100-S Market

[dougie]

I was surprised not to see Dr. Greg Larsen in this fabulously prepared BRG # 7 AH Healey 100 S at the Sonoma Historics a few months back. He was entered in the race grid right behind me and I was looking forward to seeing his immaculate car.

Well, I'll have to dig real deep into my pockets now. He sold it to a dealer just before the event in the UK for the rumored (by a very reliable source) for over $900,000, full asking price. Any thoughts on the new asking price?

https://www.jdclassics.co.uk/car/420

 

[bighealeysource]

Looks like this Healey will be the first (?) to break 7 figures if I venture a guess ! All I can say is "wow".
Regards,
Mike

 

[HealeyRick]

AHS 3805 as raced at the Nassau Speed Weeks:

Way out of my league!

 

[dougie]

Nice picture Rick. Here 3805 in action at last years HMSA Coronado Speedfest SanDiego, CA. This video is shot from a 1957 Elva which is a much lighter and more nimble car, but still could overtake the Healey.

https://youtu.be/f59RrbTVOyc

 

[Legal Bill]

If correct, that is $300,000 more than the the car that sold in Florida at auction this spring.

 

[dougie]

Yes, $300,000 over the last public sale of a 100 S may sound pretty high, but when these cars trade hands in private who's to say where the market is. Following the whole classic sports car market for the last 20 years, the 100 S has always been under valued. This 3 owner car is at the top of the Healey food chain. The previous owner regularly raced and showed the car which currently has a "race spec" 100 S motor installed, but the car comes with the original motor ready to drop in when desired.

If my Power Ball Lottery numbers come in (180 million currently), I'm making the
call, so wish me luck.

 

[Editor_Reid]

I wrote an article on the 100S for <span style="font-style: italic">Sports Car Market</span> magazine in 2008. My original concluding paragraph speculated on the 100S breaking the $1,000,000 barrier. Here's my original last paragraph:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]As a brand name that evokes so many good emotions and with a handsome shape so representative of the best of its era, and as a model in such short supply and so prized by enthusiasts and collectors alike, the 100S is in a league of its own among cars wearing the Austin-Healey badge. Perhaps it will be the first example of the marque to cross the $1,000,000 threshold, and at the current rate of appreciation, it may happen sooner rather than later.[/QUOTE]

Someone at <span style="font-style: italic">SCM</span> deleted that last paragraph before publication. Perhaps they didn't want to feed the fire of 100S appreciation, but in any case 100S prices continue to climb and I claim to have been the first to see a $1,000,000+ 100S sale coming!

 

[Frankenhealey]

On this side of the pond we know of a gentleman waving a 500k British pounds cheque at a UK 100S owner. At today's exchange rate that's a little over $800k. The 100S is the Healey that gets you invited to all the best events and is still cheap against cars of a similar ilk so I believe that prices (assuming the market doesn't collapse) will keep on rising for these iconic cars.

 

[nevets]

It's funny, not too long ago I was showing off my BN6 to a well heeled friend who knew nothing about the value of sports cars. Swooning over my car, he asked what it was worth. When I told him what I thought I could get for it, his comment was..."is that all"?

A million bucks for that 100S might actually look like a bargain in not too many years.

 

[John Turney]

Nice picture Rick. Here 3805 in action at last years HMSA Coronado Speedfest SanDiego, CA. This video is shot from a 1957 Elva which is a much lighter and more nimble car, but still could overtake the Healey.

https://youtu.be/f59RrbTVOyc

Yes, nice view of the Healey tail lights.

 

[HealeyRick]

Nice picture Rick. Here 3805 in action at last years HMSA Coronado Speedfest SanDiego, CA. This video is shot from a 1957 Elva which is a much lighter and more nimble car, but still could overtake the Healey.

https://youtu.be/f59RrbTVOyc

Yes, nice view of the Healey tail lights.

Excellent race. As one snail said to the other, "Look at that S car go!" I'll be here all week, remember to tip the waitstaff!

 

[GregJ]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I just saw this post. Yes, the 100S sadley went to England. I really miss the car, she was a blast to drive!! But time marches on and there is only so much time in our lives to experience those "bucket list" items. The Healey made it possible for me to move to the next big quest. I really had no idea the car would appreciate to that extent, but they have been undervalued for a long time. I see that the 100S involved in the 1955 LeMans accident just sold at auction for just over $1.3M. So those predicting over a $1M price for a healey 100S did not have to wait long. I would love to have my car back again someday but at these prices I am afraid I will have to be comfortabed by the memories...they were grand.

GregJ

 

[dougie]

Thanks for completing the story, it's always great to get hear it form the source.
BTW - I always admired the level of preparation you had # 3805 and you drove it remarkably well.

 

[GregJ]

Thnaks Dougie,

I loved running the Healey. I had always wanted a Shelby Cobra but never ran into the "right" car as I am an admirer of orginality and a historied car. But last spring I came upon a 427 Shelby Cobra that had been put away unused for the last 30 years after being used as the Cobra in the "Gumball Rally" movie. So now I am "dating" the Cobra to see if we can evolve an intimate realtionship like I had with the Healey - so I have a little British blood still going at the track. See you at the races...

Greg

 

[Randy Forbes]

Thnaks Dougie,

I loved running the Healey. I had always wanted a Shelby Cobra but never ran into the "right" car as I am an admirer of orginality and a historied car. But last spring I came upon a 427 Shelby Cobra that had been put away unused for the last 30 years after being used as the Cobra in the "Gumball Rally" movie. So now I am "dating" the Cobra to see if we can evolve an intimate realtionship like I had with the Healey - so I have a little British blood still going at the track. See you at the races...

Greg

Outstanding! Yes, that's an acceptable reason to let the 100S go. I was living in San Francisco at the time that movie was released (of course I was in love with the 365 GTS/4__still am__but the Cobra was in position 1-1/2).

That's a gorgeous 100S, and to echo Dougie, you we doing a nice__smooth__job of staying ahead of the Elva in the video clip. I wish I could've seen you driving it live!

Good luck with your next venture, and thanks Dougie, for posting the clip; I too missed it the first time around.

 

[emgeetf]

According to Roger Moments historical data base for 100 s, cars, AHS 3805 with body no 65 was sold first in Austin, canada and was owned by a Hugh Southerland of ontario around 1996 when Roger Moment compiled the information recorded in his data base. Does anyone know if this database has ever been updated with the current information about the sale and where abouts of the respective Healey 100's cars after that date ?

I also found this information on the recent sale of AHS the infamous Healey 100's that crashed in lemans in 1955 which sold in the UK for 1.3 million. According to Roger Moment's data base at least 8 of these cars were lost or written off ! That is a staggering Billion dollars worth of Donald healeys rare iron that is rotting away in some land fill some where. Wish I could find where ?

https://automotive.speedtv.com/article/vintage-le-mans-crash-healey-sells-for-13m/

 

[nevets]

a billion is a thousand million

 

[emgeetf]

Regarding my comment on 100's market values of the cars that are currently lost or unaccounted for. Sorry guys i made a mistake. I meant to say 10 million not a billion, sorry.

It still remains that the guy who sold the proto type paid Less than 175 English pounds for this car when he bought it and it sold for 1.3 million. That is a good investment in anyones books.

The question is will some one find another 100's hidden in another garage or barn and if they do what will be the asking price of that car ? The 100's that was found in North Dakota was found behind someones house or garage in the mid nineties.

 

[GregJ]

Regarding the up-date on the ownership history of AHS3805, it is short and easy. I bought the car from Hugh Sutherland in 2005. Hugh purchased the car from the Austin of canada works racing team in 1956.

Cheers,
GregJ

 

[Editor_Reid]

Re: 100S Market

All this talk about the 100S market makes me want to share this look at the cover of the January issue of HEALEY MARQUE: