Mecum Glendale 2024
Mecum’s holding their 2024 Glendale auction this week and some very exciting cars will be offered for sale. A total of 1,000 vehicles are expected to cross the block and while there will be something for everyone, two in particular are worth really highlighting.
This 1969 Ford Torino Talladega GPT Special is a two-time SEMA winner and a Goodguys Street Machine of the Year. It was featured in the Furious 7 movie with Vin Diesel behind the wheel.
It showcases incredibly detailed custom bodywork and a stunning engine, a 429 Boss FX V8 that produces 750 horsepower and is equipped with an experimental Ford intake that was modified to accept a fuel injection system from Rad Rides.
It’s equipped with a five-speed manual transmission, the Tremec TKO 600 that’s connected to a Hurst shifter with a Holman Moody wooden shift knob. The interior is an exercise in minimalism that stuns on first appearance.
The car debuted at the Detroit Autorama in 2013 and Mecum expects it to sell for $450,000 – $550,000. There really aren’t any comps to use when estimating the value of a car like this, but considering the success it’s had when shown and the tie-in with “Furious 7” there’s no reason to expect bids to come in below Mecum’s estimate.
Estimate: $450,000 – $550,000
The first Skyline GT-R was born in 1969, under the model code KPGC10. It was designed to compete in the Japanese Touring Car Championship, where it won 49 consecutive races until 1972. It had a 2.0-liter inline-six engine that produced 160 horsepower and a five-speed manual transmission. It was nicknamed “Hakosuka”, meaning “boxy Skyline”, because of its angular shape.
The second-generation Skyline GT-R, model code KPGC110, was introduced in 1973, but only 197 units were produced due to the oil crisis and stricter emission regulations. It had a similar engine as the previous model, but with 20 more horsepower and a larger body. It was nicknamed “Kenmeri”, after a popular TV commercial featuring a young couple named Ken and Mary.
The Skyline GT-R name was revived in 1989, after a 16-year hiatus, with the launch of the R32 model. It was a technological marvel, featuring an all-wheel drive system called ATTESA E-TS, a four-wheel steering system called Super-HICAS, and a twin-turbocharged 2.6-liter inline-six engine that delivered 276 horsepower. It dominated the Group A racing category, winning the Japanese Touring Car Championship for four years in a row, as well as the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1991 and 1992. It earned the nickname “Godzilla”, for its monstrous performance and appearance.
The R33 model followed in 1995, with a slightly larger and heavier body, but also improved aerodynamics, stability, and cooling. It had the same engine as the R32, but with some modifications to increase torque and reliability. It set a new record for the fastest production car at the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany, with a time of 7 minutes and 59 seconds.
The R34 model debuted in 1999, as the final evolution of the Skyline GT-R. It had a more compact and aggressive design, with sharper edges and rounder headlights. It also had a new six-speed manual transmission, an upgraded all-wheel drive system, and a multifunction display that showed various performance data.
The Nissan Skyline GT-R M Spec Nür was a special edition of the R34-generation Skyline that was produced for the 2002 model year, the final year of R34 production. It was named after Kazutoshi Mizuno, the chief engineer of the GT-R project, and the Nürburgring, the famous German racetrack where the GT-R was tested and developed. Only 285 units were made, and only 24 of them were painted in black.
The M Spec Nür was not just a cosmetic package. It featured a unique version of the RB26DETT engine, a 2.6-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six that produced 280 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque. The engine had larger turbochargers, reinforced pistons, rods and crankshaft, and a gold-painted valve cover. The M Spec Nür also had a revised suspension system with softer springs and dampers, a carbon-fiber rear diffuser, and an exclusive interior with heated leather seats and gold stitching.
The example that will be offered for sale by Mecum in Glendale is one of 24 finished in black. It’s a JDM car and was imported to the US in 2023 so it’s currently under a “show or display” exemption that limits usage to 2,500 miles a year, until the car is 25 years old – so by 2027 it can be driven without mileage limitations. The odometer shows 44,081 and Mecum estimates it will sell for $575,000 – $675,000.
Estimate: $575,000 – $675,000