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Gold Level Concours Value

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HealeyRick

HealeyRick

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As some of you may have noticed, I've been writing an auction column for the Healey Marque for the last few months. I don't consider myself an expert on Healey values and this one has just flumoxxed me: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1961-austin-healey-3000-bt7-4/ $54,000 sale price on a car that Hagerty values at $93,000. I'd be interested in hearing opinions on the apparently low sale price. Softening market for Healeys? Wrong venue for sale? Wrong color combination? People afraid to buy a concours car because they want a driver? Buyers will only pay big money for an M or a convertible? Please let me know your thoughts.
 
Nice car but that interior makes me want to hurl . It maybe concours gold class but its a fugly interior choice .
I have two BJ8s for sale on autotrader in CAN and all I get is lowballers and tire kickers . Now mine are not concours cars but full ground up restorations and one of the cars is full matching numbers .
 
Well that differencal could reflect the difference between market value and replacement cost--???
 
Rick, I haven't even looked at the ad but my opinion on Hagerty evaluations is that they are always high. There may be some self preservation built into their calculations.
 
I believe what is there is very nice but I don't think it is a near 6 figure car. I have to agree with others that that inteior
just is not attractive. That would reduce the number of takers in my opinion. So in my opinion what does it take to make a Healey a 6 figure car. This day and age I believe it will have to be a late year BJ8 or and early 100. Yeh you can find some things really neat or unique about the middle year cars but the crowds just don't see it that way. The crowds also want shiny. That means the enamel paint won't cut it. And painted wires didn't help the price either. Remember the market is fickle. I don't think I read what the actual miles is on the car. The car does look good underneath but it was said that the car refurbished not restored. So what actually was done. It suggest to me that it wasn't completely taken apart. For a 6 figure car it would have to have the documentation that it was a complete nut and bolt restoration. Or an extremely rare( like early 100) unrestored, well kept, unmolested car could justify 6 figures.
I think this car is a good example and it got all of its money. Be ****ed with Hagerty's evalutions, all they're doing is inflating the market.
 
My thought is that the market for big Healeys has come back to earth where it belongs. The truly rare and unique cars will still bring top dollar, but normal cars are trading right where you would expect when compared to MGBs, TR6s, and TR4s. 5-10 years ago when big Healeys were routinely selling for more than what my Series 1 Jag E-Type coupe was worth I could only shake my head. A Healey is not in the same league as an E-Type. The high prices brought more cars to market so supply and demand has adjusted the prices accordingly. My BT7 is now probably worth about 1/2 as much as it cost to get it back on the road, but the return on investment is in driving it on the back roads.
 
I am reasonably certain that the car in question was also advertised for several consecutive months in Healey Marque some time "last year". For whatever that is worth...
 
AN6-TX said:
I am reasonably certain that the car in question was also advertised for several consecutive months in Healey Marque some time "last year". For whatever that is worth...
Click to expand...

It was a couple of years ago. No price was listed in the ad, but I asked Roger Moment - who was, at the time, trying to help the owner sell it - what kind of money they were looking for, and if I recall correctly it was $80,000. Someone may have taken a considerable hit at that Bring-a-Trailer auction price.
 
Interesting question, Rick. I was shocked at the price, and that the sale was completed because I thought there would be a higher reserve. You guys are all much closer to the attitudes of the color question. The interior obviously created a lot of extreme reactions (I think it is beautiful), but the overall condition looked like it had deteriorated to Condition 2. There seemed a lack of appreciation of the car's originality of those with enough money to buy. Plus, from the comments on the BAT site there was some confusion as to green colors and their names, and the car's color during the sale. Also an idea or attitude that if it isn't the original color it isn't worth as much. A hold over from the American car thing? I don't know.
Sure was a low price for such a pretty car. (If I'd have bought it the condition would've slipped to 3 tops and would have the top and side curtains handled often with the bottom needing washed.)
Chris...
 
It was a gold level concours car in 1997. That was over 20 years ago. I'm sure it has been pretty well maintained, but its age is showing in the chrome.

It's not a significant car, other than restored by Roger Moment, who I'm not sure is known outside the Healey world.

I'm seeing BJ8s for not much more, especially considering being much more desirable.
 
Agree with the comments that ‘the market’ prefers shiny late BJ8s or 100s rather than the 3000 roadsters. The interior is correct for a Pacific Green or Florida. Green car. BRG was not a production colour. Difficult to tell due to the quality of the photos but to me the ‘Gray’ interior looks slightly darker than the original, which of course was not gray at all but a very neutral, parchment colour. In general in the UK prices are softening and cars are harder to sell.
 
Thanks all for your comments. My auction report is in the hands of "He Who Must be Obeyed" (Editor Reid) and hopefully, you're all members of the AHCA (you really should be) and you'll see it in the next issue of Healey Marque. I spoke to Roger Moment to get his comments for the story as well. I think John's comment that it's a 20 year old restoration is well taken. I think another fair point is the market for concours cars is relatively small and although Roger has always been an advocate of driving his concours cars, many see them as just being suitable as display pieces.
 
FWIW.. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure this car was owned and restored years back by Roger Moment. If you know Roger, you know that every nut and bolt... and, yes, exterior and interior colors are as original.... not close to original but EXACTLY as original. As you probably know Roger co-wrote the book on originality. So, maybe the market doesn't care as much about perfect original restorations?
 
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HealeyRick said:
Thanks all for your comments. My auction report is in the hands of "He Who Must be Obeyed" (Editor Reid) and hopefully, you're all members of the AHCA (you really should be) and you'll see it in the next issue of Healey Marque.
Click to expand...

For those unfamiliar, here's the Table of Contents page from the upcoming August issue of HEALEY MARQUE to give you an idea of the quantity and variety of features in a monthly issue:

HM 08.jpg


We publish "original history" - not just summaries of the well-worn tales (often inaccurate) that may be found in any of the many books on the marque - with some never-before-seen photos and new information based on newly available archives, tech stuff, and stories of members' own experiences, among other subjects. 40 pages, 11 times per year (with a wall calendar acting as the 12th issue). Really, if you're interested enough in Healeys to be reading this forum, I think you'd enjoy the mag immensely. See the link in my signature below for more.
 
G’day Rick. I reckon somebody got a bargain. That’s a great car, and I like the colour combination.
Cheers,
Alwyn
 
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