Bring a Trailer Podcast

Alex and Randy, fresh off our recent gathering and film screening of  the forthcoming documentary series Route 66: The Main Street of America in Flagstaff, Arizona, discuss Randy's father-daughter trip from Riverside to Flagstaff in his red Chrysler 300B; learning the Chuck Berry version of Get Your Kicks on Route 66 backward and forward; swimming against the stream on the notoriously east-to-west road; the first post-prohibition liquor license in Chicago; the captivating documentary and the great, historic Orpheum Theater in which we got to see it; giving cars a reason to live; the temptation of the vintage motel and gas station business; love for the desert Googie diner; a brief "stroad" explainer; teaching kids patience and flexibility on the road; and that most elusive and necessary part of any good road trip: time.

They move on to a game of picking their top five ideal cars to do the whole route in, along the way discussing aesthetic over speed; candidates from a stakebed farm truck to a Duesenberg; if one could make the drive appropriately in a non-American car; whether a convertible is really a good idea; a Swiss tourist who had Randy pegged within seconds; and specific instances in which roll-up windows prove important.

What are your top five rides for the Mother Road?

Follow along! Links for the listings discussed in this episode:

12:55 Route 66 BaT Gathering at the Orpheum Theater in Flagstaff, Arizona

35:05  347-Powered 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 4-Speed

35:42  Lot 1: 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302

38:25 Ford F-Series 1953-1956 model page

41:26  1926 Duesenberg Model A Opera Coupe

45:53  Volkswagen Beetle (1958-1979) model page

47:53  1957 Chevrolet Nomads on BaT

48:46  1957 Chevrolet 150 2-Door Sedan Fuelie 3-Speed

50:29  1950 Buick Super Estate Wagon

53:32  Supercharged 1956 Ford Country Squire Wagon

54:18 239 Flathead-Powered ’31 Ford 5-Window Coupe 4-Speed

1:00:06  54-Years-Owned 1939 Ford Deluxe Coupe

1:01:31  1963.5 Ford Galaxie 500XL Hardtop Fastback R-Code 4-Speed

1:05:58  1961 Chrysler New Yorkers on BaT

This week, we have something a bit different for you: a guest episode from our esteemed partners and pals over at The Intercooler Magazine in the UK. Episode 334 of The Intercooler Podcast was recorded this past Sunday at the final Bicester Scramble of 2026, during which BaT took over the massive Hangar 113 with the help of our Local Partners Sports Purpose and Chase Classics. Alex Porter, your regular BaT podcast host, joined Andrew Frankel and Gez Medinger in front of a live audience to talk about what made Alex happy this week (spoiler: it's his recent mastery of the British roundabout), play a Porsche-themed version of their popular Buy, Borrow, Burn segment, and reveal the Bring a Trailer Car of the Week.

The latter leads into a discussion about the context for and reception of the first-generation Boxster, one of the unsung (at least less-sung) heroes of the modern Porsche era. They then cover the early history of BaT, which is less familiar to our friends in the UK than to our US community; the similarities between US and UK car culture; and a frank overview of not only how, but why BaT works as well as it does.

Alex, Tyler and Beck welcome first-timer Christian, the head of our Customer Service team and one of the people at BaT who is most observant of the human personality (even if he can't ever remember the customer service number, which is 415-787-0961 for anyone looking). Christian gives a quick description of the Customer Service landscape before the crew get down to a couple vintage Questions of the Week, covering phantom old car sounds; a seized Alfa V6; the automotive form of ignorance=bliss; a sudden nosedive in a '90s Honda; why they tell you to check your torque settings after 500 miles; stuck-open throttles; cars that left big impressions; and what model year they'd choose to get stuck with forever.

The group then moves on to the somewhat more intense subject of where modern internet freakout culture and confirmation bias collide with conspicuous wealth and discomfort with change, most commonly exemplified by something along the lines of "There's no way that [insert an auction result you don't like or understand here] is real!" Our wise and experienced staffers, who are closer to the realities of the car auction market than anyone, offer up the reasons that yes—it is real.

Follow along! Links for the listings discussed in this episode:

20:43  Question of the Week archive

34:05  758-Mile 2004 Honda Element EX 4WD Sold for USD $42,750 on 3/06/2025

39:49  One-Owner, 23k-Mile 1999 Acura NSX Zanardi Edition #22 Sold for USD $628,000 on 9/23/2026

40:11  @speedman9000 Member since February 2024

44:23  1952 Jaguar XK120 Roadster Sold for USD $64,507 on 9/18/2026

45:32  8-Mile, One-Owner 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition Sold for USD $2,101,000 on 8/04/2026

47:56 Acura NSX NA2 Auction Results and Ferrari F430 Auction Results

48:11  Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Auction Results

51:55  251-Mile 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Sold for USD $775,000 on 7/8/2026

55:03  1973 Fiat 850 Sport Spider Sold for USD $4,058 on 9/17/2026

Randy interviews none other than Bruce Trenery, founder of the famed collector car dealership Fantasy Junction in Emeryville, California. They talk about growing up in the Berkeley hills, littered with the discarded but interesting cars of avid travelers; opening the first version of the shop with a partner in Berkeley before taking it solo in 1978; buying an all-star collection in 1982 and just about breaking even; how the fickle Euro impacts the company's overseas business; Bruce's appreciation for Bring a Trailer and specifically the expert commentary; Aurelias growing on trees; and how his son Spencer, a big name in his own right, grew up at the dealership and only occasionally torpedoed sales as a toddler.

In his trademark quiet and humble way, Bruce drops bombs about driving a vintage Bentley across Europe with no preparation during the Chernobyl disaster, running the Mille Miglia in six spectacular cars, buying a Horch from Robin Hood, and purchasing a Delahaye from a Texas palm reader with good advice about airplanes. He talks about the infamous FJ photo wall, gives sage words about honesty in the car business and how nice a car it truly makes sense to own, makes a tongue-in-cheek (or is it?) prediction regarding the '34 Packard, and describes a harrowing attempt at La Carrera Panamericana in a Hudson.

Follow along! Links for the listings discussed in this episode:

0:52  FantasyJunction BaT seller page

14:52 Lancia Aurelia model page

27:14  32-Years-Owned 1931 Chrysler CD-8 Sport Roadster

28:52  Bristol make page

30:30 1987 Porsche 962 IMSA GTP

Randy, Alex, and Beck attempt to talk about British cars. Instead, they cover vigilante gardening; the new Grand Tour; getting to know The Intercooler; an oddly aggressive door handle issue; a very hard-working girlfriend; terrifying death traps; and R. Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion three-wheeler at the  National Automobile Museum.

But there's room for the Brits yet! The trio go on to discuss Allard vs. Healey Silverstone; BaT's overall favorite Bugeye; which carmakers are actually still British; love for '90s Land Rovers; sailing an M100 Elan into a cow pasture; what car traits and accomplishments are the most quintessentially British; the best car to stick a Buick/Rover V8 into; a philosophical question about the TR7 and TR8; an uninformed question about the Lotus Esprit V8; our upcoming appearance in Hangar 113 at the Bicester Scramble on October 4; and their favorite Brit car listings ever on BaT.

Follow along! Links for the listings discussed in this episode:

7:58 The new Grand Tour hosts on replacing Clarkson, Hammond & May The Intercooler Podcast

8:35 The light fantastic The Intercooler  Volkswagen XL1 article

14:36  Vortec-Powered 1962 Land Rover 109 Series IIA

20:13  Dymaxion Car at the National Automobile Museum

24:17  1950 Healey Silverstone

26:52  1951 Aston Martin DB2 Vantage and 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Saloon 5-Speed

28:53  1960 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite 5-Speed

32:52  Morgan Plus 4

33:11  1,275cc-Powered 1959 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite

37:11  46k-Mile 1999 Lotus Elise

42:04 35k-Mile 2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Coupe 6-Speed

49:56  Small-Block-Powered 1964 Jaguar Mk II

57:04  59-Years-Owned 1950 Allard J2

57:49  46-Years-Family-Owned 1961 Aston Martin DB4

57:56  1960 Jaguar XK150 FHC 3.8L w/ Overdrive

59:59 1969 Lola T70 Mk.3B Coupe

1:00:50  Ex–Mario Andretti 1985 Lola-Cosworth T900

This week, Randy welcomes Andrew Frankel, renowned automotive journalist and founder of The Intercooler Car Magazine—BaT's newest partner in the UK. They talk about the beginnings of the magazine during the pandemic; its expansion into a podcast and YouTube channel; their recent event, termed "a concours for cars that get used";  the world's highest-mileage Carrera GT; a shared ethos of "interest in everything" and gaining credibility for the right reasons; the superhero  motoring journalists who inspired Andrew; and the idea of using journalism on Instagram.

As one might expect for a man of his background, Mr. Frankel arrives with a healthy collection of great stories. He tells Randy about using editorial privilege to test old racing cars, recounts his experience driving a 1970 Porsche 917K in the late 1990s, and describes ghostwriting for (and racing against!) his good friend Stirling Moss. Frankel wraps things up by determining the "Peak Car" era, ruminating on the dangers of downforce, putting forth the single most important metric of motor racing, and appreciating the privilege of working only with people one chooses.

Follow along! Links for the listings discussed in this episode:

2:58 8-Mile, One-Owner 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition

11:44  The Intercooler website

35:21  How two friends changed the way enthusiasts buy cars forever // episode 306 The Intercooler Podcast

36:01  October 2026 Scramble at Bicester Motion

Alex and Beck discuss the sudden dissolution of Alex's car cred, the joy of automatic distance control, and some bad habits of highway travel; the CyberCab versus the Volkswagen XL1; why EV companies don't compete in racing series; the downside of a cohesive design language across all models from a brand; a lovely picture of vacationing with children; and "feeling poor" in a Ferrari on the Monterey Peninsula.

They move on to answering some Questions of the Week from the popular series in BaT Features, in which they cover such disparate subjects as Inspector Gadget, the Ninja Turtles, and Tail Spin; forced tension on movie characters; a double-wing F40 amongst the Prii; ways to improve a Delorean; tow trucks as bodyguards; Cord pipes, SVO Mustangs, and Autozams; a genius idea for new YouTube content; middle-aged men with nothing better to do; merit badges; a dad's requirement to click tongs; and Tom Sawyering Boy Scouts into maintaining your car.

Links for things mentioned in this episode:

4:17 The light fantastic The Intercooler article on the Volkswagen XL1

17:48  Blu Elettrico 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari

22:44 The Mohr Imports Monterey Car Week Collection

23:44  Question of the Week category on BaT

39:04 Modified Twin-Turbo 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 6-Speed

39:42  Matt Farah's 4,400-Mile 1983 DeLorean DMC-12 5-Speed

49:49 1954 Moretti 750 Gran Sport Vintage Racer

Got suggestions for our next guest from the BaT community or One Year Garage episode? Let us know at [email protected]!

Let's get this out of the way: we love this movie, car-guy-detail-nerd complaints or no, and it remains the only film we've ever taken the entire BaT HQ staff to. In this latest installment of (B)at the Movies, we talk about the problem with Cobras; balancing historical accuracy with crowd appeal and ticket sales; a great way to put Boy Scouts to sleep (or apparently, inspired vocal patriotism); the iconic opening scenes of the movie, from Ken Miles' mechanic shop to the production floor at Ford to the paddock at Willow Springs; the dumb downshifts and sudden discovery of extra room under the right foot required in every racing movie; admiration for the charming leads and for Tracy Letts, the character actor playing The Deuce; evil composite characters; 17" wheels that almost ruin everything; doing 218 on the Mulsanne Straight; the sad folder situation at modern-day Ford; teaching the young about Ken Miles; and finally, the movie's ranking in the pantheon of racing films.

What details did we miss? What performances did we sail past without so much as a nod? What was going on with that 356, anyway? Tell us in the comments below!

Follow along! Links for the listings discussed in this episode:

2:39  BaT Podcast Episode 56: AJ Baime on Go Like Hell, The Arsenal of Democracy, and More

1:09:49  Porsche 906 Re-Creation

1:10:17  1963 Ford Falcon

This is an encore presentation of our popular episode from October 16, 2025.

Alex has a lively interview with none other than Donald Osborne (@zagato67 on BaT): ASA accredited senior appraiser, TV personality, principal of Automotive Valuation Services, and consulting director for the Audrain Automobile Museum. They talk about BaT's start as an amalgamation of interesting POSes;  maximum impact for minimal outlay; the similarities between a car for sale and the ideal political candidacy; sage advice for sellers on BaT and elsewhere; the art of self-editing;  the right price for the wrong car; multitasking, the car guy way; ignoring one's own hard-earned advice; cars as an investment in happiness; driving Derek Drinkwater's Le Monstre replica at Goodwood; and adventures in Sicily on the old Targa Florio route. We'll have Donald back for more!

Links for things mentioned in this episode:

2:11   1960 Fiat 500 D Tetto Apribile BaT listing

21:45  What's My Car Worth? IMDB

23:06 Alfa Romeo 106-Series 2600 BaT model page

30:17  1950 Crosley Gardner Special conceptcarz.com

31:07  1951 Crosley Le Mans Special BaT listing

33:29  Lamborghini Islero BaT model page

52:06 Path Imperfect: Porsche and the Targa Florio PCA YouTube channel

56:40 Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week

57:24  Ex–Jeff Gordon 1997 Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR Winston Cup Race Car BaT listing

57:48  Veteran Car Tour

58:36  Sculpture in Motion

Got suggestions for our next guest from the BaT community or One Year Garage episode? Let us know at [email protected]!

This week, Alex welcomes perennial favorite (and recently retired) guest George Levy back to the show to talk about his new book,  Motorsports Mavericks, on which he partnered with his dear friend, the late Pete Biro–photographer, editor, and magician extraordinaire. The book focuses on the personalities and world of motor racing in the 1960s, so George and Alex have plenty to talk about.

The pair cover being in that special "someplace else" as a race photographer; the bygone decathletes of motor racing; the effect of dropping Biro's name, whether at the track or the Magic Castle; the importance of the human connection in motorsports; shooting mere inches from race cars at full chat; pulling the tablecloth trick for Bruce McLaren; the humanity of Dan Gurney; mining oral history instead of "writing the third book"; the personal cost of losing drivers and friends to the cruel sport; and money, fame, and girls for John Morton.

George encourages patronizing your local enthusiast bookstore, should you be lucky enough to have one nearby. And if you're really lucky, you can find him at these upcoming signings—he promises a signed copy is only worth 20% less than a regular one!

September 12: 8am-12pm
Pasteiner’s
33202 Woodward Ave.
Birmingham, Michigan
248-646-2886
pasteiners.com

September 19
Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum
6825-31 Norwitch Dr.
Philadelphia, PA 19153
215-365-7233
Simeone-Museum-Header-1024x576.png
simeonemuseum.org

October 10: 10am-1pm
Autobooks-Aerobooks
2900 Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91505
818-845-0707
autobooks-aerobooks.com