BRE 510 on Ebay ?

[jmark]

You guys seen this ebay listing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-510-1972-BRE-DATSUN-FACTORY-STREET-CAR_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6188QQitemZ300095062087QQrdZ1

[26th-Z]

Yea. This has been the subject of e-mail chatter for the last couple of days. Carl Beck and I have been talking about this one.

[Arne]

Sure looks like the right stuff to me, but what do I know? I like it though, and hope someone gets it who'll do it up right.

[HS30-H]

Sure looks like the right stuff to me, but what do I know?

Looks like a factory PL510 with some doo-dads on it to me. But maybe I'm one of those "CHAT ROOM NO LIFES" he loves so much?

I know next to nothing about 510s really, but I've seen one of the BRE race cars close up and inside / underneath ( it was on holiday in Japan ) so this bit of the auction description made me chuckle:

"........If the new owner does this then they will have the the most original BRE built 510 in the world as it will be original in every way including the original Goodyear tires."

Nice bit of promotions-man hyperbole there. And he said the 'F' word too............. Naughty naughty.

Sad thing is that none of the hype and overblown description from what appears to be the archetypal promotions bod is the fault of the poor car itself, which is obviously an honest example of a mildly ( period ) jazzed-up PL510 that even retains its stock air cleaner. Poor thing.

I notice that the auction ends conveniently on April 1st too

[ChrisA]

I think we can all agree on the difference between the auction listed in this thread and this.................

[Marty Rogan]

Yea. This has been the subject of e-mail chatter for the last couple of days. Carl Beck and I have been talking about this one.

Looks really interesting. So you think this is the real deal? Is Carl going to start his own BRE collection, !

Marty

[Marty Rogan]

Looks like a factory PL510 with some doo-dads on it to me. But maybe I'm one of those "CHAT ROOM NO LIFES" he loves so much?

I know next to nothing about 510s really, but I've seen one of the BRE race cars close up and inside / underneath ( it was on holiday in Japan ) so this bit of the auction description made me chuckle:

"........If the new owner does this then they will have the the most original BRE built 510 in the world as it will be original in every way including the original Goodyear tires."

Nice bit of promotions-man hyperbole there. And he said the 'F' word too............. Naughty naughty.

Sad thing is that none of the hype and overblown description from what appears to be the archetypal promotions bod is the fault of the poor car itself, which is obviously an honest example of a mildly ( period ) jazzed-up PL510 that even retains its stock air cleaner. Poor thing.

I notice that the auction ends conveniently on April 1st too

He does use some pretty slick wording in his advertising: "There was one full blown race car built for the street and the car you see here."

Apparently, this isn't the "full blown race car for the street".

It is still interesting as a nice condition 510, but I doubt it is worth much more than its current bid.

Marty

[Mr Camouflage]

He does use some pretty slick wording in his advertising: "There was one full blown race car built for the street and the car you see here."

Apparently, this isn't the "full blown race car for the street".

It is still interesting as a nice condition 510, but I doubt it is worth much more than its current bid.

Marty

I don't think he's trying to pass it off as one either (a BRE race car). I think people are just inferring that because of the association with BRE.

To sum it up, I think this is a promotional car. An advertising tool, painted to look like a BRE, with special gear knob, badges, and other bits of trim. A demo car of what this "Trans Am" package would look like, that BRE and this Marketing company the seller worked for were trying to sell.

Some of his wording is a bit strange but I don't get what all the fuss is about?

The concept was that the customer could take his stock BRE to the level of the car we built using competition parts available at Datsun

I think he meant "take his stock 510" to BRE and have them give it a mild upgrade and a make-over?

Surely racing teams had marketing strategies to generate extra cash?

He should have posted the questions he's been receiving on the auction.

It's easy to get emotional when people start saying "that aint no BRE car" (as it sounds like people have been doing), when you worked with BRE to develop the car. I think he's in the best position to know what the car is. - if you take what he's saying as genuine, and I don't see any reason to doubt him. You either take him at his word or call him liar and a con man.

Either way I agree with Marty. Nice condition 510, but not worth more than any other 510 in the same condition. The fact that it was a failed marketing concept car wouldn't make me want to pay any more for it.

....now back to my real life

[Ron Carter]

Okay so I need to chime in on this one. I contacted the seller early on when it was first posted and asked some hard questions. The car is owned by Gary Kohs and back in the 70's he did some work promoting BRE. There was a time when they pitched a BRE model car to Nissan not unlike a Roush Mustang today. Nissan had a problem with this and the project died.

I think it is safe to say that this was a full blown mock up of what they were looking to sell and NOT a BRE car.

I told Gary what I thought and he got pissed off. I contacted Pete Brock and he said that it was not a BRE car and Gary ripped him off back then. I then confronted Gary who became less than friendly and made remarks on the listing regarding the "right" people buying the car, well because apparently I am the wrong type.

I then got ahold of John Morton through Dennis Currington. John said the BRE never clear coated their cars and that they did not build this car. IT IS NOT A BRE CAR. It is painted in the colors of the BRE 240Z by the guy that painted the cars for BRE. After that it is just a regular 510. Gary claims that this car was built by BRE. But with both John and Pete saying it was not, I do not believe his claim.

Gary left the marketing business and went into the automotive model business and has done very well for himself. The car he is selling is a representation of what might have been, a marketing concept that died and not a BRE car. The most valuable aspect of the car is the collateral stuff he has that goes with the car along with some rare badging that is now being reproduced.

Most of you who know me, know that I am interested in all things BRE Datsun related. I would not pay the current bidding price for this car, its not that collectable in my mind.

[Mr Camouflage]

Thanks Ron. Now we know both sides of the story. I don't know alot about BRE and any opportunity to find out more is a good thing.

[HS30-H]

Yes, thanks from me too Ron. Your post shines a light on the vendor's exaggerations.

Cheers,

Alan T.

[ChrisA]

..... it is just a regular 510. Gary claims that this car was built by BRE. But with both John and Pete saying it was not, I do not believe his claim

Thanks Ron, never a doubt in my mind. BRE car... ROFL

Chris A.