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    Understanding sludgo’s Mile Markers: Mile 224

    Byjustpastevehicles

    A week ago I was in the TT and rolled up next to a biker sitting at a stoplight. Three in the afternoon and hotter than blazes here in mid-August southeast Idaho. He was riding solo on a late-model Fat Boy—black on black. Was wearing what Hog riders all seem to wear: an unbuttoned leather vest over a tattered black t-shirt, leather chaps over worn and torn black jeans and a set of scuffed and scarred steel-toed boots. No helmet, of course, just a do-rag, but I saw a beanie-cap strapped to his rear pillion rack—in case he had to go to Oregon, I supposed. His face was mostly hidden by a bristly salt-and-pepper grandpa beard and his eyes were shielded by mirrored wrap-around Terminator shades. His skin looked thick and weathered and was deeply tanned, so deep it took a moment for me to see his arms were slathered shoulder-to-wrist with an ornate selection of tattoos. Flames and skulls and dragons and tombstones inscribed with initials and dates and symbols I didn’t recognize. He noticed me noticing him and gave me a big tobacco-stained snaggle-toothed grin then flashed me the peace sign. I flashed him one back and the light went green and he twisted the throttle and dropped the clutch and roared off to parts unknown. And as I watched him disappear into the shimmering horizon, somewhere inside my head Steppenwolf suddenly started to play.

  • What to Know About baT Auction Success Story: pevans’s BaT Garage

    Byjustpastevehicles

    BaT member pevans has built himself a home garage of sorts around his BaT wins, which include a 2002 Panoz Esperante purchased from Techno, this 1991 Porsche 944 S2 sold by Pipoto, this 1986 944 Turbo auctioned by jmtwilson, Indy Car carbon-fiber bodywork offered by IvantS8, a quarter midget racer project listed by Markwins123, and his partner’s 1992 Porsche 968 cab bought from Local Partner motorcarmarketusa.
    pevans writes:
    I wanted to send you a different kind of Success Story. I’ve been building onto my existing garage, and while we were hanging up some wall art, my partner in crime—Brenda—made a remark: this was a garage that Bring a Trailer helped build. I stopped what I was doing and looked around. “Well, I guess it is,” I replied.

  • Yesterday’s comments of note — Explained

    Byjustpastevehicles

    A few of the comments that stood out to us yesterday:

    “Thanks P 38. I went to college driving a new R1 with air-conditioning. And automatic. I dated.my wife in a red Avanti. Married in 1965 and sold the Avanti get a car with a bench seat for our daughter’ s car seat. I have known where my original car is but have tried unsuccessfully for 30 years to buy it. When this car came along, I said what the heck. I’m excited to have a supercharged car and relieve some old memories. That is a lot of what the old car hobby is about.”

    20

    greenway commented on 44-Years-Family-Owned 1963 Studebaker Avanti R2 4-Speed

    “Taking quiet satisfaction that, in this era of automotive touchscreen-maxing, “crank windows” is a noteworthy feature that adds value.”

    18

    Type5314 commented on Single-Family-Owned 1967 Volkswagen Beetle

    “I grew up in my family’s Pontiac dealership that opened in 1967. Crazy about high performance Firebirds & GTOs, especially the rare & special round port cars. From RAII in 1968 (356 cars), RAIV in 68 & 69 (1808 cars), 455 H.O. in 71 & 72 (5037 cars) and the last of the Mohicans, SD-455 in 73 & 74 (1296 cars). With over 4000 Pontiac dealerships back then most never acquired a single super duty during the two years of production. They were insanely hard to get. Our store…”

    15

    ChipBeck commented on 1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SD-455 4-Speed

  • Question of the Week: What’s Your Favorite Piece of Automaker Lore? — Explained

    Byjustpastevehicles

    Welcome to the BaT Question of the Week! For those unfamiliar, here are the rules: we ask an automotive-themed question, and the author of our favorite answer from the comments is awarded a $25 credit to the BaT Gear Store.
    This week’s question is: What’s your favorite piece of automaker lore?
    The more interesting parts of automotive industry history contain countless obscure tidbits, stories of legendary rivalries, wild urban legends, and even a particular tale involving some illicit contraband. This week’s question focuses on these stories of yore, apocryphal or otherwise. Here are two examples to kick off the discussion:

  • BaT Auction Success Story: the VTEC Kicks Back In You Should Know

    Byjustpastevehicles

    BaT member WrayG3 won this 1995 Honda Del Sol VTEC, which came to BaT for the second time in April 2025 with The_Dude_Abides. WrayG3 recently wrote in with an update:
    This particular Del Sol caught my attention the first time on Bring a Trailer in November 2023, a year and a half or so before I acquired it as a BaT Alumnus car in April 2025. The first time it showed up, I had just started a family and a new business (G3 Motorsports), and the timing wasn’t right to add another toy. I sat back and watched the car move on to its new home. I’ve been a Del Sol owner since 2004, currently own a 1995 Si that was my first car, and this example was my holy grail. Being a one-year-only color, Isle Green Pearl was the rarest of the bunch and only available on B16 VTEC Del Sols.

  • Yesterday’s comments of note: A Practical Look

    Byjustpastevehicles

    A few of the comments that stood out to us yesterday:

    “The missile appeared at Earl’s Salvage Yard & Formalwear on a Tuesday morning.
    At least that was what Hairless B29 called it when he walked into the Grounds for Divorce and announced that Earl had acquired a rocket.
    Angus Hopper continued buttering his toast.
    “How big?”
    “Three feet, maybe.”
    Angus looked up. “That ain’t much of a rocket.”
    “It’s streamlined.”
    This was apparently sufficient evidence to bring Rex Hall into the investigation. By nine…”

    70

    CaptainMyCaptain commented on No Reserve: c. 1945 Blackhawk Bantam Porto-Power Tool Kit

    “Cannot beat classic guards red on a Gbody. Timeless.”

    7

    Envypete commented on 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe G50

    “The Story Here…
    As an automotive magazine publisher, editor and motor journalist in the ’80s and ’90s, I was privileged to attend many unique and amazing press functions and receive highly-specialized literature regarding the cars being launched. From the Highlands of Scotland to the South of France. From the US Continental Divide to the jungles and rain forests of Guatemala and Belize. From small back mews of the English Midlands to palatial manor houses in London. What a time it…”

    6

    DaveD commented on No Reserve: Collection of British Automobile Brochures & Press Kits

  • Yesterday’s comments of note: A Practical Look

    Byjustpastevehicles

    A few of the comments that stood out to us yesterday:

    “The 330 GTC has always been a favorite of mine. And the 512BB. When I was first working out of college in the early ’80’s my wife and I honeymooned in San Francisco and I dragged her to Ferrari Los Gatos, and there on the floor were my two dream cars, a 330 GTC sitting next to a 512BB. I remember them being in the $25 – $35K range? And thinking, I’ll be able to afford one of those. Unfortunately life intervened and prices for these cars increased but I was finally able to realize a dream…”

    19

    CarCrzyTom commented on 1968 Ferrari 330 GTC

    “I own a manual 6 speed ’07 NC. These are just fabulous vehicles. Nothing goes wrong. Certainly one of the finest engines Mazda ever built. Gobs of fun driving top-down and a true value fot the $ spent. New owner will be happy. GLWTA”

    11

    Spider_Mike commented on 15k-Mile 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring PRHT

    “Thanks to all bidders. I fell in love with the 904 when I first saw one in the 1980’s. I think it the most beautiful care design ever. Thats why I had to have the Beck 904. I started discussing the car with Chuck Beck in early 2020, and pulled the trigger in October of 2020. It was a 3 year build process, and I visited the factory many times during the build. My wife was involved too, and picked out the interior colors. I think it turned out nicely. Thanks for all the positive comments.”

    9

    Armbrust commented on Beck 904 GTS

    “The 505 wagon, IMHO, is one of the great longroofs. They endure rugged conditions in Africa without complaint. The 4 cylinder engine is about as indestructible as they get. Cargo capacity is unmatched. Yet the ride is so so comfy. Best seats anywhere. The video shows it off well.”

    9

    raoulr commented on 1992 Peugeot 505 SW8

    “Another one that I helped build at Torslanda in Goteborg. Some had a note under the dash: built in Sweden by a yankee. I was the only American out of supposedly 46 nationalities working there”

    7

    volvo240s commented on 1979 Volvo 242 DL 5-Speed

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    Understanding live on BaT: A Lineage of Track-Focused V8 Ferraris

    Byjustpastevehicles

    Prancing horses at the racetrack are nothing new, but the era of “drive your 250 SWB to the track, race it in anger, and then drive it home again” is long gone. Over the last several decades, racing has become a sophisticated and specialized pursuit requiring sophisticated and specialized machines. In the last 20 or so years, Ferrari—never one to leave their racing heritage unmentioned—started offering track-focused versions of their volume models for special clientele.

  • A Look at yesterday’s comments of note

    Byjustpastevehicles

    A few of the comments that stood out to us yesterday:

    “My husband has been wanting a Porsche since he was 8. This is a dream come true. Thank you all!”

    23

    enricojillforlenza commented on 1980 Porsche 911SC Coupe

    “I’ve seen these cars in person when they were new at Straman’s over next to the Orange County Airport. The workmanship is superb. No one believes me when I say that there was a convertible CRX.
    More importantly than that, no one believes there was EVER a teddy bear wheel made for any car – and I’ve told stories about them on a Volkswagen Cabriolet I once had. I have only ever seen ONE at a tire dealer. Never a complete set.
    This car embodies every story I’ve ever told about cars made of…”

    16

    shawnebell commented on 41k-Mile 1985 Honda CRX Convertible Conversion 5-Speed

    “Campagnolos and Michelins…chef’s kiss”

    12

    SFM1966 commented on 1968 Ferrari 330 GTC

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    Understanding (B)at the Movies: Ford v Ferrari (2019)

    Byjustpastevehicles

    In this latest installment we talk about the problem with Cobras, balancing accuracy with crowd appeal, iconic opening scenes, the dumb downshifts in every racing movie, Tracy Letts, evil composites, 17″ wheels that almost ruin everything, 218 on the Mulsanne, the folder situation at Ford, and the movie’s ranking in the pantheon of racing films.