Gonna make it quick. Been a good boy for months, but got razzed by a guy in what was a really tatty looking Grand National. Needed paint, antenna was sort of drooping down, you know the scene.

I don't run from a standing start any more, and managed to horse around with the guy till we had a quite long stretch of open parkway (55 limit) and we finally got even and open.

Gave him a high five and did the one two three routine and we hit it almost at the same time. Actually pulled him from 20 to about 45, maybe or so, and then I was history.

If any Buick GNX guys lurk on this board, I salute you. That is one *** kicking piece of machinery. I was beat by a better piece of technology than even my Moby and I am probably a better man for it.

And, I don't think I will try it again.

Bill

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99.5 Lightning
Build #247
PSP Chip/Filter
Bassani full system
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Tamiya 1/10 scale Bolt
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E-mail MOSTOYSINC@AOL.com
Kennesaw, Ga. (Atlanta)

 

Hey Bill was it an actual GNX or just a GN?.The GNX's are very very rare.They are basically the same car as a GN but the GNX is more powerful than the GN.Saw an actual GNX at the track a few months ago.It was brought in on a trailer.Guy ran a 12.1.What a sweet ride that thing is.You can find a used GNX for right around 30k,yup they are that rare.

[This message has been edited by ZorPrime (edited 07-27-2000).]

 

If it was a GNX,you got beat by a very nice,rare machine.Maybe a few guys on the board could have given him a run but it would be tough!My wife has a 99 eldorado I would like to sell and buy a GNX,if it was my choice.I can't remember,but someone else had hopes of having a Lightning and a GNX in their garage also.Maybe I can talk her into a new T-Bird.Thanks for the honest post!

 

This is what i do not understand.I know these and the grand nationals are extremely fast.Ive seen them run 1000 times.the part i dont understand is they are so fast yet the Hp/wieght ratio would not make you think they are that fast.(kinda like the Lightnings)Anybody know what the exact HP rating is for grand nationals?Just to think,Back in the 80s Irocs were running 15s and they were fast? mustangs 14.9 for a good one,Those were fast?? weve come along way concidering emmisions and all.If I remember,grand nationals used to run14.9s burning the tires all the way down the track.Between just screwing wth boost and slicks ,they are a common 12 second car.THAT IS FAST

 

Funny this thread came up. Bill, first off, don't hang your head. If he left you hard, then it was not stock, I don't care what anyone says...not with the mods you have. Your truck is good for mid-13s. 12-second _bone/showroom stock_ GN/GNXs do not exist. If they do, then they race at a track where a bone/showroom stock L will also run 12s. Even most GN/GNX owners will tell you this. Granted for a '86-87 car, they were very fast off the showroom floor, but at most tracks they run high-13s. The GNX is a bit faster. Getting them to run _real_ fast is not difficult at all, however.

However, I nearly bought one last year before deciding on my '99 L. I found a very low-mileage (12,200) stock one in Nebraska. Had the guy send me video of it. This was a GN, not a GNX. It was gorgeous, and the price was very good ($14k). I don't really know what I would have done with it had I bought it, but what a nice car.

However, the L is a much better put together vehicle. It takes very little to get the GN to run some very incredible times, but then again it took very little to get my 4800lb truck to run low-13s on radials.

Keep your head up, Bill! There's _always_ someone faster, and that goes for everyone no matter what they drive.

IMO, if you win all your races and you have a 13-sec vehicle, you're not racing a lot of fast stuff. Getting beat by something like this is to be expected. Kudos for being a good sport.

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Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--597rwhp/590rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--390rwhp/441rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--362rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
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GN was 245hp, GNX was 260, I believe...this was for the '87 cars.

0-60 in 4.9 seconds...that is flying. Solid high-13s at 101+mph in the 1/4 off the showroom floor...I'm not talking tweaking boost, etc. A simple chip swap, among other things and they can really go.

Then, of course, you could get real radical with them and get them to run single digit 1/4 mile times, too. Plenty of those out there at the track.

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Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--597rwhp/590rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--390rwhp/441rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--362rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html

 

Lightningquick,

Speaking from experience, these turbo V-6 Buicks respond very, very well to mods and you can bet not many have been left stock.

They are one of the most underrated muscle cars today to the unsuspecting. My friend has a "daily driver" with 125,000 well cared for miles on it and it turns consistent 12.6s at the track with a computer upgrade, Turbo 400 "worked" transmission, headers, etc........ the only "street car" that REALLY scares me.

Bill stayed with him undil his turbo "spooled up" and then it's "hasta la vista!"

[This message has been edited by Dunbarton (edited 07-27-2000).]

 

Thanks guys for the nice words and the sympathy.

Remember, I said this one was tatty, and I played that wolf in sheeps clothing role for several years in CT with my '69 Belair which was rusty, ugly and just terribly quick.
Also, having driven many, many Volvo and SAAB turbo type cars, I am totally familiar with the spool up characteristics of a turbocharged vehicle.

To the point, I took a shot and got shot down and don't feel bad at all. And, that car/those cars were leading edge several years ago. I still would like to run a Cyclone/Typhoon someday as they are at least trucks of a sort.

BTW, this one had all the proper badges and such, so I assume it was the genuine article.

Bill

 

I was reading a car magazine the other day and they metioned a possible new car from Cadillac with a supercharged 4.2 liter northstar engine pumping out 420 HP! Kinda scary. Wonder what Ford will come up with? I'd like to see the Cobra R motor with a blower.

 

I remember seeing a Motor Trend show a few years back. That GM detuned the Grand National/GNX so it wouldn't cause an uproar with the Corvette division and buyers. The reason for this is because it could beat the Corvette in 0-60 and 1/4 mile.

I read there were a few Turbo Regals and the 1989 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am with the same engine as well.

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1999 F250 LD S/C XLT 4x4
5.4L, 3.73, 4R100 trans.
Flowmaster 40 series, K&N, Poweraid, Superchip, Rancho RSX shocks, Stull billet grille, 2-PIAA Pro80XT's (120W), 2-KC Daylighters (150W)
265/70 R17 BFG AT KO's on 17x8 American Racing Atlas rims
Kenwood 7000 CD, Alpine 3342 Signal Processor, Alpine MRV-F353 5Ch. Amp, Pioneer TS-A6865 3-way speakers. CompuStar alarm/autostart. Coming soon: MTX Thunderforms box

 

as wes said the x was a 87 only, and only 547 were produced, at a cost of over 20K (back then). the x version had the engines massaged by McLaren

[This message has been edited by MRBBQMAN (edited 07-27-2000).]

 

There is a turbo trans am at my track every time Im there.He runs 12s all day long and has run 11s@122 from what he said .He detuned it back to stock about 1 month ago and still ran deep in the 13s.He told me he wanted to see what it did stock.He said there were 150 cars made only in 87.I could be wrong but ,Im pretty sure he said 150.the look identical to a GTA.honeycomb wheels and all but the little badges are a pair if wings that say turbo instead of GTA.This one is white.I dont know if they made any other color.You could never tell unless you looked at the badges that it wasnt a gta.matter of fact up until last year,I thought it was a Turbo charged 350.That was what a few people used to say around the track.I finally looked under the hood and saw what I thought to be a GN motor stuffed into a T/A was actually a limited edition turbo 3.8.

 

Well at least it was a car.....
Stay away from the Typhoons unless you want to have to admit a truck beat your L. Stock the L was quicker, but like the GN/GNX, not many stay stock for long. I have an aquaitance who had a Typhoon that would smoke. We went to pick up some stuff to fabricate his ram air setup. On the way he kept toying with a guy in a new ram air T/A. He finally took the bait...knocked it down a couple gears and nailed it. This was on the highway starting at 60 or so. Anyway, Bill let him go 2-3 car lengths. Nailed it, and let up at about 100. That T/A was at LEAST 8-10 car lengths back. Bill tried to get him to pull up and go again, but the guy wouldn't go for it.

I used to have a 396 Chevelle that was pushing close to 400 ponies. I have to admit, I think that Typhoon was faster.

By the way, he sold the Typhoon for over $30,000. One of the cars he was looking to add to his stable was a GN.

 

Another reason that the Buick GNs and other '87 turbo Buick versions were underratted in their hp is insurance. Two hundred fifty hp at that time seemed to be the "magic number" before insurance companies began to define "you're up to no good" buying this car and dramatically increased your rates.

This surely will begin to happen again with the escalating hp wars appearing today.

Bill, you did a realistic job with that GNX. Many others have left with their tail's between their legs after trying one of these turbo Buicks on for size!

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Dunbarton "The Middle Aged Kid" '99 XLT SC SB 4x2 4.6 auto 3.55 ls The occasional Z-71 Eater! Wedgewood & Denim, SuperChipped, Airaid FIPK, HD electrical and cooling, power seat, Rhino Liner, Extang Classic tonneau cover, Mobil 1. Man, I got it all! (New Jersey)

 

Wow Bill, I'm jealous I wish I had a chance to race a GNX. That has got to be one of my favorites cars. The way to tell from a GNX to a GN, is the GNX has vented louvers on the fenders where the "grand national" badge would be. They were also equipped with 16" Black honeycomb wheels with 275 50's goodyear rubber (I think).They are bad, like it was said above, they respond VERY well to a few mods.

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Spiro-TEAM PSP
BLK. #1476

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[This message has been edited by Spiro99SVT (edited 07-28-2000).]