(One of the stranger online finds to cross our path this year, this Grand National stirred up a bit of a hornet’s nest when we first published it. If you’ve got this car and it’s still got the 2.3L Ford mill, we want to hear from you! -McT)
I promise you, readers, I was not looking for another way to stir up engine-swap purists! I was simply checking Facebook when I saw a link for a 1985 Buick Regal. It claimed to be turbocharged, looked like a Grand National with a couple of GNX cues. Maybe it’s a little beat for it’s age, but that means it might be affordable. Then I saw the engine description: 2.3 liter. Ok, that has to be a typo. There is only one 2.3L mill we can think of, and there isn’t someone out there who really stuffed one into a G-body Buick and made it look like a hero car. Is there?
I know a LOT of people who are going to cringe and twist at the sight of this. It wasn’t a typo. That’s a turbocharged 1989 2.3L Ford four-banger that has been converted to run a carburetor sitting under the hood of this Regal, and behind it is a Ford C4 automatic. Is there anything else that needs to be said? Probably not, since any other words will be drowned out by the argument between Ford fans who praise seeing a four-banger mill take over from one of the most impressive V6 combinations put to the market, and GM fans frothing at the mouth over the blasphemy that has occurred to a Regal.
Say what you will in the comments below, just don’t shoot the messenger, okay?
Craigslist Link: 1985 Buick Regal
Come on guys – at least it isn’t a Loathsome Slug in there!
I hear the guy’s selling the car because it takes so long to get to 30mph let alone 60 that he has to leave for work before he actually gets to bed at night….
Haha! What a Ford in a Chevy? Now that’s a new one.
OK a Buick, let’s not get technical.
there are no words….
Ok, not my thing but we all know 2.3turbo’s can scream if built right. Looks like someone put a lot of effort in so I’d be curious how hard it runs. It’s not a GN so no party foul there. I just wonder how this came together- unless I had all the parts and the car just sitting there it doesn’t make sense. As for brand loyalty? It’s too bad it’s not in a Monte or a Malibu or better yet an early Camaro. It would help balance generations of Ford products stuffed with Bowties
Not bad, junk plus junk equals car that probably gets decent economy and is fun to drive. The asking price is where I get lost, seems like a deal at $1500…
Looks like someone had too much time on their hands. Why!!!???
I don’t know why….. but I like it.
If it was a 2.3L Ecoboost then I’d be interested…
I’d buy it and drop in an LS turbo, or a Buick 455.
It’s a junk regal. If someone swapped a Briggs and Stratton in it it would be better than original. Those 2.3 turbos can be good pieces. I know this from my turbo coupe days.
I drive 30 miles to work every day at 60 mph so I can listen to Howard Stern Whoop Whoot wonder what MPG is?
I drive 30 miles to work every day at 60 mph so I can listen to Howard Stern Whoop Whoot wonder what MPG is?
Bwahahahahahaha!
Now you GM guys know what it feels like…lol
Twin turbo 455 anyone?
Guess they couldn’t figure out how to make the factory turbo 6 run. Heck most swap to the LC2 intercooled version anyways.
Yank that turd and toss in the token turbo Ls.
Wow, the guy who wrote this article hasn\’t even been to our house to see it run!!! How can you write an article about something you haven\’t even seen? My husband did this car. And I don\’t know who said he can\’t get it past 30 mph, but it goes well beyond that, and yes my husband does have allot of spare time on his hands, he is retired military and this isn\’t the first car he has sold. Maybe you should see the car in action before you pass judgement. His asking price is well worth it. He took a gray piece of junk and turned it into a clone.
If you build something as controversial as that, you shouldn’t then complain that there is controversy. It’s not worth what you’re asking for it, and quite frankly I’d never want to see you or the car because I already know I don’t like you or the car…. deal with it.
I respect the car.. And the amount of work that went into it. I love Regals but I like that turbo 2.3 too. Had a new turbocoupe in 86 and it KICKED ASS!! You should have seen how furious guys would get when they got spanked by a pinto motor with a hairdryer hanging off the side. Taught me to respect the turbo 4 banger. There\’s guys doing 9 second quarter miles with them now. My only issue would be \”carburetor\”?!
How did it run?
A guy dresses in a pink tutu then get mad because someone called him a faerie…. smh.
your husband likes to work on cars, ok cool. IMHO actual clones are only worth money to the people that build them. to me they are worth little more than the base model they started w/. that said this is more of a mashup than clone.
What a total freak of an engine swap! How much slower did the car go after this horrible transplant?
How did it run?
weighs about the same as my 88 turbocoupe. probably runs quite fair. mine hit one thirty nine at six thousand feet and 105F. there is a difference between quick and fast. a bit of power adder and more fuel. Mmmmm. forged bits and pieces help it last.
mind you, the square design bits on the Regal will be like aerodynamic anchors out front but it probably goes well.