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Best Sales Puffery for an Austin Healey for sale

Lambdaman

Senior Member
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I think we have a winner already that will long stand the test of time, this is not about what is or is not a 100M but how google can so quickly educate the uneducated and if I found it on the internet its true!

Car currently on ebay

A wonderful rare "barn-find", an amazing complete 1955 Austin Healey 100M BN1. Yes, that is right, wow! You can probably count on one hand how many of these are left to restore in the US. While not a "BN2 Factory M" it was originally titled an M (Lemans) so it must be a BN1 dealer package M. (next best thing to some people) The car has been off the road since probably 1972. The car had a carburetor fire and that is what must have put her in storage, soon be awakened 42 years later. The car is solid and complete, even has the side curtains, full wire spare and the engine DOES turn over. The 100 is offered for sale with the British Motoring Industry Heritage Certificate! (Still waiting for that) I may only be the third owner of this iconic legion of motorsport history. This is the type of car that was involved the infamous 1955 Le Mans crash that changed motorsport racing from then on. Once restored this car will qualify for most any vintage racing, rallies or tours here or abroad. This car was already in an Italian rally (badge on the dash) and has extra gauges /clock used in rallies. Even has a race mod trunk/boot, no outside latch, I have only seen that on the race cars. Shelby fans will note that Carroll Shelby wanted this car, the 100 BN1 for his race cars, Donald Healey turned him down, so Shelby had to go to AC Bristol. These cars should/could have been the first Shelby Cobras and was Shelby's first choice!

So... the car needs to be professionally restored or at least by an expert Austin Healey hobbyist restorer, given the value of these cars, and it should be a frame off restoration. The body and floors are amazingly solid, just one hole in the drivers pan. most every thing else is pretty good, the hood/bonnet was distorted a bit with the carb. fire and missing the cold air box, but can be fixed or easily replace, parts are plentiful from many different vendors. The fire did mess the paint on the shroud, but is purely cosmetic and would be taken back to metal anyway. The drivers side rear leaf spring has an issue with the mount that needs to be addressed ( is off). Basically you will be getting a great 99% complete car for restoration. It will all be wanted to be gone through, rebuilt/restored as in any proper restoration, so I won't itemize every single little thing here. Engine rebuild, new wire, paint, tires, brakes, interior etc. you know, the usual. This car needs to go to a British car connoisseur collector or vintage racer of rally tourer. I reserve the right not to sell the car to someone that wants to heavily modify it. Properly restored, these cars can exceed 100 thousand dollars at auction and values have gone up 50% in the last few years making them great investments. Prices will only go up, get it while you still can. Some may notice that some of the typical "BN2" (Late - 1955-1956) bits and pieces, different hood etc. aren't all there. From what I understand most of that didn't start until the BN2. this car is a first model BN1. There is a lot of misinformation and contradictions about pre -BN2 M's and all the various M kits. I don't want to get into long discussions about that because even the experts and people that were there disagree. Honesty I don't understand all the big deal about "Factory M" what is the big difference if a dealer representative did the M work or if a guy at the factory did? I am not selling the car as a factory M and it's not, If it were I would be asking 40k opening bid, not a low18. I am not even sure the engine is matching until I get the BMI from England. The number appears to be maybe from an earlier car? Maybe they dropped a different engine into it after blowing up the original racing? or put different carburetors on after the carb fire? I don't know? I do know it would have been titled an M from the dealer and if the engine is not matching, it can be restored back to M specs. pretty easily. Add the later BN2 louvered bonnet and strap etc. if you want, that's a taste thing. Since it's not a 200K Factory M car, you have a bit more room to make it the way you would want it and it could always be changed back to BN1 hood etc.

So why the **** would I sell this car? Well... good question, and I wonder that myself? Basically, I don't have the time or inclination to take on a year long project like that. I am moving and will not have six garage stalls like I have now for all my toys. I feel it's best to pass this on to a more experienced restorer or a person that has the means and devotion to restore her right. Even if you "buy it now" and put another 20-25K or more into the project; you will still get a fantastic return investment on the car down the road. Check out the auction results in the past year or so! Average condition value for this car is between 65 - 79K. A fully fresh frame off restored car goes for 95-136K. I reserve to cancel the auction at any time (I am talking to UK interested parties) so buy it now if you really want it, this is a once in a life time chance to restore a Austin Healey 100M for really not that much money in the big picture. I want to keep it in the States if I can, so jump on it now. I will however entertain oversea collectors ( this is a left hand car).

I am also selling a 1960 Austin Healey "bugeye" Sprite Mk1 948CC. this car is complete, original, has all new rockers (in and outer and new floors) striped and ready for paint after and bit more body work. The engine is out and ready for rebuild. It has lots of new parts ready for it. New top, carpet, springs, on and on, over $1200 new parts. This car is already half restored. I was going to restore the 100M too and have first models of the big and small Healeys! A great collection in anyone's book. I'll make you a deal if you want both. (see last four pictures)

Thanks for bidding and feel free to ask questions, Matt
 
But wait he is not finished yet! Answering a question from a prospective bidder

Q: Hello, other then the title having the letter "M" what other evidence is there to support this is actually a 100M? Thanks.Oct-16-14
A: Hi, Well it has always been titled a M and that only comes from the dealer. It oblivious rallied or raced, even overseas. The BMI will be interesting, It may not have even been a US car? It's has an extremely rare race trunk only on the race cars. (That's why I took a picture of the trunk latch, it's original and not some slop add on.) I don't think you're going to race a non-M? As I pointed out in the text, It's probably not a the original M engine in it. I think the engine is a 1954 100 BN1 based on eng #. As people have pointed out the carbs. are wrong. It did have a carb. fire though so those might have been replaced? I image that they replaced the blown M engine and replaced it with a standard BN1 engine to use as a driver car. Regardless if the original M matching engine was trashed racing, It still has an original BN1 engine that can be restored /rebuilt back to the original M specs as titled. The BN2 m badge and louvered hood etc., don't belong on this BN1, but I understand people like that look. To me, having a Pre-BN2 (BN1-100M) rally /race car ( like the true LeMans cars) with rally provenance and race mods is even more interesting and valuable than a 56 factory M trailer queen. Others are free to disagree and lots do. I think this car should be restored with a race theme, bullet numbers the whole thing. the original color was a silver tone, it would look great back in that with black 55 numbers and red or black interior. You will have a true 1955 100M race car when done. Not a BN2 that has never seen a track. (just my opinion) Happy bidding
 
This is the car that has been discussed and ridiculed , by myself and others, on Bring a Trailer. The seller is an ***** who won't accept that he doesn't have a 100M. What he does have is a BN1 that appears to be worth restoring, but that's not good enough for him.
 
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"It oblivious rallied"? I BET it did!
 
And I thought I had a gift of gab... Whew!
 
Yup..then on the AUSTIN HEALEY EXPERIENCE site he says that I am now going to keep the car ..then ..it shows up on ebay a couple days later.....scheister to the 10th degree!!


"A true 100M race car"....WHAT A CROCK!!!
 
I tried to challenge him nicely on another website and he got hostile. He bought a car and just wanted to sell it to make a profit. I hope the new owner understands what he got and the expense it will take to restore. Twenty five g's for that car was a big price. It's going to cost at least 50g's to restore correctly.
 
He happened into something that dreams are made of! Clearly got the car cheaply and had a heart fluttering few days where he thought he had a real find on his hands. Slowly reality set in, but not enough reality to avoid the weaving of a illusion of vintage race heritage and high performance. I would love one day to un-earth a 100!
 
Yeah, another good example of "caveat emptor" and hope the buyer knew what he/she was getting !
 
Yep, feel sorry for the poor person that bought it after all the bs that seller wrote. Hopefully the buyer bought it knowing all his bs was just that, bs, and thought it was a good car to restore as a BN1.
 
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