1971 Nissan Skyline C10 Coupe

The high-performance Nissan 2000GT-R was introduced in 1969 and is often referred to by its nickname 'Hakosuka,' which is loosely translated as 'Boxy Skyline.' The twin-cam, three-carburetor inline-six was a development of the engine powering the Prince R380 racing car. In motorsport competition, the Skyline GT-R proved to be equally effective, dominating Japanese touring car racing, winning in its debut at the JAF Grand Prix and earning over 50 victories before Nissan's withdrawal from racing in 1972.

The two-door Hardtop (H/T) was introduced in 1970, bringing even more performance through its shorter and lightweight platform and more aggressive styling. It had rear fender flares, a long-range 100-liter fuel tank, a lightweight and spartan interior with racing bucket seats, aluminum pedals, and a three-spoke steering wheel.

Production of the first-generation Skyline GT-R was exclusive, with 1,945 total examples built including 1,115 of the H/T variant.

This example was sold in April in 1971 to a resident of Tokyo and remained in the care of its original owner until 2017. The car's second owner was Symbolic International of San Diego. The car was kept in static museum storage since 1984, and received a sympathetic recommissioning prior to its export to the United States.

This GT-R remains in largely original order and has approximately 59,000 km. Only its SSR alloy wheels deviate from factory-stock appearance. The 1,989cc DOHC inline 6-cylinder engine has three original Mikuni Kogyo Solex carburetors and delivers 160 horsepower at 7,000 RPM. There is a five-speed manual gearbox, front disc, and rear drum brakes.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2022