Buick Went From This to This

[Prange]

From this: https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/klockau-classics/1966-buick-riviera/

To this: https://www.buick.com/suvs/enclave

 

[vortecd]

Hell I have one better in far less years. Go from the '87 GN to the '88 whatever they went to since no one remembers

 

[Prange]

Hell I have one better in far less years. Go from the '87 GN to the '88 whatever they went to since no one remembers

I have two friends that have GN's. Not all that stylish, but they certainly have inner beauty.

 

[vortecd]

My dad bought one new in '87. Fastest production car that year to a front wheel drive car the next

 

[moparjim]

I love my Buicks. A GN and. T-Type they are the first thing I thought of when I first got on my Hellcat. Not quite as fast but very similar smile factor. The biggest difference is instant boost vs waiting for it.😉
Comfortable drive, roomy interior, decent on gas when driven normally and fast enough to get you in a heep of trouble when not.
When I was 18 I had a Buick GS and a RoadRunner so the 2 brands have been in my life for a long time. I always had both or at least one or the other.

 

[SilverBillet]

A famous quote from a 1970 Hemi GTX guy interviewed in Muscle Car Review years ago:
“Buick’s run like their bumper is tied to a tree!” It stirred up the Buick guys big time! However, based on my life experience, I truly agreed with that statement. Of course the Hemi guy got his lunch handed to him in a shootout with the President of the Buick GS club...but neither car was pure stock.

 

[Prange]

The old big-block Stage 1 & Stage 2 Buicks were strong- running cars. Not many Stage 2’s out there. Kinda’ like the Ram Air IV Pontiacs.

 

[NoCoHC]

My late father was a dyed in the wool Buick guy so I grew up around them. I took my DL test in his 86 GN. I later bought one of my own. I also owned a nice 72 Skylark with a 455. It's sad what has happened to Buick since the end of the turbo cars in 87. They could become relevant again if they did something with the Cadillac performance platforms and put some Buick styling to them and a lower price point.

 

[Grape Ape]

It makes me wonder why they killed Pontiac and kept the Buick. Hell, Pontiac started the whole muscle car era. They should have kept Pontiac for performance and left the luxury market for Cadillac. Buick doesn't come close to either one in my opinion.

 

[NoCoHC]

I liked Pontiacs too...my first car was a 71 Lemans Sport. I always wanted an 89 TTA.

 

[Grape Ape]

I liked Pontiacs too...my first car was a 71 Lemans Sport. I always wanted an 89 TTA.

Mine was a 1967 Firebird 400

 

[Magnified]

From this: https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/klockau-classics/1966-buick-riviera/

To this: https://www.buick.com/suvs/enclave

Always laughed at that Riviera ad. How'd they get that bastard out on that rock in the sea?

 

[1971demon]

The old big-block Stage 1 & Stage 2 Buicks were strong- running cars. Not many Stage 2’s out there. Kinda’ like the Ram Air IV Pontiacs.

Those were special...luxury and speed....

 

[Prange]

Those were special...luxury and speed....

Wasn't "Going fast with class" one of their slogans?

 

[Temporarily Insane]

In 1970 the Buick Grand Sport 455 stage 1 engine had the highest advertised torque totals of any other 1970 muscle car. Including the Chevelle 454 LS6 --- and yes even the 426 hemi
Buick GS stage 1 pumped out 510 advertised foot pounds of torque. Hemi advertised 490 foot pounds of torque. LS6 Chevelle 500 lbs.
Lol, not saying this to start up a war with all the Mopar or Nocar people but just stating that in 1970 the Buick GS was not something to be trifled with and laughed at as "Daddy`s car". That is a boatload of naturally aspirated torque -- just a fun fact. Who woulda figured.....

 

[SilverBillet]

They were nice cars but I liked the 442 a little better. I just never seen any GS, 442 or even GTO’s run that good on the street. Now a 455SD or a RAIV were pretty strong. The 428 Cobra Jet Track Pack was really strong even more so than the 429 Ram Air Mustangs. You saw plenty of Chevelle SS’s willing to race but not many GS’s or 442’s. They were more expensive than a Hemi car and they were more “your father’s (really your Grandfather’s) car”. It was fun being a street racer back in 69-72!

 

[Markp]

I guess it is true....beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

 

[Magnified]

Grand national

 

[moparjim]

A famous quote from a 1970 Hemi GTX guy interviewed in Muscle Car Review years ago:
“Buick’s run like their bumper is tied to a tree!” It stirred up the Buick guys big time! However, based on my life experience, I truly agreed with that statement. Of course the Hemi guy got his lunch handed to him in a shootout with the President of the Buick GS club...but neither car was pure stock.

We have different life experiences. LOL
We have a well known Buick restorer (GranSport autobody) nearby as well as well known (locally at least) Hemi family. (Nick's garage and his brothers)
They had a showdown like the one in the magazine at the track I go to and the
Stage1 GSX came out on top.
A 70-72 Stage1 455 will run with anything from that time and not be embarrassed.
Just headers and an intake and whatever it comes across will need more done to it to keep up.

As far as not having experienced any impressive runs from them. Many say the same about Hellcats now.

 

[Illegal_Demon]

The old big-block Stage 1 & Stage 2 Buicks were strong- running cars. Not many Stage 2’s out there. Kinda’ like the Ram Air IV Pontiacs.

Even rarer and faster...Ram air II 68 1/2 Pontiacs. I had a RA II Firebird and a RA IV 69 TA and the 2 would take the 4 every day. Both were blisteringly fast and fun though, no complaints. Very few made of each and very underappreciated supercars. I miss them both!