What do you get when you mix a 1987 Buick Grand National, a supercharged LT1 V8 from a Camaro Z28, a custom-fabricated chassis, and independent suspension parts from Nissan drift cars? For purists, that might sound horrifying, but Stevie Martin from SS Motorsports wanted to try something completely outside the box. His "Drift National" is certainly a polarizing build, but he told Autotopia LA that it still gets a lot of positive attention. "I wanted to build it so even the G-Body guys could respect it. Right off the top, they're going to be upset... but as soon as they see it or hear it, they fall in love with it."
The "Drift National" 1987 Grand National
The idea for this project was sparked when Stevie visited the Fuel Fest car show and watched expert drivers sliding their drift cars around the track. "I didn't know anything about drifting, but loved it visually," he recalled. At that point, it was just a matter of finding the right car to build into a drift machine at the SS Motorsports shop.
Some time later, Stevie picked up this '87 GN. It was in relatively good condition cosmetically, but the 3.8L V6 engine was knocking badly. Rather than tear apart the engine for a rebuild, he decided to swap in something he was more familiar with: an LT1 V8 from a '97 Camaro Z28. This decision alone would be enough to upset many Grand National purists, but it was only the beginning.
After speaking to a friend with drift car building experience, Stevie determined that it would be wise to convert the Buick's suspension to match that of another popular drift car platform, namely the Nissan 240SX. This would make it much easier to find parts and dial in the appropriate geometry and steering angle for drifting.
Above: Custom "Drift National" emblems were made in the style of the original Grand National emblems.
Starting with a set of 240SX subframes from a junkyard and several boxes of aftermarket parts from Drift HQ, Stevie and his team fabricated a full custom chassis for the Drift National. The car now rides on BC Racing coilovers and features four-wheel independent suspension.
The LT1 engine is stroked to 396ci with forged internals and a Vortec supercharger, making 700 horsepower at the rear wheels. However, Stevie believes it's still capable of much more with a more aggressive tune. It's paired with a T56 manual transmission from a fourth-gen Z28. Four-piston disc brakes keep all that power under control, and it's also equipped with a hydraulic handbrake to help rotate the rear end at corner entry.
The Drift National rides on 19x11 and 19x12 wheels for a significantly wider stance. SS Motorsports fabricated custom flares on the original fenders and quarter panels to match the rolling stock.
While most drift cars have gutted interiors with fiberglass racing seats, the Drift National retains much of its original style. The seats, dash pad, door panels, and even the steering wheel are all original-style Buick GN parts (although the wheel is on a quick-disconnect hub).
Check out the video below from Autotopia LA to learn more about this unique and controversial Buick GN build:
Looking for Buick Regal & Grand National Parts?
Classic Industries offers a wide range of restoration and performance parts for the Buick Regal, Grand National, and GNX. We'd be happy to assist you with your build, whether you're doing something as wild as this drift car restomod or simply restoring your car to original specs. Click the button below to browse our selection of Regal & Grand National parts:
