One of the reasons that the Buick Grand National was so good the second it hit the scene in the middle 1980s was that it had an “uncle” that existed for several model years before and that uncle allowed the engineers at Buick to get stuff right before they really wicked up the program into the Grand National. The turbo V6 Regals of the last 1970s and early 1980s were a far cry from the Grand Nationals that thundered the highways and by ways years after but they allowed for important development work on how to make turbocharging a reliable prospect on engines like the Buick bent six. Electronic spark control, the use of knock sensors, and other technology considered rudimentary today was pioneered (on American cars anyway) by use in these models. When pal o’ BangShift Brady Basner from Powermaster Motorsports sent us this Craigslist link we were immediately interested. Only $1,000 for a complete car? That seems pretty cheap and frankly we’d chuck the 1980 spec turbo Buick setup for one of the later intercooled versions. But we digress.
Available with either a two of four barrel carb, the peak output for the turbo engine in 1980 was 165hp. Sure, that’s a laugher by today’s standards and it wasn’t the fastest thing on the roads in 1980, but it was a stout performer in an age where the 305 small block Chevy made slightly less power and the whole turbo deal was viewed as pretty exotic and neat. We’re not sure which engine this car has in it, the 2bbl or the 4bbl, but either way the seller claims it needs the spark plugs put back into it and the distributor cap reinstalled to fire up. We’re not sure if the plugs have been out for three years or three weeks, but it would be interesting to see if the stock motor could be lit off just for fun. The interior looks mint, the factory wheels aren’t too badly pitted and rotted by the looks of things and the only real issue we see with the body is on the rear of the car there are a couple of “end caps” on the rear quarters that seem to have aged badly. Looks like some fiberglass/bondo work will be required back there to mend them.
This looks like a pretty good buy to us…what say you?
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE SOME PHOTOS AND THEN HIT THE LINK TO SEE MORE IMAGES AND GET THE FULL SCOOP ON THIS 1980 REGAL TURBO –
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CRAIGSLIST AD FOR THIS 1980 BUICK REGAL TURBO
I would be all over that for a grand!
Do Corvairs leak oil?
“We got it to start after we correcting the firing order but it still needs plugs”
Why would they start the car and then not just go ahead and put spark plugs in the thing?
The answer is JY 4.8/5.3 and Epay Turbo!
No.
The answer is NOT always to throw an LS into everything. If you ever plan to pop the hood and not have people puke at the ugliness then you need to add square-bore intake and either a carb or FI unit then the Holley coil covers. Why not just beef up the stuff that’s there. The basics are in place and how cool to amp that up in its original platform – the prelude to the GN. All TRs have a high cool factor and the T-types were the wolf in grandma’s pajamas.
I couldn’t agree with you more. This is why the automotive world at large hates the LS, it just keeps ending up in cool cars that deserve something unique.
Especially when the Turbo 3.8 has such massive potential.
Yeah, if it were a base Regal I’d jam a turbo 5.3L in in an instant. but this thing needs a worked-over Grand National motor in it.
I bought my daughter a brand new ’80 Monte Carlo with a similar turbo set-up. It was a 2bbl version, with the off set hood bulge. It wasn’t fast by any means but it had potential
You guys can’t post stuff from Knoxville CL. That car’s 40 miles from my house and I don’t need anymore projects. It would make a sweet turbo LS sleeper. I’m going to pass solely based on the rust. $1000 bucks for a roller, but I already have five projects that just roll and one that won’t even do that. I have a 114k mile 3800 setting in the driveway that would also go nice in it.