100M on E-bay

[Healey 100]

Here is an oddity: the seller is calling it a LeMans but it appears to me it is likely a legit 100M -- mainly because the properly louvered bonnet has a stamped number matching the body number -- which is the criterion the Heritage Trust uses to ID 100m's.

Unfortunately, it is in pretty sorry shape and so much of it is missing......

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Austin-Hea...5e44447be&item=231462946750&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

 

[mk31755]

this car has been chopped up quite a bit. There is no engine, tranny, carbs or distributor,. These are all expensive and hard to replace parts. The support system has been cut and chopped. If it is a 100m and I'm not sure until I see a heritage certificate, it will be an extremely costly project. If it is a 100m it is worth saving but will have to go to an understanding buyer willing to not spare expenses to return it to its glory.

 

[CraigC]

That poor thing is in sad shape! I have serious doubts that that car was ever a true 100M, mostly because I also have serious doubts that that car was produced with that body number. Clearly someone has taken a blank serial number plate and stamped the body batch and body number into it and then pop-riveted it to the firewall. What happened to the originals? There isn't a pic of the number on the hood, the number on the boot lid, the modified left hand shroud support, the mounting holes on shroud for hood strap, or the "X" support in front of radiator on driver's side. Basically, no evidence at all that it is what he claims it to be.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

That poor thing is in sad shape! I have serious doubts that that car was ever a true 100M, mostly because I also have serious doubts that that car was produced with that body number. Clearly someone has taken a blank serial number plate and stamped the body batch and body number into it and then pop-riveted it to the firewall. What happened to the originals? There isn't a pic of the number on the hood, the number on the boot lid, the modified left hand shroud support, the mounting holes on shroud for hood strap, or the "X" support in front of radiator on driver's side. Basically, no evidence at all that it is what he claims it to be.

... and it looks like somebody is going to get (at least) $20K for it. Wow. Worth $10K as a parts car, maybe (bonnet, if real, is worth over $3K).

 

[Healey Nut]

I have sent the seller a message asking if he has any documents to support his claim that it a real 100M .....wait n see now .

 

[Healey Nut]

Someone thinks its worth bidding on .

 

[CraigC]

That's probably the seller with an opening bid.

 

[HealeyRick]

I'd be a bit suspicious, too. On the one hand, the seller claims not to really know anything about the cars but he mentions the number being stamped on the side of the hood and alludes that it could be a real M. He also knows the difference between a real M and a LeMans. If my Dad told me he owned a car he could retire on, you can be sure I'd find out exactly what it is before throwing it up on eBay. And the fact the seller has 0 feedback isn't making me any more comfortable. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think this is from a seller who knows exactly what he's pedaling.

 

[Healey Nut]

Zero feedback and only an E-bay user since Jan 2014. If it looks suspicious then it probably is .

 

[Healey Nut]

got a reply .

Hi, I have not claimed that this a real 100m car. I have stated that it could be a 100m or have a factory installed "Le mans" kit, it may not be either. the vin plate has the number 5690 11913. the number 11913 is stamped on the louvered hood, cockpit surround moldings as well as the trunk support tab. any info that you can give me to help determine what this car is would be appreciated.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

If the seller was really astute he would spring for a BMIHT certificate and if it has the coveted 'shipped with louvred bonnet'--may not be exact wording--then he could probably sell the VIN plate for $20K.

 

[Healey Nut]

i specifically asked if he had the BMIHT certificate and he dodged that question by not answering it .
He knows what he is selling and its not a 100M .....

 

[HealeyRick]

Lots more pictures of the car here with the Chevy motor installed and with a previous color scheme: https://www.enjoygram.com/smallblockchev805

 

[Editor_Reid]

I'm surprised that no one has really focused on it yet, but that number stamped onto the Car No. (chassis/VIN) plate is not the chassis number; it is the body number. I have never, ever seen such a thing. 5690 is the batch number and 11913 is the body number. The Car No. (chassis/VIN) would begin with BN2L and be followed by six digits.

The really weird part is that the font and layout/positioning used to stamp that Car No. plate appears correct for the body number plate, a plate that should be a plain rectangular piece of aluminum and would be attached to the firewall just above the Car No. plate.

This is either a one-off factory mistake (which I have a very hard time believing) or a peculiar case of, ahem, "modification" by someone using a blank/reproduction Car No. plate or perhaps even modifying the original Car No. plate. But why?

I don't want to say "fraud" as we don't do that kind of thing here on this forum in the case of individual car sales, but I would say caveat emptor to the nth degree is warranted here. Anyway, too weird for me.

 

[cmc140]

I'm surprised that no one has really focused on it yet, but that number stamped onto the Car No. (chassis/VIN) plate is not the chassis number; it is the body number. I have never, ever seen such a thing. 5690 is the batch number and 11913 is the body number. The Car No. (chassis/VIN) would begin with BN2L and be followed by six digits.

The really weird part is that the font and layout/positioning used to stamp that Car No. plate appears correct for the body number plate, a plate that should be a plain rectangular piece of aluminum and would be attached to the firewall just above the Car No. plate.

This is either a one-off factory mistake (which I have a very hard time believing) or a peculiar case of, ahem, "modification" by someone using a blank/reproduction Car No. plate or perhaps even modifying the original Car No. plate. But why?

I don't want to say "fraud" as we don't do that kind of thing here on this forum in the case of individual car sales, but I would say caveat emptor to the nth degree is warranted here. Anyway, too weird for me.

I'm with you on this one for sure. I'd be very interested what number is on the title. The other thing that I'd want to know is if the BMIHT can do a "reverse lookup" to determine the Car No. (chassis/VIN) from the body number. Without the correct Car No. (chassis/VIN) there is no way to determine whether or not it was ever a stolen vehicle. Having once purchased a stolen vehicle (unsuspectingly of course) I can tell you it's a hard $$$$$$$$$$$$$ lesson to learn. By no means am I implying wrong doing by the seller. It's just an old car and with it comes untold history.

After examining pictures of my car last night I think it does looks like the original body number plate and the original VIN plate were somehow married. JMHO.

However, if I were a betting man and the hood, trunk, and cockpit surrounds all match, I'd say it's probably is a 100M.

My 2 cents.

 

[mk31755]

gentlemen;

I checked with a very reliable source in the Healey Hierarchy. He assures me that that body number and that batch number do indeed match to a factory 100M. He also said he had never seen a firewall plate like the one on the car??????? So, whether this is indeed a factory 100M or an imposter that someone has transposed numbers on, only history will know. To put this car back together as a factory M with all the correct pieces and parts will be quite an undertaking.
By the way the gravel pan should also have the stampings 11913 on the inside lip. Replacing the engine tranny, distributor, carbs, cold air box etc, with correct M parts as well as all the metal work and correct fenders is going to be a daunting challenge. You might be better off starting with a KIlmartin frame. Good luck to who ever buys this car. It is not a project for the faint of heart or anyone who is less than an expert.
Let the bidding begin!

 

[CLEAH]

Reid, the new voice on the forum, CraigC, noted in post #3 that the VIN plate was actually the batch and body number. It really is a curiosity. No telling how or why that was done.

 

[HealeyRick]

For the life of me I can't figure out why someone would want to take a perfectly nice Nasty Boy and turn it into a 100M:

Hard to see the ID plate from this shot in its previous iteration, but it looks like it may be the same as it appears now

 

[HealeyRick]

At over $20k, looks like at least 3 bidders are betting on it being a real M. I'm way too timid to take a gamble like this. If it is an "M" is there still enough room, even for a professional restorer to make a profit? All four fenders and the front shroud will need reworking or replacement to get back to original. Chassis will need some work, if not replacement. Then you'd have to source an engine and transmission and get as many 100M bits as possible. After it's all done, the only original M in the car is the louvered bonnet, chassis #(?) and maybe shocks and anti-roll bar? With today's crazy markets, I have no idea what such a car would bring, but I'd think it would be far south of what a genuine M with original driveline would bring.

 

[Austinhealey805]

Hello. I am the one selling this car. seems as though people think that I am being dishonest or I know something that i have not mentioned. This is not the case. I am giving all the info i can. And i have learned a lot just in the last 2 days since the car has been up there.

I dont know if this car is for a fact a 100m or it has a factory le mans kit, or if it is either. may just be a normal 100. i do not want to mislead anyone in any way. the user "Healey Nut" seems to have some type of resentment towards me for no reason. saying " he knows what he is selling is not a 100m.." that is untrue.

True I do not know much about these cars, but it doesnt mean I didnt do any research prior to listing the car. The hood apears to have the correct louver pattern. the number stamped on the hood is the same as the number stamped on the vin plate. the same number is also stamped on the cockpit surround moldings, as well as the tab that the trunk brace bolts to. I will include pics.

the number 569011913 is the vin number on the title as well.

any other questions anyone has I would be glad to answer. any pic requests I can also do.

as far as the certificate, the website said it requires a chassis number.. which I cannot find. so i dont think i can get a certificate. if there is any way around this let me know. I would be glad to pay to find out exactly what the car is.

ps. I created the ebay account specifically to sell this car. I have never sold anything on ebay prior.

title

hood

trunk support