I appreciate your perspective and breakdown of Kendrick Lamar’s “GNX album. I’m here because you mentioned this documentary in your video. Well executed!
I worked at a Buick dealership back in 1986. I was 18 years old and fresh out of high school. I worked for the body shop and got my first look at the grand national and was very curious about this car. I would eventually get a salesman and go for a test drive. I was so impressed that I ordered one with all of the available options. I still remember waiting for a couple of months and waiting patiently for my car to come in. The day that my car came in I was pretty much useless at work because I wanted to spend my time with my new toy. Such good memories!!
I was working at dealerships as a mechanic when I was 18 (Chevy) and I could’ve never dreamt of ordering a brand new car especially a sports car with all the options. This was about 5 years ago. Man how times have changed, and wages have stagnated. Cool story though!
@Kirk Wolfe because the Grand National was much powerful and faster than those two. But in 89 you could have gotten a Turbo trans am that had the Buick GN engine with better heads
The Grand National and the GNX are automotive icons, being a Mustang guy we used to curse these cars, But I have nothing but respect for them, and the owners lucky enough to still have them.
Proud to say I owned an 87. Some of the best moments of my life were in that car, and because of that beautiful car. Those memories will always be cherished. 🖤
I was the Race Director for the Buick GSCA for 11 years and remember when the guy was making this documentary. Believe it or not, he knows nothing about cars by his own admission. He was a pleasant enough fellow. I took him around and introduced him to the "players" in the GN world. I recognize allot of friends in the GSCA race footage. Out of the three Turbo Buicks I've owned (Two Grand Nationals and One Turbo-T) I still own the GN. I sold it once, but bought it back. One of the gents in this video (R.C.) has bought up a great deal of complete cars, parts cars and parts in general with the idea of preserving them. I don't see many of them anymore except for the occasional show or at the GSCA Nationals. A good many of them are being bought up and stored. If you are reading this and want to see a good many in person then come to the GSCA Nats at Beach Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Ky. in Sept. It's worth it if you are a Turbo Buick fan.
Glad I still have my '87! Bought her in '94, with ~35,000 miles on the clock. I've always been a Buick hotrodder. Dad drove special-order LeSabres with monster-engines & top-end gears. I built a '63 LeSabre with a dual-quad 425 nailhead back in high-school. Had a '67 GS 400 4-speed ragtop back in the '70s. And then, the glorious GN! A number of tweaks, but nearly "stock-appearing". She runs 0-60 MPH in 3.7 sec, does 11.9s in the 1/4-mile, and has seen 167 MPH while doing laps on Texas Motor Speedway. I've driven her from Minnesota to Charlotte & through the Blue Ridge Mountains, Minnesota to Dallas, and Minnesota through the Rockies. She has 190,000 miles on the clock now. Still numbers-matching, still doesn't burn oil, and is still as reliable on long trips as any modern low-mile car. No car I've ever owned makes me grin as much as my GN! :D
I remember the first time that I drove a GN.It pinned me in the seat and just kept me there until I let off the gas, it seemed to have unlimited power.When you first took off it was just like a regular 3.8 , but once the turbo kicked in, HOLD ON !!
@@jonathanfreedom1st I drive it to acculturate FUN! Hotrods are NOT meant to sit & accumulate damage from non-use. Rather, they are meant to be ENJOYED!! 😁😎
@MrTurboparker I see your point. I know it's bad for any car to just sit. My dream set of wheels is on a 1987 Olds Cutlass supreme, my first car. Sadly was taken from an accident in 1998. Never was able to get one again...but I couldn't not drive it either..
I first watched this back in 2012 when the DVD was available. I have an 87 GN that we did a frame off, and total front to rear. It is very difficult to attempt to put into words the connection that those of us who were fortunate to intersect with these very unique machines. Timeless. I also have had the absolute privilege to be at Richard Clark's shop on several occasions, as well as go to lunch, again on several occasions, at Argy's (-1sp) restaurant back in the 2015 to 2017 time period with him and others. He is a good man, very passionate and giving, and loves his dogs... I consider myself very fortunate to have not only revisited this documentary, but to say that I have intersected with some very talented, and gifted people along the way. The producer of this documentary was not a car guy, as I understand it, but man o man did he knock this out of the park.
My dad worked for Buick. He had a 65 Buick GS as a young man. We lived in Flint, MI. I graduated HS in 1987. I remember these cars well. You could see the new GN's lined up on the Buick Motor lots bumper to bumper off of I-69 and Center Rd. Such a cool sight. Many years ago I had an '83 Hurst Olds which was a great looker but no power. I am now near retirement age, and fully intend on buying a Grand National to drive and show. They are expensive now, but I've been saving a long time. Great documentary!
… did you ever get your GN? I hope so. Expensive is an understatement, but worth every penny. I miss the G Bodies and they all looked great, albeit not exactly fast- save for the Buick, obviously.
The footage of the last GN going down the line makes me really take a deep breath. I was a senior in high school, I remember watching on TV the story of GM closing plants and moving jobs to Mexico. Me and my friends sitting in study hall talking about how jobs were going away, how American industry seemed to be "moving away"- what were going to do for jobs? 30 years now and look what has happened to this country; the 20th Century WAS the American century and I was alive to see it's decline and end. Just damn sad. Greed, and small mined nearsightedness killed industry in this country.
Basically greed but also our trade deals but unfortunately you can’t both have a trade deal and a good economy because usually the business won’t listen to the people they’ll always want profit over people. But I personally think that one good way to solve this whole issue is for the government to subsidize businesses coming back or businesses opening a business in a field where costs are high in order to give an initiative to lower prices. Many people are getting tired of the cheap china stuff including myself like there’s nothing wrong trading with China but it’s wrong when everything is being outsourced which takes our jobs overseas.
Thank Bush senior Clinton,Bush Jr,Obama Trump wanted to spend 1.2 Trillion to bring back our supply chain,but the Democrats blocked it and now that we have Btandon in the Whitehouse and everything this administration has done it is hard to see the light.Please do not take this Vacine.
The Grand National is beautiful even in today's standards. The Buick Grand National is a Classic. They are worth 3 times as much now than they were brand new.
Can i get a regal in that year and creativity at work digital all the instrumental cluster turbo reengineering grand national is my dream of owning you know what i will doing in my garage backyard do not disturb man at work
Came across this today. I had to watch this on the big screen at home. As a car enthusiast this documentary hit every cord. The passion of ownership and the pride of the construction is what make car people unique. We stand out from the crowd of those who cannot understand. As a F-body owner I can truely understand and respect the Grand National's history and background. As for that car itself, it still shines and has stood the test of time as one of the pinnacles of automotive engineering. Now I am wishing that someone can make another documentary like this in regards to the '89 Turbo TA and call it "White Air"....
Buick always got the short end of the stick. The corvette was a buick concept. The solstice/sky was a buick concept. The first gnx was considered the fastest American muscle car. Anytime buick had a great idea GM took it.
@@JT-sl3ui Uh I can say anything I want, it's my right along with correcting someone isn't a bad thing unless you are one of those sensitive people that can't handle being wrong
I have an 87 Grand National. Had it since 1996. Love the car. Always loved them since I first saw one in 87. Shes been sitting in my garage now for 10 years or so, got married, had kids, priorities changed, and there she sat. Still runs, but needs a good restoration. I wish I did things differently, I look at it today and remember when i got it, like new. If I was able, I would do what is proper for her, she deserves that and more. I hate seeing it sitting like this. Love what your doing to keep these babies alive. To me, theres nothing I would rather drive and love more than a Grand National. Knowing what I know today, would have done things differently. I'll never let that car go. Got good offers as it sits. Can't let it go, You guys on this documentary are amazing people who know what it means to have something so amazing, built amazing. V-6 all the way guys!! Nevermind the Montecarlo, no comparison. At all!! I hope one day, I can make it right and put my baby in the condition she deserves to be in.
This video makes me miss the one my parents used to own. We bought it brand new at Jack Winters Buick in Waukegan Ill back in 87 we never drove it because we knew that it was a special car and would be worth something someday. My parents sold it in 1991 with 7800 miles on it. I met the kid a few years later that purchased it from us and he said that he still had it and it had only had 10k on it so it was still a very low mileage Gn. I would love to be able to buy it back some day.
I drove several Grand Nationals when I worked for Steve Tatone Buick GMC Dayton, Ohio. Sixteen years old visiting my father for the summer. He got me a part-time job working for Steve Tatone Buick GMC in the detail shop. I remember going to lunch with my boss in the detail shop and us taking a Grand national. I was driving when we were at a red light intersection. I pulled it down into first gear, light turned green instant tire smoke! We got back to the shop my boss says Steve Tatone called and wanted to know who was driving that car he didn't tell him I'll never forget that. My father Bill Shane worked for Morningstar Chrysler Dodge in Plymouth. Good times and great memories and a amazing still today 🇺🇲 👍
This was great I knew this car would make history and be on the most wanted list. I got one in early 1988 and have kept it pristine even while enjoying driving it. I need to visit this shop soon.
It was 1987 and I was 11 years old, in the back seat of one of these which was purchased by my brother's friend. After a few minutes limping around town I said "what is the big deal about this thing"? No sooner did I say that did we make a right hand turn, driver nailed it, heard what I thought was a vacuum cleaner, and I saw the speedometer needle sweep to the right as if it were a windshield wiper. I will never forget that.
I used to drive a 1978 Buick turbo. One of the worst cars I've ever had and helped make me hate GM. 120 hp at the wheel, guzzled gas and constantly overheated. As far as I'm concerned there's no American made car worth buying made between 1973 and 1985.
Some of the '87 T-Types were deemed faster than the GNs were. But the name flagshipped the boost in turbo and hp from '84-'87. I am still a big enthusiast to this day, as my mother owned an '87
Buick made those early turbos sure they had some bugs but by 1986 since they added the intercooler in the mix that changed the whole game for buick by the time the grand national was fully evolved GM pulled the plug on it but buick did light the torch on the darkest time in automotive history especially with the gnx
Wow, what a sad ending, but a great story, video, and piece if history! Simply awesome. Love mine no matter how much time goes by or how many newer technology cars get developed.
While attempting to verify to online searches to see if the GNX was the fastest production car in the world in 87, this video helped confirm the numbers were there and case was made. This doc also has the interviews from road&track and car&driver which reinforce and show yes a Buick equalled or exceeded other top speedsters incl. Corvette, Ferrari and Lambourgini. The doc also shows actual GM dealer sticker placement incl. additional ASCMcLaren info that confirms the GNX qualified as stock. Amazing!
My first time watching this and in my country in people of my age they see it as a grandma car, some punks in Golf GTIs tried to race one PFFFFFF the Buick just blowed their doors off like it was nothing, my first ever exposure to the Grand National was when i was 12, i saw an old man bringing it into a parking lot, i never knew what was that car till i was 14 which i saw it again in Pinks All Out with my uncle, he said that was a Buick Grand National, when i heard that whisstle on TV i wanted one ever since. My favorite car is Toyota Supra because of my uncle's 94 Targa Top and surelly i want an R34 GTR but my bucket list for cars will be incomplete if i don't get my hands on a Grand National. Recently i saw an $80,000 GNX driven on the street and i was blown away of how badass it looked.
I remeber my pops working at Russle Buick in Amarillo TX ... he drove a T Type home one day then the next day he pulled up in the GNAT ... I was sold.. DARTH Vaders Car... I finally bought one 20 years ago. Rebuilding the engine now. You either love em or hate em.. I LOVE MINE. My boys love it.
Excellent, the man that got the very last one built, that’s just too cool. I totally under stand the love of these machines, I have always loved Buick engines (nailhead to big block ) it saddens me to see what Buick is producing now days .
I had a 1986 G N. It was left for dead when I bought it. My first drive was not impressive! Until I took it to The guy’s at Modern Muscle Car shop. Those guys put her back together! When I picked it up and test drove her ,she pinned my body to the seat. I knew at that moment that she was special!!!
Awesome documentary! I remember the first one I saw, I was 14 years old in 1986, I had never even heard of one. I was just getting really in to cars and several friends were hit rodding. One had a 6.6 Trans Am one had a long body Monte Carlo with a 400 small block. When I saw the GN perform on the cruising strip I said dang, gotta be a hopped up V8. When I was told it was a V6 turbo, I didn't believe it. Been in awe of that car ever since. It is still a complete head turner if your lucky enough to see one. Truly Legendary Car and will always be!
I was born and raised in carrboro nc, just 20 minutes or more from Burlington. We used to cruise Burlington on Saturday night until the cops ran us off. This was in the 80’s, before things got so fuzzy. Good memories! Great video!
back in 86 i was a gear head i had a 79 trans am 4spd . i remember monte carlo's were every where and i would leave them in the dust all the time .one night one pulled up beside me and i said here we go again . i couldn't see the car well because it was at night and didnt pay much attention to it either until it blew past me before i got out of 2nd gear ,like i was standing still .when it did i noticed it was a buick regal ? from the tail lights . i was telling my friends about it and one said it was a grand national , i said a what ? and he told me about them .there were only a few around my area and i never heard of them or seen one. so the next day i went to a buick dealer and saw one 18k i couldnt afford one but i was hooked and still to this day . now i have a challenger srt its faster but my heart is STILL with the GN AND ALWAYS WILL .loved every minute of this documentary.
I 90s was my fun teenage years, I ended up owning 4 iroc's, 3 gta's and 2 6spd.ramair's all them being 350s! I always have wanted to get my hands on a nice 87'grand national, but i never did run into the right one for the right price at the right Time! Now, after all these years my kids are all grown up, I'm once again on the lookout.. for that right GN!
Algorithm absolutely hits the mark. Great documentary that shows history and the people who made this the great USA 🇺🇸. My first car was a 81 Monte Carlo 229ci that blew the doors off the LT1 96 Impala SS thanks to my mentor at tech school. Jetted and tricked Rochester 3 degrees timing and a servo thing would bury the speedo and rest at 15mph. I’m 43 my pops owned a few tire shops and wreckers in NY. Prices have skyrocketed but my dream is a GNX next to a Sylclone. GM to GN, all day! Tears of passion…
Beautiful cars and a great story! I like the body style...always did, and feel the performance matches perfectly. I was born in 1975 and my mom had a 1978 beige Regal from 1978 to 1987 so the Buick Regal has a place in my heart.
In 1986 and 87 it was a very fast car anyone could gone and bought for 20K. The Buick Grand National/GNX it was call the Vette Killer because it was the fastest production car made in 1987! I love this car still today and it had to be a money maker for Buick and GM and what this video missed is that the car was an underdog no ever expected it to do what it did! Still an amazing car today and it was an American made car.
Watching how easy it is for them to put the whole car together, mounting the engine, working the exhaust in place, body dropped down on top... one of the most collectable and legendary cars ever made.... I'm thinking, how could they have ever decided to shut that place down? I once heard a medic say if he ever got called to respond to the house where this guy living there had sold a GN out from under him, he made a motion with his two fingers as they would if closing eyes, "there's nothing we can do". Legendary.
My favorite part of this entire documentary, is the very first scene where the gentleman is driving his car on the actual stretch of road & telling the story of his buddy, a police detective, challenging him to a race to lunch. At the 2:35'ish time stamp, he says: "He turned & shot down this little road.........and uhh.......HE WAS GONE"......end quote. I love that giggle in his words so much, that each time I watch this video, I have to watch that segment twice for a good laugh......lol. Had a friend/co-worker who owned an '87 GN he had bought new. In 1991, I rode with him to work & back every weekday for about 6 months, a road trip that was about 90 miles round trip. It damn sure was quick & fast. But in 1992.......like a fool.......he traded it in for a brand new Dodge Ram PU truck. You can bet the farm he is hating that dreadful decision nowadays.
Very well done, and good information. One small correction: The Pontiac, MI plant that assembled these in 1987 was technically not the oldest operating GM plant. The GM Clark Street plant in Detroit that typically assembled Cadillacs opened in 1921 (before the Pontiac, MI plant) and ran through December 1987. The Pontiac, MI plant produced the Fiero and closed in mid-1988 after that model was finished.
As a fox mustang enthusiast and builder the GN was always a opponent. Especially during the 90s with all the Mustang / GN shoot outs. I was still young then so unable to participate but always enjoyed the exhaust note and acceleration mid track and top end of the GN. I'm a Mustang guy but I will say the GN is a damn good looking car (better than a "stock" mustang) by far. So that being said I'll go back to working on my Fox but I'll always sweat pulling up next to that Vader mobile. You truly are a worthy opponent.
Richard Clark.. speaker works built a winning sound system in his grand national.. had horn loaded compression drivers up front. (2)15” behind the seat. And 12’s in the side rear panels. The beginning of USD audio ..
These cars were lightning off the line. Rumor had it faster than a Corvette or Porsche. I was a 20-21 year old car salesman in 87-88 at a Buick dealer and I sold and drove many Regal T-Types and drove a lot and sold a couple of Grand Nationals. Same exact engine, both 3.8L SPFI Turbo, except there was one upgrade package available on the GN. I remember there was a 3-4k price addendum sticker on all of them over and above factory sticker price which was around 18k because they were so hot in 88 when the last of 87's were being sold. The last ones were being sold for 21-22k. You could be going down the highway at 55 and stomp on the gas and your tires would burn rubber. They were unreal. I used to have buddies come in and pretend to be customers just to go out on test drives. lol.
This was the first and only time my uncle Joe ever cried. He loved his job and was so dedicated to what he did. He later went on to work on the line at Ford. He never stopped loving Buicks. RIP uncle Joe.
First time I saw a GN was in the movie Out for Justice in the early 90’s. I was in Highschool and said to myself that is the baddest car I’ve ever seen. Wanted one and finally got me one super clean 13 years ago. Rarely drive it but I enjoy just looking at it and sit inside of it.
Awesome vid!!! Love this car!!! I’m 46 years old and my rc drag car is a Grand National GNX…. Building it to teach these boys my rc is going be like the real one Fastest on the track!!! God bless 🙏🏽🏁☝🏽👌🏽💪🏽👍🏽💯
Really enjoyed this ,good work grand national people! Thank you GM for making some of the most cool and interesting cars and then inevitably screwing it up ,in this case by cancelling it.
The G-body platform was sadly ending. It was the heir to all the great A-bodies that came before it. It's up to us to keep them running and looking good.
@@tyjr14 . A client of mine told me when he starts his new job in January he is getting a new car. He currently has an 05 Bmw 645i stick convertible, a 14 Mercedes S600, & a 17 Silverado 1500. He says I can have the Beemer when he gets the new car. Wife says "Ok dumbass! WHAT do we do with the Monte?" I didnt have an answer! People seem to want to give me cars! I have an 87 Monte SS, an 88 Cheyenne half ton 2wd, a 92 Silverado 4x4, an 03 Deville, 04 Duramax, 06 Impala, 07 Silverado 4x4, & a 13 Silverado. The Beemer is 1 sweet ride. But WTF am I gonna do with a BEEMER????? IT only has 80 k on it & runs like a dream.
@@chrisreynolds2410 . Not sure thats a goid idea. Every time something goes wrong, he said his minimum bill isv$1500. Someone down on their luck might not appreciate that. Im a mechanic & thats one reason he decided i could take it. Parts are pricey but i decide if the job is worth my labor or a dealership mechanic's.
@@chrisreynolds2410 . Ok asshole. Where do you want me to deliver it to? Because every person i know that i know is down on their luck couldnt afford the gas the insurance or the registration. And pretty much every hard working person I know doesn't want a money pit that THEY cant repair themselves! So quit being an asshole & give a suggestion to this issue or fuck off & keep your idiotic comments to yourself! Would that be satisfactory for your dumbass logic or is there No pleasing an Jackass like yourself? Im thinking the latter would be the case! But i could be wrong. So your next comment should resolve that issue at least. Ill be waiting! 🤣😃😄😄😄😃🤣😂
@@chrisreynolds2410 . And please tell us what youve done lately for someone down on their luck. Im guessing that its ZERO! Otherwise you would have offered some recent experience where you bought a guy a meal or gave a disabled person a rife to an appointment. But yoyr comment proves you have zero fucks to give but all kinds of "Karen" to go around for everyone!
I was 13 in 1987 living in the Metro Detroit area, when one of my friends (who was from a Ford family...me from a GM family) saw a GNX for the first time...he asked "what's that?", I said Darth Vader's Hot Rod and Mustang's worst Nightmare...😎 (Thank you for the awesome documentary!!!)
My first job out of high school was a central Cadillac/ Buick and GMC in downtown Cleveland. I started there in 2000/ 2001 and it was still some fellas who had these cars and brought them too the dealer for service they been mine dream car since
This documentary did a great job explaining how so much oddness came together to make a legend: A Buick. A 6-banger out performing V8s and V12s. A family car coupe. No previous race heritage. A turbo when turbos weren't much of a thing in a mass-produced production car. Just so many odd things coming together. But the one thing left out of this documentary was the common arch enemy on the race track- the 5.0 Mustang. A car that wasn't even in the same category. Mustang was a Camaro competitor, yet no one cared about the Camaro once the Grand Nationals faced of against the Mustangs. It was a common- but extremely odd- (and well covered) pairing that just goes with the rest of the oddities that was the Grand National.
Watching this December 11 2024 Have to comment in production quality. Irs got the heart of " into the wlld" And al the all love of an episode of classic tractor fever
Nostalgia on the highest level! Being a member of the uaw and everyone having a celebration as the last car goes down the line. Working in automotive is the pinnacle of blue collar prestige if you ask me unfortunately my kids will never experience those old union shops!
Admit it or not, your union shops are what killed the GN and American industry in general. A high school education and assembly line work never did deserve the salary that unions were demanding, at least on a global scale. You can cry greed by the corporations, but it is just plain Economics 101. Corporations have to make a profit. And if employees in Mexico or elsewhere are willing to do low skill labor at realistic rates, then they are going to get the jobs. Unions killed America.
I’m 18 bought my first car an 86 mustang at 16 . Sold it for a 72 chevelle in Daytona yellow and last October I traded that chevelle for a real grand national and proud to say I will never get rid of that thing love it to death wish things were more like back then :)
Ehhh. I was just glad to see Bob and the last GN in the documentary. I worked for Bob. That car is out-fucking-standing. OMG. He drag raced a modified T-Type and was a leader in turbo Buick sales at the time he was chosen by GM as the dealer that would get the last GN. To this day, it's still listed in inventory at the dealership. Never been titled. They video'd the entire build process of the car from start to finish, when it rolled off the line as the last car/GN/RWD G-Body built at the oldest GM plant in America. That was the very last car they ever built there. So it's got ALL KINDS of historical value. All of the older video from the factory is Bob's footage from that day. I love these cars almost as much as their cousins, the GMC Syclone & Typhoon.
A Martin if you could talk to Bob, have him show you all of his cars, tel you about the Buick and all of the stuff he's done over the years, you'd probably faint. The guy is a legend and doesn't even know it. The car is a legend. And it's in the perfect hands. It couldn't have gone to a more deserving family. The Colvin's are amazing people. They gave me my first jog as a line tech at the dealership. It has been and always will be my favorite job ever. I loved every day I worked there.
Terrifying T-Type you can't let the community affect what you think and feel about these cars. Fuck those guys. They're just a bunch of crabby ass old men at this point that are afraid of change. Just like yellowbullet, a Drag racing forum full of old crabby ass old men that HATE drag racing. They literally sit around and talk about how much they hate bracket racing or pro stock or index racing or any number of other classes. Personally, I love drag racing and I don't give a fuck what class it is. If they're racing, I'm watching.
I'm only 8 min in & already getting choked up. I just turned 12 when the last GN was built. Just finished watching entire video & I must say what an excellent video deserving of the Buick Grand National.
Got my first GN at 16 in 1993. Still have it. I remember racing everything in my county and never have lost a race in it. Best moment I was 19 y.o. Beech Bend Raceway in a shootout with a cyclone, cocky mustang 5.0 owners, and another GN all from my home town. I Smoked them all and came out with the prize money! I think they are still jealous of that V6 kicking their ass!
In 1988 I was a senior in HS. A teacher had bought a Grand National and man I was enamored with it. I had wore him down with so many questions that he finally took me up the road in it. I loved it, but never owned one. I do have a 96 Lesabre in the driveway w 200k on it that runs great and everything works flawlessly still. Lol, maybe I will turbo it
As a kid in the 80s this was the car . It had such a sinister look . The monte ss , camaros , trans ams , mustangs where cool cars but none of them had what the grand national had . This car was a slap in the face to all the boring cars that were being produced back then.
this video is about to go crazy!
AVAA
Indeed Professor. AVAA
AVAA prof
I appreciate your perspective and breakdown of Kendrick Lamar’s “GNX album. I’m here because you mentioned this documentary in your video. Well executed!
here cause of you lol thanks prof
I worked at a Buick dealership back in 1986. I was 18 years old and fresh out of high school. I worked for the body shop and got my first look at the grand national and was very curious about this car. I would eventually get a salesman and go for a test drive. I was so impressed that I ordered one with all of the available options. I still remember waiting for a couple of months and waiting patiently for my car to come in. The day that my car came in I was pretty much useless at work because I wanted to spend my time with my new toy. Such good memories!!
I was working at dealerships as a mechanic when I was 18 (Chevy) and I could’ve never dreamt of ordering a brand new car especially a sports car with all the options. This was about 5 years ago. Man how times have changed, and wages have stagnated. Cool story though!
@Kirk Wolfe because the Grand National was much powerful and faster than those two. But in 89 you could have gotten a Turbo trans am that had the Buick GN engine with better heads
how long did you have it for?
@@uptownsamcv I had the car less than a year.
At 18 years old fresh out high school in 1986 you were able to buy a car that cost $14,500 which would be $40,000 in 2022?
The Grand National and the GNX are automotive icons, being a Mustang guy we used to curse these cars, But I have nothing but respect for them, and the owners lucky enough to still have them.
ALL I EVER WANTED WAS A BLACK GRAND NATIONAL
My daily driver in 1960s was the turbocharged all aluminum V8 Jetfire:
ua-cam.com/video/Jzw5W1rRMog/v-deo.html
Proud to say I owned an 87. Some of the best moments of my life were in that car, and because of that beautiful car. Those memories will always be cherished. 🖤
Like if Kendrick somehow brought you here😂😂
No, but it made me think of this documentary. I try to watch it every couple of years 😎
@19907up "somehow" 🙄
I was the Race Director for the Buick GSCA for 11 years and remember when the guy was making this documentary. Believe it or not, he knows nothing about cars by his own admission. He was a pleasant enough fellow. I took him around and introduced him to the "players" in the GN world. I recognize allot of friends in the GSCA race footage. Out of the three Turbo Buicks I've owned (Two Grand Nationals and One Turbo-T) I still own the GN. I sold it once, but bought it back. One of the gents in this video (R.C.) has bought up a great deal of complete cars, parts cars and parts in general with the idea of preserving them. I don't see many of them anymore except for the occasional show or at the GSCA Nationals. A good many of them are being bought up and stored. If you are reading this and want to see a good many in person then come to the GSCA Nats at Beach Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Ky. in Sept. It's worth it if you are a Turbo Buick fan.
Right on, man.. Good info and appreciated 👍🏻
My neighbor has a gorgeous gnx
I remember reading a promotion about the GNX. It said something like Darth Vader your car is ready.
"A good many of them are being bought up and stored."
'Hoarded' might be a good term as well. I don't think I've seen one personally since...2011?
Very cool NSCA12
Glad I still have my '87! Bought her in '94, with ~35,000 miles on the clock. I've always been a Buick hotrodder. Dad drove special-order LeSabres with monster-engines & top-end gears. I built a '63 LeSabre with a dual-quad 425 nailhead back in high-school. Had a '67 GS 400 4-speed ragtop back in the '70s. And then, the glorious GN! A number of tweaks, but nearly "stock-appearing". She runs 0-60 MPH in 3.7 sec, does 11.9s in the 1/4-mile, and has seen 167 MPH while doing laps on Texas Motor Speedway. I've driven her from Minnesota to Charlotte & through the Blue Ridge Mountains, Minnesota to Dallas, and Minnesota through the Rockies. She has 190,000 miles on the clock now. Still numbers-matching, still doesn't burn oil, and is still as reliable on long trips as any modern low-mile car. No car I've ever owned makes me grin as much as my GN! :D
I always have wanted a GN all my live! Does the car have a price tag on her!?
I remember the first time that I drove a GN.It pinned me in the seat and just kept me there until I let off the gas, it seemed to have unlimited power.When you first took off it was just like a regular 3.8 , but once the turbo kicked in, HOLD ON !!
I just wouldn't drive it to accumulate miles.
@@jonathanfreedom1st I drive it to acculturate FUN! Hotrods are NOT meant to sit & accumulate damage from non-use. Rather, they are meant to be ENJOYED!! 😁😎
@MrTurboparker I see your point. I know it's bad for any car to just sit. My dream set of wheels is on a 1987 Olds Cutlass supreme, my first car. Sadly was taken from an accident in 1998. Never was able to get one again...but I couldn't not drive it either..
I first watched this back in 2012 when the DVD was available. I have an 87 GN that we did a frame off, and total front to rear. It is very difficult to attempt to put into words the connection that those of us who were fortunate to intersect with these very unique machines.
Timeless. I also have had the absolute privilege to be at Richard Clark's shop on several occasions, as well as go to lunch, again on several occasions, at Argy's (-1sp) restaurant back in the 2015 to 2017 time period with him and others. He is a good man, very passionate and giving, and loves his dogs... I consider myself very fortunate to have not only revisited this documentary, but to say that I have intersected with some very talented, and gifted people along the way.
The producer of this documentary was not a car guy, as I understand it, but man o man did he knock this out of the park.
Kendrick had me looking up “Shave & A Haircut, 2 Bits,” now here I am. Shoutout to Professor Skye.
My dad worked for Buick. He had a 65 Buick GS as a young man. We lived in Flint, MI. I graduated HS in 1987. I remember these cars well. You could see the new GN's lined up on the Buick Motor lots bumper to bumper off of I-69 and Center Rd. Such a cool sight. Many years ago I had an '83 Hurst Olds which was a great looker but no power. I am now near retirement age, and fully intend on buying a Grand National to drive and show. They are expensive now, but I've been saving a long time. Great documentary!
… did you ever get your GN? I hope so. Expensive is an understatement, but worth every penny. I miss the G Bodies and they all looked great, albeit not exactly fast- save for the Buick, obviously.
I'm 76 and went to GMI in Flint and my daily driver in 1960s was the turbocharged all aluminum V8 Jetfire:
ua-cam.com/video/Jzw5W1rRMog/v-deo.html
The footage of the last GN going down the line makes me really take a deep breath. I was a senior in high school, I remember watching on TV the story of GM closing plants and moving jobs to Mexico. Me and my friends sitting in study hall talking about how jobs were going away, how American industry seemed to be "moving away"- what were going to do for jobs? 30 years now and look what has happened to this country; the 20th Century WAS the American century and I was alive to see it's decline and end. Just damn sad. Greed, and small mined nearsightedness killed industry in this country.
Basically greed but also our trade deals but unfortunately you can’t both have a trade deal and a good economy because usually the business won’t listen to the people they’ll always want profit over people. But I personally think that one good way to solve this whole issue is for the government to subsidize businesses coming back or businesses opening a business in a field where costs are high in order to give an initiative to lower prices. Many people are getting tired of the cheap china stuff including myself like there’s nothing wrong trading with China but it’s wrong when everything is being outsourced which takes our jobs overseas.
Well said
Jose Mendoza yeah. Because government subsidies work.... HAHAHAHAHA. Depend on government, it done SO WELL. Like Chicago, pure government subsidies
Thank Bush senior Clinton,Bush Jr,Obama Trump wanted to spend 1.2 Trillion to bring back our supply chain,but the Democrats blocked it and now that we have Btandon in the Whitehouse and everything this administration has done it is hard to see the light.Please do not take this Vacine.
@@kevinbodman1011 we need another 16-20 years on Trump or another America First President. Still the best POTUS in my 50yr lifetime.
"It was a civilized car. A luxury car actually, ...until you ...messed with it."
The finest words ever spoken by man.
The Grand National is beautiful even in today's standards. The Buick Grand National is a Classic. They are worth 3 times as much now than they were brand new.
You know they ain't gonna produce cars made like that nomore they on that kid soace crap
That's a grown man chariot
Can i get a regal in that year and creativity at work digital all the instrumental cluster turbo reengineering grand national is my dream of owning you know what i will doing in my garage backyard do not disturb man at work
Came across this today. I had to watch this on the big screen at home. As a car enthusiast this documentary hit every cord. The passion of ownership and the pride of the construction is what make car people unique. We stand out from the crowd of those who cannot understand. As a F-body owner I can truely understand and respect the Grand National's history and background. As for that car itself, it still shines and has stood the test of time as one of the pinnacles of automotive engineering.
Now I am wishing that someone can make another documentary like this in regards to the '89 Turbo TA and call it "White Air"....
Amazing! The last buick GN preserved in its natural state. With all the signatures of the people that built it. Good stuff here
My parents had a black 1987 T-Type Regal from March 1987- May of 2007. This documentary bought back some memories.
Buick always got the short end of the stick. The corvette was a buick concept. The solstice/sky was a buick concept. The first gnx was considered the fastest American muscle car. Anytime buick had a great idea GM took it.
Not Fastest, Quickest.
@@bluesky-ud9wgstop with that. Absolutely not necessary. You damn well know WTF he means. Peace ✌🏻 ✌🏻
@@JT-sl3ui Uh I can say anything I want, it's my right along with correcting someone isn't a bad thing unless you are one of those sensitive people that can't handle being wrong
@@bluesky-ud9wgsame shit …grow tf up
@@bluesky-ud9wgdamn right 👍 our ancestors died for rhat right
I have an 87 Grand National. Had it since 1996. Love the car. Always loved them since I first saw one in 87. Shes been sitting in my garage now for 10 years or so, got married, had kids, priorities changed, and there she sat. Still runs, but needs a good restoration. I wish I did things differently, I look at it today and remember when i got it, like new. If I was able, I would do what is proper for her, she deserves that and more. I hate seeing it sitting like this. Love what your doing to keep these babies alive. To me, theres nothing I would rather drive and love more than a Grand National. Knowing what I know today, would have done things differently. I'll never let that car go. Got good offers as it sits. Can't let it go, You guys on this documentary are amazing people who know what it means to have something so amazing, built amazing. V-6 all the way guys!! Nevermind the Montecarlo, no comparison. At all!! I hope one day, I can make it right and put my baby in the condition she deserves to be in.
I say restore it especially of it was a part of your life when it was new I one day hoping I get one of my own 😁💯👍 remember dont crush em restore em
This video makes me miss the one my parents used to own. We bought it brand new at Jack Winters Buick in Waukegan Ill back in 87 we never drove it because we knew that it was a special car and would be worth something someday. My parents sold it in 1991 with 7800 miles on it. I met the kid a few years later that purchased it from us and he said that he still had it and it had only had 10k on it so it was still a very low mileage Gn. I would love to be able to buy it back some day.
A documentary commemorating the greatest vehicle to ever grace us with its presence. Beautiful Black Buick.
I drove several Grand Nationals when I worked for Steve Tatone Buick GMC Dayton, Ohio. Sixteen years old visiting my father for the summer. He got me a part-time job working for Steve Tatone Buick GMC in the detail shop. I remember going to lunch with my boss in the detail shop and us taking a Grand national. I was driving when we were at a red light intersection. I pulled it down into first gear, light turned green instant tire smoke! We got back to the shop my boss says Steve Tatone called and wanted to know who was driving that car he didn't tell him I'll never forget that. My father Bill Shane worked for Morningstar Chrysler Dodge in Plymouth. Good times and great memories and a amazing still today 🇺🇲 👍
This was great I knew this car would make history and be on the most wanted list. I got one in early 1988 and have kept it pristine even while enjoying driving it. I need to visit this shop soon.
The modern term...
"Murdered-Out" came from the GN.
It was 1987 and I was 11 years old, in the back seat of one of these which was purchased by my brother's friend. After a few minutes limping around town I said "what is the big deal about this thing"? No sooner did I say that did we make a right hand turn, driver nailed it, heard what I thought was a vacuum cleaner, and I saw the speedometer needle sweep to the right as if it were a windshield wiper. I will never forget that.
This film practically makes me cry every time 🖤
Ok so has everybody forgotten that this idea actually was conceived in 1977?! The 1978 Buick T-Type, does this ring a bell with anyone.
I used to drive a 1978 Buick turbo. One of the worst cars I've ever had and helped make me hate GM. 120 hp at the wheel, guzzled gas and constantly overheated. As far as I'm concerned there's no American made car worth buying made between 1973 and 1985.
Some of the '87 T-Types were deemed faster than the GNs were. But the name flagshipped the boost in turbo and hp from '84-'87. I am still a big enthusiast to this day, as my mother owned an '87
Yes but it wasn’t just the Regal. Buick had other turbo T’s pre ‘86 as I recall.
Buick made those early turbos sure they had some bugs but by 1986 since they added the intercooler in the mix that changed the whole game for buick by the time the grand national was fully evolved GM pulled the plug on it but buick did light the torch on the darkest time in automotive history especially with the gnx
I have a 79 and an 83 t type, people usually don't know what they are when I go to a show and pop the hood.
Wow, what a sad ending, but a great story, video, and piece if history! Simply awesome. Love mine no matter how much time goes by or how many newer technology cars get developed.
While attempting to verify to online searches to see if the GNX was the fastest production car in the world in 87, this video helped confirm the numbers were there and case was made. This doc also has the interviews from road&track and car&driver which reinforce and show yes a Buick equalled or exceeded other top speedsters incl. Corvette, Ferrari and Lambourgini. The doc also shows actual GM dealer sticker placement incl. additional ASCMcLaren info that confirms the GNX qualified as stock. Amazing!
I’ve watched this doc like 30 times, I freaking love this doc and I love the GN!
My first time watching this and in my country in people of my age they see it as a grandma car, some punks in Golf GTIs tried to race one PFFFFFF the Buick just blowed their doors off like it was nothing, my first ever exposure to the Grand National was when i was 12, i saw an old man bringing it into a parking lot, i never knew what was that car till i was 14 which i saw it again in Pinks All Out with my uncle, he said that was a Buick Grand National, when i heard that whisstle on TV i wanted one ever since. My favorite car is Toyota Supra because of my uncle's 94 Targa Top and surelly i want an R34 GTR but my bucket list for cars will be incomplete if i don't get my hands on a Grand National. Recently i saw an $80,000 GNX driven on the street and i was blown away of how badass it looked.
@@h.a.4600 🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️ so sad that more don’t know about this beast of a machine
@@JK47.23 yeah but it will keep the GN's price reachable for Gen-Z guys like me for future ownership.
I remeber my pops working at Russle Buick in Amarillo TX ... he drove a T Type home one day then the next day he pulled up in the GNAT ... I was sold.. DARTH Vaders Car... I finally bought one 20 years ago. Rebuilding the engine now. You either love em or hate em.. I LOVE MINE. My boys love it.
I've loved these cars since I was a young boy. My dad would take me to the racetrack in mid 80s. Great memories. I'll own one!!
🎶 Mustardddddddd!!!🎶
Excellent, the man that got the very last one built, that’s just too cool. I totally under stand the love of these machines, I have always loved Buick engines (nailhead to big block ) it saddens me to see what Buick is producing now days .
One of the best documentaries I ever watched of any subject matter. Outstandingly well done!
And to think it’s a No. 1 album by the artist performing at the superbowl halftime show 37 years later. It’s a true American icon!
I had a 1986 G N. It was left for dead when I bought it. My first drive was not impressive! Until I took it to The guy’s at Modern Muscle Car shop. Those guys put her back together! When I picked it up and test drove her ,she pinned my body to the seat. I knew at that moment that she was special!!!
Awesome documentary! I remember the first one I saw, I was 14 years old in 1986, I had never even heard of one. I was just getting really in to cars and several friends were hit rodding. One had a 6.6 Trans Am one had a long body Monte Carlo with a 400 small block. When I saw the GN perform on the cruising strip I said dang, gotta be a hopped up V8. When I was told it was a V6 turbo, I didn't believe it. Been in awe of that car ever since. It is still a complete head turner if your lucky enough to see one. Truly Legendary Car and will always be!
The outsider.....
Literally that’s the best explanation of this car I’ve ever heard. Still stands true to this day. I miss those days.
I was born and raised in carrboro nc, just 20 minutes or more from Burlington. We used to cruise Burlington on Saturday night until the cops ran us off. This was in the 80’s, before things got so fuzzy. Good memories! Great video!
back in 86 i was a gear head i had a 79 trans am 4spd . i remember monte carlo's were every where and i would leave them in the dust all the time .one night one pulled up beside me and i said here we go again . i couldn't see the car well because it was at night and didnt pay much attention to it either until it blew past me before i got out of 2nd gear ,like i was standing still .when it did i noticed it was a buick regal ? from the tail lights . i was telling my friends about it and one said it was a grand national , i said a what ? and he told me about them .there were only a few around my area and i never heard of them or seen one. so the next day i went to a buick dealer and saw one 18k i couldnt afford one but i was hooked and still to this day . now i have a challenger srt its faster but my heart is STILL with the GN AND ALWAYS WILL .loved every minute of this documentary.
I 90s was my fun teenage years, I ended up owning 4 iroc's,
3 gta's and 2 6spd.ramair's all them being 350s! I always have wanted to get my hands on a nice 87'grand national, but i never did run into the right one for the right price at the right Time! Now, after all these years my kids are all grown up, I'm once again on the lookout.. for that right GN!
Algorithm absolutely hits the mark. Great documentary that shows history and the people who made this the great USA 🇺🇸. My first car was a 81 Monte Carlo 229ci that blew the doors off the LT1 96 Impala SS thanks to my mentor at tech school. Jetted and tricked Rochester 3 degrees timing and a servo thing would bury the speedo and rest at 15mph. I’m 43 my pops owned a few tire shops and wreckers in NY. Prices have skyrocketed but my dream is a GNX next to a Sylclone. GM to GN, all day! Tears of passion…
I love this car so much that i'd pick it over any other car because it's my dream car. One day i will have one, i'm manifesting it.
Same here, always wanted a GNX with matching jacket.
Beautiful cars and a great story! I like the body style...always did, and feel the performance matches perfectly. I was born in 1975 and my mom had a 1978 beige Regal from 1978 to 1987 so the Buick Regal has a place in my heart.
In 1986 and 87 it was a very fast car anyone could gone and bought for 20K. The Buick Grand National/GNX it was call the Vette Killer because it was the fastest production car made in 1987! I love this car still today and it had to be a money maker for Buick and GM and what this video missed is that the car was an underdog no ever expected it to do what it did! Still an amazing car today and it was an American made car.
Watching how easy it is for them to put the whole car together, mounting the engine, working the exhaust in place, body dropped down on top... one of the most collectable and legendary cars ever made.... I'm thinking, how could they have ever decided to shut that place down?
I once heard a medic say if he ever got called to respond to the house where this guy living there had sold a GN out from under him, he made a motion with his two fingers as they would if closing eyes, "there's nothing we can do".
Legendary.
Beautiful and excellent documentary.. buick grand nationals live forever
My favorite part of this entire documentary, is the very first scene where the gentleman is driving his car on the actual stretch of road & telling the story of his buddy, a police detective, challenging him to a race to lunch. At the 2:35'ish time stamp, he says: "He turned & shot down this little road.........and uhh.......HE WAS GONE"......end quote. I love that giggle in his words so much, that each time I watch this video, I have to watch that segment twice for a good laugh......lol. Had a friend/co-worker who owned an '87 GN he had bought new. In 1991, I rode with him to work & back every weekday for about 6 months, a road trip that was about 90 miles round trip. It damn sure was quick & fast. But in 1992.......like a fool.......he traded it in for a brand new Dodge Ram PU truck. You can bet the farm he is hating that dreadful decision nowadays.
Very well done, and good information. One small correction: The Pontiac, MI plant that assembled these in 1987 was technically not the oldest operating GM plant. The GM Clark Street plant in Detroit that typically assembled Cadillacs opened in 1921 (before the Pontiac, MI plant) and ran through December 1987. The Pontiac, MI plant produced the Fiero and closed in mid-1988 after that model was finished.
During this documentary at several points I got goosebumps. Damn near emotional. "Beauty is indefinable" It was simply moving.
I couldn't agree more. Whoever came up with the original GN wheel (rim) design was pure genius !
As a fox mustang enthusiast and builder the GN was always a opponent. Especially during the 90s with all the Mustang / GN shoot outs. I was still young then so unable to participate but always enjoyed the exhaust note and acceleration mid track and top end of the GN. I'm a Mustang guy but I will say the GN is a damn good looking car (better than a "stock" mustang) by far. So that being said I'll go back to working on my Fox but I'll always sweat pulling up next to that Vader mobile. You truly are a worthy opponent.
Richard Clark.. speaker works built a winning sound system in his grand national.. had horn loaded compression drivers up front. (2)15” behind the seat. And 12’s in the side rear panels. The beginning of USD audio ..
These cars and audio are the best combo.
Thank you so so much for this movie
These cars were lightning off the line. Rumor had it faster than a Corvette or Porsche. I was a 20-21 year old car salesman in 87-88 at a Buick dealer and I sold and drove many Regal T-Types and drove a lot and sold a couple of Grand Nationals. Same exact engine, both 3.8L SPFI Turbo, except there was one upgrade package available on the GN. I remember there was a 3-4k price addendum sticker on all of them over and above factory sticker price which was around 18k because they were so hot in 88 when the last of 87's were being sold. The last ones were being sold for 21-22k. You could be going down the highway at 55 and stomp on the gas and your tires would burn rubber. They were unreal. I used to have buddies come in and pretend to be customers just to go out on test drives. lol.
I worked and drove a real GNX. I admired it so much
This was the first and only time my uncle Joe ever cried. He loved his job and was so dedicated to what he did. He later went on to work on the line at Ford. He never stopped loving Buicks. RIP uncle Joe.
First time I saw a GN was in the movie Out for Justice in the early 90’s. I was in Highschool and said to myself that is the baddest car I’ve ever seen. Wanted one and finally got me one super clean 13 years ago. Rarely drive it but I enjoy just looking at it and sit inside of it.
Awesome vid!!! Love this car!!! I’m 46 years old and my rc drag car is a Grand National GNX…. Building it to teach these boys my rc is going be like the real one Fastest on the track!!! God bless 🙏🏽🏁☝🏽👌🏽💪🏽👍🏽💯
Rc 4 life!
Before I leave this world, I want to own one 😎👍
You'll Like It Too i just want to drive one and you dont need to "own" one per say to do that
If you go buy one then go for a drive while drinking, you could kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Well 2 birds and you but please don't try it.
💯 I bought a 1987 turbo T with a front bench seat with a cloum shifter came with a 3.8 liter v6 as well.
Me too brother
Same here brother same here
Really enjoyed this ,good work grand national people!
Thank you GM for making some of the most cool and interesting cars and then inevitably screwing it up ,in this case by cancelling it.
The G-body platform was sadly ending. It was the heir to all the great A-bodies that came before it. It's up to us to keep them running and looking good.
Kendrick brought me here, but the quality of the documentary kept me here. 🔥
Did a VIN check for Richard Clark back in the 90s on a couple of his GNs. Wanted one ever since. Fantastic cars.
29:43... Funny. I have a Monte SS 😕. & so many ppl ask, "Is that a Grand National? "
Sadly "No"
..I have a black SS Monty Carlo, im not sad about it. The GN is a magic car! Great story indeed!
@@tyjr14 .
A client of mine told me when he starts his new job in January he is getting a new car.
He currently has an 05 Bmw 645i stick convertible, a 14 Mercedes S600, & a 17 Silverado 1500.
He says I can have the Beemer when he gets the new car.
Wife says "Ok dumbass! WHAT do we do with the Monte?"
I didnt have an answer!
People seem to want to give me cars!
I have an 87 Monte SS, an 88 Cheyenne half ton 2wd, a 92 Silverado 4x4, an 03 Deville, 04 Duramax, 06 Impala, 07 Silverado 4x4, & a 13 Silverado.
The Beemer is 1 sweet ride. But WTF am I gonna do with a BEEMER?????
IT only has 80 k on it & runs like a dream.
@@chrisreynolds2410 .
Not sure thats a goid idea. Every time something goes wrong, he said his minimum bill isv$1500. Someone down on their luck might not appreciate that. Im a mechanic & thats one reason he decided i could take it. Parts are pricey but i decide if the job is worth my labor or a dealership mechanic's.
@@chrisreynolds2410 .
Ok asshole. Where do you want me to deliver it to? Because every person i know that i know is down on their luck couldnt afford the gas the insurance or the registration. And pretty much every hard working person I know doesn't want a money pit that THEY cant repair themselves!
So quit being an asshole & give a suggestion to this issue or fuck off & keep your idiotic comments to yourself!
Would that be satisfactory for your dumbass logic or is there No pleasing an Jackass like yourself?
Im thinking the latter would be the case! But i could be wrong. So your next comment should resolve that issue at least.
Ill be waiting!
🤣😃😄😄😄😃🤣😂
@@chrisreynolds2410 .
And please tell us what youve done lately for someone down on their luck. Im guessing that its ZERO! Otherwise you would have offered some recent experience where you bought a guy a meal or gave a disabled person a rife to an appointment.
But yoyr comment proves you have zero fucks to give but all kinds of "Karen" to go around for everyone!
I was 13 in 1987 living in the Metro Detroit area, when one of my friends (who was from a Ford family...me from a GM family) saw a GNX for the first time...he asked "what's that?", I said Darth Vader's Hot Rod and Mustang's worst Nightmare...😎 (Thank you for the awesome documentary!!!)
At work, Christmas eve, checking out this video again... listening to the guitar.
My first job out of high school was a central Cadillac/ Buick and GMC in downtown Cleveland. I started there in 2000/ 2001 and it was still some fellas who had these cars and brought them too the dealer for service they been mine dream car since
This documentary did a great job explaining how so much oddness came together to make a legend: A Buick. A 6-banger out performing V8s and V12s. A family car coupe. No previous race heritage. A turbo when turbos weren't much of a thing in a mass-produced production car. Just so many odd things coming together. But the one thing left out of this documentary was the common arch enemy on the race track- the 5.0 Mustang. A car that wasn't even in the same category. Mustang was a Camaro competitor, yet no one cared about the Camaro once the Grand Nationals faced of against the Mustangs. It was a common- but extremely odd- (and well covered) pairing that just goes with the rest of the oddities that was the Grand National.
*Its documentaries like these that prove that cars are far more than just machines. They are SO much more.*
Watching this December 11 2024
Have to comment in production quality. Irs got the heart of " into the wlld"
And al the all love of an episode of classic tractor fever
The 71 Buick GS stage 1 + 455 hooked up really really good too
One of my dream cars
Nostalgia on the highest level! Being a member of the uaw and everyone having a celebration as the last car goes down the line. Working in automotive is the pinnacle of blue collar prestige if you ask me unfortunately my kids will never experience those old union shops!
Admit it or not, your union shops are what killed the GN and American industry in general. A high school education and assembly line work never did deserve the salary that unions were demanding, at least on a global scale.
You can cry greed by the corporations, but it is just plain Economics 101. Corporations have to make a profit. And if employees in Mexico or elsewhere are willing to do low skill labor at realistic rates, then they are going to get the jobs.
Unions killed America.
@@markschnell you’d rather sell out your fellow American for for some half ass work overseas or across the border. Foh.
I loved this car so much as a teen, I had to say yes to the model 3 performance.
The best part of this car is ... it's a Buick !!
I’m 18 bought my first car an 86 mustang at 16 . Sold it for a 72 chevelle in Daytona yellow and last October I traded that chevelle for a real grand national and proud to say I will never get rid of that thing love it to death wish things were more like back then :)
i lost count how many times i watched this great video...its best the automotive documentry
Thank you for posting this was great 👍🏿
Are we forgetting the Gran sport? Now that was a luxury hotrod! A car with 500 ft lbs of torque!
Very good Buick car history 💪💪👍💕
Many 80s Cars are becoming classics now. CRX and the SUPRA are also coming into that catagory
Supra, yes. CRX? No.
@@SofaKingQuick If you look at the values in the last 5 years you will be surprised esp the Si or the JDM or any of those with thier appropriations
Mk3 or mk4? Mk4 is the ultimate 90s jdm along with the nsx and 22b. My favorite is the galant vr4.
Awesome documentary even for those that have never owned a TR... For those of us that own them this is a very emotional video. Great job
Ehhh. I was just glad to see Bob and the last GN in the documentary. I worked for Bob. That car is out-fucking-standing. OMG. He drag raced a modified T-Type and was a leader in turbo Buick sales at the time he was chosen by GM as the dealer that would get the last GN. To this day, it's still listed in inventory at the dealership. Never been titled. They video'd the entire build process of the car from start to finish, when it rolled off the line as the last car/GN/RWD G-Body built at the oldest GM plant in America. That was the very last car they ever built there. So it's got ALL KINDS of historical value. All of the older video from the factory is Bob's footage from that day.
I love these cars almost as much as their cousins, the GMC Syclone & Typhoon.
A Martin if you could talk to Bob, have him show you all of his cars, tel you about the Buick and all of the stuff he's done over the years, you'd probably faint. The guy is a legend and doesn't even know it. The car is a legend. And it's in the perfect hands. It couldn't have gone to a more deserving family. The Colvin's are amazing people. They gave me my first jog as a line tech at the dealership. It has been and always will be my favorite job ever. I loved every day I worked there.
Terrifying T-Type you can't let the community affect what you think and feel about these cars. Fuck those guys. They're just a bunch of crabby ass old men at this point that are afraid of change. Just like yellowbullet, a Drag racing forum full of old crabby ass old men that HATE drag racing. They literally sit around and talk about how much they hate bracket racing or pro stock or index racing or any number of other classes.
Personally, I love drag racing and I don't give a fuck what class it is. If they're racing, I'm watching.
To have the FIRST or LAST of anything collectible is rare air. But to own the LAST Grand National......this is EPIC !!
That was beautiful, thank you.
chills .. this car sold today at Barrett Jackson Scottsdale for $500,000
My GN was made November 12 , 1987 then went to Brantford in Canada . I have had it for 8 or so years , sorta goes with my black '89 Bentley Turbo R .
A great movie! Well worth the time to watch!
I freakin love these cars...g bodies are still the coolest lookin thing on the road
rick James formally the A body.. Yes the g body shuffle.. That Regal made a really nice NASCAR race car the number 11 Mountain Dew Buick Daryl Waltrip
Shoutout to Kendrick for making me want this now 😂
I'm only 8 min in & already getting choked up. I just turned 12 when the last GN was built. Just finished watching entire video & I must say what an excellent video deserving of the Buick Grand National.
Got my first GN at 16 in 1993. Still have it. I remember racing everything in my county and never have lost a race in it. Best moment I was 19 y.o. Beech Bend Raceway in a shootout with a cyclone, cocky mustang 5.0 owners, and another GN all from my home town. I Smoked them all and came out with the prize money! I think they are still jealous of that V6 kicking their ass!
Syclone got 2nd place?
Great video. Best Buick ever built. I love these cars but never owned one.
This documentary was done to perfection.
It’s amazing. This has ❤! Thank you 🙏
In 1988 I was a senior in HS. A teacher had bought a Grand National and man I was enamored with it. I had wore him down with so many questions that he finally took me up the road in it. I loved it, but never owned one. I do have a 96 Lesabre in the driveway w 200k on it that runs great and everything works flawlessly still. Lol, maybe I will turbo it
One day, I hope to have one. A bucket list item without question.
As a kid in the 80s this was the car . It had such a sinister look . The monte ss , camaros , trans ams , mustangs where cool cars but none of them had what the grand national had . This car was a slap in the face to all the boring cars that were being produced back then.
I had a 1987 Regal T with the turbo V6. It was a fun car that impressed quote a few people.
T-Type Regals are the reason i don't mess with any G Body Buick, the're undercover Grand Nationals. 😐
An Absolutely Fantastic documentary - Thank You. Love this Amazing Car!
Outstanding. Memorable. 🙏