1978 Buick Regal Sport Coupe - "Turbo" Means Fast, Right?

This 1978 Buick Regal Sport Coupe is for sale over in Butler, P.A., as the natives here on the eastern frontier of the mid-west refer to Pennsylvania, with a scant 39,000 miles on its analog, forty-four-year-old ticker. Asking price is $10,000. To me, that's all the money in the money in the world for a 1978 vintage, downsized GM intermediate. In fairness, this is somewhat special aside from being "original" and a museum quality, automotive time capsule. 

What makes it special is its historical significance. 1978 Regal Sport Coupes, along with LeSabre Sport Coupes for '78, were the first factory production cars powered by Buick's turbocharged, 3.8-liter V-6. That's denoted by the handsome little bulge in the center of the hood. Boost gauges are on the back of the bulge. No idea if they work or not, I'd assume so. Seems sort of out of place on a car with so much chrome, let alone a Buick. 

Thar she literally blows. Buick built two different versions of this thing for 1978, one with a two-barrel making 150-horsepower, the other with a four-barrel making 165. Sadly, this is the only under hood picture from the ad and I have no way to tell if it's the two- or four-barrel version. Seeing the red induction plumbing, can we assume it's the four-barrel? Red denotes speed and power, no? And "turbo" means fast, right? 

1978 Regal Sport Coupes also provided buyers with a suspension with heavier spring rates, thicker anti-roll bars, significantly quicker steering, like a full turn quicker, and bigger wheels and tires. Buckets, console shifter and sport steering wheel are optional. Stuff, unfortunately, you could not even order ala carte back then on "regular" Regal's or LeSabre's. 

The first Buick to have a turbo was the 1976 Century that was the pace car at the 1976 Indianapolis 500. Spooled up to 22 psi of boost, that engine made 306-horspower and 370 foot-pounds of torque. Of course, it being the 1970's, it was deemed way too exotic for the general public and the motor that they eventually offered made about half as much power. Fun fact, for 1978, the Buick Regal and LeSabre Sport Coupes made up exactly half of all turbocharged cars sold in the United States that year. The other two were the Saab 99 and Porsche 911. 

If this were closer to me, I might waste my time and the seller's time feigning interest just to kick its tires and see what the turbo feels like. Contemporary road testers actually loved the performance kick it provided although they did note there was considerable "lag" and that the boost didn't last long when the gas was stabbed. Buick sorted out most if not all those issues by the time they put the whole turbo thing to the curb (for good) after it was offered in the 1989, twentieth anniversary, Pontiac Trans Am. 

Once again, the story behind this car and its originality is probably the most interesting thing about it. How this has survived this long with its original powerplant and hasn't succumbed to a small or big block Chevy being dropped into it is one I'd love to hear.