RICCI’S GARAGE
Report 23 Mark’ s Skyline is now just a bare shell, amount... but it’ s still worth an eye-watering
In the parallel universe known simply as Common Sense Land I’d have sold the R to some utter maniac American for an absurd amount of cash And the most terrifying thing is it would’ve easily been one of the better GTRs out there for sale That’s a bit of a lie because the actual most terrifying thing is it currently has no paint left on it There’s no bumpers no engine no electrics nothing It’s a bare metal shell sitting somewhere near Essex but for once that doesn’t mean it’s been stolen
How’d it end up here? Rather than accept any responsibility I’d sooner deflect it onto others instead Like Harlow Jap Autos for selling me it many years ago Or maybe the entirety of America for driving GTR values into laughable levels Would I have overhauled a car that was worth grand? Absolutely not But a car knocking well into six figures? Suddenly there’s an expectation to look after it
I will stop talking about Skyline values at some point just not this month Because it genuinely confuses me I should be happy and rubbing my hands with glee But honestly it’s a bit sad All the fun parts of GTR ownership are becoming harder to enjoy Good luck finding any stock parts for cheap What about tuning ones? Yup similar story unless you’re happy for them to come from deepest eBay That also means hammering a Skyline around the track is pretty much out the window
That’s why I’m loving this restoration so much it’s a different kind of car enjoyment Unless you’ve truly got deep pockets you can’t fight what’s happening to Skyline values Either suck it up or find another scene And seeing as I’m not ready to lose GTR ownership status just yet I better carry on sucking it up
That’s not how this work is being afforded either Nor is there an OnlyFans ticking over in the background because annoyingly the market for watching a yearold man ponder how much toast to have for breakfast four being excessive two not enough is niche even by internet standards I know you think the answer is three but it’s not as nice a number as two or four is it?
Being British it’s my duty to play down all aspects of life that involve either monetary value or physical ability For example I can only muster the words to say I’m an alright photographer despite doing fairly well from it But for the sake of this article I’ll make an exception Not for me but the work involved courtesy of Spike’s Vintage Restorations
Andy and his team are some of the best painters in the world That’s not a generic quip because they have my car these are the people you trust when you need a showwinning car destined for the likes of Pebble Beach Customers come from all around the world for Andy’s work and while they may lack a big jazzy showroom with glassfronted walls all of that nonsense doesn’t equate to a better paint job
Calling it a paint job feels quite dismissive because in reality the paint comes right at the end It’s the hundreds of hours of prep beforehand which really makes the difference and having seen their work over the years it’s the main reason why I can feel relaxed that everything will be fine Until the next invoice comes in obviously So if you need me you can find my Twitch Stream under @Toast_ Decisions_Daily
“I SHOULD BE HAPPY AT SKYLINE VALUES. BUT HONESTLY, IT’S A BIT SAD”
Internationally renowned photographer Mark has been working with TG for many, many years. When not taking photos he’s buying inappropriate cars. Here he shares his addiction with the world