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Junkyard Gem: 1990 Buick Reatta

General Motors built some interesting sporty cars during the late 1980s and early 1990s, as the company attempted to claw back market share from European manufacturers of high-end two-doors. There was the mean-looking Oldsmobile Trofeo, the Turin-to-Hamtramck Cadillac Allante, and the gadget-packed Buick Reatta. Here's an example of the latter car, wearing Maui Blue paint and residing in a Denver self-service wrecking yard. There was a lot to like about the Reatta, but the powertrain came as a disappointment: the ancient, rough-running pushrod Buick 3.8-liter V6 engine, driving the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. The 3800 engine made 165 horses in 1990, which wasn't bad for that year, but Reatta money would have bought you a new 1990 BMW 3-Series with a tuneful 168-horse DOHC straight-six. The Buick V6 was something of an Albanian grain-thresher motor compared to the engines in the Reatta's European rivals' cars: rugged but crude. The pre-1990 Reattas came with Buick's amazing touchscreen computer interface, which may have scared off the most conservative Buick traditionalists. This car had more typical-for-1990 controls. Only 6,388 Reatta coupes were made for 1990, so we're looking at one rare Buick here. Handcrafted by these artisans in Lansing. Related Video: Featured Gallery Junked 1990 Buick Reatta View 15 Photos Auto News Buick Convertible Coupe Luxury

Junkyard Gem: 1984 Buick Skyhawk Custom Sedan

Many laughed in 1982 when GM's Cadillac Division began selling the Cimarron, essentially a luxed-up Chevy Cavalier, at about twice the Cavalier's price. One rung below Cadillac on GM's Ladder of Success, the Buick Division got its own version of the Cavalier at the same time: the Skyhawk. Nobody laughed at the 1982-1989 Skyhawk's respectable sales figures. We saw an '85 Skyhawk coupe in a California boneyard last winter, and now here's an example of the sedan version in Colorado. This was the second generation of the Buick Skyhawk name, the first being applied to a Buick-ized version of the Chevrolet Monza during the 1975-1980 model years. That Skyhawk was available solely as a sleek two-door hatchback. This generation of Skyhawk could be purchased in coupe, sedan, hatchback (1986-1987 only) and wagon (1983-1989 only) form, with the coupe proving to be the most popular. For the 1984 model year, the base Skyhawk engine was the 2.0-liter pushrod four-cylinder from the Cavalier, rated at 86 horsepower and 110 pound-feet. If you opted for a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission instead of the base four-on-the-floor manual, you could spend an extra 50 bucks (about 149 bucks in 2023 money) to get this higher-revving, Opel-designed/Brazilian-made 1.8-liter SOHC four-banger with 84 horsepower and 102 pound-feet. A turbocharged version of this engine with 150 horses was available on the Skyhawk T-Type. Buick was proud of both the overhead cam and the electronic fuel injection in this car, applying these badges to brag a bit. You'd have thought that a buyer sacrificing torque for a better-breathing engine would have selected a manual transmission, but such was not the case with this car. The three-speed TH125 slushbox cost $395, or about $1,179 after inflation. The cheapest '84 Skyhawk trim level was the Custom. The MSRP on this car was $7,345 ($21,922 now) before options. Its Chevy Cavalier sibling started at $6,214 ($18,546 today), while its Pontiac 2000 Sunbird and Olds Firenza counterparts were $6,791 and $7,293, respectively ($20,268 and $21,766 in 2023 dollars). Meanwhile, the King of J-Bodies, the Cadillac Cimarron, listed at $12,605 ($37,620 today) in 1984. That $7,345 sticker price didn't include plenty of features we now take for granted in new cars. If you wanted air conditioning in your new Skyhawk, as nearly every Buick buyer in 1984 did, the cost was $630 ($1,880 after inflation).

Win the 'ultimate 80s muscle car,' a Buick Grand National GNX

Poll the Autoblog staff about which car is considered the ultimate '80s muscle car, and one of the two answers that'll come up is the Buick Grand National. The other, for those curious, is the Mustang GT 5.0, but that less important right now because Omaze isn't giving away one of those. It is, however, giving away a 1987 Grand National GNX, with an astonishingly low 2,000 original miles, and you can win it here. Win a 1987 Buick Grand National GNX - Enter at Omaze Here are the specs of the GNX, per Omaze: Max Seating: 5 Powertrain: Turbo 3.8 Liter V6 Engine Transmission: 4-speed automatic    Drivetrain: RWD Exterior Color: Black Interior Color: Grey/Black Horsepower: 276 hp Torque: 360 lb-ft Acceleration: 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds Top Speed: 124 mph Fuel Capacity: 15.1 gal Approximate Retail Value: $185,000 Cash Alt: $138,750 Special features: Only 2,000 original miles; #51 of 547 produced; blacked out exterior; 16-inch cross-weave wheels; wheel arches; torque arm rear suspension  According to Omaze, "no donation or payment is necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes." If you do choose to donate, $10 will get you 20 entries, while $50 will get you 500 entries and $100 will get you 1,200 entries. Donations benefit the ACLU. Per Omaze, “the ACLU is an organization of people who believe in the power of action. Whether in the courts, statehouses, or Congress, they fight to defend the rights that the Constitution guarantees to all of us — regardless of who we are, where we come from, who we love, or what we believe. The ACLU evolved from an organization of lawyers and advocates into a larger coalition of people fighting for whatÂ’s right together — for all of us. The ACLU seeks to be the place where people can come, no matter their political affiliation, to take action. ” If you want this relic of the 80s in your driveway, enter here. The deadline to enter is November 3, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. Buick Commerce deals buick grand national