Nissan’s R32 Skyline GT-R is such an icon the company recently announced a $400k restoration process that would give rich fans the next best thing to buying one brand new back in 1989 when the four-wheel drive legend started.

But while the ’98 car’s turbocharged power and four-wheel drive can be considered the starting point for the modern GT-R legend, the badge itself is much older.

Like 20 year older. Technically this coupe version of the ‘Hakosuka’ Skyline is the second GT-R, because it launched in 1971, a couple of years behind the four-door sedan. But the coupe is the one everyone wants, and looking at this one, it’s not hard to see why.

This example was registered new in Japan in January 1972, has covered just 81,000 miles (~ 130,000 km) and looks stunning. It was recently imported to UK where it’s being auctioned via the Collecting Cars website.

Related: Gold Chrome 820HP Nissan GT-R Goes For Over Half A Million Dollars

The fresh white paint appears to be pristine and the vendor states the car has never been in any kind of accident to his knowledge, which is pretty remarkable given these cars were built to race.

There’s no turbo and no four-wheel drive on this GT-R, and the only four-wheel steering is the kind you’ll get when you summon all 160 horses from the 2.0-liter S20 straight six and try and put them to the ground through the low-grip Michelin Energy rear tires.

Those stock steel wheels look lost under fender extensions that are crying out to be filled with a set of fat racing rubber for a trip to the track, though it’s unlikely this car will see much track action in its future life.

Nissan built just 1113 of these KPGC10 GT-R coupes and they rarely come up for sale. At the time of writing, bidding on this car had already reached £30,250 ($42,115) with five days of the auction still to run.

A similar car reached $242,000 (£174,000) at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale way back in 2014, so it will be interesting to see how much this piece of GT-R history will fetch.

This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began
This 1972 Nissan Skyline Is Where The Story Of The GT-R Began