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NOJ391 at Auction

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Editor_Reid

Editor_Reid

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Hi Team,

I have just been contacted by Jim Trimble, administrator of the estate of Fred Hunter. Fred, a long-time Healey owner and enthusiast, passed away last February, and as many of you may recall, he owned the Special Test Car registered NOJ391. This car was later converted into one of the 50 100S models. To say that it is a very special Healey is, if anything, an understatement.

In any case, they are accepting bids on this car and you can learn about all of that at this website:
NOJ391 Auction Website

Have a look and please spread the word to anyone you know who might be interested. I have no financial interest in this; I'm just trying to help spread the word about its availability, hoping that it goes to an appreciative new owner.
 
Ahhh, honey, can you sign right here for me, oh, it's just for a home equity line of credit...
 
Interesting terms:

Bidders must pre-qualify by depositing the sum of
Forty-Thousand Dollars, U.S. in the Bank of America
payable to: “William Frederick Hunter Estate, James G.
Trimble Administrator, Millie Sales Account.”
See, Bidder form.

Reserve is $400,000.00 US.

All bids must be made in One Thousand ($1,000.00) Dollar
even increments.

The winner must make payment in full within two
business days of the email notification of acceptance
of the winning bid.

If payment is not made as herein provided the bidder will
be in default and shall lose all right, title and interest
in the property and seller shall retain the deposit as
liquidated damages. Deposits of unsuccessful bidders
will be returned by wire transfer, at the bidder’s expense,
to the account specified by each bidder within two
working days of the payment of the winning bid.

I'll take 2.
 
Hi SHG, I was thinking of sending a letter of credit in the amount of the reserve but I see it isn't acceptable and I can't see my $40,000.00 floating around in others hands. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif---Keoke
 
Somebody help me out here. How do you 'convert' a 100-4 or 100M to a 100S without starting from scratch? There is so much different between the two.

Alan T
 
It's so much different than either a 100-4 or a 100M, or even a 100-s there's a previous thread that explained, I'll see if I can find it, you can read about the car there.

As I understand it, this car was probably one of the original 5 prototypes built by Doanld Healey's works...

Reid?
 
I would buy it but I don't like the color.
 
James G. is no doubt serving the interest of his client:

Return of deposits is specifically tied to payment by the high bidder. Were the deal to tank for whatever reason that bidder's payment would not be made until a subsequent sale and resolution of damages, if any. Certainly no one would walk from $40K so the dispute would wind up in litigation and meanwhile the trustee is not obligated to return the deposits of all the other bidders--at least that is the way that I read the Bidder's Agreement.

Caveat bidder....
 
AlanT said:
Somebody help me out here. How do you 'convert' a 100-4 or 100M to a 100S without starting from scratch? There is so much different between the two.
Click to expand...

This car was never an ordinary production car. It started life as one of the 19 Special Test Cars, and was the first of three of those set-up for racing. It was essentially a hand-built pre-production prototype that looked like the production cars that were to follow, but which in fact was nearly unique.

There's lots of info about it in the various books on the marque, as well as on the auction website.
 
I've got nothing against the lawyer for the estate trying to protect the estate, but those are some burdensome conditions. I really don't know about the reserve of $400k, but I don't see many people who might otherwise be interested in this car, no matter how special it is, willing to get involved in a deal like this. I have a sneaking suspicion that the lawyer isn't a car guy.
 
"those are some burdensome conditions. I really don't know about the reserve of $400k, but I don't see many people who might otherwise be interested in this car, no matter how special it is, willing to get involved in a deal like this"
-------------------
Agreed Scott. "Overlawyering" a deal makes it so one-sided that no one wants to play and I'm afraid that might be the effect here.

I wonder how "the word" of this auction is getting out. I hope the trustee is going further than the "Healey community" that hangs on BCF and the autox list. I don't think that we are going to be the bidders much less the buyer.

Given this car's known provenance an ebay sale with a reasonable reserve might indeed be more productive. Oh well, it should be interesting.
 
Bruce Bowker said:
I would buy it but I don't like the color.
Click to expand...

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif ...you could always paint it!
 
dar100 said:
Bruce Bowker said:
I would buy it but I don't like the color.
Click to expand...

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif ...you could always paint it!
Click to expand...

I never thought about that. I think I will buy it and I can just brush on a new color myself. I am thinking something like an older Corvette metallic brown /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
SHG said:
and the high bid as of February 2 is...$0.

Maybe he shoulda used eBay?
Click to expand...

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif

Naw SHG. He should move it to Christies in the UK. The last one they sold restored by fourintune was sold for over 400K USD. That car was purchased by the director of BMW---Keoke
 
Christies, or the like, would certainly be a better venue than the little website it's on. It's clearly unadulterated greed on the part of the estate. This poor passed-on owner clearly recognized and appreciated what he had...all the estate wants is Money...
 
maybe somebody should whisper in the lawyer's ear? Keoke? Editor Reid? Not 7777, though, because he might do something untoward given the temptation.
 
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