Fast is a relative term depending on whether you are in the US or not. The '87 Buick GN was touted as the fastest car 'sold' in the US. Foreign cars were de-tuned to meet our emissions standards. Also, our speed limit is about 65 -75 so it's easy for GM or others to claim fastest car status. I owned one and loved it; but you must admit it had the aerodynamics of a brick. The Firebird was a vast improvement in many ways. The FB never captured the pure bad a&& mystique of the GN though!
@vfIskullangel I have one in my 98 truck mated to a 5 speed . 25 mpg on the highway and pulls my boat out of the lake jes fine and get's down the road pretty well to boot. Try Midol. It helps with cramping and irritability.
@vfIskullangel I think as a passenger car motor the 305 is a poor fit. I had a 78 Pontiac PHX with a 305 mated to a 4MT. No top end to speak of but it seemed to stay with the mid 80's F-bodies and Mustangs. The 305 does just fine in my truck-120k miles and has never given me a problem. I would definitely take it over the 4.3. FTR, my 3.6L DOHC 6MT LT RS Camaro is faster too...LOL...lots faster.
@vfIskullangel the 1989 20th anniversary did! GM took 1550 3.8 turbo v6's from the grand nationals and put them into the 20th anniversary model, making it the fastest production trans am to date and the fastest production car in the world in 1989 and also the only car, at the time, to pace the indy 500 without modification!
@vfIskullangel not in terms of top speed but in its 0-60 time it was under rated at around 5 seconds... whereas the car and driver test put it at 4.6, compared to the 4.8 of the Countach and the ferrari f40 did it in 3.8 seconds. and as for the Jaguar XJ220 it wasent in production until 92.
in 1989 pontiac and PAS made 1,555 v6 trans am's with the engine borrowd from buick but had to use Front wheel drive heads on these cars. ALL 89 TTA's are white with tan interior an are automatics
just went to the sight, it's a firebird in their vid too, so I'm guessing its a buick engine, but otherwise its just an old unibody (owns a 91 camaro... hates unibodies ...)
its not a trans am... trans ams all had v8's... thats a firebird. you can tell cuz all the 60 degree v6's had that raspy sound at high rpms. but yes its definitely a turbo! haha
Those old 3.8's were never 60 degree angle blocks. They're all 90 degree angles, like V8s. The TRUE Grand Nationals with the 3.8 Turbo engines were impressive and outran many V8 muscle cars. It's just unfortunate that the "purists" couldn't accept a V6 muscle car. I personally find V6s to be the BEST!!
I drive a 83 T-type and I smoke 305 Cutlasses, and 5.0L mustangs all day long and get better fuel milage....can't beat that....totaly agree with you TURBO V-6 4 LIFE!!
in 1989 Pontiac made a Trans Am GTA with the SAME engine, turbo, SFI and transmission as the 1987 Buick Grand National. trust me. there are 2 in my town and i see them at the car show EVERY time and i know the guys personally
the fastest production trans am is a v-6! well at least in 1989 which is impressive considering the size of the motors in previous year..it's called a TTA or turbo trans am
Incorrect...not all Trans AM's had V8's...yes most of them did...however in 1989 Pontiac dropped in a V6 into a Trans AM...yes I said "V6 in a Trans AM"....but not just any V6...it was a turbo V6....a Buick turbo V6...same ones used a few years earlier in the GNX, Grand National and the T type...and in '89 a turbo Trans AM could outperform any V8 F body, or any V8 Fox body and could even outperm *GASP* a Corvette.
@TylerTBlood I see you tried calling me out saying "if it has a V6 in it,its not called a transAm its called a firebird :) before you correct people make sure all your facts are correct". Then you retracted your statement when you realized I was right all along. 1989 Indy pace car was not a Firebird, it was a Trans AM, based on the GTA, and it came factory with the Buick turbo V6 out of the Grand National. Anyone who doesn't believe me go google "1989 Trans AM pace car".
@meangreen69Nova yeah,i had to think more about it,i had only known them to have the turbo motor in like 80 or 81, but then i had remembered the one my dad had which was a 89 T/A with the turbo v6,sorry for the doubt man,i guess i should think more before i comment haha
@meangreen69Nova to be 100%,they had a turbo v6 transAm,it was in the early 80's(80 or 81 i believe), it was the the buick motor but was detuned and a slug because the car was so heavy
@ivanruiz89 Not ALL Trans AM's had V8's....the 1989 Trans AM pace car was a factory V6 car, but not just any V6, it was the one used in the Grand Nationals and T types a few years earlier.
To the OP, looks like a nice car. I'd love to have a TTA, but I'll stick with my T type for now. Buick turbo power rules.
@CollingdalePerform i'm putting a GN motor in my third gen camaro, did you have any issues with the a/c box? did you keep it? also what was done about the p/s, a/c compressor? i know it can be deleted but was just wondering what route you took, any help would be greatly appreciated :)
@CollingdalePerform It sure looks like 650hp to me. I've seen a lot of these motors on dynos, and you are def winding it to the point of making that kind of power. Excellent work making it at 20psi especially on a mustang dyno. Wonder what it'd feel like @ 30psi?
no one said the car was a buick...the engine is a buick and they are definitely capable of 650 hp..however that is starting to push the limitations of the 109 block
I thought they had problems fitting the heads in an Fbody. That's why the 89 TTA had a special kind of heads.
Naturalhit 7 months ago
This car is now for sale. For further info. Please contact me by PM
HARRYGzzz 7 months ago
a corvette huh they had a whooping what 180 hp come on man
charlesghood 8 months ago
Fast is a relative term depending on whether you are in the US or not. The '87 Buick GN was touted as the fastest car 'sold' in the US. Foreign cars were de-tuned to meet our emissions standards. Also, our speed limit is about 65 -75 so it's easy for GM or others to claim fastest car status. I owned one and loved it; but you must admit it had the aerodynamics of a brick. The Firebird was a vast improvement in many ways. The FB never captured the pure bad a&& mystique of the GN though!
ElectraGSX 9 months ago
@ElectraGSX Fuck FireBirds from this style on lol How could you ever capture what any Buick had in a FireBird, especially one from this era? Class.
airbop 8 months ago
you sir, have one BADASS car!
guitarkid002 11 months ago
The 89 V6 Pace car was one of the fastest T/A ever built. This includes the SD455 455HO and LS1.
governmentslaves 11 months ago
Love that turbo "whine" -- like a small jet taking off.
KarmicOmen 1 year ago
@KarmicOmen Lol it's not exactly a small jet but it sure as hell takes off!
snowman4839 1 year ago
Thats what all GM cars should have came with back in the 1980's.
Fucking retarded GM and there V8's! god I hate them for that reason alone! Who the hell wants a 305?
vfIskullangel 1 year ago
@vfIskullangel whats wrong with a v8?
rtfk101 1 year ago
@rtfk101. 305's are junk.
vfIskullangel 1 year ago
@vfIskullangel I have one in my 98 truck mated to a 5 speed . 25 mpg on the highway and pulls my boat out of the lake jes fine and get's down the road pretty well to boot. Try Midol. It helps with cramping and irritability.
SIXJAK 1 year ago
@SIXJAK I had 2 of them. Both were junk. My 3.8 camaro is more reliable not to mention faster.
vfIskullangel 1 year ago
@vfIskullangel I think as a passenger car motor the 305 is a poor fit. I had a 78 Pontiac PHX with a 305 mated to a 4MT. No top end to speak of but it seemed to stay with the mid 80's F-bodies and Mustangs. The 305 does just fine in my truck-120k miles and has never given me a problem. I would definitely take it over the 4.3. FTR, my 3.6L DOHC 6MT LT RS Camaro is faster too...LOL...lots faster.
SIXJAK 1 year ago
@vfIskullangel the 1989 20th anniversary did! GM took 1550 3.8 turbo v6's from the grand nationals and put them into the 20th anniversary model, making it the fastest production trans am to date and the fastest production car in the world in 1989 and also the only car, at the time, to pace the indy 500 without modification!
XVIISIDEWINDER 1 year ago
@XVIISIDEWINDER It wasn't the fastest car in the world in 1989. Maybe the fastest GM built car but not the fastest.
The Countach, F40 and Jaguar XJ220 were all competiting for that with a 200mph top speed which this car is 50mph short of doing.
vfIskullangel 1 year ago
@vfIskullangel not in terms of top speed but in its 0-60 time it was under rated at around 5 seconds... whereas the car and driver test put it at 4.6, compared to the 4.8 of the Countach and the ferrari f40 did it in 3.8 seconds. and as for the Jaguar XJ220 it wasent in production until 92.
XVIISIDEWINDER 1 year ago
Nice car guys. Sounds awesome.
BadAssGN 1 year ago
in 1989 pontiac and PAS made 1,555 v6 trans am's with the engine borrowd from buick but had to use Front wheel drive heads on these cars. ALL 89 TTA's are white with tan interior an are automatics
tta299 2 years ago
KickASS! Take an awesome car, drop in an awesome engine, cant beat it. I love v8s but Ill always hope one day to build a turbo 6
hondabigredatc 2 years ago
just went to the sight, it's a firebird in their vid too, so I'm guessing its a buick engine, but otherwise its just an old unibody (owns a 91 camaro... hates unibodies ...)
ITS4390 2 years ago
I love how it says Buick and yet it shows a 3rd gen Pontiac Trans Am. lol
ITS4390 2 years ago
I think I jizzed a little when he hit top gear
andytheobliviator 2 years ago
God I love 3800's... Add a little (or a lot) of boost and there you have it... 500hp on stock internals and heads...
ryder75 2 years ago
@ryder75 wasn't really a '3800 back then but yes, still the 3.8.'
CeeStyleDj 1 year ago
it's amazing how long it has been around and just killed off like it wasn't probably their best v6 ever manufactured now and forever...
ryder75 1 year ago
wow that is a sweet ccar
hp660r 2 years ago
Nice fire chicken!!!! 3.8 SFI 4 Life!!!!!!!
magnesiumpearlrt 2 years ago
that's a 20th aniversary turbo trans am, am I alrigth??? nice t/a where can i see pic's of your car???
akilesbeek 2 years ago
its not a trans am... trans ams all had v8's... thats a firebird. you can tell cuz all the 60 degree v6's had that raspy sound at high rpms. but yes its definitely a turbo! haha
ivanruiz89 2 years ago
Those old 3.8's were never 60 degree angle blocks. They're all 90 degree angles, like V8s. The TRUE Grand Nationals with the 3.8 Turbo engines were impressive and outran many V8 muscle cars. It's just unfortunate that the "purists" couldn't accept a V6 muscle car. I personally find V6s to be the BEST!!
Halogen360 2 years ago
I drive a 83 T-type and I smoke 305 Cutlasses, and 5.0L mustangs all day long and get better fuel milage....can't beat that....totaly agree with you TURBO V-6 4 LIFE!!
1999RMK 2 years ago
i would hope so
IRONSEAN7 2 years ago
1989 Pontiac Trans Am GTA. look it up. engine option 3.8 SFI turbo. same as the Grand National & GNX. so not ALL Trans Am's had V8s
bullitt774 2 years ago
humm thats wrong trans am are all fatory v8
just like the chevy z28 all v8 but the cammrao is a v6
relaxmedia 2 years ago
in 1989 Pontiac made a Trans Am GTA with the SAME engine, turbo, SFI and transmission as the 1987 Buick Grand National. trust me. there are 2 in my town and i see them at the car show EVERY time and i know the guys personally
bullitt774 2 years ago
That's where you're wrong....Look up TTA---Turbo Trans Am
theraf8100 2 years ago
the fastest production trans am is a v-6! well at least in 1989 which is impressive considering the size of the motors in previous year..it's called a TTA or turbo trans am
theraf8100 2 years ago
Incorrect...not all Trans AM's had V8's...yes most of them did...however in 1989 Pontiac dropped in a V6 into a Trans AM...yes I said "V6 in a Trans AM"....but not just any V6...it was a turbo V6....a Buick turbo V6...same ones used a few years earlier in the GNX, Grand National and the T type...and in '89 a turbo Trans AM could outperform any V8 F body, or any V8 Fox body and could even outperm *GASP* a Corvette.
meangreen69Nova 2 years ago 8
@meangreen69Nova well all the cars were made and produced by GM which is all buick chevy gmc pontiac and oldsmobile so yea
madguy1010 7 months ago
Comment removed
TylerTBlood 5 months ago
@TylerTBlood I see you tried calling me out saying "if it has a V6 in it,its not called a transAm its called a firebird :) before you correct people make sure all your facts are correct". Then you retracted your statement when you realized I was right all along. 1989 Indy pace car was not a Firebird, it was a Trans AM, based on the GTA, and it came factory with the Buick turbo V6 out of the Grand National. Anyone who doesn't believe me go google "1989 Trans AM pace car".
meangreen69Nova 5 months ago
@meangreen69Nova yeah,i had to think more about it,i had only known them to have the turbo motor in like 80 or 81, but then i had remembered the one my dad had which was a 89 T/A with the turbo v6,sorry for the doubt man,i guess i should think more before i comment haha
TylerTBlood 5 months ago
@meangreen69Nova to be 100%,they had a turbo v6 transAm,it was in the early 80's(80 or 81 i believe), it was the the buick motor but was detuned and a slug because the car was so heavy
TylerTBlood 5 months ago
@ivanruiz89 Not ALL Trans AM's had V8's....the 1989 Trans AM pace car was a factory V6 car, but not just any V6, it was the one used in the Grand Nationals and T types a few years earlier.
To the OP, looks like a nice car. I'd love to have a TTA, but I'll stick with my T type for now. Buick turbo power rules.
meangreen69Nova 1 year ago
nice car
kissingertj 2 years ago
car looks good
bboydrive 2 years ago
i want to own one but i cant find any where i live what was the torque on it
jevell7 2 years ago
First of all It is a BUICK grand national MOTOR V6 ! ! In a pontiac car!
I dynoed the car and if you doubt it, why don't you come down to the shop to show you the dyno sheet at 20psi! on race fuel.
CollingdalePerform 2 years ago 5
@CollingdalePerform i'm putting a GN motor in my third gen camaro, did you have any issues with the a/c box? did you keep it? also what was done about the p/s, a/c compressor? i know it can be deleted but was just wondering what route you took, any help would be greatly appreciated :)
roger199013 1 year ago
@CollingdalePerform It sure looks like 650hp to me. I've seen a lot of these motors on dynos, and you are def winding it to the point of making that kind of power. Excellent work making it at 20psi especially on a mustang dyno. Wonder what it'd feel like @ 30psi?
mattsiev1 6 months ago
Um im pretty sure thats a Trans-Am NOT A BUICK and difinately not 650 Hp...I have the same car with 400 HP :)
Ehrenwuz 2 years ago
no one said the car was a buick...the engine is a buick and they are definitely capable of 650 hp..however that is starting to push the limitations of the 109 block
theraf8100 2 years ago