GN "bashing"

[Frederic Breitwieser]

Hey Todd,

>   But seeing is believing; why don't you drive that air conditioned,
>   supercharged 350 street car on over? I know a few turbo Regal "ducks"
>   who'd be more than happy to quack for ya' Fred :-)

Before you label me as a GM-Athiest, I have to say certain things.

I happen to like the GN/GNX, and the figures you quote are impressive for a 
factory vehicle.  Its been my understanding that the stock GN series has 
been able to out accelerate stock 'vettes, though this is what I've heard 
and not based on facts that I have seen.  Nothing wrong with the car. 
 Never said there was.

Where my "looks like a duck, must be a duck" thing came from is I have a 
friend who made a GN mockoff using a same year Buick Regal station wagon, 
removed all four doors, got driver and passenger doors from a 2-door same 
year Regal, and welded the rest of the wagon into a pickup truck, painted 
it GN black, and labeled it accordinly and used the appropriate wheels. 
 The engine was bored & stroked, and looked cute and performed 
impressively.  And yes, it blew away Monte Carlo SS and GN/GNX's left and 
right.  However, we are not comparing apple with apples here... the GN, 
with minor modifications such as cam changing and larger turbos is 
basically a street legal vehicle, as produced by GM.  My friend's GN "El 
Camino" ::looked:: like something GM would have produced had they done so 
on the outside, but it was not street legal in any sense of the word.  No 
emmissions, rear spool, headers and cherry-bomb mufflers (no cats).  The 
interior was pretty much stock, minus the rear seats, but it had leather, 
air conditioning which worked, and all the usual creature comforts.  A 
stroked 350 (that's a 383, right?) dual 4 bbl holleys and the usual drag 
racing engine stuff.  This was a long time ago.

Hence, my "duck" comments, which I guess was a one-person inside joke since 
my pal who made the car isn't on this list.  The GN is a kewl car, and even 
though I like the car, its not something I would buy.  Straight 
acceleration is great and impressive, but cornering over the years have 
become more important to me as I drift away from NHRA stuff and more into 
IMSA stuff.  Not necessarily a logical progression, but its the one I'm 
making over time for some reason :)

Thanks for the comments Todd :)


Frederic Breitwieser
Homebrew Automotive Mailing List
Website: http://members.aol.com/fjb203/index.htm
Email: frederic.breitwieser at mcione.com & FJB203 at aol.com
Bridgeport, Connecticut