86 GN Restoration

This restoration is still in progress as of 1/9/2004. I will be adding detailed pictures of various stages of the project as they become available.

In September of 2002 the restoration of my 86 Grand National was begun. The car was running great, the tranny had just been rebuilt but the body was showing its age. Rust under the rear seat at the body seams near the rockers had taken hold. More rust had really done a number to the trunk floor where it meets the wheel wells, as well as the lower rear quarter panels and the wheel wells themselves. The passenger side rear of the trunk lid near the bottom edge had rusted so badly that the trunk lid had a hole in it. The passenger side front fender also rusted above the wheel opening. The car had a few minor dents and dings and the door bottoms were junk.

This has been a family member for 16 years and roughly 300,000 miles!
Still doesn't look too bad from a few feet away considering it has been outside for 16 yrs.

I bought 2 no rust doors in Florida in the spring of 2002 while I was down there on vacation with my wife. We drove back to Mass. with 1 door sticking out of the trunk and the other one strapped to the roof of my 86 BMW 320 E. That gave us more than a few looks on the trip home. I found an 85 Regal in Seekonk , Ma. for $500 with a good body and that became the replacement shell for the new car.

This is the 85 Buick Regal donor parts car. Not as pretty but a solid car.

A fellow NEBRA member, Chris Pacheco had already given me a good GN trunk lid. It already had the holes in it for the rear spoiler. I stripped the doors, fenders, and trunk lid and sprayed them with self etching primer. The overhanging edge of the trunk was treated with acid on the inside where they often rust. The areas were then later coated with POR 15, and then primed again. The insides of the doors were given the same treatments but after the areas were painted with POR 15 they were sprayed with paintable undercoating. The lower edges of the doors were stripped and wire brushed and new seam sealer, POR 15, primer, and then Eastwood's epoxy Chassis Black paint finished off the door edges.

The body was taken off of the frame and wire brushed and sanded for days even though it was in pretty good shape. One body mount hole had to be fit with some new steel and welded. Every thing was painted with POR 15 semi gloss. The Posi rear end housing and axles were sand blasted and painted, New axle seals, bearings, fluid and GM additive were used . Every suspension piece was either replaced or sand blasted and painted. Every bushing in the car was replaced with Moog replacements front and rear. The rear control arms were boxed and welded for strength. KYB high pressure shocks were installed. New rear break backing plates were purchased along with new break shoes. The drums and rotors were turned. New upper and lower ball joints (Moog) were installed, new break lines were bent, new break cables were attached. When the body goes back on it will be sitting on a brand new (and clean) chassis.

More restoration pictures

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