Jordan White Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Since nobody has done a review of the recently re-released Buick GNX kit, I figured I would take the opportunity to do so. Bog standard instruction sheet: Decal sheet with emblems, license plates, underhood decals, and decals for the silver portions of the interior: Body. Issues I've noticed are the sides of the front air dam are molded to the body (would have been better as a single separate piece), and the driver's side rear-quarter window is molded in slightly crooked. Plain sidewall tires (Goodyear Eagle VR50's originally). I was able to find a set with sidewall detail in my spare parts for my build. Clear parts, followed by red-molded tail lights. Chrome parts: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan White Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Rest of white-molded parts trees: Biggest issue I've noticed is it appears that they took their Grand National kit and just added the decals, exterior parts, and torque-rod to make it a GNX. They missed the correct parts for the undercarriage, such as the correct exhaust with dual mufflers ahead of the axle (kit comes with single 2-in, 2-out muffler behind axle; instructions show incorrect exhaust for installation, but show correct exhaust for other steps), special crossmember for the axle torque-arm to attach to, along with the special GNX differential cover with attachment points for the torque-arm. Also, they don't show in the instructions, but the rear axle track bar is included (part number 100). Overall, it's a good quality kit with a good parts count and I look forward to building it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hvymtl Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Well this looks rather good to the original release the ones i have didn't include the right tires . and the new decal sheet is a real nice inclusion. plus mine are molded in black . Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azers Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 So aside from decals you could build a grand national out of this kit. And is there a big difference between the two as far as decal sheets go. Or would a person be better off to locate s old sealed kit of a grand national. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan White Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 (edited) You could build a regular Grand National, however the wheels would be wrong for it (along with the decals of course). Otherwise, everything GNX is an add-on part. I don't think the decal sheet is too different, other than the emblems (you wouldn't have to use the silver decals if the GN doesn't have them either). Edited December 31, 2012 by Jordan White Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niteowl7710 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 (edited) So aside from decals you could build a grand national out of this kit. And is there a big difference between the two as far as decal sheets go. Or would a person be better off to locate s old sealed kit of a grand national. Pretty sure every release of the GN including the DONK one includes all the stock parts. This GNX kit was only ever released once back in '87/'88 as part of the Monogram High Tech line (also included a ZR-1, Pontiac Firebird GTA & Olds Aerotech) and as mentioned was cast in black. The original issues have never been particularly hard to get ahold of per sea, but if you're not doing a black GNX, having it molded in white has to be most welcome. Edited December 31, 2012 by niteowl7710 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1972coronet Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I had the original release from circa late '87 / early '88 , and it was a very nice kit in its day (including those outrageous-for-the-time ZR-50 Gatorbacks on big-for-the-time 16" BBS wheels). The original release included ignition wires (as did the Corvette ZR-1 and other "premium" Monogram kits in that series). Now , if only Revell-Monogram would see fit to reinstate the freakin' lettering on their kits' tyres !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel-Dan Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I have one of the Original High-Performance issues of the GNX. I am converting it to the Indy Pace car. Might need to get one of the new issues though to check the interior decals. I did not know the GNX was offered in other colors. I saw the Grand National in a Dark Re. Almost a Burgandy/Maroon, but never the GNX. Even most Grand Nationals were black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niteowl7710 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Your right they were all black, but there are a fair amount of clones out there (which ironically missing the correct suspension pieces is what this does build) that are other colors. I've seen them in Silver, White and the Dark Maroon you mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brodie_83 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 (edited) There was a prototype or something called the "X-Ray" which was white with gray interior. I believe it was built with left-over GNX parts and only one car exists (I'm sure multiple replicas are out there though). It was a very cool-looking car! Might be worth building that as well! The only thing I don't like about this kit is that it doesn't have the correct turbo cover...still has the louvered GN/Turbo T turbo cover. A small detail and could be corrected carefully, but a detail non the less. Looking forward to picking one of these up! Thanks for the review! Here's a pic of the X-Ray: Edited December 31, 2012 by brodie_83 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The70judgeman Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I have one of the Original High-Performance issues of the GNX. I am converting it to the Indy Pace car. Might need to get one of the new issues though to check the interior decals. I did not know the GNX was offered in other colors. I saw the Grand National in a Dark Re. Almost a Burgandy/Maroon, but never the GNX. Even most Grand Nationals were black.I may be right or wrong here, but I think you're talking about Regal T-type Turbo's that were in various colors. All GN's and GNX's released to the public were all painted black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Which version/option package do the silver decals allow you to build? It doesn't look like the typical silver and black T-type paint scheme nor any of the Regal-based Pace Cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Which version/option package do the silver decals allow you to build? It doesn't look like the typical silver and black T-type paint scheme nor any of the Regal-based Pace Cars. Those are interior trim decals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan White Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Rob is correct, the decals are for the interior to replicate the center gray/silver section on the seats as well as on the door panels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel-Dan Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 The Grand National I saw in Maroon/Burgandy had the correct GN decal on the fenders, and the boarder matched the color of the car. Plus, it was too new to have been painted. I saw that car when the Grand Nationals were on sale at Buick dealers. it sat right in front of a neighbor's house. I could see it from my front door. Was not there long, but few a few weeks/months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Rob is correct, the decals are for the interior to replicate the center gray/silver section on the seats as well as on the door panels. Ah, I see. Do they have a subtle pattern or "texture"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan White Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 The Grand National I saw in Maroon/Burgandy had the correct GN decal on the fenders, and the boarder matched the color of the car. Plus, it was too new to have been painted. I saw that car when the Grand Nationals were on sale at Buick dealers. it sat right in front of a neighbor's house. I could see it from my front door. Was not there long, but few a few weeks/months As far as I know, all GNs were only available in black. I suppose however that perhaps someone who worked for GM had the car special ordered in maroon. It could have been painted also, since they were sold for a few years and someone maybe wanted to stand out from the other GN owners. Ah, I see. Do they have a subtle pattern or "texture"? Not that I can see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrherald420 Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 My dad installed the front and rear glass on the GN's and they all left the factory in black paint. If it was a different color than black it was done after the dealership got it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brodie_83 Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Yup. No GN/GNX left the factory without the murderous black paint job except the X-Ray, and that wasnt built for the public. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I'll bet that maroon/burgundy GN was probably a T-Type with replacement GN badge on the fenders. Wouldn't take much to put a sticker or molded/cast badge on a car in the dealer's body shop, the most it might take would be a couple holes drilled if they didn't use adhesive to mount those Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toast Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Wasn't the saying about the GN and GNX was that, "You can get it in any color you want, as long as it's black."? I'm sure there were a few people with enough money and desire to make theirs stand out to drive the car from the dealership lot to the paint booth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenrat Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 This looks from the pics like a straight re-pop of the old black GNX kit (which was itself a GN kit with extra parts). The fit of the front & rear body parts is always a PiTA with these kits requiring much sanding, filling & reinforcing (so they don't let go while you're sanding). The re-release of this will be welcomed by those who build the local V6 sprint cars which used the Holden version of this engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jday240 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Yup. No GN/GNX left the factory without the murderous black paint job except the X-Ray, and that wasnt built for the public. The X-Ray was a Buick T Type made to look like a GNX by an ASC employee. See link: http://home.comcast.net/~buickgnx/GNX/faq.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Wasn't the saying about the GN and GNX was that, "You can get it in any color you want, as long as it's black."? I'm sure there were a few people with enough money and desire to make theirs stand out to drive the car from the dealership lot to the paint booth. I think so, it has been the same for the Syclone, and early versions of the 454SS Pickup and Impala SS sedans too IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brodie_83 Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 The Syclone/Typhoon was offered in a lot more colors than just black...white, red, gunmetal (I think), etc. Same for the Impala SS sedans...they had a dark cherry and a dark green metallic as well. I don't know if I've seen any other color than black on the 454SS pickups though...anybody know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.