A recent video from the YouTube channel Dreamgoatinc uncovers a rare find, a 1987 Buick Grand National GNX. While General Motors G-body cars were as common as Rubik’s Cubes back then, the GNX adaptation of a Buick Regal was a one-year wonder that’s still treasured today.

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A GNX With 45,000 Miles

The brief video takes viewers along an exterior tour of GNX #244 (547 were built in total). The cobwebs and layers of dust blanket a 45,000-mile Florida car, that at least on the outside, appears untouched and original (we never get to see the interior). Closeups of the engine compartment and undercarriage reveal pristine components and highlight the advanced technology uncommon for cars from 35 years ago.

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The Buick Grand National GNX Story

Barn Find Video Reveals 1987 Buick Grand National GNX
Image via YouTube

The GNX is a remarkable result of some GM engineers sending off the G-body Buick Regal with something memorable. The Regal Grand National had been around since 1984 to commemorate Buick’s NASCAR success and featured a turbocharged 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine and the all-black Darth Vader exterior. At a time when GM beancounters were pushing badge engineering to the max, somehow, the GNX (Grand National Experimental) slipped through the cracks.

Think of the GNX as a Grand National on steroids, very special steroids. Buick shipped off 547 Grand Nationals to ASC/McLaren for heavy reworking. GNX components include an advanced Garrett turbocharger with a maximum 15 psi boost, an upgraded intercooler, a retuned engine computer, a more robust transmission, a performance-tuned suspension, and a custom exhaust.

To separate the GNX from the Grand National, Buick also included some unique exterior features. Front fender air vents not only separate the GNX from its lesser brethren but allow for improved engine cooling. Fender flares give the car a muscular look and accommodate the larger tires and wheels. GNX badging is also used on the trunk lid, grille, and in the center of the unique black mesh wheels.

A Stealthy Performer

Barn Find Video Reveals 1987 Buick Grand National GNX
Image via YouTube

These changes (from the regular Grand National) enabled Buick to market the GNX’s engine output of 276 horsepower and 355 lb-ft of torque (versus 245 horsepower and 355 lb-ft of torque for the stock Grand National). But, Buick deliberately undersold the GNX’s performance not to overshadow other GM products or run afoul of environmental concerns. In truth, enthusiast magazines soon discovered that output actually exceeded 300 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque.

Sources: YouTube, hemmings.com