For the Buick faithful, the word “turbo” often conjures up images of the fearsome Grand National GNX that first stormed American roadways during the late 1980s. But plenty of other Buicks got versions of the beloved turbocharged 3.8L V6 too—often denoted by a T-Type badge on the fender or decklid.
Then somewhere along the line, Buick started tossing around the letter T faster than the cast of Sesame Street—regardless of the car’s powerplant.
Yup. As confusing as it seems, having the “T” package doesn’t always mean there’s a turbocharged engine under the hood.
And in the case of this awesome Regal T we spotted at the 2024 Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals, there’s an Oldsmobile-sourced 307 V8 under the hood.
Suffice it to say, we had to find the owner of this awesome G-body and get an explanation on this unique ride.
“It does fool a lot of people,” Greg Odenkirk admits. “It’s got the suspension package of a Grand National, the blacked-out trim, the wheels—the original owner ordered it like this.”
In fact, the only really obvious telltale that this isn’t a turbo car is the absence of a slight hood bulge.
As alluded to earlier, instead of the 3.8L turbocharged six and its 245ish horsepower, this particular Regal T carries the LV2-spec 307 Oldsmobile V8 good for around 140 horsepower. The V8 was an option right from the factory because, by 1987, Buick had transitioned the “T” designation to more of an appearance package, hence the blacked-out grill, turbine-style wheels, and other cosmetic upgrades.
(It’s worth pointing out that buyers could still get a turbocharged six with the T trim—it was just no longer mandatory.)
“I’m the second owner, and this is my second Regal,” Greg explains. And though this isn’t his first go-around with Buick, he was drawn to this particular era of GM G-bodies for a very important reason.
“I had a ’33 pickup that I sold to buy this,” he jokes. “But this is a lot more comfortable…and the wife is more comfortable.”
Indeed, Greg explains that the addition of features like factory air conditioning, shoulder belts, and cruise control make this car a great all-around driver.
Better still, given its interesting place in the Buick T-Type lineage, Greg works hard to maintain the Regal’s originality. “I can count on one hand what isn’t stock,” he explains. “I replaced the fender fillers, the headliner, and the lug nuts.”
But Greg reveals a slight deviation from the original recipe though.
“I did put a dual exhaust system on it,” he laughs. “And that fools people even more.”
“I’m definitely a car guy,” Greg says, as he describes some of the shows and events he’s attended with the Regal. From his enthusiasm, it’s clear that this unusual Buick is in good hands.
We asked Greg if he plans on keeping the Regal in his stable for a while, and he didn’t waste any time in his reply.
“Oh yeah, I’m going to keep it, no plans on selling it,” he tells us. “It’s a car that you can just hop in and go.”
…And you don’t need a turbo to appreciate that sentiment.
Love it! Driver’s Ed in high school we had a Grand National as one of the kids in our group was the son of the local Buick dealership that provided the cars to the local schools. It was fun when you were behind the wheel but frightening when another kid was! The instructor im sure had a sore leg pump the brake on his side of the car for each and every one of us that drove the thing…..wild times!!!