The first-generation Buick Regal was a bit of a dog's breakfast, a personal luxury car that launched at the beginning of the Malaise Era. The G-body Grand National, however, is a very different animal.
Everyone knows a thing or two about the iconic GNX, a turbo V6-powered sleeper that could shame a Corvette in the quarter mile. To be frank, every Grand National with an intercooled engine is very desirable in this day and age. The 1987 model in the video below may read GRAND NATIONAL INTERCOOLED here and there, but those nostalgic badges are only for show.
A custom-built monster with a Roadster Shop chassis, the black-painted bruiser had its original engine yanked out in favor of a small-block LS7. The 427 in question had also been turbocharged to a staggering 1,600 ponies, hence the brand-new Roadster Shop chassis.
The Mundelein, Illinois-based company offers two distinct G-body chassis. Retailing at $12,495 and $19,495 at the moment of reporting, the SPEC Series and Fast Track are both performance-oriented setups.
Available with engine mounts for small blocks, big blocks, LS-, and LT-based engines, the Roadster Shop chassis is gifted with a Ford-style rear differential housing and 31-spline axles. The Fast Track improves on the SPEC Series with a C7 spindled front sway bar, end links, and Fox coil-over shock absorbers to boot.
Pictured on super-sticky Michelins that measure 345/30 by 19 inches and 295/35 by 18 inches, the twin-turbocharged Grand National further boasts Design Engineering Boom Mat sound deadening. Smooth and civilized when cruising at highway speeds, that 7.0-liter colossus does make a big racket in full-tilt mode.
Given its 1,600-horsepower rating, the Grand National's owner opted for Impact Racing five-point harnesses for both the driver and front passenger. We can further notice a beefy roll cage, which is reassuring because the car breaks traction even in fourth gear.
Most happy while drinking E85, the Grand National stops on a dime thanks to Baer six-piston brake calipers squeezing on zinc-plated rotors. The owner also went for a completely digital instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment system, along with JK Automotive Designs upholstery and 7.0 TWIN TURBO lettering on the vented hood. The finishing touch? That would be a selector, which – by means of a red key – can dial the LS7 from 1,100 boosted ponies to 1,200, 1,300, or the full-fat 1,600 on corn brew.
It's hard to estimate what kind of money went into this build. It's certainly more than a hundred big ones, although it's hard to tell if the project cracked the $200,000 mark with labor, taxes, and all that jazz. By comparison, GNXs usually fetch in the ballpark of $200k at auction. The most expensive of the bunch sold for $550,000 at Barrett-Jackson in 2022.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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