The 1980s were a weird time for American automakers as a wave of Japanese and German imports stole market share for the first time. Ford, Chrysler, and GM all struggled to offer viable performance cars that met new fuel economy and emissions standards, and for Buick the answer was a turbocharged 3.8 liter V6 engine found in the Grand National.
These sexy sleepers are still worth a pretty penny, but if you’re a car guy in-the-know, you can look out for these stealth sports cars. But most of us would never expect a 1983 Oldsmobile Cutlass Wagon of packing a built Grand National turbo V6 or being able to run the quarter-mile in the low 11’s. Best of all, this ultimate sleeper, eBay item number 121169840833, can be yours for just $15,000.
The motor has been worked over top-to-bottom, with forged pistons, a Comp roller camshaft, reworked heads, and a new Billet Precision 6265 ball-bearing turbocharger. This engine combo has taken the big heavy Olds down the quarter-mile in 11.3 seconds, and the seller claims that a computer upgrade from FAST could take this wagon into the 10s.
And what a gorgeous wagon it is! With just 67,000 lightly-used miles on it, this fresh-looking Cutlass wagon was treated well by the past 30 years. Besides some tints, slicks, a whole bunch of gauges, and a new shifter for the built TH400 automatic transmission, this Olds wagon looks much the same as it did when it rolled off the assembly line in the early 80s. For $15,000, all that’s left for you to do is cruise around and look cool in one of the craziest sleepers we’ve ever seen.