The 1987 Buick Grand National is a car that needs no introduction among enthusiasts. The GN's turbocharged and intercooled 3.8L V6 engine produced 245 horsepower, a figure that was extremely impressive at the time (and greater than that of the Corvette's 5.7L V8). Its "experimental" sibling the GNX pushed the limit even further, outrunning Ferraris and Porsches to become one of the world's fastest production cars. This year at the 2024 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, world-renowned custom builder Ringbrothers showed off their approach to building the ultimate Buick Grand National resto-mod.
Photos courtesy of Ringbrothers
"Invadr" 1987 Grand National
In typical Ringbrothers fashion, this build focuses on subtle and tasteful upgrades which enhance performance without obscuring the original character of the car. At first glance, you'd have no idea that almost 5,000 hours were invested into this project.
The exterior features custom stainless steel front and rear bumpers with machined aluminum inserts, creating a sleek appearance. There's also a custom carbon fiber hood, side mirrors, and rear spoiler, plus reshaped front fenders. The GN was painted a color Ringbrothers calls "Dark Vader Gray" which looks black in some lighting conditions and deep charcoal in others. It rides on 19 and 20-inch HRE wheels which bear some resemblance to the original 10-spoke Buick wheels.
Co-founder Mike Ring said, "The bodywork is subtle at a glance, but the ferocity of what’s under the hood begins to materialize on second viewing."
The heart of this Grand National is not a V8 like some competitors' resto-mods. It's an all-aluminum Duttweiler Performance 3.8L V6 fitted with a pair of 62mm Precision turbos that produce 32psi of boost. The engine is paired with a Bowler Tremec six-speed manual transmission.
With a conservative tune, this setup produces a staggering 1,246 horsepower — that's 1,001 more horsepower than the original Buick V6 with the same displacement. If for some reason that's not enough for you, Ringbrothers says that cranking the boost up to 50psi will produce roughly 2,000hp. Mike Ring explains, "The acceleration of this car is nothing short of violent. This may well be the fastest car we’ve built to date."
Tanks in the carbon-fiber-lined trunk support nitrogen-powered air jacks that lift the car off the ground for quick tire changes. This seems like a practical feature for a car with enough horsepower to shred the rear tires in seconds.
As classic car enthusiasts, we appreciate Ringbrothers' "Invadr" Grand National because it stays true to the timeless style of this Buick design. A thousand extra horsepower on tap just adds to the appeal. For more photos and details, check out this Car & Driver article about the build.
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