Hoovie is perhaps the only man on the planet willing to dump the clutch and properly launch a million dollar Countach in an attempt to beat a $35K Grand National. And I think we all love him for it, because I've never seen a Countach launch THAT hard before.
@@vedob5163 Exactly. So-so examples go for less than 200K, minty mint ones for 500K. Pretty lame car performance-wise anyway, with a mid-5 second 60 and 14.3-14.4 sec quarter... Obviously all about style.
@@chrish5503 yeah and its crazy uncomfortable, leaks everything, the clutch is horrible and the motors always stall because there old v8s and v12s that you couldn't tune like you could these days. Most people buy them to just look at them 😆
@@chrish5503 you have to consider it in light of the time. There weren’t too many cars that were better. Many of the technologies that we take for granted were in their infancy or had not even been incorporated. So, 5 second 0-60 is forgivable. Let’s not forget, it’s a 185 mph car which is not supercar territory anymore, but still respectable
@@rjnation5042 My fathers 95 ……he’s willed my his 1992 E36 M3 bone stock, cheapest blaupunkt they would fit, when we went to buy it the salesman started at the top of the stereos, he said ‘will it play my 78s”…..the guy literally deflated in front of us, the hard sell dealer knew he had met his match…….He still drives it, got another speeding ticket in it the other day as it happens 😂
Did you let your driving instructor know you were racing with other cars before you let it rip? I cant imagine he would be down for that. At least on on test day
How awesome! Lovely cars, I've always liked them, that boxy body style is my favorite. Seeing how my favorite cars are boxy Volvo 740 and 940 wagons you can see why! I forget the name of this platform, is the a G body? Same with the cutlass...
And he got it for a great bargain with a Diablo VT roadster from a crazy doctor not far from his house. That’s if you didn’t see that video and/or don’t know the story.
Major respect for that run in the Lambo. I don’t recall seeing anyone dump the clutch in a Countach in a modern video. That’s how you’re supposed to drive them every now and then. It’s just like letting your pet Tiger kill its own prey sometimes.
That's how you're supposed to drive EVERY performance car that's not your primary mode of transport from time to time. It's like a good work out for your body once a week or two. It gets all the fluids going...
I'm 74 years old, bought my 87 GN back in 2002, every time driving it, I get complements and people staring at it. It's my garage queen, never gonna sell her!
That drag race is peak Hoovie! Seeing the Grand National pull ahead even after the Countach jumped the start with a great launch did put a huge smile on my face! Awesome buy.
I feel like that end scene says it all. A guy is in a Countach, a freakin Countach! And is praising a grand national. Unbelievable testament to how great it is. Thanks Hoovie
@@Tomazack I wouldn't even call that Lambo a "poster car". I'd much rather have a poster with a G.N. on it, than a poster with that ugly ass Lamborghini on it.. 🤷🏻
@@terminallygray Obviously I was, I was born in the early 70s. I don't care if the Lambo was on EVERY single poster in the entire country, it still does NOT change the fact that it is an ugly-ass, slow car, and I did NOT want a poster of it staring at me on my bedroom wall.. 🤷🏻
As a UK resident, my introduction to the Grand National was as a teenager playing Grand Turismo 4 on with the GNX, which I still remember as one of the coolest cars in the game. For a while, the Grand National was the only Buick I could name. To this day, it's still cool as heck and 4.9s 0-60mph is still hecking fast today! That's proper supercar-slayer territory.
Funny how relative speed is, a modern 300cc sport bike does a faster 0 to 60 and all motorcyclist laugh at 300cc like it’s a joke I know bikes and cars are different but still
One of my best memories of the late 80’s was a dear friend and I (he has since passed) going 137 mph in his 87 Grand National. Thank you for bringing back a great memory of a good friend and good times!
I'm happy to see Hoovie really using his cars. I'm also happy to see a happy Hoovie, I dunno what's going on in your life dude, but your videos and content always bring a smile to me, for what its worth, you've helped keep me sane over the years, and I look forward to many more years of you doing wacky things with cars!
Don’t forget , The engine was also available in other Regals like the Limited , light weight (and faster) Turbo T and the T-type. All of which are rarer than the Grand National
True. Back in the 80s my parents had one of the turbo regals as a rental car and I got to drive it as a teenager. I didn't dare do anything crazy with it but it was a really nice comfortable car. I wish I had one now.
An old gearhead here, and in 1987 I put a deposit down on a Grand National but had to back out as we had moved and had no place to park it. I still remember the sticker was $17,800! To this day I still regret not buying it and just getting rid of our other “family” car : ((
We just helped Alex at LSC with his GN. These cars are awesome, and can be built to powerful and safe if done correctly. 15lbs of boost isn't too much over stock, which was 13lbs. Also when you do pulls, you'll want to drop it out of overdrive and into regular drive, if you like having a working transmission anyway. Like I said, I live and breathe these cars, i even have a Grand National swapped 1972 Cutlass, if you need any info, feel free to ask.
@Golden Croc 16lbs are about all it can handle on 93 octane and stock injectors before detonation. Which it has a stock air intake, so I'd doubt it has aftermarket injectors.
Before you said it was a Canadian car, I could tell from the passenger side 1/4 glass sticker. That's from the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics and from growing up in Alberta at that time, pretty much every GM car on a dealer's lot had one. So that car could be an Alberta car and likely was sold new or near-new after February 1988. That was probably the absolute-coolest video Hoovie has ever done. A GN against a Countach and actually launching the Countach. Wow! This car reminds me of an identical one that was on a GM dealer lot in North Battleford Saskatchewan back in spring of 87. My mom was shopping for a new car and this one was a recent repo 😂 that was only about 3 months old. I BEGGED her to pay the $21k for it but she drove away instead in a tan left-over 86 Buick Skyhawk she paid $13k for. 😪 I was absolutely enamored with the GN at that time (still am; I was 12 and wore a custom-ordered GN black satin jacket) and the salesman threw in a poster of an 86 GN into the back of the Skyhawk for me. Good times.
Well spotted on the window sticker. I still have a set of glass tumblers from Petro-Canada. Got one free with each gas fill before the Olympics. That would explain the lack of rust. We don't use salt on our Alberta roads. It is also so damned cold in winter that rust can't happen.
@@rickb296 Hey Pal I live in Louisville Ky USA, back in the 90s PetroCanada merch was a BIG F'N DEAL down here. I know it's old hat to you, but it was "foreign" and therefore it was hot.
Worked at a drag strip in the early 90's and there was a Grand National that raced there. Six in slicks and fairly stock. He would pull up to the line, pre-stage, and then spool the turbo. The body of the car would raise six inches over the front tires. When he left there was no flex in the body, it was already in launch position. Low 7's in the eighth mile. They were awesome cars.
I know a guy who worked at the factory and said many were wrecked leaving the assembly line because they would lay on it and hit something on the way out. They would then take the damaged car, strip them and reuse the parts.
I own a mint low mileage 87 GN that fortunately for me I purchased a few years back before the prices exploded on these cars. Original and correct down to the tires,headlamps, and wiper blades! It gets phenomenal attention at shows and always brings home the trophy! Part of my 80’s collection of incredible rides!
Slushbox auto in the GN. Manual Countach. Just a little more RPM as you let out the clutch pedal. New the Grand National accelerated quicker. 0-60 4.8 to low-mid 5’s depending on the year Countach. Today neither car is “fast” but both are still cool.
Hoovie buys some groovy shit. I really dig this GN. I remember when these cars were sitting on the dealer lot for about 17K. Almost bought a 86 in 87 for $13K but wound up going for the 86 Olds 442. Not quite as quick as the GN. A 350 Olds fixed that with a turbo 350 but with no overdrive, no AC, now that I'm 59, I could really go for a low mileage GN like this one. Hard to believe these cars are 35 years old now. They seemed wicked high tech back in the mid late80s. Seeing them at Milan dragway (near Detroit) back in the late80s, with just sticky tires, it was mind boggling to see a "new" car run high 13s with just sticky tires. With a little more boost, low to mid 13s wasn't hard. SO cool to see a rich dude like Hoovie flog his hot rods instead of leaving them as garage/trailer queens. That GN holeshots extremely hard. Looks more like a low 13 second car.
You must be kidding! An olds 442! cooler then a GN! The GN would wipe the floor with that and the Monte Carlo SS. 😂. If you didn’t know which one was better at the time, then just google the modern resale values…
Great purchase for a good price as well! As a few others said, original brake system on there. If you park it for a week plus, just turn the car off and slowly depress the brake pedal 10 times to depressurize the system. Keeps everything happy and brakes working well.
My last speediing ticket was in 1987 while driving my brother's Grand National. Deserted road, straight pavement, nice weather. I mentioned to my brother, in the passenger's seat: Wow, you can really hear that turbo whine! His response: Yeah, it's either the turbo or the state police car behind you.... After writing the ticket, the trooper remarked: Nice car... What a guy... 😬
Deserted road huh? Then how did you manage to get a ticket??? Not that it matters. I purchased a new 2008 Corvette in the summer of 2007 and managed to get a speeding ticket the exact same night…97 in a 45…and like you, it most definitely appeared to be a completely deserted road…with the exception of one cop hiding behind the guard rail right after going off a draw bridge. I stomped on it at the top of the bridge to see what it could do. And it did a lot…including getting me a ticket. And other than the hiding cop, it really was a completely deserted road. That’s why I had picked it … to see what my new Corvette was capable of doing without worrying about hitting anything.
@@mudman6156 - You can be driving in North Dakota or Nevada and look behind you and see nothing for miles. Then look up again a few seconds later and there is blue lights on your bumper. They are either coming out of your trunk or they are driving a 1973 Dodge Police Interceptor 440. 200+mph.
One thing I remember about my buddies GN. The torque curve is so flat that you eventually get used to the G forces and start to think..."this thing is slow" and then you look over and the speedo is buried and its still accelerating. Remarkable cars and an insanely great engine. They only got better when they were redesigned into the 3800. Still hoping I'll own one ....... one day.
I launched mine so hard the little bracket that holds the front passenger seat to the floor snapped it felt like I was in a rocking chair lol! It was a twenty dollar fix just had to remove a nut and drill out 2 rivits now I'm back in business after buying the new thicker part. Fun cars. My lightly built one has 500hp and 600tq.
It was 20 years ago, but I raced against a Grand National in my 98 Taurus SHO with the Yamaha engine and 5 speed manual. Left him in the dust. Now that was a great, super high reving engine. I gave it too my step-son and he traded it on a Honda without asking me if I wanted it back. I do need to add one caveat, we were already on the highway going 70 when we nodded to each other for a race. A start from zero might have been different.
I grew up in a Buick dealership, I was 5 when my dad brought one of these home, he took me for a ride, almost got locked up, and was one of the best times of my life. That is until the Cyclone and Typhoon came out. He was allowed to show them off at Englishtown, and was one of the drivers able to drive them on the GM proving grounds! GM really made some amazing fun vehicles! I'm grateful that I was able to experience them. I was so ashamed to tell my dad that I bought a Super Duty a few years ago, but he loves it, and borrows it every time he needs a truck. Never will I loose my respect for the days when GM was king!
My grandfather owned a Chevrolet/Oldsmobile/Buick dealership in Mississippi from the late 50's till the early 80's. I got to ride in and drive some amazing cars!
That was a good time back then. I grew up in Detroit back then, and I will never forget. I was able to get on the proving grounds when I was 13, just amazing.
The GNX was rated at 276 hp. The regular GN was 245hp. The 0 to 60 time you quoted was for the GNX, not the regular GN. The regular GN was closer to 6 seconds.
No that was for a bone stock GN from an original April 1986 Car and Driver issue, the GNX was 4.7. Why they and Google revised it to GNX I don't know. perfauto.tripod.com/images/gnspecs.jpg
@@faustthehammer8706 the low trap speeds of the regular GN would suggest otherwise but maybe yours wasn’t as stock as you thought? Whatever the case, awesome car!
@@BriansRCStuff it had 13 miles on it that's what it made the gn is heavier than a gnx and also doesn't get the factory ladder bar for launches but the brackets are there and that really helps the "g body shuffle" as you seen in the video haha! Have a great day
I was at Edgewater drag strip with my dad in 88 and I got my first up close look at a Grand National. 17 year old me was impressed. My dad, an old school hot rod guy, wasn't. Until he saw it go down the track.
Many of the shots were out of focus however. If you're going to up the production values, best to start there. I prefer the old style myself. No need for music either.
I'm guessing Hoovie decided to start paying for a film crew and editors, but I'm guessing he just went with some random college students because that's what it felt like with certain shots being out of focus and the kinda corny editing with music that's mixed poorly
Thanks for the first time video and real lambo vs a gn. Something they only calculated by book but never proven and u done it almost 35 years later Ty so much , I just think the gn was upgraded and not officially stock ! But loved the 80’s my friend and here we all loved it
Ahh...Yes my dream car i also own 87 GN w/t-tops 48k miles second owner. The GN looks so Sinister add some black tint and your done for looks on the outside. Great choice Hoovie picking the Best for the Last. Iam so jealous u now owned 3 of my Dream Cars #1 GN #2 Cyclone #3 Typhoon
Agreed, it’s great to actually see some cars out doing what they’re supposed to be doing, being driven. This video and the one of the Jaguar seem to have higher production values. Visiting the wizard and finding out what’s broken, and paying bills pales in comparison to seeing the cars being driven.
I'm sure it's mentioned below but...the '87 Grand National was not rated at 276 hp /360 ft-lb - that was the GNX after some modifications at McLaren Performance. The Grand National for '87 had a slight increase from '86 - 245 hp/355 lb-ft. The famous 4.9 sec to 60 mph at C&D magazine for the '86 model year car was always thought to be a ringer sent from the factory. It was also tested at very cold ambient conditions. Leter tests in warmer weather with cars purchased off the lot were typically a second or more slower. Still a lot of fun though..
Thanks. I was going to post the same about the HP rating. Some sources say 235hp, others say 245hp for the "regular" GN. 276hp for the GNX. I believe it was only the GNX that was "faster than the Corvette". GN could run close, but not quite there. It wouldn't surprise me if both the GN and GNX were underrated on horse power.
Actually, the '86 and '87 cars are exactly the same engine builds. They increased the number on paper only for some reason in '87. Possibly as a sales technique or just to try and differentiate the two years. Nobody has ever been able to provide the real reason for this from what I understand... And the GNX was modified by ASC/McLaren USA.
@@evorider3689 We're talking GN here, not GNX. The '86 GN that C&D tested was a well known ringer. They even commented on it in another article. Motor Trends testing of an '87 GN with 10 more hp than the '86 (245 hp) did 6 seconds flat to 60. That was still really f______ fast in '87. Anyone going from their daily driver to that in '86 or '87 would have thought they were riding a lit rocket. I think the 5.0 Mustang of that year was also in the low 6 sec range. I test piloted many of those...and yes, stepping out of my 102 hp Dodge Colt to that seemed like I was going to die. Buick's own claimed 0 to 60 time for the GNX was 5.3 sec to 60. Which was blistering for the late 80's. And yes, heat soak will always add significant time to acceleration runs.
@@Landongames14 I don’t think that anyone has ever said. The only thing that we know is that he just got a vasectomy, because he told us. At least he can live in the airport hanger which he said that he doesn’t own.
Also, fun fact... the GNX specifically- was actually The fastest car at the time for a moment. Even Faster than the F40. When Buick makes the decision to go performance, they end the conversation. GSX did the same, back in the day, too. The main difference is that the GSX and then GNX could be daily driven and were much more comfortable than the cars they outperformed slightly. Daily drove my Grand National. Great video and launches Hoovie!
@@kyrieeleison1905 keep in mind the regular GN does the quartee mile at 13.8. stock. The GNX is much faster provabky in the mid 12's. The Ferrari better be in its best behavior in a drag race, otherwuse the GNX wins. Consistently. Now a road course, that 1960's suspension could barely gwt out of its own way, let alone take a corner. Long live the vin code 7
Congratulations on the new purchase. I had a 86 Grand National fast car. Tyler if you ever get the chance I recommend driving the 1989 Turbo Trans Am. I owned one and they are by far a better handling/suspension and with better heads and a bigger intercooler they are quicker. R&T tested 1 and it ran a 4.6 to 60. I think you would be very impressed
The drag race was an awesome and exciting addition to the usual tour of the car / history lesson, some added excitement and anticipation to an already great formula for videos, I would love to see more of these odd ball / historic comparisons, even if it’s not always a race and comparing liveability / reliability aspects
A couple of corrections (and this might have been said already, I didn’t read all 1000+ comments.) First the GNX was rated at 276 hp, the standard GN was rated at 245. Second, there were 547 GNX made, not “less than 500.” Great video on one of the coolest cars ever and definitely the coolest American car of the 80s.
Yeah, LOTS of technical errors V8 was still available through 1987 in Regal. Most 82 GN were 4.1 carbureted normal aspiration, few were 3.8 turbo; GN only 245 HP/GNX 276 , GN 300 lb-ft torque/GNX 340, GNX production 547. Seat covers were only difference( same as regular Regal, Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, etc. Boost gauge/tach known for error/ malfunction. Also, looks VERY stock underhood (hydroboost accumulator update). Still, I'm glad he's happy with it. Being an 87 Canadian car really is rare.
I remember when the GNX model was just introduced; I think GNX added $14,995 to GN sticker if I remember correctly, so around $30,000 MSRP. Changing hands for six figures, today.
@@stevencovington4715 yeah it's rare but people usually didn't use these cars in winter unless they were nuts or crazy rich. It's an amazing car. I had a typhoon and I regret to have sold it. I never used it winter, despite it was new, I always bought a winter car. (Usually a former police crown Vic or caprice, they do wonder in the snow) Edit: I know the typhoon isn't the same thing as a GN or GTX but it was a crazy fast truck at the time.
Finally!!!!! I have been posting in this comment section for years asking you to get a Grand National. Congratulations dude, that is arguably one of the coolest sleeper cars ever made. Don’t sell it!!!
One of the all time greats. Well bought at $35K. Saw one GNX in the wild driving next to me many years ago. I remember it more vividly than some exotics.
Awesome episode! Those were two of my favorite cars ever since I was a kid. I never expected to see them head-to-head like this, but I'm glad I finally did.
My GN story- In 1988 went to dealership outside of Houston to buy one of the last 2 original demos. Took test drive, was ready to trade in my '85 Mitsubishi, which even the salesman said looked brand new. The problem? They offered me next to nothing on the trade-in, so I walked away. This set in motion a completely different car direction. A year later, ended up buying an '88 Alfa Milano 3.0 (which I still own) & was given a couple of extra thousand more for my Mitsubishi trade-in. Bought many cars since then, but sadly never got a GN, but always wondered, what if the dealership wasn't so stingy on the trade-in?
Personally I'd have picked the Milano too, since I never liked the look of the GN. I'm just curious tho, how many miles you have on it, and what kind of problems did you have? Never owned one, but I'm considering buying it (In Europe it's called Alfa 75)
I feel the force of the 80's calling me back. Two of the cars I grew up watching. I didn't know what the Buick was until I saw it in a TV movie as a kid. I can't remember the title, but it was a cop show. The "bad guy" was a big African American man who's catch phrase was "hello". (He would say hello right before he shot people in the face with a big, chrome, revolver.) The Sergeant was driving a black Buick Grand National, which I thought was just a Monte Carlo at that time. Funny, I can't remember things I did yesterday, but I can remember that TV show and that Buick. The Lambo? Well, it just speaks for itself. All 80's.....and just an amazing look. Thanks for the throwback Hoovie!
GM forced Buick to derate the GN to just under Corvette specs. Buick Motorsports put out a bumper sticker with the GN "6" logo on it that says "We Brake For Corvettes". My GN has one. :)
Car & Driver did an article on it, and they said the 245HP did not add up. They tested it in Michigan on a really cold winter day, and with the 0-60 times, the weight of the car, and a number of other mathematical formulas, they said the car had to have over 300HP, at least on that day with that cold dense air.
I love cars and I have to say I’ve watched many RUclips videos, but this is one that you could absolutely fall in love with. I love the Buick grand national and I love the Lamborghini seeing them both up on the screen they look beautiful. Wow, thank you for posting that. That looks great.
Thank you for actually launching a countach, most people are too scared to split the final drive haha that was awesome, love the GN, what an absolute weapon!
FYI, Hoovir - when your Buick was built, the quality from Canadian auto-plants was considerably better that that from their U.S. counterparts. Thus, I would argue, your Buick should be worth more than a U.S.-made one.
No Grand National was ever made in Canada. For GNs going to Canada they just put in a different set of gauges. So no, it's not worth more for any reason, even in the ignorance of Canada vs US build quality.
One of my all time favorite cars. Sweet. My parents had a 80 Regal. Wish they had one of these. One of the greatest sleepers of all time, for those who are not in the know. Badd ass whip. Quick. Last of the old school. Countach gets its doors blown off. Cool.🔥🔥🔥😎😎🏁
Coming out off first when your going hard is a dangerous game. you got to time it just right to get off the pedal and back on again quick or your sideways
Thanks Hoovie, I have always loved the Grand National. I am glad you finally got one! Great comparison with the Lambo! Love it and it is an awesome car
My 86 Olds had the exact same stereo head! 5:24 paused the video and just stared at that for a few. Memories I didn’t think I had came pouring back. Thanks for that ! :)
This one felt like a bit of a level up in terms of production quality for Hoovie, love it as a great balance between the older style POV footage and some more produced looking cutaways!
Most badass start from a countach I have ever seen. The grand tour with their huge budget wouldn't even race one from a stop for fear of breaking the diff. Hoovie is just different 😂
I rode around in one of these in high school. It was given to my girlfriend at the time by her dad as her first car. Neither of us even had any idea what it was! But the handful of people who actually knew what it was didn't stop talking about it! It was basically huge, old-fashioned, and still quite smooth! A friend's girlfriend drove us around in a Toyota Supra! I had no idea how unique these vehicles were when I was 17!
Hoovie! You did it again. Made me smile and felt the same energy you put out. Hands down, you are my favorite RUclipsr. This one was cool as a cucumber 🥒 thank you!
Good to see you smiling and happy again Hoovie, hang in there my brother. My buddies’ dad had a countach, I remember him saying it was $14,000 for a clutch job. And that was pushing 20 years ago. I can see that, as the engine likely needs to come out to do it.
I remember reading somewhere that to replace the timing belts on a Testarossa, you have to drop the engine out the bottom... and the recommended change interval is something like 40k miles. You can probably buy a decent second-hand RSX for the price of that repair bill...
Always great videos. If you get a chance to purchase the GNX , do it. Buick had a little trouble with the accumulator (black iron round ball) attached to the brake master cylinder. (Retired GM Dealership Parts Department Counterman 45 years last summer of '21 Los Angeles and Orange Counties California 9 years at Buick dealership '83 - '92 .)
I'm sure that someone has probably already mentioned this but the car he has is a 1987 Buick Grand National that came from the factory with 245 hp and they made many more of those than the big daddy GNX which had 276 advertised horsepower but it was actually closer to 300 in reality. They didn't want to hurt the feelings of Corvette owners at the time although a side by side street race between a stock 87 GNX and a stock 87 Corvette did that all on it's own. The 87 Grand National was still a very fast car for that time.
Yes they built exactly 547 GNX in 1987. In partnership with Asc/Mclaren. Wider tires, wheels. Fenders flares, vents.Slightly different,heads, tune. Etc. Underrated at 276 hp. Regular GNs, and Turbo regals/T-types both got the same 3.8, underated at 245 hp. Both would outrun the corvette of the day by A lot!
Dude your production and editing quality went way up recently. Not sure if you hired an editor or what, and not that the older videos were bad, I loved them, but the editing and whatnot looks really professional now. Great work!
Next week: I bought the cheapest Death Star in the Galaxy! The following week: Here's everything broken on the cheapest Death Star in the Galaxy! The week after that: Here's why the Car Wizard now owns a fleet of Millennium Falcons
Unfortunately mom SUVs seems to be what the average American mouth breather wants to buy these days. Car companies are giving the unwashed what they want.
I worked for a Buick dealership in those years. The Grand National ‘86 and ‘87 were absolute beasts! They were the fastest thing around from Zero to about 70 mph, after about 70 or 75 mph they ran out of steam and got passed by other fast cars. It’s a Buick Regal body. One day a customer drove in driving a White color Regal that had the Grand National turbo engine. I was astounded, didn’t know that was available. I drove it and it was indeed the same as the Black Grand National, just a white Regal. I lol’ed my tail off driving it. You’re right, you had to power brake it, then it launched like a rocket.The GNX was even more awesome. The 3.8 engine was a darn good engine, very trouble free, it was in a lot of Buick’s.
You could order a standard Regal with a "T-Type" package which was the turbo V6 but NOT GN color/badging, it was the ultimate sleeper - GN performance in grandma's Regal - even had the hood ornament. The GN package (WE2 I think?) added the blacked out trim, tinted windows, and "they come in any color you like, as long as it's black" paint.
And please add the details ... The car evolved a lot over a short period of time. The first version was a blow-through carburetor. Then GM put the FI on. Then GM added an inner-cooler. The '86 and '87 are the only ones to get.
I was stationed in West Germany from 1984-90. One of my buddies bought one cheap from a departing soldier. LAND OF THE AUTOBAHN. He took a trip to visit relatives in northern Italy. He came back a day late AWOL!! We all asked him what happened? Also - where was his Grand National?! Can you guess what happened?! He said he was on the Autostrada cruising along when a bright red 308 passed him. Ok - young soldiers are sometimes braver than smart. He said the race was on and HE PASSED THE FERRARI!! He looked in the rear view mirror and was laughing when suddenly loud noise and A CLOUD OF SMOKE!! He blew it up! He had to leave it there - because he had to be back to the base in Germany the next day! So if you ever see a black Grand National around northern Italy - BE SURE TO SALUTE IT!! 🇺🇸🇮🇹🍝🏆🏁🤣🤣🤣
I am so happy that Hoovie had a smile on his face that makes me happy I just hope he lands up with the right amount of time to be with his kids because it seemed to me that yes he travels for work but each time he was home he always took over the school runs
Hoovie is perhaps the only man on the planet willing to dump the clutch and properly launch a million dollar Countach in an attempt to beat a $35K Grand National. And I think we all love him for it, because I've never seen a Countach launch THAT hard before.
It's just a car. Use it. If it breaks, fix it.
@@gregs_garageexactly its just a car, send it. And I doubt that countach is worth a million.
@@vedob5163 Exactly. So-so examples go for less than 200K, minty mint ones for 500K. Pretty lame car performance-wise anyway, with a mid-5 second 60 and 14.3-14.4 sec quarter... Obviously all about style.
@@chrish5503 yeah and its crazy uncomfortable, leaks everything, the clutch is horrible and the motors always stall because there old v8s and v12s that you couldn't tune like you could these days. Most people buy them to just look at them 😆
@@chrish5503 you have to consider it in light of the time. There weren’t too many cars that were better. Many of the technologies that we take for granted were in their infancy or had not even been incorporated. So, 5 second 0-60 is forgivable. Let’s not forget, it’s a 185 mph car which is not supercar territory anymore, but still respectable
My dad bought one new in 1987. I took my drivers license test in it and won many street races. And yes he still owns it to this day
Great to hear your old man is still a gear head, as an old man myself I've got 2 of my father's cars, Rj in Oz
@@rjnation5042 My fathers 95 ……he’s willed my his 1992 E36 M3 bone stock, cheapest blaupunkt they would fit, when we went to buy it the salesman started at the top of the stereos, he said ‘will it play my 78s”…..the guy literally deflated in front of us, the hard sell dealer knew he had met his match…….He still drives it, got another speeding ticket in it the other day as it happens 😂
Never Sell that GN.... It's a keeper
Did you let your driving instructor know you were racing with other cars before you let it rip? I cant imagine he would be down for that. At least on on test day
How awesome!
Lovely cars, I've always liked them, that boxy body style is my favorite. Seeing how my favorite cars are boxy Volvo 740 and 940 wagons you can see why!
I forget the name of this platform, is the a G body? Same with the cutlass...
That Countach launch was ridiculously cool
The tire dust blowing away makes it even cooler.
And scary. Dropping a transmission or axle wouldn't be cheap to fix. Good for Hoovie to not baby it though.
Also, it was so hot it left a dry spot on the pavement😂
It left half its tyre on the ground !
And he got it for a great bargain with a Diablo VT roadster from a crazy doctor not far from his house. That’s if you didn’t see that video and/or don’t know the story.
Major respect for that run in the Lambo. I don’t recall seeing anyone dump the clutch in a Countach in a modern video. That’s how you’re supposed to drive them every now and then. It’s just like letting your pet Tiger kill its own prey sometimes.
Most of the owners don't want a fast car, they want prestige. lol
That's how you're supposed to drive EVERY performance car that's not your primary mode of transport from time to time.
It's like a good work out for your body once a week or two.
It gets all the fluids going...
Except, this time the prey won
@@jostenspringfield8702Goateed Comment 🏆
I'm 74 years old, bought my 87 GN back in 2002, every time driving it, I get complements and people staring at it. It's my garage queen, never gonna sell her!
How much did you buy it for back then?
@@samoliver9132 6K stole it!
@@samoliver9132 54K miles, I'm the second owner!
@@1987grand WOW! That’s a hell of a deal! 6k now probably wouldn’t even get you the rims on that car! Enjoy the car and God bless!
@@1987grand Back then cars were affordable!! Well done
Seeing the Countach burn off the line was way too sweet. You got some life there Tyler 😂
The sound wearing headphones during those last few holeshots!!!
That drag race is peak Hoovie! Seeing the Grand National pull ahead even after the Countach jumped the start with a great launch did put a huge smile on my face! Awesome buy.
I feel like that end scene says it all. A guy is in a Countach, a freakin Countach! And is praising a grand national. Unbelievable testament to how great it is. Thanks Hoovie
Countach is more of a poster car than an actual good driving car.
@@Tomazack I wouldn't even call that Lambo a "poster car".
I'd much rather have a poster with a G.N. on it, than a poster with that ugly ass Lamborghini on it.. 🤷🏻
@davelowets - OBVIOUSLY you weren't around in the 80's. Lambos WERE the poster car. Regals were in the driveway that their Mom drove.
@@terminallygray Obviously I was, I was born in the early 70s. I don't care if the Lambo was on EVERY single poster in the entire country, it still does NOT change the fact that it is an ugly-ass, slow car, and I did NOT want a poster of it staring at me on my bedroom wall.. 🤷🏻
@@terminallygray A G.N. isn't a "Regal" either...
Now this was a "feel good" video !!! Having been in high school in the 80's, both those cars bring up some fond memories.
I love this episode. This touches my inner childhood. I was a kid from that era and those were both dream cars off the day! Thanks for sharing.
As a UK resident, my introduction to the Grand National was as a teenager playing Grand Turismo 4 on with the GNX, which I still remember as one of the coolest cars in the game. For a while, the Grand National was the only Buick I could name. To this day, it's still cool as heck and 4.9s 0-60mph is still hecking fast today! That's proper supercar-slayer territory.
Until you give it a corner.
@@tyrantworm7392 He's not talking twisties or Formula 1 race tracks. You don't race them there..2 different animals there.
@@john91z Yes, true muscle cars were meant for the drag strip. They are good for 1 thing, going fast in a straight line
Funny how relative speed is, a modern 300cc sport bike does a faster 0 to 60 and all motorcyclist laugh at 300cc like it’s a joke I know bikes and cars are different but still
@@Partnerthedog there is zero point in comparing even small motorbike to normal car, also 300cc are slower for most part. You need 600cc for that.
One of my best memories of the late 80’s was a dear friend and I (he has since passed) going 137 mph in his 87 Grand National. Thank you for bringing back a great memory of a good friend and good times!
They would only go 124 mph, that's a fact from a GM'r.
Plenty of info online if you wanna test me. 😉
I'm happy to see Hoovie really using his cars. I'm also happy to see a happy Hoovie, I dunno what's going on in your life dude, but your videos and content always bring a smile to me, for what its worth, you've helped keep me sane over the years, and I look forward to many more years of you doing wacky things with cars!
April Rose came into his life then... April 13-15 at Palm Beach Barrett Jackson
Don’t forget , The engine was also available in other Regals like the Limited , light weight (and faster) Turbo T and the T-type. All of which are rarer than the Grand National
Yep. I own an 87 Turbo T. I love that car and will never get rid of it.
True. Back in the 80s my parents had one of the turbo regals as a rental car and I got to drive it as a teenager. I didn't dare do anything crazy with it but it was a really nice comfortable car. I wish I had one now.
I had the 6 cylinder with a sticky choke...it was fun to drive.
True but the 1987 gnx is an absolute beast. Underrated at 300 hp. but reportedly closer to 400 than 300
An old gearhead here, and in 1987 I put a deposit down on a Grand National but had to back out as we had moved and had no place to park it. I still remember the sticker was $17,800! To this day I still regret not buying it
and just getting rid of our other “family” car : ((
We just helped Alex at LSC with his GN. These cars are awesome, and can be built to powerful and safe if done correctly. 15lbs of boost isn't too much over stock, which was 13lbs. Also when you do pulls, you'll want to drop it out of overdrive and into regular drive, if you like having a working transmission anyway. Like I said, I live and breathe these cars, i even have a Grand National swapped 1972 Cutlass, if you need any info, feel free to ask.
It maxed out the meter, so it might be a bit over 15 though..
Lamda
@Golden Croc 16lbs are about all it can handle on 93 octane and stock injectors before detonation. Which it has a stock air intake, so I'd doubt it has aftermarket injectors.
Oh god, these had 700R4s, didn't they? I'm amazed it hasn't done the Sudden 4th Gear Explosion(tm) yet.
@@Ineptus_Mechanicus no, 200-4r.
Before you said it was a Canadian car, I could tell from the passenger side 1/4 glass sticker. That's from the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics and from growing up in Alberta at that time, pretty much every GM car on a dealer's lot had one. So that car could be an Alberta car and likely was sold new or near-new after February 1988. That was probably the absolute-coolest video Hoovie has ever done. A GN against a Countach and actually launching the Countach. Wow! This car reminds me of an identical one that was on a GM dealer lot in North Battleford Saskatchewan back in spring of 87. My mom was shopping for a new car and this one was a recent repo 😂 that was only about 3 months old. I BEGGED her to pay the $21k for it but she drove away instead in a tan left-over 86 Buick Skyhawk she paid $13k for. 😪 I was absolutely enamored with the GN at that time (still am; I was 12 and wore a custom-ordered GN black satin jacket) and the salesman threw in a poster of an 86 GN into the back of the Skyhawk for me. Good times.
My buddys Mom had a 88 Grand Am with a Olympics trim pkg.
That’s funny, the performance in the Skyhawk was kind of close😂
Well spotted on the window sticker. I still have a set of glass tumblers from Petro-Canada. Got one free with each gas fill before the Olympics. That would explain the lack of rust. We don't use salt on our Alberta roads. It is also so damned cold in winter that rust can't happen.
That salesman was a badass. He looked out for the kids 💯
@@rickb296 Hey Pal I live in Louisville Ky USA, back in the 90s PetroCanada merch was a BIG F'N DEAL down here. I know it's old hat to you, but it was "foreign" and therefore it was hot.
Nice to see a Countach actually being DRIVEN!!
Worked at a drag strip in the early 90's and there was a Grand National that raced there. Six in slicks and fairly stock. He would pull up to the line, pre-stage, and then spool the turbo. The body of the car would raise six inches over the front tires. When he left there was no flex in the body, it was already in launch position. Low 7's in the eighth mile. They were awesome cars.
Low 7's??? Definitely not a stock car by any means
@@TheRamGuy "fairly stock" lol, I bet it had bigger injectors and slightly bigger turbo
@@skeeterwyattMD❤
@@TheRamGuydid you notice he said 1/8 mile?
@yankees29 I did and low 7's in the 1/8th for a fairly stock car seems unrealistic
I know a guy who worked at the factory and said many were wrecked leaving the assembly line because they would lay on it and hit something on the way out. They would then take the damaged car, strip them and reuse the parts.
GNs are awesome. Great addition to the fleet during the rebuilding process 👍
I own a mint low mileage 87 GN that fortunately for me I purchased a few years back before the prices exploded on these cars. Original and correct down to the tires,headlamps, and wiper blades! It gets phenomenal attention at shows and always brings home the trophy! Part of my 80’s collection of incredible rides!
Show her with pride man🤟
That's so great. Take great care. It's an amazing car.
soooo you want to sell it then? LOL
The only attention a GN will get from me is the one with the 6-speed.
Maybe changing the tires would be okay…
Did anyone notice the Countach left a tire trail when it took off but the Grand National didn’t even though it took off just as fast. That’s amazing.
The countach tires are old they turned into powder when he launched it
Slushbox auto in the GN. Manual Countach. Just a little more RPM as you let out the clutch pedal. New the Grand National accelerated quicker. 0-60 4.8 to low-mid 5’s depending on the year Countach. Today neither car is “fast” but both are still cool.
@@bounderchris or a softer rubber formulation...
Rearward weight-transfer of Regal's cushy suspension no doubt contributing bigtime to impressive hookup.
@@bounderchris Brand new tires was one of the first things he did after buying the Countach, probably just a softer rubber.
Hoovie buys some groovy shit. I really dig this GN. I remember when these cars were sitting on the dealer lot for about 17K. Almost bought a 86 in 87 for $13K but wound up going for the 86 Olds 442. Not quite as quick as the GN. A 350 Olds fixed that with a turbo 350 but with no overdrive, no AC, now that I'm 59, I could really go for a low mileage GN like this one. Hard to believe these cars are 35 years old now. They seemed wicked high tech back in the mid late80s. Seeing them at Milan dragway (near Detroit) back in the late80s, with just sticky tires, it was mind boggling to see a "new" car run high 13s with just sticky tires. With a little more boost, low to mid 13s wasn't hard. SO cool to see a rich dude like Hoovie flog his hot rods instead of leaving them as garage/trailer queens. That GN holeshots extremely hard. Looks more like a low 13 second car.
The Olds was way cooler than the GN
You must be kidding! An olds 442! cooler then a GN! The GN would wipe the floor with that and the Monte Carlo SS. 😂. If you didn’t know which one was better at the time, then just google the modern resale values…
Two of my most favorite cars ever. Never ever thought. I would see them in a race together. 👍
Great purchase for a good price as well! As a few others said, original brake system on there. If you park it for a week plus, just turn the car off and slowly depress the brake pedal 10 times to depressurize the system. Keeps everything happy and brakes working well.
My last speediing ticket was in 1987 while driving my brother's Grand National. Deserted road, straight pavement, nice weather. I mentioned to my brother, in the passenger's seat: Wow, you can really hear that turbo whine! His response: Yeah, it's either the turbo or the state police car behind you....
After writing the ticket, the trooper remarked: Nice car... What a guy...
😬
Deserted road huh? Then how did you manage to get a ticket??? Not that it matters. I purchased a new 2008 Corvette in the summer of 2007 and managed to get a speeding ticket the exact same night…97 in a 45…and like you, it most definitely appeared to be a completely deserted road…with the exception of one cop hiding behind the guard rail right after going off a draw bridge. I stomped on it at the top of the bridge to see what it could do. And it did a lot…including getting me a ticket. And other than the hiding cop, it really was a completely deserted road. That’s why I had picked it … to see what my new Corvette was capable of doing without worrying about hitting anything.
@@mudman6156 Ah, yes, the corrupt road tax. Overzealous enforcement of speeding in order to bring in revenue for the county or city.
@@mudman6156 - You can be driving in North Dakota or Nevada and look behind you and see nothing for miles. Then look up again a few seconds later and there is blue lights on your bumper. They are either coming out of your trunk or they are driving a 1973 Dodge Police Interceptor 440. 200+mph.
One thing I remember about my buddies GN. The torque curve is so flat that you eventually get used to the G forces and start to think..."this thing is slow" and then you look over and the speedo is buried and its still accelerating. Remarkable cars and an insanely great engine. They only got better when they were redesigned into the 3800. Still hoping I'll own one ....... one day.
I launched mine so hard the little bracket that holds the front passenger seat to the floor snapped it felt like I was in a rocking chair lol! It was a twenty dollar fix just had to remove a nut and drill out 2 rivits now I'm back in business after buying the new thicker part. Fun cars. My lightly built one has 500hp and 600tq.
This is an all time Hoovie video for sure. Great to see you looking so happy Tyler!
It was 20 years ago, but I raced against a Grand National in my 98 Taurus SHO with the Yamaha engine and 5 speed manual. Left him in the dust. Now that was a great, super high reving engine. I gave it too my step-son and he traded it on a Honda without asking me if I wanted it back. I do need to add one caveat, we were already on the highway going 70 when we nodded to each other for a race. A start from zero might have been different.
I grew up in a Buick dealership, I was 5 when my dad brought one of these home, he took me for a ride, almost got locked up, and was one of the best times of my life. That is until the Cyclone and Typhoon came out. He was allowed to show them off at Englishtown, and was one of the drivers able to drive them on the GM proving grounds! GM really made some amazing fun vehicles! I'm grateful that I was able to experience them. I was so ashamed to tell my dad that I bought a Super Duty a few years ago, but he loves it, and borrows it every time he needs a truck. Never will I loose my respect for the days when GM was king!
I had a typhoon. It was one if not the fastest American car of the time.
Not anymore...
My grandfather owned a Chevrolet/Oldsmobile/Buick dealership in Mississippi from the late 50's till the early 80's. I got to ride in and drive some amazing cars!
That was a good time back then. I grew up in Detroit back then, and I will never forget. I was able to get on the proving grounds when I was 13, just amazing.
almost got locked up...of course you did
I hope he keeps that Buick. It's an icon.
Don't know what was best, watching the Buick or watching you finally give the Countach what it deserves, a good performance run!
The GNX was rated at 276 hp. The regular GN was 245hp. The 0 to 60 time you quoted was for the GNX, not the regular GN. The regular GN was closer to 6 seconds.
No that was for a bone stock GN from an original April 1986 Car and Driver issue, the GNX was 4.7. Why they and Google revised it to GNX I don't know. perfauto.tripod.com/images/gnspecs.jpg
That figure of 245 was a lie we had 1 that fell off a train in school made 313 @ the wheels bone stock!
@@faustthehammer8706 the low trap speeds of the regular GN would suggest otherwise but maybe yours wasn’t as stock as you thought? Whatever the case, awesome car!
@@BriansRCStuff it had 13 miles on it that's what it made the gn is heavier than a gnx and also doesn't get the factory ladder bar for launches but the brackets are there and that really helps the "g body shuffle" as you seen in the video haha! Have a great day
Is that like the "276hp" that R32 Skylines were rated for (ie, another blatant lie)? 🤣
Keep up the great content hoovie when life gives you lemons make lemonade keep your head up bro you're a good guy
I was at Edgewater drag strip with my dad in 88 and I got my first up close look at a Grand National. 17 year old me was impressed. My dad, an old school hot rod guy, wasn't. Until he saw it go down the track.
As always, GM finally gets something great, they drop it.
Yup that’s GM
All of Pontiac was making cool cars again: GXP versions of the G8, Grand Prix, Solstice. GTO, etc. Dropped.
Yep like ford drpping the 300 6 banger probably best motor ever made as far as lasting
GM is the Winningest company in both NASCAR and any kind of Drag Racing
Stole my thunder. I've been saying that for years.
Love the production of this one hoovie. Love seeing your channel grow to where it is today. Keep up the good content 👊
I like that the production has gone up but it still has the 'Hoovie brought us along' reality feel
Music was way too loud vs the speech though
Many of the shots were out of focus however. If you're going to up the production values, best to start there. I prefer the old style myself. No need for music either.
@@dingdong2103 yes! Less music
I'm guessing Hoovie decided to start paying for a film crew and editors, but I'm guessing he just went with some random college students because that's what it felt like with certain shots being out of focus and the kinda corny editing with music that's mixed poorly
Thanks for the first time video and real lambo vs a gn. Something they only calculated by book but never proven and u done it almost 35 years later
Ty so much ,
I just think the gn was upgraded and not officially stock ! But loved the 80’s my friend and here we all loved it
Ahh...Yes my dream car i also own 87 GN w/t-tops 48k miles second owner. The GN looks so Sinister add some black tint and your done for looks on the outside. Great choice Hoovie picking the Best for the Last. Iam so jealous u now owned 3 of my Dream Cars #1 GN #2 Cyclone #3 Typhoon
the production value on these videos has really sky rocketed! happy to see it hoovie!
apart from the dramatic music which we can do without
Agreed, it’s great to actually see some cars out doing what they’re supposed to be doing, being driven. This video and the one of the Jaguar seem to have higher production values. Visiting the wizard and finding out what’s broken, and paying bills pales in comparison to seeing the cars being driven.
YES! This is the sort of content that I love and want to see more! Classics that fall into the 80s - early 2000s era.
I’ve never seen anyone launch a Countach like that before, that was rad
You need to watch the "60 Minutes" show back when Dan Rather(i think) toured & rode in a Countach back in the 80's.
Jay Leno has
yes I see at least 10 a day getting launched...but never like that....wtf
I'm sure it's mentioned below but...the '87 Grand National was not rated at 276 hp /360 ft-lb - that was the GNX after some modifications at McLaren Performance. The Grand National for '87 had a slight increase from '86 - 245 hp/355 lb-ft.
The famous 4.9 sec to 60 mph at C&D magazine for the '86 model year car was always thought to be a ringer sent from the factory. It was also tested at very cold ambient conditions. Leter tests in warmer weather with cars purchased off the lot were typically a second or more slower. Still a lot of fun though..
Thanks. I was going to post the same about the HP rating. Some sources say 235hp, others say 245hp for the "regular" GN. 276hp for the GNX. I believe it was only the GNX that was "faster than the Corvette". GN could run close, but not quite there. It wouldn't surprise me if both the GN and GNX were underrated on horse power.
Actually, the '86 and '87 cars are exactly the same engine builds. They increased the number on paper only for some reason in '87. Possibly as a sales technique or just to try and differentiate the two years. Nobody has ever been able to provide the real reason for this from what I understand... And the GNX was modified by ASC/McLaren USA.
Magazine cars have been known to be breathed on or tuned before handing them out to the press.
@@evorider3689 We're talking GN here, not GNX. The '86 GN that C&D tested was a well known ringer. They even commented on it in another article. Motor Trends testing of an '87 GN with 10 more hp than the '86 (245 hp) did 6 seconds flat to 60. That was still really f______ fast in '87. Anyone going from their daily driver to that in '86 or '87 would have thought they were riding a lit rocket. I think the 5.0 Mustang of that year was also in the low 6 sec range. I test piloted many of those...and yes, stepping out of my 102 hp Dodge Colt to that seemed like I was going to die.
Buick's own claimed 0 to 60 time for the GNX was 5.3 sec to 60. Which was blistering for the late 80's. And yes, heat soak will always add significant time to acceleration runs.
Bring that GN to the 42nd Buick GS Nationals May 17-20 in Bowling Green, KY for some great racing and see just how fast a Turbo Buick can go!
I’m super excited to see Hoovie still out here buying cars. He looks happy in this vid
It’s a lesson to never marry a Vietnamese woman fresh off the boat (FOB) Poor guy just needs more confidence
I must’ve missed something in a video is he going through divorce and selling the house?
@@Landongames14 I don’t think that anyone has ever said. The only thing that we know is that he just got a vasectomy, because he told us. At least he can live in the airport hanger which he said that he doesn’t own.
@@TrippingSavage Who is to say Hoovie didnt cheat on her?
@@iVolkswagen yeah, maybe he is poking one of those hotties from Barrett Jackson 🎉🎉
Great car Tyler but most importantly it was great to see you smile again.Keep yourself happy
Nice to see Hoovie's smile back in the driver's seat once again!
Also, fun fact... the GNX specifically- was actually The fastest car at the time for a moment. Even Faster than the F40. When Buick makes the decision to go performance, they end the conversation. GSX did the same, back in the day, too. The main difference is that the GSX and then GNX could be daily driven and were much more comfortable than the cars they outperformed slightly. Daily drove my Grand National.
Great video and launches Hoovie!
"faster than an F40".. yeah right.. f40 is 12.0 sec 1/4 mile car .. stock with a top speed over 200mph.. wins in every way possible..
The F40 would eat the GNX for lunch on ANY course that required turning the wheel. Hell, a CRX Si would too! The GNX handles like a yacht.
@@kyrieeleison1905 keep in mind the regular GN does the quartee mile at 13.8. stock. The GNX is much faster provabky in the mid 12's. The Ferrari better be in its best behavior in a drag race, otherwuse the GNX wins. Consistently. Now a road course, that 1960's suspension could barely gwt out of its own way, let alone take a corner. Long live the vin code 7
Congratulations on the new purchase. I had a 86 Grand National fast car. Tyler if you ever get the chance I recommend driving the 1989 Turbo Trans Am. I owned one and they are by far a better handling/suspension and with better heads and a bigger intercooler they are quicker. R&T tested 1 and it ran a 4.6 to 60. I think you would be very impressed
I got a ride in one. DAMN.
The drag race was an awesome and exciting addition to the usual tour of the car / history lesson, some added excitement and anticipation to an already great formula for videos, I would love to see more of these odd ball / historic comparisons, even if it’s not always a race and comparing liveability / reliability aspects
It's great to see you smiling today. Congrats on your Grand National
A couple of corrections (and this might have been said already, I didn’t read all 1000+ comments.) First the GNX was rated at 276 hp, the standard GN was rated at 245. Second, there were 547 GNX made, not “less than 500.” Great video on one of the coolest cars ever and definitely the coolest American car of the 80s.
Yea, good catch but that wasn't the only things Hoovie was fibbing about.
Yeah, LOTS of technical errors V8 was still available through 1987 in Regal. Most 82 GN were 4.1 carbureted normal aspiration, few were 3.8 turbo; GN only 245 HP/GNX 276 , GN 300 lb-ft torque/GNX 340, GNX production 547. Seat covers were only difference( same as regular Regal, Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, etc. Boost gauge/tach known for error/ malfunction.
Also, looks VERY stock underhood (hydroboost accumulator update).
Still, I'm glad he's happy with it. Being an 87 Canadian car really is rare.
I remember when the GNX model was just introduced; I think GNX added $14,995 to GN sticker if I remember correctly, so around $30,000 MSRP. Changing hands for six figures, today.
@@stevencovington4715 yeah it's rare but people usually didn't use these cars in winter unless they were nuts or crazy rich. It's an amazing car. I had a typhoon and I regret to have sold it. I never used it winter, despite it was new, I always bought a winter car. (Usually a former police crown Vic or caprice, they do wonder in the snow)
Edit: I know the typhoon isn't the same thing as a GN or GTX but it was a crazy fast truck at the time.
I have two of them in my collection.
Finally!!!!! I have been posting in this comment section for years asking you to get a Grand National. Congratulations dude, that is arguably one of the coolest sleeper cars ever made. Don’t sell it!!!
Two of my dream cars from 80's - I got my DL in 1983. Too fun seeing them together. Thanks.
Great to see Tyler has the use of this facility for filming. It works really well.
Alright Tyler, full support from the UK mate. 👍👍
Coys
All the support for Tottenham
@@michael30481 😂 painful at the moment!!
COYS!
We need hoovie to buy spurs. We are definitely hoovie at the moment!
Happy Hoovie!!
That is great to see considering he's going through some personal stuff.
This is an AWESOME purchase!!
One of the all time greats.
Well bought at $35K.
Saw one GNX in the wild driving next to me many years ago. I remember it more vividly than some exotics.
Awesome episode! Those were two of my favorite cars ever since I was a kid. I never expected to see them head-to-head like this, but I'm glad I finally did.
My GN story- In 1988 went to dealership outside of Houston to buy one of the last 2 original demos. Took test drive, was ready to trade in my '85 Mitsubishi, which even the salesman said looked brand new. The problem? They offered me next to nothing on the trade-in, so I walked away. This set in motion a completely different car direction. A year later, ended up buying an '88 Alfa Milano 3.0 (which I still own) & was given a couple of extra thousand more for my Mitsubishi trade-in. Bought many cars since then, but sadly never got a GN, but always wondered, what if the dealership wasn't so stingy on the trade-in?
Personally I'd have picked the Milano too, since I never liked the look of the GN. I'm just curious tho, how many miles you have on it, and what kind of problems did you have? Never owned one, but I'm considering buying it (In Europe it's called Alfa 75)
I feel the force of the 80's calling me back. Two of the cars I grew up watching. I didn't know what the Buick was until I saw it in a TV movie as a kid. I can't remember the title, but it was a cop show. The "bad guy" was a big African American man who's catch phrase was "hello". (He would say hello right before he shot people in the face with a big, chrome, revolver.) The Sergeant was driving a black Buick Grand National, which I thought was just a Monte Carlo at that time. Funny, I can't remember things I did yesterday, but I can remember that TV show and that Buick. The Lambo? Well, it just speaks for itself. All 80's.....and just an amazing look. Thanks for the throwback Hoovie!
The advertised HP for the GN was 245. I’ve driven a stock one. I think they understated it. Felt more like 345.
They Dino stock from 225 to 245 rwhp. So about 275 or 280 flywheel.
GM forced Buick to derate the GN to just under Corvette specs. Buick Motorsports put out a bumper sticker with the GN "6" logo on it that says "We Brake For Corvettes". My GN has one. :)
Me too. Felt more like 337 to me.
Car & Driver did an article on it, and they said the 245HP did not add up. They tested it in Michigan on a really cold winter day, and with the 0-60 times, the weight of the car, and a number of other mathematical formulas, they said the car had to have over 300HP, at least on that day with that cold dense air.
@@dr69296 Wrong! 245HP doesnt add up! Ask Car and Driver!
I love cars and I have to say I’ve watched many RUclips videos, but this is one that you could absolutely fall in love with. I love the Buick grand national and I love the Lamborghini seeing them both up on the screen they look beautiful. Wow, thank you for posting that. That looks great.
Glad to see you smiling Hoovs, universe has a plan, keeping doing what you’re doing and more will be revealed! 🎉
Thank you for actually launching a countach, most people are too scared to split the final drive haha that was awesome, love the GN, what an absolute weapon!
He still has a credit with the wizzard?
FYI, Hoovir - when your Buick was built, the quality from Canadian auto-plants was considerably better that that from their U.S. counterparts. Thus, I would argue, your Buick should be worth more than a U.S.-made one.
completely untrue, which is why the Canadian version is less valuable.
No Grand National was ever made in Canada. For GNs going to Canada they just put in a different set of gauges. So no, it's not worth more for any reason, even in the ignorance of Canada vs US build quality.
So the grand National was basically the hellcat of its time
Yes and this one isn't even the fastest one
Those Grand Nationals are badass, race wasn’t even close , look like the guy driving the GN let up a little bit
One of my all time favorite cars. Sweet. My parents had a 80 Regal. Wish they had one of these. One of the greatest sleepers of all time, for those who are not in the know. Badd ass whip. Quick. Last of the old school. Countach gets its doors blown off. Cool.🔥🔥🔥😎😎🏁
One of the last and greatest muscle cars and as a kid of the 80s I love these
You are a lucky man, Tyler. Congrats on the Grand National pick up.
The way GNs spin the tires when you hit 2nd gear always brings a smile to my face. Such a fun car
Coming out off first when your going hard is a dangerous game. you got to time it just right to get off the pedal and back on again quick or your sideways
Thanks Hoovie, I have always loved the Grand National. I am glad you finally got one! Great comparison with the Lambo! Love it and it is an awesome car
My 86 Olds had the exact same stereo head! 5:24 paused the video and just stared at that for a few. Memories I didn’t think I had came pouring back. Thanks for that ! :)
This one felt like a bit of a level up in terms of production quality for Hoovie, love it as a great balance between the older style POV footage and some more produced looking cutaways!
Most badass start from a countach I have ever seen. The grand tour with their huge budget wouldn't even race one from a stop for fear of breaking the diff. Hoovie is just different 😂
Absolutely love the grand national. I'll never get one as I'm from Ireland but I can dream it's just such a beautiful design
Now THIS…. this is the hoovie we all know and love and missed!! He looks happy.
I rode around in one of these in high school. It was given to my girlfriend at the time by her dad as her first car. Neither of us even had any idea what it was! But the handful of people who actually knew what it was didn't stop talking about it! It was basically huge, old-fashioned, and still quite smooth! A friend's girlfriend drove us around in a Toyota Supra! I had no idea how unique these vehicles were when I was 17!
Hoovie needs to just move into that hanger, bachelor pad on one side and mega garage on the other.
For some reason, I’ve got a feeling that has been his since he first showed it.
It's his dad's
Hoovie! You did it again. Made me smile and felt the same energy you put out. Hands down, you are my favorite RUclipsr. This one was cool as a cucumber 🥒 thank you!
Good to see you smiling and happy again Hoovie, hang in there my brother. My buddies’ dad had a countach, I remember him saying it was $14,000 for a clutch job. And that was pushing 20 years ago. I can see that, as the engine likely needs to come out to do it.
I remember reading somewhere that to replace the timing belts on a Testarossa, you have to drop the engine out the bottom... and the recommended change interval is something like 40k miles. You can probably buy a decent second-hand RSX for the price of that repair bill...
can we all thank Tyler for bringing the quality of the videos much higher up?Great job!
Caught the 100mph touch on that county road. My old running buddy always talked about the Gran National’s awesomeness. Keep up the good vids. 🤘🏻🏁
Always great videos. If you get a chance to purchase the GNX , do it. Buick had a little trouble with the accumulator (black iron round ball) attached to the brake master cylinder. (Retired GM Dealership Parts Department Counterman 45 years last summer of '21 Los Angeles and Orange Counties California 9 years at Buick dealership '83 - '92 .)
Loving the production value, especially the driving shots! Great buy on that thing.
This might be the coolest race I've ever seen, thanks Hoovie for this historical race.
I'm sure that someone has probably already mentioned this but the car he has is a 1987 Buick Grand National that came from the factory with 245 hp and they made many more of those than the big daddy GNX which had 276 advertised horsepower but it was actually closer to 300 in reality. They didn't want to hurt the feelings of Corvette owners at the time although a side by side street race between a stock 87 GNX and a stock 87 Corvette did that all on it's own. The 87 Grand National was still a very fast car for that time.
Yes they built exactly 547 GNX in 1987. In partnership with Asc/Mclaren. Wider tires, wheels. Fenders flares, vents.Slightly different,heads, tune. Etc. Underrated at 276 hp. Regular GNs, and Turbo regals/T-types both got the same 3.8, underated at 245 hp. Both would outrun the corvette of the day by A lot!
Dude your production and editing quality went way up recently. Not sure if you hired an editor or what, and not that the older videos were bad, I loved them, but the editing and whatnot looks really professional now. Great work!
@Gregory Justin No thanks scammer.
Next week: I bought the cheapest Death Star in the Galaxy!
The following week: Here's everything broken on the cheapest Death Star in the Galaxy!
The week after that: Here's why the Car Wizard now owns a fleet of Millennium Falcons
Everyone wanted more Buicks...Hoovie buys THE Buick lol. Nice purchase dude!
Buick is underrated
@@samuelsabo9493 I agree, but it's really a shame to see what Buick has turned into today. Now Buick is nothing but generic mom SUVs.
Unfortunately mom SUVs seems to be what the average American mouth breather wants to buy these days. Car companies are giving the unwashed what they want.
I worked for a Buick dealership in those years. The Grand National ‘86 and ‘87 were absolute beasts! They were the fastest thing around from Zero to about 70 mph, after about 70 or 75 mph they ran out of steam and got passed by other fast cars. It’s a Buick Regal body. One day a customer drove in driving a White color Regal that had the Grand National turbo engine. I was astounded, didn’t know that was available. I drove it and it was indeed the same as the Black Grand National, just a white Regal. I lol’ed my tail off driving it. You’re right, you had to power brake it, then it launched like a rocket.The GNX was even more awesome. The 3.8 engine was a darn good engine, very trouble free, it was in a lot of Buick’s.
You could order a standard Regal with a "T-Type" package which was the turbo V6 but NOT GN color/badging, it was the ultimate sleeper - GN performance in grandma's Regal - even had the hood ornament. The GN package (WE2 I think?) added the blacked out trim, tinted windows, and "they come in any color you like, as long as it's black" paint.
And please add the details ... The car evolved a lot over a short period of time. The first version was a blow-through carburetor. Then GM put the FI on. Then GM added an inner-cooler. The '86 and '87 are the only ones to get.
I was stationed in West Germany from 1984-90. One of my buddies bought one cheap from a departing soldier. LAND OF THE AUTOBAHN. He took a trip to visit relatives in northern Italy. He came back a day late AWOL!! We all asked him what happened? Also - where was his Grand National?! Can you guess what happened?!
He said he was on the Autostrada cruising along when a bright red 308 passed him.
Ok - young soldiers are sometimes braver than smart.
He said the race was on and HE PASSED THE FERRARI!!
He looked in the rear view mirror and was laughing when suddenly loud noise and A CLOUD OF SMOKE!! He blew it up!
He had to leave it there - because he had to be back to the base in Germany the next day!
So if you ever see a black Grand National around northern Italy - BE SURE TO SALUTE IT!! 🇺🇸🇮🇹🍝🏆🏁🤣🤣🤣
stupid story
I miss every car being a Hoopty but but I can get behind these new purchases
Had to bounce back with a good purchase hoover johnson
This is my favorite Hoovie video ever! Grand national is my dream car!
I am so happy that Hoovie had a smile on his face that makes me happy I just hope he lands up with the right amount of time to be with his kids because it seemed to me that yes he travels for work but each time he was home he always took over the school runs
Hope you are doing well Tyler.