zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
The Last Buick Grand National Built Is For Sale With Just 34 Miles
The Last Buick Grand National Built Is For Sale With Just 34 Miles-March 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:09:26

Image for article titled The Last Buick Grand National Built Is For Sale With Just 34 Miles

The was a 1980s legend that struck fear into V8s and fluttered their drivers hearts. It was also a car that convinced so many enthusiasts to them into storage, to be .

Another example of one of those Grand Nationals has come up for sale , but it’s more special than the rest. This 1987 Buick Grand National doesn’t just have a low 34 miles on its odometer, but it’s the last one ever built.

The last Buick Grand National was built for Bob Colvin, owner of Springhill Motors on the Louisiana-Arkansas border. His dealership is said to have sold 30 to 40 Grand Nationals in the 1980s and Colvin wanted to save one as a collectible. After briefly saving then selling a GNX, Hemmings, he set his sights on a different Grand National: the last ever.

Image for article titled The Last Buick Grand National Built Is For Sale With Just 34 Miles

Dealerships often request to get the last example of a popular car. The automakers themselves sometimes save the last for their own collections. In the case of the Grand National, it seemed only Colvin wanted it.

Colvin rang up his contacts at Buick, asking to be the one to receive the last Grand National. He climbed the GM ladder right to the top, calling GM CEO Roger Smith. He recalls hearing back from GM’s executives and being told “don’t you ever call him for anything else.”

Image for article titled The Last Buick Grand National Built Is For Sale With Just 34 Miles

Buick’s Darwin Clark told Colvin that the best he could get was one of the last two Grand Nationals because GM may have wanted the very last. Larry Shields, representative for Buick’s dealer assistance network told Colvin it was impossible to guarantee him the last Grand National.

Image for article titled The Last Buick Grand National Built Is For Sale With Just 34 Miles

But eventually, Colvin received an invoice for a Grand National, and the last one was his. The Pontiac Final Assembly plant scheduled his car to be built on December 9, 1987 and it would not just be the last Grand National, but the last G-body car to be built in the plant in 1987.

Colvin packed up his wife, Charlotte and son, Matt, then took off to the Pontiac, Michigan where his car was being built. Due to material shortages, the production was pushed to December 11.

Image for article titled The Last Buick Grand National Built Is For Sale With Just 34 Miles

As by Hemmings, Ron Matthews of Quality Control told Colvin that the production of the last Grand National meant the end of most of their jobs. So it was understandably :

As the Grand National moved along, workers paused the line to let Matt place the build sheet atop the chassis and drop the engine into the chassis. Colvin noted that workers, many of whom signed the intake pipe and the turbocharger’s heat shield, pointed out little touches unique to the car, such as the special coating to the suspension parts and rear axle and an added Grand National badge placed just above the right headlamps. By the time the car was ready for the body drop—where body meets chassis—”it appeared the whole factory had converged at this one location,” Colvin says. “The workers were patting each other on the back, shaking hands as many of them fought back the tears.”

Image for article titled The Last Buick Grand National Built Is For Sale With Just 34 Miles

Image for article titled The Last Buick Grand National Built Is For Sale With Just 34 Miles

The plant would close when Fiero production ended in 1988.

Colvin built an addition to his house just for the Grand National and even put windows in it so the car was basically part of the family. The car gained just 34 miles on the odometer since then, rarely coming out. It was used for the Black Air. And after 35 years, the Colvins are ready to send the Grand National to a new home.

Image for article titled The Last Buick Grand National Built Is For Sale With Just 34 Miles

Its 3.8-liter turbo V6 and its 245 horses are ready for a new steward. The buyer gets the signs and other memorabilia from the plant workers that has adorned the car’s bedroom and the car still wears the factory-installed plastic wrap.

When it rolls across , happening January 22 to 30, Colvin believes it’ll sell for around $200,000.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
At $5,000, Could This 2001 Chevy Astro 4X4 Make Anytime Van Time?
At $5,000, Could This 2001 Chevy Astro 4X4 Make Anytime Van Time?
Name me some AWD minivans… I’ll wait. Today’s Astro should have been first on your list since, well, it’s right there in the title. Let’s see if this all-wheeling minivan’s price makes the list as well. There are some people who are of the mind that, here in the U.S....
Mar 4, 2026
Can A Dealer Charge Me More For Paying Cash?
Can A Dealer Charge Me More For Paying Cash?
As the resident car buying expert and professional car shopper, I get a ton of emails asking for advice. Sometimes folks get into a tough spot or don’t know what to do, so I’ve decided to pick a few questions and try to help out. I am fully prepared to...
Mar 4, 2026
At $1,800, Would You Labor on This Project 1982 Mazda RX-7 GSX ?
At $1,800, Would You Labor on This Project 1982 Mazda RX-7 GSX ?
Today being Labor Day here in the States, it seems fitting to have a candidate that needs some work. This RX7 might be just the ticket. That is, as long as we don’t belabor the price. Last Friday we looked at a that appeared to be very well presented, appreciably...
Mar 4, 2026
The 2018 Range Rover Velar Rolls Like Royalty and Attracts as Much Attention
The 2018 Range Rover Velar Rolls Like Royalty and Attracts as Much Attention
While the did not make me feel like the King of New York City, as I had hoped, I did feel like at least maybe the Duke of my neighborhood. You know, still getting plenty of attention, but not too much, while having all of the benefits of being born...
Mar 4, 2026
This 437-Mile 2002 BMW M5 Sold for $176,000 at Auction
This 437-Mile 2002 BMW M5 Sold for $176,000 at Auction
To many, the 1999 to 2003 E39 is the best sedan BMW’s ever built. With its powerful naturally aspirated V8 engine, lovely six-speed manual, and incredible agility all built into a practical and downright gorgeous package, it remains a benchmark even today. But does that legendary status justify this $176,000...
Mar 4, 2026
1984 Honda CRX: Why This Guy Dropped $10,000 To Restore One
1984 Honda CRX: Why This Guy Dropped $10,000 To Restore One
For those who crave wheels from the Radwood generation, getting a super clean 1980s Honda these days is no easy task. This particular 1984 Honda CRX looks showroom condition now, but it certainly didn’t stay in this condition all its life. It was meticulously restored by a guy in Austin...
Mar 4, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved