1987 Buick Grand National

GNX Coupe

ASC / McLaren Intercooled

1G4GJ1170HP450694

Clear

Gasoline

1987 Buick GNX #392 GNX Registry 851 Miles ASC/ McLaren 1 of 547 Intercooler Tag #QH0250 Original Books and Manuals Professionally Stored - Omni Dry Moisture Blue Chip The GNX When Buick added an "X" to a model designa-tion, one could assume that it meant something special. Recall the 1970 GSX which was an appear-ance modification of the Gran Sport. In the case of that "X" machine, the changes were strictly on the outside, but that wouldn't be the case with the GNX. There was one similarity, though, between the two machines, that being the bigger "X" in the three-letter emblem. For many, the GNX is the most desirable some-what modern performance car in the country. It took the second-best performance car in the 1987 Grand National and made it a giant step better. With all its positives, there is one large negative from a collector's point of view. There were only 547 produced, which makes the GNX very rare and very expensive. It has been reported, for example, that GNX models have reached the six-figure values in 1990s sales. Experts advise any lucky GNX owner to keep his car as they are predicted to continually escalate through the years. The refinement that the GNX received in so many different areas is truly amazing. A speed shop couldn't have done a better job. Acquiring a 31hp increase over the standard Grand National engine was a significant accomplishment. Consid-er, of course, that most factory announcements of horsepower are quite conservative by nature, so the actual figure is probably much closer to the 400 or greater figure. The GNX was not a complete factory creation as aftermarket modifications were accomplished by McLaren Engines and ASC Inc. But even though there was this influence, it's generally agreed that Buick engineer Dave Sharpe was the guiding influ-ence behind the GNX. He wanted the Regal line to end with a bang. With the GNX, he succeeded in a big way! Everywhere you looked on the GNX, there were modifications that had been made with perfor-mance in mind. But you really had to look close o the outside to see that this was a different breed of Grand National. Huge care was taken by the company during the assembly process with inspections taking place at each build station. There were just a pair of GNX emblems on the sheet metal, the locations being on the grille and rear deck. But also, each wheel hub carried the fa-mous trio of letters. A nice touch was the fact that each GNX carried its production number on a plaque mounted on the glove compartment door. For the brute that beat under the hood, there was considerable instrumentation to read. This included the expected oil pressure gauge, water temperature gauge, and an 8000rpm tach. The speedometer pegged at 140mph, which wasn't really that much out of line for this hauler. But remember, this was a tur-bocharged engine, so the boost was also record-ed on the dash for driver viewing. The fender wells on the GNX didn't appear that much different, but they were constructed out of a special composite space-age material. Each of the front fenders carried functional fender louvers located high on the front quarters. With the heat generated by the powerplant, the extra cooling ca-pability was definitely needed. Weight reduction was a design goal, and to that end, aluminum components and reinforcements were used as much as possible. The heart of the GNX powerplant was the advanced turbocharger, a unit that completely re-placed the stock unit. Special attention in the new Garrett T-3 turbo was paid to the turbine shaft seals which reduced drag oh the shaft. There was also emphasis on the turbine wheel which was accomplished by its ceramic construction. A so-called contamination trap was also in place to prevent foreign particles from getting near the turbine wheel and creating turbocharger wear. But what really caught your eye when the GNX hood was raised was the unique turbocharger cov-er which sported GNX graphics. Along with its dra-matic looks, the cover also served as a heat shield. Another GNX-specific item was the special intercooler, which had a far more significant capabil-ity than the stock unit. Connecting the intercooler with the throttle body is an important pipe that carries a special heat-resistant line. With its horsepower rating of 276, it's kind of surprising that the engine's torque wasn't greater than 360lb-ft, which it demonstrated at 3000rprn. Another particular about this interesting Buick mill is the low compression ratio of only 8.0:1, but it was pretty typical for a turbocharged engine. Its maximum boost topped out at 15:1 With the monster power from under the hood, it would have been a sin to not have a suspension system and powertrain to support it in the manner it deserved. The GNX engineers considered all the possibilities and came up with a system that made this top Grand National a hauler of the first order. It sounds like a Winston Cup setup with a rear pan hard bar to absorb rear axle loads. There's also a ladder bar used with the stock control arms, which are actually attached to the rear axle cover. There were also a 32mm front stabilizer bar and a 19mm rear unit. Boy, they sure don't build cars like this anymore! Maintenance was considered with special rubber bushings used between all suspension parts. The bushings were such that they could be ser-viced easily should any wear occur. The standard transmission for the GNX was a reprogrammed Turbo Hydra-matic 200-4R four speed hooked to a custom torque converter. Transmission cooling was an area for consideration, something that you wouldn't normally think about on a street car. The GNX would really be stretching it to call it a street car. Located directly in the middle of the grille was an auxiliary transmission cooler located just in front of the air conditioner condenser and just be-hind the grille. With a series of hoses, it was hooked up with the regular radiator. A final statement of its performance: 111mph and 12.6 sec in the quarter bone stock. Please note the following statements:We have moved from Dallas area and the vehicle is in Boise Idaho area.Professional Inspections only to be done prior to auction end.Selling the remainder of my personal collection, sold as is, will help and work with professional transport company, will unpack the car, charge the battery and run the car for inspection.Most of my collection has been stored for 6+years and may require a battery.Please ask any questions and stay tuned for the rest of the collection sold on ebay.Funding required within 3 business days of auction's end.NO RESERVE .On Mar-21-13 at 22:51:54 PDT, seller added the following information: Boise Idaho Boise Idaho We moved to Boise Idaho... thanks