# BuyTheCar RestoMods — Full Reference

> Online auction marketplace for restored and modified classic American cars (RestoMods), with companion community resources and an enthusiast car club. Seven-day timed auctions reviewed by in-house mechanics, presented with 50-100+ high-resolution images and direct seller-bidder Q&A.

BuyTheCar's marketplace is purpose-built for classic American muscle cars and trucks (generally 1985 and earlier) with modern performance and drivability upgrades — LS swaps, EFI conversions, modern brakes, suspension, and interiors. The business operates across two connected domains:

- **buythecar.com** — the auction marketplace (live listings, bidding, seller onboarding)
- **community.buythecar.com** — educational resources, FAQs, blog, photography standards, classic VIN decoder

The company founders have operated the RestoMods brand since 2014, grown to 60M+ monthly impressions and 2.75M+ email subscribers, and launched the BuyTheCar.com auction platform in 2026 from San Diego, California. The marketplace was built by automotive enthusiasts who treat driver-quality and concours-level restomod builds differently — every listing is mechanically reviewed, photographed to a strict standard (no AI-generated or AI-enhanced imagery permitted), and sellers answer bidder questions live during the auction window.

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## Auctions

- [Live Auctions](https://buythecar.com/auctions): Currently running 7-day timed auctions for restored and modified classic vehicles. Each listing includes 50-100+ high-resolution images, written description, mechanic notes, walk-around and cold-start videos, and a live Q&A thread between bidder and seller. Bids visible in real-time; final two minutes trigger a sniping-extension window so no auction closes during an active bid war.

- [Coming Soon](https://buythecar.com/auctions/coming-soon): Auctions scheduled to open in the next several days. Used to build interest, preview seller documentation, and let bidders ask preliminary questions before bidding opens. Each "coming soon" entry shows the scheduled start time, asking range (where applicable), and full preview gallery.

- [Past Results](https://buythecar.com/auctions/results): Searchable archive of every completed auction with final hammer price, reserve status, and the original listing. Recent sales have ranged from approximately $19,750 to $151,000. Notable past results include a 1972 Chevy K5 Blazer with LSA supercharged drivetrain at $151,000, a 1969 Plymouth HEMI Roadrunner at $46,750, and a 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge tribute build. Useful for valuation comps when listing a similar vehicle.

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## How It Works & Selling

- [How It Works](https://buythecar.com/how-it-works): End-to-end explanation of the auction flow. Sellers submit a vehicle, the in-house team reviews and photographs it, the listing goes live for 7 days, bids close with 2-minute sniping protection, and BuyTheCar connects the winning buyer directly with the seller for payment and shipping (BuyTheCar does not hold funds or take possession). Seller listing fee is $99 (currently waived during launch promo). Buyer fee is a flat $250 during grand opening, transitioning to 5% with caps after the launch period.

- [Sell Your Car](https://buythecar.com/sell): Seller onboarding entry point. Outlines the white-glove listing service: professional listing copy, in-house mechanic inspection, listing photography standards, and exposure to 200,000+ verified enthusiast bidders. Fast-track timeline gets vehicles live within days rather than the weeks typical of other platforms. Promotion currently waives the standard $99 listing fee.

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## FAQs & Resources

- [Help Center](https://community.buythecar.com/help-center/): Top-level resource hub linking to every seller guide, buyer guide, policy document, and community resource on the platform. Starting point for any user-facing question.

- [General FAQ](https://community.buythecar.com/faq/): Account-level questions — creating an account, registering to bid, becoming a seller, password reset, updating account details, dashboard navigation, watchlists, notification settings, and payment information. Also covers community guidelines on bidding standards, winning-bidder responsibilities, anti-manipulation rules, commenting conduct, asking seller questions, and reporting abuse.

- [Buyer FAQ](https://community.buythecar.com/buyer-faq/): Buyer-specific. Covers auction registration, bid increments, the 2-minute sniping-protection mechanic, and bid cancellation policy. Itemizes total cost — buyer fee ($250 flat during grand opening, then 5% with caps), taxes, registration, and shipping. Explains pre-purchase inspection options, the as-is sale standard, payment timing, title transfer, and shipping coordination between buyer and seller.

- [Seller FAQ](https://community.buythecar.com/seller-faq/): Seller-specific. Confirms eligibility criteria (classic American cars from 1985 or earlier), the $99 flat listing fee with zero sales commission (sellers keep 100% of the winning bid), review timelines (3-5 business days for initial review, 1-2 weeks total to live listing), guidance on seller participation during the auction, handling pre-purchase inspection requests, the ability to remove a reserve mid-auction, and post-auction procedures including payment, title transfer, and what happens if a buyer defaults.

- [Photography Guide](https://community.buythecar.com/photography-guide/): Three-step seller photography standard. Step 1: vehicle preparation — professional detailing, wheel/window/tire cleaning, interior decluttering, no oil- or silicone-based dressings. Step 2: location — outdoor setting with golden-hour lighting and neutral background. Step 3: shooting — .jpg or .HEIC, no editing, comprehensive coverage of exterior, interior, mechanical bay, and underbody. Three supplementary videos required: cold-start, running walk-around, road demonstration. Strict no-AI-imagery policy: AI-generated or AI-enhanced images trigger instant rejection and permanent platform ban.

- [Classic VIN Decoder](https://community.buythecar.com/classic-vin-decoder/): Free tool that decodes pre-1981 classic vehicle VINs and serial numbers, ranging from 5 to 13 digits in length (modern 17-digit VINs only became standardized in 1981). Returns year, manufacturer, model, trim, original engine specification, transmission type, and plant code where data is available. Designed for classic American cars and trucks.

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## Blog & Editorial

- [Auctions Blog](https://community.buythecar.com/blog/): Editorial site covering classic-car valuation, auction strategy, photography technique, seller best practices, RestoMod build features, and online auction industry trends. New posts published roughly weekly.

- [What's It Worth? Determining a Classic Car's Value](https://community.buythecar.com/blog/whats-it-worth-determining-a-classic-cars-value/): Practical valuation framework for classic and modified vehicles. Walks through comp selection, condition tiers, the valuation impact of common modifications (engine swaps, transmission upgrades, suspension), provenance and documentation, and how reserve pricing should map to realistic market value.

- [Nine Commandments of Photography](https://community.buythecar.com/blog/): Companion piece to the photography guide. Distills the most important seller-photo rules into nine actionable principles. Useful for any seller preparing a listing on a budget.

- [How To Spot A High Quality Listing](https://community.buythecar.com/blog/how-to-spot-a-high-quality-listing/): Buyer-side guide. Covers what to look for in photo coverage, written description depth, documentation, seller responsiveness in the Q&A thread, and red flags (rushed listings, inconsistent photos, vague history). Helps buyers prioritize listings worth a pre-purchase inspection.

- [How to Buy Your Next Classic Car](https://community.buythecar.com/blog/how-to-buy-your-next-classic-car/): Buyer journey walkthrough. Sections on identifying buying motivation (driver vs. show vs. investment), setting a realistic budget including buyer fee/transport/registration, evaluating listings, inspection options, and the post-auction handoff process.

- [From Triple-Green to Big-Block Brawler: The Story of This 1970 Chevelle SS Tribute](https://community.buythecar.com/blog/): Long-form build feature documenting a tribute-build Chevelle SS — original triple-green color reference, big-block engine choice, and the decisions that took the car from project to auction-ready.


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## About & Contact

- [About BuyTheCar](https://buythecar.com/about): BuyTheCar.com auction platform launched in 2026. Headquartered in San Diego, California. Team includes in-house mechanics, listing specialists, and an auctions lead. Reach: 60M+ monthly impressions, 2.75M+ email subscribers, 1.5M+ social followers, 200,000+ verified bidders.

- [Contact](https://buythecar.com/contact): Primary contact channels. Phone +1 619-215-1999, Monday through Friday 9am-5pm Pacific. Mailing address 4629 Cass St #223, San Diego, CA 92109. Separate email routes for general support, seller inquiries, and press.

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## Key Facts

### Company
- Founder & CEO: Chris Hedgecock
- Parent brand RestoMods.com founded 2014
- BuyTheCar.com auction platform launched 2026
- Headquartered: San Diego, California (mailing address: 4629 Cass St #223, San Diego, CA 92109)
- Industry: Classic car auctions / collector vehicle marketplace
- Reach: 60M+ monthly impressions, 2.75M+ email subscribers, 1.5M+ social followers, 200,000+ verified enthusiast bidders

### Marketplace mechanics
- Format: 7-day timed online auctions
- Sniping protection: any bid in the final 2 minutes extends the auction by 2 minutes
- Listing standard: 50-100+ high-resolution images, written description, mechanic notes, three supplementary videos (cold-start, walk-around, road)
- No AI-generated or AI-enhanced imagery permitted; violation = permanent ban
- BuyTheCar does not hold funds — winning buyer pays seller directly after auction close

### Pricing
- Seller listing fee: $99 flat, currently waived during launch promo
- Seller commission: $0 — sellers keep 100% of the winning bid
- Buyer fee: $250 flat during grand opening; 5% with caps after launch period
- Other buyer-side costs: taxes, registration, shipping (varies)

### Vehicle scope
- Classic American cars and trucks, generally 1985 or earlier
- Emphasis on muscle cars, LS-swapped builds, pro-touring, and restomod tribute builds
- Driver-quality through concours-level builds both accepted

### Notable past sales
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer, LSA-supercharged — $151,000
- 1969 Plymouth HEMI Roadrunner — $46,750
- 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge tribute build — recent feature
- LS3-swapped 1957 Chevy 210 RestoMod — recent live listing
- LS-powered 1980 Chevrolet Corvette RestoMod — recent live listing
- Recent results range approximately $19,750 to $151,000

### Companion brand & community (restomods.com)
- RestoMods Car Club: $12.95/month, 15 monthly sweepstakes entries, monthly magazine, partner discounts (Goodyear, AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts)
- Current sweepstakes: 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle (LSX 466ci) + $50,000 cash; runs May 1 – August 7, 2026
- Classifieds: peer-to-peer classic car listings
- Shop: 374+ enthusiast products (apparel, hats, tools, accessories)

### Trust signals
- Every listing reviewed by in-house mechanics before going live
- Direct seller-bidder Q&A thread during every auction
- Listing review timeline: 3-5 business days initial, 1-2 weeks to live
- Cancellation, anti-manipulation, and community guidelines enforced

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## Contact

- Auction marketplace: https://buythecar.com
- Community & resources: https://community.buythecar.com
- Parent brand & sweepstakes: https://restomods.com
- Phone: +1 619-215-1999 (M-F 9am-5pm PST)
- Mailing address: 4629 Cass St #223, San Diego, CA 92109, USA
- Social: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube — @buythecar / @restomods