[@dianecortis2047]

I have a 1987 GNX #069 with 1000 miles on it.

[@haroldstrickland8416]

@@dianecortis2047 I've ridden in #447 of 547. The owner lives the next county over. Can't remember if it was a moon roof or t-tops...I was too busy holding on!

[@dianecortis2047]

@@haroldstrickland8416no moon roof or t-tops.

[@goratgo1970]

Thanks Steve. In 1991 friend had a charcoal T-type. I've had an Art Carr built 200-4R behind BB 502 since 1998, still going great! Can only imagine the fuel savings over the years...

[@totalyep]

Car has actually had a lot of mods.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Love the GN................. 👍👍👍

[@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman]

My best friend in 1987 bought a new GNX & damn what a ride that thing was, it blew my GTA Trans Am away red light to red light but I would get him on top end but I still love those GNs - PEACE LOVE n HIPPYNESS

[@SolamenteVees]

Growing up in suburban Detroit in the late 80s and being born into a Mopar family, I hated these turbo Buicks. But they were fast and not difficult to get into the 12s. Thank you for the education, Steve.

[@gregkistner1955]

Cool to know about the front grill! Thanks!

[@googleusergp]

Close. The transmission was the THM200-4R, RPO code "MW9". There was a THM200, but that was RPO code "MV9", and it was only a three speed, not an OD like the MW9. The THM200 was a horrid transmission with terrible reliability. The 1987 models were built at the Pontiac, MI plant which is evidenced by the "PON" on the SPID label in the trunk.

[@goratgo1970]

I chose an Art Carr 200-4R 2800 stall with lockup behind my BB 502. That was in 1998. One super trans, perfect shifts, best 1st gear. Did need a stronger lockup solenoid but otherwise still great to this day.

[@googleusergp]

@@goratgo1970 They are well known transmissions in the performance/racing world, that's for sure.

[@xekret]

Saw one driving down the road the other day and its just a bad ass car.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

A buddy has I 1987 Grand National (total black grill) and had a Buick T type. Had a ride in the T type before he sold it, and for stock, it was darn quick! That is for the info on what year has what grill!

[@chrisleggett685]

In high school a friend's dad bought a brand new GN. A couple of weeks later he put it into a wall at Los Angela's county Raceway in Pearblossom,ca. That track is closed now

[@johndymowski8939]

Good presentation Steve, but that motor could be had With a manual 5 speed behind it in The 1989 GTA anniversary Trans Am. My cousin had one I told her never sell it. I was Forever repairing the body, especially the front urethane parts. She worked at the Pontiac dealership where she got the car. But they were still spot repairing with lacquer! I was always repainted there screw ups. They would also forget to use the flex additive to the paint as well... the two/ three stage Dupont Centari matched perfect. A lot faster car with the 5 speed...

[@urbanurchin5930]

......I always repainted THEIR screw ups........easy to see why you never got beyond a body and paint monkey.......illiteracy will doom this country......

[@googleusergp]

You can thank the Van Nuys, CA plant where they were made for that one. Due to California air regulations, most cars after about 1978 that came out of that plant were painted with water based paint which didn't hold up. I only recall the 1989 TTA coming with a THM200-4R like the Grand National, no manual transmission TTA cars were made to my knowledge.

[@maidenrulz73]

I traded my 85 iroc z for one of these…..I drove it out of the showroom and that was the easiest 30 seconds the car ever had…..I beat the death out of it…..young and foolish to say the least

[@Atomos_DRIVE]

Question Mister Magnante...do u delivre in montreal ?...is it still for sale?

[@1987grand]

He is quoting the wrong HP and Torque numbers for an 87 Grand National, the true number is 245 HP and 355 foot pound torque per GM.

[@Dayandcounting]

Those turbo Buick's put performance back into mid sized cars and the pony cars too. Performance had gone down since the early 70's. Just prior to the those turbo Buick's the quickest car in the US was a turbo Dodge Colt.

[@robertg.3555]

memories. my brother brought an '87 new , . he let me drive it once. it was super fast for that time. shortly after his fiance'' bought a new '87 also. 2000 miles later.She spun it out and into the center divider on rt80 in paterson nj , during a rain storm. totlaled. and yes he still married her.

[@googleusergp]

Hopefully at least one of the (cars) survived, and hopefully they are still married. LOL.

[@terryprust9604]

And within the first minute you are wrong. I really wish people would get the numbers right. 1986 235hp. 1987 245hp

[@jasoncarlson7867]

One of my all time favourites! Always love the G bodies since my first car was an 82 Cutlass Supreme. Loved cruising in that car but it was nowhere near as cool as a Grand National.

[@countryroadautopartsusa6466]

Steve, do you think the power ratings were underrated by GM? Considering the 1/4-mile ET in the 13s, 260HP is not going to get it done with that weight of a car.

[@chrisharwell2355]

Price?

[@Earths1stgamer]

Nooo dude that was car was 300 hp!

[@jkaps1173]

27,000 produced in '87?

[@stevenrichardson5563]

What about that 340 duster in the background 🤤

[@ruthlessreid9172]

330 torque in 3600 car mustang 290 torque in 2850/3100 car try again Steve.

[@josephf593]

Believe the 87 GN was around 3400 lbs give or take.. 1986 GN was 235HP & 330 lb ft. 1987 GN = 245HP & 355 lb ft of twist. 87-92 mustang GT 225 hp 300 lb ft of torque.

[@ruthlessreid9172]

@@josephf593 no they were way heavier than that and plus the mustang had a five speed go to any drag strip in America the foxbody ruled the 80s

[@josephf593]

@@ruthlessreid9172 ur talking to a ford guy, from that era. Rember it well. The GN's were no joke. As to the weight, I only know 1 person that has a grand national & his is around 3,400 lbs. with half tank of fuel. heavy compared to a LX notch t-5 car

[@michaelgreer8659]

Who cares, look at that cuda.