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.
1976 Datsun 280Z “Alpha 1 GTO” S/N HLS30303255. 82k miles. “Used in 2001 film ‘Vanilla Sky,’ 350-ci Chevrolet V8, Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, MSD Atomic EFI, 3-speed automatic transmission, Alpha 1 GTO fiberglass body, dark blue paint, black vinyl upholstery, wood-rimmed steering wheel, sliding side windows, rear hatch, 15-inch wire wheels, BC coil-overs.” Condition: 2-. SOLD AT $190,500. Bring a Trailer, 1/17/24. This is neither an expensive Datsun 280Z nor a cheap Ferrari GTO, but both labels apply — and Tom Cruise did sit in it. The Alpha 1 GTO body kit was produced by Alpha Design & Engineering of Huntington […]
1976 Datsun 280Z “Alpha 1 GTO”
S/N HLS30303255. 82k miles. “Used in 2001 film ‘Vanilla Sky,’ 350-ci Chevrolet V8, Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, MSD Atomic EFI, 3-speed automatic transmission, Alpha 1 GTO fiberglass body, dark blue paint, black vinyl upholstery, wood-rimmed steering wheel, sliding side windows, rear hatch, 15-inch wire wheels, BC coil-overs.” Condition: 2-. SOLD AT $190,500. Bring a Trailer, 1/17/24.
This is neither an expensive Datsun 280Z nor a cheap Ferrari GTO, but both labels apply — and Tom Cruise did sit in it. The Alpha 1 GTO body kit was produced by Alpha Design & Engineering of Huntington Beach, CA, in the early 1980s. It offered all the fiberglass pieces and other miscellaneous parts such as GTO-look wheels and seats. You could even purchase a turn-key conversion. This replica was acquired by Paramount Pictures to be the star car in director Cameron Crowe’s 2001 film “Vanilla Sky.” Offered with a press kit from the movie and signed photos of Cruise and co-star Cameron Diaz, it included a copy of a title showing Paramount ownership. Now about that price… A “normal” 280Z with a small-block Chevy V8 swap and the underbody rust seen here would usually sell between $10k–$20k. Other Alpha 1 conversions have sold in the $50k range. This car had previously appeared in 2019 at Mecum Monterey, where it was a no-sale at $60k (SCM# 6909263). Did the new photos and online venue lead to such a staggeringly better result? Did Tom Cruise memorabilia collectors push the bidding up $130k? Or did the seller just get lucky? Well sold.
1995 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec
S/N BCNR33004198. 123k km (77k miles). “Twin-turbocharged 2.6-liter inline-6, 5-speed manual transmission, ATTESA E-TS all-wheel-drive system, active limited-slip rear differential, 17-inch forged alloy wheels, white paint, gray cloth upholstery, JVC head unit, Super HICAS four-wheel steering, Fujitsubo cat-back exhaust, 18-inch RAYS Nismo wheels included.” Condition: 2+. SOLD AT $37,275. Bring a Trailer, 2/27/24.
It has been a few years now since the R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R has been available to import. The market has stabilized in the $35k–$80k range, depending on condition. This example sold on the lower end because it had rusty strut towers, which was obvious from the engine-bay photos. This is common with R33s (as well as R34s), as the multiple folds of sheet metal in that area can trap water, causing it to rust from within. You can fix this by ordering replacement panels from Japan (about $3k). They need to be welded in, which requires subframe removal and putting the car on a frame machine. This can easily cost $10k–$15k to do it right. Our subject car also shows a bit of rust near the rear window and lower rockers. This is why it is crucial to get an inspection before importing one of these cars from Japan or even buying from an importer. The commenters on this auction pointed it out immediately, leading to a correct-for-condition price. If the new owner has the ability to affordably fix the rust, this was well bought.
1995 Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear Exceed JAOS
S/N 230341672. 186k km (116k miles). “2.8-liter turbodiesel 4-cylinder engine, 4-speed automatic transmission, 2-speed transfer case, 15-inch steel wheels, JAOS-specific suspension system, locking center differential, brush guard, fog lights, side steps, rear parking mirror, rear wiper, sunroof, Crystal Lite roof, wood-look interior trim, cloth upholstery, swiveling and folding second-row seats, folding third-row seats.” Condition: 2. SOLD AT $9,718. Cars & Bids, 2/20/24.
The previous-generation L300 Delica has been imported to the U.S. for a while now and is fairly common in some parts of the country. When most people think of the Delica, it’s the one that comes to mind. Unfortunately, the 2.5-liter turbodiesel in many of these vans is underpowered. The L400 Delica remedies that with a larger 2.8-liter turbodiesel, making it better suited to U.S. freeway travel. Comparable to the Toyota HiAce Super Custom, the L400 Delica came in a wide range of options and configurations, as indicated here by its long and kind of goofy name. “Exceed” means a nicer interior and door fabric. “JAOS” is a popular off-road brand with Dakar roots, which indicates it had an improved suspension. As with other Japanese cars of the 1990s, Mitsubishi offered features not often found in American vehicles at the time. This one has a front sunroof and four rear moonroofs with retractable covers. The seats in the middle row flip around so passengers can face the third row, and the rear seats fold up on the sides to add more storage space. A second set of climate controls also allows adjusting the temperature in just the back half of the van. This one was in driver condition, with some flaws with the paint and a small amount of rust, but it was still a good buy for under $10k, already imported and registered.
