Regal Grand National

Every legend has an origin point, and this is the Grand National's. Before the turbo, before the blacked-out menace that would define the nameplate for a generation, there was this — a quieter, two-tone statement of intent built in numbers so small that most enthusiasts have never seen one in person. It's the kind of car you own not for straight-line bragging rights, but for the story: the first of its kind, built to prove a point on the track and then handed to the public in barely more than two hundred examples.

This 1982 Buick Regal Grand National is one of approximately 215 examples produced for the model's introductory year and shows roughly 21,000 miles. The car was previously sold on Bring a Trailer and was subsequently acquired by its current owner in California, where it has remained since. The car carries a clean California title.

Model Background

The Grand National name was introduced to commemorate Buick's success in NASCAR's Winston Cup Series, including a manufacturer's championship. Rather than being built on the standard assembly line, 1982 Grand Nationals began as charcoal gray Regals and were sent off-line to Cars & Concepts in Michigan for conversion, which added Silver Gray Firemist lower-body paint, red pinstriping and Grand National graphics, a front air dam and rear spoiler, and Grand National badging.

Exterior

The car is finished in its factory-correct two-tone Charcoal Gray and Silver Gray Firemist. It rides on factory 14" wheels wrapped in Goodyear Eagle ST tires and retains its Grand National-specific graphics and trim, along with a rear glass decal commemorating Buick's 1981 NASCAR championship. Fiberglass bumper fillers were replaced under prior ownership. The seller reports the car remains cosmetically unchanged since its prior Bring a Trailer sale.

Interior

The cabin is finished in gray and includes Lear Siegler front bucket seats with "Grand National 6" logos, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and Grand National-specific instrumentation. Factory equipment includes power windows and mirrors, cruise control, air conditioning (converted to R-134a), and an AM/FM cassette stereo. The five-digit odometer shows roughly 21,000 miles, reflecting modest use since the car's prior auction appearance.

Powertrain

Power comes from a 4.1-liter (252ci) V6 fitted with a four-barrel carburetor, factory-rated at 125 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 205 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an automatic transmission and a 3.23:1 rear differential. This pre-turbo Grand National represents the earliest version of the nameplate, predating Buick's shift to turbocharged performance later in the decade.

Ownership & History

The car was previously sold on Bring a Trailer and subsequently acquired by its current owner in California, where it has remained since. The seller reports the car has been consistently maintained under current ownership with no significant changes since that purchase, with mileage increasing modestly from roughly 19,000 to 21,000 miles. Per the prior listing, the car was originally owned until 1996 and was subsequently kept in Virginia and Pennsylvania before its move to California; a Carfax report shows consistent mileage throughout.

Documentation

The sale includes the original build sheet, a body order broadcast sheet, a clean Carfax report, and a clean title.

Note: VIN and further details will be provided to serious inquiries.