Showing posts with label Grand National. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grand National. Show all posts

Monday, September 19, 2022

NHRA Pro Stock Turbo: Buddy Ingersoll's Buick V6 Pro Stock

86 Buick Pro Stock Turbocharged


It was back in 1986 when Buick started to master the turbocharger game. Turbochargers have been around for quite a while before the first 1984 and '85 Buick Grand National and T-Type turbos came out. The '84 and '85 Buick turbos lacked the power that the 1986 and '87 Buick turbos did due to a lack of an intercooler and other things. But even with the success of the two-sedan being faster than all of the American sports cars at the time, no one expected to see one compete in a professional Pro Stock class. 


Read all about the '86 and '87 Grand National success here. 


700+ cu.-in. Pro Stock Engines Racing Against A 286 cu.-in. Buick Engine


Buddy Ingersoll's Buick V6 Pro Stock

This was when the drag racing world started realizing that it is not always all about big blocks and displacement. This race was from 1986, but later the Buick setup would be deemed illegal in the Pro Stock classes. Of course, the reasons for the outlaw were a bunch of smokescreen excuses to hide the absolute truth - old-timers didn't understand it and didn't want to believe a V6 could beat a V8. 

To me, it sounds much like when Nitrous Oxide exploded on the drag racing scene - if you didn't understand it or you couldn't figure it out, it was easier to just say using NOS was cheating. 

Early '90s GS Nationals in Kentucky 














It was in the early '90s when I attended my first Buick GS Nationals at Beech Bend Raceway for a week (a week off school - a week at the drag strip)! That's when I saw the first single turbocharged Grand National break into the sevens (1/4-mile), and when I saw a T-Type in stock trim ride its bumper halfway down the track while still turning in a time of 10: something. That was when my cousin and I, best friends, knew we were watching something the drag racing world wasn't ready for yet. 

Buick Regal T-Type Doing Wheelie
















Slowly but surely, the drag racing world caught up, and now you'd be hard-pressed to see a drag car that isn't racing in a highly regulated class that doesn't have at least one turbo under the hood or another kind of power adder.  

Beech Bend Raceway







The lineup to get into the GS Nationals—all Buicks—and the track entrance is quite a ways away. 



 

Sunday, May 1, 2022

1982 Buick Grand National: History, NASCAR, And '80s Performance

 1982 Buick Grand National


Although almost everyone you ask will tell you, there is no such thing as a true Buick Grand National that was not all "Black", the fact is, they'd be wrong! 

They might also tell you there's no such thing as an '82 Grand National, that would also be wrong! The first Grand National was actually born in 1982; it was charcoal grey and silver and has a pretty cool little story to it.

The Birth Of Something That Would Soon Become A Legend 

Back in 1981, Buick took to the main stage at NASCAR with their G-Body Regal. A few Regals made their debut in California at the Riverside International Raceway. But it was in Daytona, the second week of the season, where the tides changed for the Regal and set the way for Buick and the G-Bodies in NASCAR for quite a while. 



Richard Petty Wins Daytona 500 In A Regal

For a record-setting 7th time, Petty takes the checkered flag, but this time in a Buick Regal. This win broke a long drought of 16 years since someone drove across the finish line at a NASCAR event in a Buick. It was last done by Herb Thomas, who did it in 1955 in a '55 Buick Century. 

Record-Breaking Year For Buick In NASCAR 

Throughout the season, a Buick Regal would cross the finish line first in 22 out of 31 events with just five different Buick DriversPetty, Boddy Allison, Ron Bouchard, Cale Yarborough, and Darrell Waltrip. In the end, Waltrip would bring home the championship title for his team and Buick.

These efforts brought the NASCAR Manufacturing title home to the Flint, Michigan plant that had been pumping out those Regals since 1978. 

The new sporty image and the accomplishments at NASCAR that followed prompted Buick to take full advantage of the newfound "This Isn't Your Grandma's Car" image and run with it. 

1982 Buick Grand National Flyer


In December 1981, Buick announced that a "Special Edition" Regal was going to be unveiled in the first week of the NASCAR season. This just so happened to be the first time the Daytona 500 would be set for the first race of the season, and is now a staple in NASCAR racing to this day. The Daytona week is like the Super Bowl of NASCAR and prime time for anything special, especially for automotive manufacturers that want to show off something new. 
 

Buick And NASCAR Copyright Issues

Buick went ahead and already named their "Special Edition" Regal the "Grand National", the only problem was that NASCAR already had the copyrights to the nameNASCAR Winston Cup Grand National Seriesso NASCAR sued. After some legal wrangling, Buick kept the name but changed the nameplate to the recognizable one everyone knows todaya big turbo-6 on the right side of the emblem, the words "Grand National" stacked on top of each other, and a checkered flag on the left side of the emblem. 

1982 Daytona 500

Daytona 500 Week 1982

Now whether or not the Grand National was ever actually unveiled at the 1st Daytona week, no one seems to really remember. Many think it never made it, largely because of the ongoing legal dispute with NASCAR, but regardless, the "Special Edition" prototype GN was done. 

Not only was the Grand National project moving forward for Buick, but on Feb 14, the day of the Daytona 500, 25 of 42 cars lined up as Buick Regals, and 7 of 10 of them were in the top 10 positions. The race ended just about the same way it started, with Allison winning in his Buick Regal, followed by three other drivers driving Buick Regals. The success continued for Buick throughout the season, and so did production on the Buick Grand National. 

1982 Buick Grand National


1982 Buick Grand National: What Was Special 

Was the first Buick Grand National fast? By today's standards, not at all! In fact, most soccer Moms' crossovers would take the '82 Grand National out pretty easily. But in 1982, it's sad to say; this V6 would beat most factory V8s on the road, at the same time looking cooler than most of them.

When I say V6, you're probably thinking of the turbo 3.8-liter that Grand Nationals are known for, but this first GN was a little different. The '82 Grand National came with a 4.1-liter V6 that ran through a 4-barrel quadrajet carburetor naturally aspired. This fun combination would get you a whopping 125 horsepower and 205 lb.-ft. of torque. 

1982 Buick Grand National Engine


There were a few buyers out there that had inside information about the soon-to-be-famous 3.8-liter turbo engine combo, and checked the right boxes on the order sheet. This combo would get the buyer 175 horsepower and 290 lb.-ft. of torque.

Heading Off For Special Treatment 

All soon-to-be Grand Nationals rolled off the assembly line as normal Buicks and then were shipped off to Cars and Concepts in Auburn Hills, MI, where they received their Grand National treatment. They were all done in Charcoal Gray exterior paint and grey interior but weren't all based on the same Regal. Some base Buick Regals were sent to Cars and Concepts, but so were some Limited and Sport coupe Regals. So for a collector on the hunt for a legitimate one, there are a few different real options out there (do your research). 

1982 Buick "Grand National" Special Edition Upgrades  

  • 215 made plus on prototype
  • 4.1-liter V6 naturally-aspired or (roughly) 20 3.8-liter V6 turbocharged
  • 125 horsepower (4.1) or 175 horsepower (3.8 turbo)
  • 205 lb.-ft. of torque (4.1) or 290 (3.8 turbo) 
  • Automatic transmission
  • Heavy-duty engine and trans coolers
  • 3.23:1 rear gear (4.1) or 3.03:01 (3.8)
  • F41 Grand Touring Suspension

   1982 Buick Grand National Interior


Cosmetic Upgrades
  • Silver stripe in the middle of the charcoal grey paint (hand-laid) red pinstriping separating the Colors (hand-laid) 
  • Big Buick letters on the back quarter panels and on the back decklid lip

  • Blacked-out grille and headlamp door covers
  • Special Edition rally wheels w/Buick center caps
  • Front bucket seats w/black leather inserts throughout the whole interior
  • Leather-wrapped steering wheel
  • Center console w/shifter
  • Special Grand National gauge cluster 
  • Special Grand National badging on exterior and interior

1982 Buick Grand National Gauge Cluster

It's hard to find these cars in good shape. One of the biggest problems they had was through the years, their lack of power left a lack of enthusiasm to keep them running and looking good. The usual rust invades the lower doors and quarter panels in the usual places, and their interiors are commonly faded and torn from sun damage due to T-tops (some had sunroofs instead).  

But these Grand Nationals can still be considered collector items thanks to their history and the lack of numbers produced. You could say they started a mid-to-late-'80s revolution of more desirable cars for the auto enthusiast, not to mention they paved the way for the '80s most famous muscle car, the 1986 and '87 Grand National.   

1982 Buick Grand National


How Expensive Were They?

The Grand Nationals weren't as expensive as buying a Corvette, but spending extra cheese on a Buick was something people didn't do much of since the muscle days. With a Regal sticker price of $8,702, you would have to cough up another $3,278 for the Grand National packages and about another $1,000 more if you ordered the turbo 3.8-liter version. With America in a recession at the time, that was a lot of money, and Buick's most expensive styling and performance package it ever sold. 

1982 Buick Grand National 

All and all, if you found one in good shape, it would be worth buying a 1982 Grand National just to preserve it. And if you found a 1983 Grand National, I have a bridge to sell you because there were no Grand Nationals made in '83. 

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Buick Grand National: The First Muscle Car Since The Mid-70s

Related image


Buick Grand National


The Death Of High-Output Muscle Cars
In the late '70s and all of the '80s, American auto companies were being forced to come up with more fuel-efficient economy-friendly cars.


So what did this mean? 


This meant the Muscle Car era was over. Even cars like the high profile Corvette was suffering. For the most part, sports car styling was still very appealing, but their lack of performance issues was a big problem for consumers. 


Buick Was Ready To Change The Automotive Company
The Grand Nationals were produced between '84-'87 and had the same body type as the Regal. The GN was upgraded with a sportier interior, a high-performance turbo V-6, suspension upgrades, and exterior styling upgrades. 


The '84 and '85 Grand National was not quite the performer that the '86-'87 Grand National was. Due to a lack of an intercooler, the ‘84-’85 did not produce as much power, but they still came with a V-6 3.8-liter with a turbo that produced 200 horses, which was more horsepower than the Camaro was producing at the time.


'86-'87 Grand National: The Real Performer

The '84-'85 Grand National was the launchpad that got the Grand National's name out there and paved the way for the '86 and '87 Grand National. Buick added an intercooler upgrade to the already stout turbo set-up making it capable of producing 235 horsepower and 355 lb-ft torque. This was impressive for a V-6 full-bodied car from the '80s, and even more impressive was the gains it was able to produce after a few minor affordable bolt-ons. 


Image result for 87 grand nationals engine


A 13-second pass in the quarter-mile was very common for these V-6 legends. This may not seem very fast by today's standards, but in the '80s, Camaros, and Mustangs were lucky to break into the 14-second range unless you were willing to dump a boatload of money into them. 


From 1986 to the early 1990s, the Grand National took no shame in leaving Corvettes, Camaros, Firebirds and Mustangs in their dust. Stock GM TPI and Ford 5.0 motors just did not hold a candle to what the Grand National brought to the table.




My First Personal Experience

Before my senior year of High School, before my dad and I built my first muscle car ('71 Buick Skylark 455) for my senior year, my dad owned an '87 Grand National. I got the joy of taking it to school a few times. With its grocery-getter body style, it was not too hard to lure the Camaros and Mustangs to the local drag race spot. 


The Grand National was running in the low 13's and the guys who drove the TPI's and 5.0's of our school had never even seen a 1/4 time-slip. But most of them guaranteed me that their cars were 12 and 11-second rides. Needless to say, that day they all got a rude awakening when a proven 13-second quarter mile car left them literally many car lengths behind. This left most of my friends dumb-founded. A quiet V-6 with interior room to fit five passengers comfortably beating up on their cool looking V-8 sports car. That day a lot of people found out what the meaning of a true sleeper was.   


The Buick Grand National Gave Hope
In the 1980s, the Grand National was just what the auto industry needed: a car that could promote good performance, reasonable gas mileage, and style and comfort. Not only did it bring those great things to the auto industry, but it also brought hope back to car enthusiasts. It brought the hope that soon the beloved Corvettes, Camaros, Mopars, and Mustangs would eventually bring back the power that they were once known for but in a more efficient technology-driven form.