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Most Famous or Infamous Healey to be Auctioned

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dougie

dougie

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That's right, NOJ 393, # 26 the 1955 Healey "LeMans Disaster Car" drive by Lance Macklin that Pierre "Levegh" Bouillin drove his Mercedes SLR over the back of creating the worst automobile racing accident in history is for sale. This 1953 DHMC Special Test Car is one of the three prototypes that all other 100-S Healey's are model after. In storage for over 40 years this historic car could be yours, but not if I beat you to it.........ha.

I've already called Steve Pike to have him clear some room in his shop.

https://www.rac.co.uk/news-advice/motoring-news/post/2011/9/le-mans-disaster-car-goes-on-sale/
 
Again, grim yet fascinating. I could not tear myself away from the documentary. Thank you both for posting.
 
I mirror Elrey's thoughts. The History Channel did an excellent job of explaining what happened.
 
It would be like buying the 'Marie Celeste' at a boat auction!

Is there such a thing as an unlucky car?
 
Frankenhealey said:
It would be like buying the 'Marie Celeste' at a boat auction!

Is there such a thing as an unlucky car?
Click to expand...

Green racing cars are said to be unlucky. Perhaps why
NOJ 393 was changed from green to its present blue. Then there's all kinds of stories of parts salvaged from James Dean's Porsche Spyder causing fatal accidents in the cars they were installed on: https://www.snopes.com/autos/cursed/spyder.asp
 
Frankenhealey - I really like your caricature. Way too cute!
 
I'd love to have a 100/S; felt that way ever since Alan Jones (?) put out a special edition of <span style="font-style: italic">Healey Highlights</span> back in the late 70s (actually saw a few of them at "somewhat" attainable prices) but NOJ393 has too many demons for me.
 
Randy Forbes said:
...ever since Alan Jones (?) put out a special edition of <span style="font-style: italic">Healey Highlights</span> back in the late 70s...
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Kevin Faughnan was the editor who put that special 100S issue together. It was in honor of Alan Jones, an Australian 100S owner who died in a car wreck (not while driving a Healey).
 
Look carefully at the two videos Healey Rick posted. The first actually contains footage of the cars prior to the crash. The History Channel video does not have the footage just prior to the crash, and the narrator claims no other footage exists. Clearly, he is wrong. The first video shows the Healey driving out from behind the Jag and into the lane of the oncoming Mercedes. It does not contradict the description in the documentary, but it does show the relationship between the cars prior to the crash.
 
As can be expected, there's been a lot of effort expended to place blame for the accident. Paul Frere has a very reasoned analysis on the Mike Hawthorn site here: https://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/lemans2.php (you'll have to register first to read it} Also, the BBC did a one hour special on the crash last year entitled "The Deadliest Crash" I just found it here: https://www.veoh.com/watch/v20149145HBzF6nRf (you'll need to install their player to watch the full video) I haven't had a chance to watch it yet but am looking forward to it.
 
Rick, the BBC Iplayer will not work outside of the UK for copyright reasons. It checks your IP address and if it's not UK registered then you're stuck. Sometimes you can go through a UK proxy and it will work or there are commercial fixes but I think they are pay-per-view or subscription.

Cheers,

Ian
 
Frankenhealey said:
Rick, the BBC Iplayer will not work outside of the UK for copyright reasons. It checks your IP address and if it's not UK registered then you're stuck. Sometimes you can go through a UK proxy and it will work or there are commercial fixes but I think they are pay-per-view or subscription.

Cheers,

Ian
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Ian,

The link I provided is not to the BBC iPlayer, but to another source. It actually allows us poor colonials to view some fine BBC programming without being subjected to endless bleating for donations from "public television" here in the States that wants us to donate huge sums in order to see episodes of "Are You Being Served?". I had wanted to see this video for awhile, and finally saw it tonight. I thought it well done and have a special interest in 50s and 60s sports car racing. I'm not enough of a racing expert to assign blame and I view the incident as a "racing accident" However, the BBC show really illustrates the tragedy to the spectators. Unlike the drivers, they never signed up for the danger involved. As has been said before, I really don't think I'd want the Macklin Healey in my collection, even if I had the dosh.
 
Forgot to mention the appearance of John Fitch in the BBC program. For those not familiar with John, he's a true American hero. A P51 Mustang pilot in WWII who went on to compete at the highest levels of international racing, designing his own cars and significantly contributing to highway safety.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fitch_(racing_driver) I had the good fortune of talking to him a few times at Lime Rock ... a true gentleman of the old school.
 
HealeyRick said:
Forgot to mention the appearance of John Fitch in the BBC program. For those not familiar with John, he's a true American hero. A P51 Mustang pilot in WWII who went on to compete at the highest levels of international racing, designing his own cars and significantly contributing to highway safety.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fitch_(racing_driver) I had the good fortune of talking to him a few times at Lime Rock ... a true gentleman of the old school.
Click to expand...

Also helped promote a lot of safety additions for the race track, a great individual......
 
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