My experience with Bring a Trailer dates back to the early days of the site, when it was simply an aggregation of hand-selected, interesting and unique classified ads from around the Internet.

Exactly 10 years ago this week, in fact, I purchased a 1967 Datsun 411 after seeing it featured on Bring a Trailer. Since then, I’ve listed a couple other vehicles, bid on a few, and helped other folks with their listings as well.

Fast forward a decade, and BaT has grown to be THE authority on online auctions for specialty and collector cars. The site has developed a formula for feeding vehicles into the queue, presenting the pertinent information in a clear yet objective manner, and ensuring auctions are conducted legitimately and professionally. If you’ve been to a motorsports or specialty vehicle-themed event lately, you’ve probably seen a BaT display – They’re even doing “Alumni events” where past buyers can meet up and display their vehicles. It’s an addictive website, and you can get lost reading about unique cars that you may have never known about.

So, when the time came for us to ‘thin the herd’ somewhat, it was only natural to reach out to the BaT crew to handle our auction. The vehicle I listed is a very special 1973 Datsun 240Z that I felt would be better-appreciated in a more upscale collection than mine. Much like participating in a Concours event, this was a ‘bucket list’ item for me. I wanted to present a vehicle that would get a ton of attention and possibly set a high-water mark for Z values. BaT was the place to make it happen.

The first order of business is to do your research. Read lots of auction listings for cars similar to yours. The Auction Specialists are helpful, and they’re a great resource as well. Reach out to past sellers and ask tons of questions, and most of all, emotionally detach yourself from the process. Once you click the “List” button, it’s a business transaction – nothing more, nothing less.

However, that’s not to say it can’t be an enjoyable experience. Prepare your listing, and present it in a systemic format: Describe the car’s history, the exterior, the interior, the drivetrain, and the engine condition in chunks of information. Then, go through that information, and for each fact, imagine someone responding, “Prove it.” You’ll need documentation of all claims – for example, I struggled with the fact that I couldn’t *prove* all my weatherstripping was original. It is, of course, but proving it is a different story. I could provide paint thickness readings to support my assertion that the paint is original… but if you’re going to claim something like, “rebuilt engine,” you’d better have receipts.

Truth be told, most of us don’t want to read the descriptions. We want to see pictures. This is where, in my opinion, most sellers miss out. When I listed my ’73 240Z, I did not want to get to the end of the auction and think, “Man, I could have done a better job with [whatever].” I decided to go all-out. With that in mind, I located a professional photo studio here in town and hired a professional photographer. Total cost for this? Under $900. In hindsight, I can tell you this: Save your awful cellphone photos for a Craigslist ad. If your car is worthy of being sold on BaT, hire a pro. Also, do NOT, under any circumstances, edit or doctor your photos. Misrepresentation is grounds for legal action, and there’s simply no reason to go that route. If your car needs work, do the work.

That brings me to my next point: What if your car has flaws? We’ve all seen online ads that conceal or fudge the truth when it comes to a car’s condition. Why be that person? I made it a goal to highlight, even overemphasize, the flaws on my car. This way, potential buyers can decide if it’s a “dealbreaker” or not. That’s their decision to make, not mine. Again, misrepresentation can expose you to liability, so err on the side of honesty, always.

Once you’ve submitted your description and photos to the team at BaT, they’ll review it and let you know within a couple days if it’s worthy of listing. At that point, you’ll need to decide whether your auction will have a reserve price. A reserve is the minimum amount that must be bid in order for your vehicle to sell. Obviously, keeping the reserve reasonable generates more activity and more bidding, whereas a reserve that’s too high can frighten off potential bidders. One more thing to add about reserves: The BaT crew is pretty good at this. My experience has been that while they’ll encourage a slightly lower reserve (in order to keep sales percentages up), they’re usually right on the money – no pun intended. Work with your Auction Specialist, and you’ll find a number that makes sense. The reserve on my car was obliterated before 24 hours had passed, so if you’re confident in your car’s value, maybe you run it without a reserve… again, talk to your Auction Specialist.

You’ll then get a draft of your auction ad copy. Typically, it’s ready to go as-is. Read it carefully, make sure everything you wanted to highlight is present, and ensure accuracy. Suggested changes, if appropriate, are then edited in by the Auction Specialist, and you’ll get a copy of the revision to approve. In a few days, your auction will go live!

Also, don’t forget – the auction runs for seven days. Consult the calendar and work with your Auction Specialist to make sure you’ll be available and free to answer last-minute questions and watch your auction close – It’s a lot of fun, and you don’t want to be stuck in traffic or getting a root canal on the last hour of your auction!

OK, let’s get to the bread and butter of what makes BaT such a unique and addictive venue: The comments section. For each auction, there’s a place for comments, and there are a few things to keep in mind: The inhabitants of the BaT comments sections are often more knowledgeable than the seller as to the specifics of any given car. Sellers who strut in with derisive responses and a know-it-all attitude can quickly find themselves in the midst of a school of piranhas. This is not the place to be Mark Worman, because no one cares about your intimate knowledge of obscure minutiae. This is an auction site.

Certainly, as with any venue, there’s likely to be the occasional troll – but it’s best to let the other commenters police the section. As a seller, your job is to remain polite, modest and honest. Snarky replies, deceptive statements, and rudeness can torpedo an auction with a quickness. You never know who’s on the other end of the last comment, so save your sarcasm and witty comebacks for Facebook.

Once your auction is loaded and running, it’s important to monitor the comments, so that you can respond to questions in a timely manner. During this time, it’s a good idea to share the link to your auction on social media, especially on pages relevant to your particular vehicle. I got very fortunate with mine, as it was picked up right away by Yahoo and Car & Driver. Coupled with several strategic shares on Datsun sites, it went viral pretty quickly.

If you’ve done your best, you’ll see some bids roll in. Resist the urge to over-promote, and don’t worry about the slow pace of bidding – it’s totally normal for most auctions. For this one, my reserve was obliterated on the first day of the auction – but I’ve also seen some go stagnant until the last day. With that being said, BaT operates their auctions with a “soft close.” This prevents last-second “sniping” of an auction. If a bidder enters a bid within two minutes of the lot’s initial closing time, a two-minute extension is added on. The auction will not close until bidding is static for two minutes. On one of my auctions, the bidding nearly doubled in the last two minutes (which stretched out to almost 20 minutes)!

At the end, take a deep breath and remain gracious, regardless of the outcome. You never know when you might want to list another vehicle (or bid on one), so thank the commenters and be sure to congratulate the winning bidder. In my case, the sale price broke the previous record for sale of a ’73 Z, so that’ll be a neat little achievement to enjoy for a while (although I suspect that record won’t last long).

Special thanks for this auction go to Mike Barron, my Auction Specialist, Lucas Lee at FromTheBumper.com (for the amazing photographs) and the team at The Studio in Tempe AZ. Even bigger thanks to my wife, Becky, for all her support through the preparation and selling process, and my right hand homey, Jason McCoy, for imparting tons of wisdom and pointing out each thing I did wrong.

If you’re looking to thin the herd, offload Grandpa’s barn-stored classic, or find your next collectible, you could do worse than browsing through Bring a Trailer. Thanks for reading!

I started this series last year, and rather than bore you with the intro, I’ll simply link you to last year’s article as a warmup:
Datsuns at Barrett-Jackson 2018

For now, let’s dig right into the Datsuns that were at Barrett-Jackson 2019, shall we?

This year, there were five Datsuns represented (four S30 and a S130), and we’ll cover the S30s, in order of docket appearance – Click on the title to go to the pics and our assessment of each!

Lot #453 – 1973 240Z, orange over black.

Lot #456.2 – 1976 280Z 2+2, bronze over butterscotch.

Lot #477.1 – 1972 240Z, white over black.

Lot #949.1 – 1971 240Z, green over butterscotch.

Lot 949.1 – Description from the auction docket: “The car offered here is a completely original, matching-numbers-drivetrain car that has never been altered from its factory build configuration. Sold new by Santa Ana Datsun in October of 1971, the car remained in the dry climate of Southern California area through its entire life until 2017. When the current owners purchased this 240Z with it has no visible rust issues, which was confirmed true when they undertook a bare-metal respray in the correct original color of Dark Green. A high-quality body preparation was undertaken followed by show-quality paint just completed in 2018. The exterior trim, weatherstripping and other cosmetic items were replaced as needed and the interior was refurbished as necessary with all correct goods. This Datsun is powered by a 2397cc engine paired to a 4-speed manual transmission. This car runs, drives and performs as good as it looks and a recent thorough service puts the car ready to enjoy.”

No question, this one’s my favorite. A great color combination, a great backstory, no real hidden surprises, and a classic formula of originality and manual-shifted Datsun sports car goodness.


Those of you who have seen my restorations know I’m a stickler for underhood and undercarriage details… This car wasn’t overrestored by any means, and it presented as an honest, clean, mechanically-unrestored, well-cared-for Z. I’d have liked to see some additional attention paid to the engine bay, which contained some worn hoses, incorrect clamps, and some overall grime – but again, it’s an honest car, which beats a rattle-can restoration anyday.

OK, now for the quibbles: When a seller reports a “bare metal respray,” it’s reasonable to assume all the glass was removed. After all, that’s the correct way to perform a restoration. On an S30, the tell-all usually lies in the quarter windows. These weren’t removed, and the masking tape line (and old cracked rubber) proves it. If you’ve never restored a Z, the quarter windows are a challenge – but they can be removed, disassembled, and refurbished with new rubber – and reinstalled AFTER the paintwork is done.

Sadly, I couldn’t get undercarriage pictures on this car, as she was parked in one of the tents – out of the rain, but not without a couple inches of water on the ground. I’m dedicated, but not stupid. Let’s use the underhood condition and assume that the underbody is similarly clean, but not restored.

My guess last night, while writing this article, was that this one clears $40k easily. Well, today the hammer fell to the tune of $55,000.00. Let’s remember, this is a mild restoration – Not a rotisserie job, not a Foose / Kindig level restomod, but a simple refreshing of a good-condition, low mileage Z. Folks, the S30 game is strong, and it’s not slowing down.

Lot 477.1 – Description from the auction docket: “This Fairlady Z Resto-Mod is the ultimate street machine. Countless hours and dollars were invested in designing, fabricating and restoring this car. The vision of the build was to turn a classic Datsun 240Z sports car into a classic Datsun 240Z supercar. It was a rust-free California car prior to the bare-metal restoration. This car is show-quality throughout. The exterior body is very straight with great gaps. It was painted 2017 GM Crystal White Tri-Coat, which is absolutely stunning. The hood rise and all the trim were painted Satin Black. The car is dressed with Cobra mirrors, halogen smoked headlights, custom emblems, carbon-fiber dipped front and rear bumpers, carbon-fiber front and rear spoilers with matching door handles. The car has a great stance on 16” Pana Sport Racing wheels that were dipped in carbon-fiber on front and back. The wheel center caps were dipped in white carbon-fiber to match the exterior color. The wheels are wrapped with new Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires that stick to the pavement. The all-new black interior is tastefully done. Some interior upgrades include aluminum Fairlady Z door sills, MOMO Competition steering wheel, AutoMeter Phantom gauges, Recaro bucket seats, black billet window cranks and shifter with Hurst knob, Performance billet pedals, custom Z accessories, Vintage Air cooling and heating, custom sound system, roll bar and rear strut tower bar, which were painted to match the exterior. The engine compartment is nicely detailed throughout. This car is powered by a GM LS V8 engine with 400+ horsepower. Dyno sheets are included. The intake manifold was dipped in carbon-fiber and the valve covers were painted to match the exterior. It’s equipped with many upgrades, such as a custom cold-air intake with K&N filter, Taylor 409 Racing red wires, Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator, AN fittings, Optima red-top battery and custom strut tower bar. The engine is cooled by a custom aluminum radiator with dual electric fans, carbon-fiber dipped cover and aluminum reservoir. The engine breathes through a custom exhaust system with Sanderson headers and Flowmaster mufflers. The engine is coupled to a Tremec 6-speed manual transmission with hydraulic clutch. The power is transferred to the pavement through the Infiniti Q45 R200 VLSD rear end. It has custom billet rear differential mounts and billet axles with C/V halfshafts. The undercarriage is nicely detailed throughout. It’s equipped with custom-made subframe connectors from front to back. It has rack & pinion steering. The suspension system consists of MSA camber plates, MSA coilovers, Eibach springs, Tokiko illumine 5-way adjustable inserts, and Suspension Techniques front and rear sway bars. The braking system consists of Modern Motorsports Extreme 13” PBR four-wheel disc brakes with a Wilwood master cylinder. This vehicle has recently been serviced and detailed, which is documented with an invoice that is included.”

Whew. Well, that was inordinately long. But, this car is well-known in the Datsun community, having been previously owned and meticulously built (and LS swapped) by David Weitz. The following owner then redid the car in a new paint color, revised the interior added lots of carbon fiber (and faux CF) accessories, and brought it to Barrett-Jackson. We have it on good authority that the seller actually lost a substantial sum on this car, and I can’t help thinking I really liked it a lot better in its previous iteration:

But, I digress. It is what it is, and what it is, is a Z that will make purists cringe, fanboys swoon, restorers admire, and bidders raise their hand.

A track-ready restomod that seems too nice to actually take to a track day is the theme here, but it’s hard to argue with the combination of high-quality workmanship, a drivetrain that’s been sorted not once but twice, and an eye-catching exterior combination of bright white, black, carbon fiber, and red accents… I could certainly do without some of the more gaudy bits, such as the Fairlady emblems on the engine covers, the faux-CF wheel finish, and the tire lettering, but those are minor quibbles and definitely a matter of personal taste. I’d swap out the smallish tire/wheel combo for some wider meats, add in a Zpowersteering kit, ditch the gaudy stuff and go drive the hell out of it.

Speaking of personal taste, I’m a fan of any car that can get people out of their seats and talking about cars, and this one did the job, with a hammer price of $67,100.00. Although it’s rumored the seller lost a chunk of change, the bar for restomod Z cars has been, once again, raised.

Lot 456.2 – Description from the auction docket: “This 1976 Datsun “Fairlady” 280Z 2+2 hatchback has 1,358 original miles (mileage not indicated on the registration). It is powered by the original 2.8-liter SOHC inline 6-cylinder engine with Bosch Jetronic fuel injection, mated to a 3-speed automatic transmission, and is equipped with front disc brakes. It also has factory air conditioning. Still finished in its original Bronze Poly Metallic, it features its original tires, books, manuals, and even the original title and sales brochure. The original tools and jack are still in their original wrappers, inside the trunk. It has a 3-ring binder containing original documents along with ownership history and maintenance records.”


There’s not much to say here, folks. This car is as close to a brand new Datsun as you’ll see. Remember, they’re only original once, and once they’re painted or restored, you’re really at the mercy of whoever does the work – and whether it’s really high quality, or a ‘shadetree restorer,’ it’s simply not the same as 100% original.

I suppose I could grouse about the amateurish display boards that accompanied this car and the others brought in by the seller… Sure, they looked like grade school science fair project displays: Tri-fold posterboard with photocopies of pictures attached with masking tape. But when the hammer dropped, no one cared – this well-preserved piece of Datsun history found a new home and a happy new owner. The legions of Facebook “experts” will wring their hands and bemoan the decision, but let’s not forget – no one bats an eye when an original ’68 Camaro 6-cylinder with a vinyl top fetches $65k.

Take a seat, critics, because there’s four to choose from in this Z. Hammer price was $44,000.00 – and somehow, I’m craving a butterscotch ice cream root beer float.

Lot 453 – Description from the auction docket: “This 1973 Datsun 240Z is powered by its original, matching-numbers 2.4-liter L24 engine producing 151hp with twin side-draft original carburetors, backed by an automatic transmission. 1973 was the last year of production for the 240Z. This 240Z was the beneficiary of a complete and comprehensive ground-up restoration including engine removal and rebuild from ground up, transmission removal and rebuild and a rear end rebuild. It was completely dismantled and stripped to bare metal, then reassembled and finished in its original colors. The interior was refinished, all chrome was removed and refinished and all rubber interior and exterior trim was removed and replaced. Additionally, this Datsun was upgraded with Konig 16” high-finish period-look aluminum wheels with four brand-new tires, and it has less than 2,000 miles since its completion. It’s equipped with the original wood-rim steering wheel, original AM/FM radio, front disc brakes and a completely stock interior.”

OK, let’s talk about this one. The seller got a great, primo location – inside the tents, towards the rear, facing traffic. Access was clear all the way around the car, and I was able to spend a bit of time crawling around it. A great-looking Z restoration that would please all but the most critical buyer – but that’s what we’re here to discuss.

Not sure what’s going on with the painted valve cover or the blue stripes, or the painted oil cap, but it’s not hard to find pics of a proper engine bay. Obviously, this doesn’t hurt the value, as it’s easily remedied, but it’s wasted time and effort that could have gone elsewhere.

Call me picky, but here’s the deal: You want all the money for your “complete and comprehensive ground-up restoration”, then you need to replace, not touch up, your emblems and your taillight trim. “240Z” emblem is new, while “Datsun” emblem just gets some dabs of black paint? Peeling chrome is obvious, and those bars are readily available for purchase.

Oddly, this car had vertical defroster. My guess? Little Timmy put a baseball through the rear hatch glass in 1974, and a local junkyard had a Series One glass (or hatch) available. Again, this one doesn’t hurt the value, but it’s a curiosity if you’re a Z person.

Let’s talk about paint. An experienced restorer can see a repaint across the room. This car is no exception, and the description states as much. However, if we’re going to the effort, let’s get the thickness correct. The paint on this car was well done, but the thickness is all wrong, and in certain areas, it really hides the crisp lines of the Z body. Note how it’s “domed” on the rear hatch?

Interior was well-done. It’s hard to get a Z restoration interior just right, and this seller did a fine job. Even the seats, which are refurbished, have the correct original “look” that’s hard to replicate. Kudos, because that’s tough!

A couple points in the description appear either false or quite “stretched.” Let’s go to the obvious:


If you’re doing this, knock it off. Datsun didn’t slather these cars in undercoating, so let’s not try and pass that off. This gloppy mess would scare me off from a purchase, considering you simply cannot see what’s underneath – And, it calls into question the claim of “completely dismantled and stripped to bare metal.” The tension rod bracket is especially concerning, since we can’t tel what’s going on under the goop – and it’s an area prone to rust. Those of you with a better eye will catch the spray pattern of the bedliner or aftermarket “undercoating,” and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that 1973 wheelwells weren’t painted black – they’re body color. In another article, I’ll show you the slipshod (and minimal) application of factory undercoating on a ’73 Z, and it looks nothing like this.

OK, one more gripe: A fuel tank isn’t hard to restore properly. Those straps weren’t removed, and the tank was coated in-place. This means the lines are likely original, as is the tank ventilation system – and we all know that can be a colossal pain to remedy if you don’t like being asphyxiated by fumes. That differential drain plug looks wrong, and again, black paint everywhere doesn’t do wonders for confidence. I’d question the alleged “$60k restoration” as claimed by the seller, unless it was consigned to a shop from beginning to end.

Hammer price was $40,700.00. Considering the questionable undercarriage and the PRNDL in the console, the seller did quite well.