This AUCTION 1989 Turbo Trans Am has issues. They LIED!

[@TurboTA89]

Drag race mine and also take it to shows and cruise ins. Drove it to high school everyday and owned it 22 years now. Runs 10.0s @132 on the stock wheels, block, pistons, rods, and crank. Small 61mm cast wheel turbo.

[@nickmorgan8434]

I had the 5.7 tpi with long tube headers it flew..would love the turbo car

[@Rascon616-nm2wu]

@@nickmorgan8434no it didn’t 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@nickmorgan8434]

@@Rascon616-nm2wu not literally flight lol it was fast for an 80s car

[@nickmorgan8434]

@Rascon616-nm2wu to a poor person it was fast like myself

[@bisurdaddy]

​@@Rascon616-nm2wuyou must have had a 5.0 mustang. My 89 GTA 5.7 used to smoke them bone stock, and with a couple minor mods would hold its own against c4 vettes.

[@bradlangston4230]

The auction company was actually revealed in this video when he showed us something in the interior of the car. The keys in the ignition had a keychain tag with the auction house name on it.

[@500erider]

1550 of these were offered to the public, all with white exteriors, with camel interiors, some hard tops, most with T-tops, some with cloth seats, most with leather, with 5 additional prototypes having been made during the model's development, of which, no one seems to know the whereabouts of, and none of which were sold to the public.. Those 5 prototypes were made in colors other than white, such as red and black, which is interesting. The engines in these TTA's were not "GNX engines". They did have the turbo upgrades of the GNX, but Pontiac, in order to fit the 3.8 Liter V6 between the shock towers of the Firebird, had to use the heads from the new for 1988, 3800 front wheel drive V6, which actually flowed better than the standard 3.8 Liter head. For the GNX, Buick had ported and polished the old existing 3.8 Liter head. Pontiac also did their own tuning to the PCM, and conservatively rated this engine at 250 h.p., though it easily made in excess of 300 h.p. The TTA was also aerodynamic, and low to the ground, and therefore, did not get the speed limiter that was installed on all Grand National's and GNX's, limiting them to 124 mph. The TTA, without this limiter, and according to various magazine reports, reached speeds between 158-162 mph. There were 547 GNX Regals produced in 1987.

[@Hammerback0]

I saw a car just like this about two weeks ago on a semi car hauler headed south on I75 passing through Fayette county Kentucky. Typical Mecum Auction behavior.

[@josemontano7767]

My dream car 89 Turbo T/A what a beauty

[@stevencovington4715]

Correction at 1:45 They made 547 GNX, not 551. And they were RATED at 276 HP. (But put out more.) Crank is 0.040" under cut? That turbo crank is wasted. I bet that they didn't even put the original cross drilled 89 TTA specific crank back in it. I'd find me a 4.1 Buick crank for safety sake. (If you know, you know.)You are just NOT going to find a TTA specific crank anymore.

[@anthonypalese3153]

I got a new crossdrilled crank for mine about 7 years ago, they are out there

[@robertlopez1217]

Sounds like you do excellent work . Hard to find good people to work on or with lately. Keep it up!!!like your Stangs!!!

[@rogerweiland6384]

Production on the GNX was 547.

[@AngelA-c5e6r]

Sorry but this does have maf sensor ... heads are 3800 fwd to clear strut towers.

[@theiratepirate700]

This is correct.

[@TSi99999]

3800 heads are to allow space for the Air Conditioning. You can build your own with a GN engine just no room for A/C

[@anthonypalese3153]

Yes, uses a crappy stock maf sensor, not readily available any more so I use an lt1 sensor with a translator now and my TTA never ran better.

[@ejrason76]

Auto auctions are kind of a "buyer beware" thing. Besides that, I knew a couple of rich kids (when I was in high school) that owned these things......Nobody thought of these (when new) as collectors cars, they were just fast and pretty toys.

[@erickort1987]

yea it had the buick 3.8 litre tubo in it but it didnt have the same horsepower of the 87 buick gnx

[@BurtonMseries]

That’s too bad. Sucks to have such low mileage and need to get into the motor. Good video, thank you.

[@kj475]

People who have the money to trade in collectables and deal with auction houses usually have a guy at each location they bid that they trust.

[@Knight_of_NI]

Shame on that auction house, good luck

[@milesmania1150]

I totally agree. If you want to go fast use a piece of shit mustang or a base camaro. I would never ruin a sweet Trans Am and I am the owner of a GTA Trans Am so I know exactly how wrong that is.

[@shadhord9502]

I hope you know how to rebuild the Buick 3.8 turbo? A lot of mechanics think they can but wind up screwing them up, that's probably what happened to the last rebuild. The GNX and TTA are both Buicks but the TTA had diffent heads allowing for more boost pressure for instance.

[@TSi99999]

Great show

[@lesstyranny2695]

Even 120psi is still low for the other cylinders... my GN compression test measures 150-160psi.

[@christopherhasty8697]

I hate to say it, but you are wrong, an 89 TTA has a Mass Air Sensor. The only thing the MAP sensor controls on these is the boost gauge. Anyway, too bad that the engine was roached out.

[@theiratepirate700]

Fuel pressure on these cars rise 1:1 with boost via diaphragm regulator.

[@richarddobreny6664]

Does that block ever look tiny! The GN could generate close to 300hp on a cold winters day.

[@clemenlan]

The gnx engine is not the exact same one they used in the 89' TTA

[@lukesilkey4294]

Sorry but they arent GNX engines. Its kind of in between. Has the GNX intercooler, GN turbo, but has 3800 front wheel drive heads. Also it is a M.A.F motor. Nothing wrong with drag racing them either. Just gotta know your tune and run E85

[@michaelruszkowski1207]

Thank You so Much. I hate these jerks that think the know GN's ! I own a 1987 GN 59K. Original Owner... GrandNationalMike

[@michaelruszkowski1207]

And he does not like that it's been raced! THAT IS WHAT IT WAS MADE FOR !

[@michaelruszkowski1207]

He has the block out going to a machine shop that could bore it .030 over. But he is not boring it. Will he reuse the pistons on an engine he claims was ruined from racing. He should have changed his oil every 500 miles and he would still have good bearings. That's called maintaining a Race car.

[@DB509Stang]

Can’t trust people or companies now n days. Buddy of mine bought a 89GT turbo car. Video got sent to him. Well it was at a different time. Care showed up with no exhaust and all kinds of parts in box.

[@theiratepirate700]

I wish you guys would refer to the motor as a turbo regal motor, not a GNX motor. Theres very little difference between the TR engine and a GNX mill. This car on the other hand has FWD heads.

[@1wayMF]

What a scumbag move I hate dishonest people

[@jarvislarson6864]

You only live once....i wasnt around in 69 to experience 69 camaros when they werent antique so regardless how nice im driving the crap outta my 69,not worrying about rock chips or rubber stuck to the bottom of the 1/4 panels from burnouts and drive rain or shine...when im dead what do i care about a car or care its condition for the next guy?!

[@louisbattaglia8075]

There’s auction guarantees on a car that sells for that much

[@SavageProductionsCars]

You would think that. However, the auction companies don't always come through with those "guarantees."

[@TheJagjr4450]

Buddy of mine got his brand new for his 15th birthday VIN#244886 Car #1020 - he is looking for the car to repurchase. He traded it in 1992 with 70k miles on the clock and he had nitrous and boost control as well.

[@toddbell3419]

Jeez if he buys so many cars how did he not know that a "very rare" car at an auction wasn't the first clue there might be a problem? This is why BJ doesn't allow just anything something about "reputation"