The Buick Grand National is a bona fide classic. Out of the emissions-strangled Seventies arose an engine that turned the plain G-body Buick into a fire-breather capable of running with exotics of its era. Pony cars were accustomed to viewing it from behind. Slathered in monochromatic black paint, the Grand National is one of few true legends to emerge from the beleaguered domestic auto industry during the 1980s. That’s why Andrew Filippone Jr’s “Black Air” documentary will be thrilling to anyone whose heart beats in some kind of firing order.

In many ways, the Grand National is the last gasp of the muscle car era that started nearly a generation before it. Built on the last rear-wheel drive General Motors intermediate platform, the A/G body, the chassis details of the Grand National weren’t vastly different than those underpinning Skylarks 10-15 years prior.

The Grand National’s engine, however, was a different story. Fuel injected, turbocharged and snorting out horsepower and torque numbers that shamed Corvettes, the Grand National’s 3.8-liter cast-iron fist hit the jaw of car enthusiast lore hard enough to establish itself as a force to be reckoned with. And that was before it was ushered off the showroom floor with one last gasp of ultimate awe, the GNX.

Filippone has taken the time to interview auto-journalism luminaries and insiders involved with the Grand National’s development to weave the enthralling story through firsthand accounts. People we’ve read, like Csaba Csere and Don Sherman feature in the story, as do Bill Porter, Tony Assenza and Martyn Schorr. Their well-rounded narrative further cements the the sinister black Buick’s historical importance.

Watch the trailer after the jump. You can follow Black Air on Twitter, and there’s also a Facebook page where you can keep up. Or try to, anyway.

Continue reading Black Air: The story of the Buick Grand National

Black Air: The story of the Buick Grand National originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 02 Oct 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

The Historic Vehicle Association wants to change the fact that there are national historic registries for places, boats, planes, and trains, but nothing to protect vehicles with historic value. The Association, started in 2009 by Hagerty Insurance, a company that specializes in coverage for classic vehicles, is championing the passage of laws that further protect historically significant vehicles and allow them to stay on the road.

Determining which vehicles are significant and assigning a degree to that significance is one of the head-scratchers the Association is up against right now. “We’re looking at how things are treated, everything from a Marmon Meteor to a milk truck,” says Carmel Roberts, Association Director of Government Relations. There are design, ownership and origin factors that determine a vehicle’s place in history, and the association is open to upgrading vehicles so they can continue to be used, the same way historic homes can be outfitted with modern plumbing and wiring.

It’s unclear whether the effort and expense to pass laws protecting older cars will have any effect on their preservation. Cash for Clunkers didn’t apply to 1957 Chevrolet Bel Airs or 1973 Lamborghini Espadas, for example, and legislation doesn’t change the expensive reality of just storing a car properly, let alone restoration.

Group seeks national registry for historic cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

When General Motors first announced that Americans would once again be able to get their power-hungry hands on a turbocharged Buick, enthusiast minds immediately leapt to visions of a modern day Grand National. Now, however, it’s clear that the new Regal Turbo isn’t exactly the second coming of old-school forced-induction glory. That hasn’t stopped the crew at Inside Line from lining the two up on the quarter mile and sharing their exploits with the world. The editors chose an ’87 Grand National as the representative of the old-school set, and predictably, it puts the new-age Regal CXL Turbo in its place without breaking a sweat down the quarter mile.

Even so, the 2011 Regal Turbo managed to pull off wins in both the slalom and skid pad as well as brake tests, but both results are of little surprise given that the new Regal Turbo has the benefit of over 20 years of technology on its side. You can head over to Inside Line for the full skinny on how both vehicles performed under the scrutiny of IL testing. Hit the jump to check out the quarter-mile video, too. Thanks for the tip, Brandon!

[Source: Inside Line]

Continue reading Video: IL pits 2011 Buick Regal Turbo against 1987 Grand National

Video: IL pits 2011 Buick Regal Turbo against 1987 Grand National originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

If you’re looking for the most collectible American-made vehicle on sale right now, you might want to stop by your local Chevrolet dealer. According to the Friends of the National Automotive History Collection, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is the most collectible car on sale right now. Each year, members of the organization get together to vote for the single domestically produced car or truck that’s bound to be a good return on investment later down the line. There’s no arguing that the 2010 Camaro is a hot piece of metal, but we could think of a few other vehicles that could have nabbed the honor.

Such as? We’re glad you asked.

If it were us picking, we’d lay a finger on the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. With the amount of abuse those trucks are designed to take, we can imagine that the future won’t exactly be littered with operational examples, much less show-room quality trucks. Throw the simple fact that Ford will only build a small number of the desert pounders compared to the fleets of Camaro models rolling out of Canada, and you’ve got an even better case for a future moneymaker. But hey, who are we to argue with the group that picked the Chrysler Sebring Convertible as a winner in 1996? Hit the jump for the full press release.

Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Detroit Public Library]

Continue reading National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’

National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

GoAuto RSS – Car News

No related posts.