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Barrett-Jackson Auction Coverage

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Hey Johnny,

I was thinking the same thing. Non-Healey color is a -50 point deduction .. wrong interior color, not sure but let's say -30 points. Chrome Daytons -15 points. Then everything else would need to be perfect according to a team of judges (how likely is that?) Reid, do you know of any cars judged Gold with non-Healey exterior and interior colors?
 
John Loftus said:
Reid, do you know of any cars judged Gold with non-Healey exterior and interior colors?
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Well, maybe that's what I get for not consulting the score sheets before commenting. Yes, there is a standard deduction for non-original colors and for chrome wire wheels. However, I don't recall anyone, ever, submitting a car in a non-original color for concours judging.

However, my real point was this: It seems that many people have the impression that any deviation from strict originality somehow disqualifies a car from concours. In fact, with a 1000-point basis, and with 1/2-point deductions allowed (thus rendering a virtual 2000-point basis), a car can have 100 deductions (of 1/2-point each) and still make Gold (95 points). And to make Bronze, it could have 300 deductions (of 1/2-point each) and still be concours registered - that is, be a "concours car."

It has been strange to watch and read the misconceptions about Austin-Healey concours over the 15+ years since the current system was developed. So many people still seem to think that if they make any one little tiny deviation from strictly originality that a car is disqualified. That's far from the truth.
 
Thank you Editor Reid for clearing the "Concours" air it was getting a bit stiffling in here lately.---Keoke
 
so if I add the numbers correctly, my BJ8 is a concours zinc, with -279 points?

At least I'm still ahead of 7777 because of his Dayton wheels!
 
Thanks for clearing that matter up Reid. If I may bring up another point I noticed on BJ. Lot's of Jaguar's and Healey's why not any other British sportscars like MG's or TR's?
A fellow club member at last nights meeting brought up an interesting point. If someone owned say an original AC Bristol (remember those?) it would truly be a gamble listing it with BJ. Because, he said, you never really know who's in the audience? Judging from the recent bidders they would only be thinking of buying this rare AC to strip it down and put a Ford V8 in it. However, if you listed the car at "Christie's auction" it most likely would bring a higher price.
 
WOT !, there were Triumphs and Mg's sold at the auction Johnny, just go to those marques on this forum and read the results.---Keoke
 
Johnny said:
Thanks for clearing that matter up Reid. If I may bring up another point I noticed on BJ. Lot's of Jaguar's and Healey's why not any other British sportscars like MG's or TR's?
A fellow club member at last nights meeting brought up an interesting point. If someone owned say an original AC Bristol (remember those?) it would truly be a gamble listing it with BJ. Because, he said, you never really know who's in the audience? Judging from the recent bidders they would only be thinking of buying this rare AC to strip it down and put a Ford V8 in it. However, if you listed the car at "Christie's auction" it most likely would bring a higher price.
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I'm not really sure why there aren't more other British cars there. I've wondered about it myself, and it remains a bit of a mystery. However, it may just be that the organizers don't accept them because they figure that the bidders there just aren't that interested. Healeys have carved out a niche and are expected and welcomed, but it's true that there are very few MGs and Triumphs.

There were a few more Jags this year than it seems like were there the past couple of years, but still, this crowd is mostly looking for American iron, and muscle cars are the most popular.
 
Reid, Thanks for the coverage.

One note- The Speed guys on TV said that phone and internet bidders get the pleasure of paying an extra 2% buyer's premium.
 
one more postscript...The Sunday NY Times Automobiles section had a piece about the BJ auction titled "A few raindrops fall on the big-money parade in Arizona" in which it said that although prices generally had softened somewhat, "Austin Healeys and 300SL roadsters and Gullwings currently command top dollar". One more statistic...according to the article, the average price of a car auctioned was $41,000. At 3,923 cars, that translates to $164 million.
 
Just wait until you read "Sports Car Market's" report due out soon. That should be velley interesting---Keoke-- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
I was at the BJ extravaganza from Wed. thru Sat. and spent time looking at all of the Healeys before they went up on stage and then when they went on the block (no expert, just love the car and want to learn more). It seemed to me that once you got past the known restorers (Kurt T., etc) the prices became more resonable(not that a first class BJ8 is not worth $80k) and in one case, I thought a bargain. Based on conversations with one seller who paid the extra $$$ to be on Prime Speed TV Time and the number of them that were on stage during broadcast hours, I thought Healeys got short changed on the TV exposure. When I got home and looked at the recording, I could only find 3 that made it on air.

Whether you have any chance to buy or not, for a car guy, I have to say the trip is worth the pain of watching 150 Hemi Cuda "Tributes" go by!
 
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