Brian serves as the Information Technology Manager for Sports Car Market magazine. As a fourth-generation automotive enthusiast, he has a particular passion for Japanese cars spanning the 1970s to the 2000s and is actively involved in the North American kaido racer community.
1972 Nissan Skyline 2000GT #35576. S/N KGC10046000. 94k kilometers (56k miles). “2.8-liter L28 inline 6, 5-speed manual transmission, triple Mikuni carburetors, Rocket Bunny fender flares, front and fear spoilers, coil-over suspension. 15-inch SSR Longchamp wheels, color change to silver, racing bucket seat, Nardi steering wheel, HID headlights, imported to Canada in 2014.” Condition: 2.SOLD AT $62,475. Bring a Trailer, 8/26/2020. Brian’s take: Some might be turned off by the modifications to this classic third-generation Skyline, but to me, this is the ultimate Japanese-style Skyline I have seen make it to an American auction. The parts here aren’t just picked at random […]
1972 Nissan Skyline 2000GT
#35576. S/N KGC10046000. 94k kilometers (56k miles). “2.8-liter L28 inline 6, 5-speed manual transmission, triple Mikuni carburetors, Rocket Bunny fender flares, front and fear spoilers, coil-over suspension. 15-inch SSR Longchamp wheels, color change to silver, racing bucket seat, Nardi steering wheel, HID headlights, imported to Canada in 2014.” Condition: 2.SOLD AT $62,475. Bring a Trailer, 8/26/2020.
Brian’s take: Some might be turned off by the modifications to this classic third-generation Skyline, but to me, this is the ultimate Japanese-style Skyline I have seen make it to an American auction. The parts here aren’t just picked at random and tossed onto the car. Many are period-correct to the ’80s, when Skylines were modified to look just like this, including the GT-R-style rear wing, the front chin-supo (chin spoiler), Sabelt seat belts, Nardi steering wheel, triple Mikuni side-draft carburetors, and finished off with the Speed Star Racing Longchamp XR-4 wheels. Think of this as your classic muscle car with Cragars and a Holly double pumper. The newer and also well-chosen style parts include the Recaro seats and the Rocket Bunny fender flares. Overall, this car was well put together by an enthusiast with an attention to detail. The real shocking part is the deal the buyer got on a C10 Skyline in this shape. You wouldn’t be able to find one in Japan for this price. Well bought.
1990 Nissan 240SX
# 35445. S/N JN1HS36P5LW139418. 40,000 miles shown. “2.4-liter KA24E inline 4, 5-speed manual transmission, Cherry Red Pearl (AH3) over gray cloth, air conditioning, pop-up sunroof, 15-inch wheels, cassette stereo.” Condition: 2. SOLD AT $34,388. Bring a Trailer, 8/24/2020.
Brian’s take: We have been following the 240SX for some time in the “Rising Sun” column. In the March 2017 issue, I talked about a 240SX that sold for $5,666 and said it was well bought. In the August 2018 issue, there was a 240SX that sold for $13,750. I think we have finally seen the 240SX reach maturity in the market. The biggest factor that will drive the price for these perfect examples will be the drift community. These are a staple car for drifting, and with drifting come accidents. I can predict in the future that a somewhat-straight 240SX frame will be worth $7k. As the bidder said in the comments section on Bring a Trailer, “This was the first car I ever owned. Same color, model, trim, etc. Met my wife in this car and my brother crashed it. This will not be a drifter. Been searching 3 years for it.” This won’t be the last time we hear a story like this for future Japanese collector cars. Well sold.
Brian’s take: This Accord sale has me a little confused. In the Japanese classic-car scene, this car has virtually no following. It precedes Honda becoming a popular platform for modifying, from that weird period of Japanese cars before they switched to EFI, and there are no aftermarket parts companies building parts for them. The saving grace of this car is that it is a limited-run model “Special Edition,” and it looks brand new. If it were in a different trim and in a more used shape, it wouldn’t be worth more than $2,000. Some commenters think the buyer is “ahead of the collector market” on this one, but I think this is more buyers not knowing the difference between a cool and collectible Japanese classic and a car that is just old. Well sold. ♦
