Notorious Healey Sold

[Spriteman65]

The Healey 100S that was supposedly responsible for the crash at the 1955 24 hours of Le Mans race just sold for $1.3 million. Not sure if I would want that car in my garage or not.

https://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2011/...ion/?refer=news

Here is a link to the raw footage of the crash. It is a little graphic so take care when watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JEk85gKJN6k

 

[Boink]

Such shocking footage (posted elsewhere here too). The car almost looks evil. Easy to see why rules were changed for spectator proximity.

Question: it was from 1955 and yet that almost looks like a 1956 or 1958 Healey. I used to have a 100-4 and it had a classic smiley grill but the one that sold is more like a 100-6 (but is that date correct)?

Editing: evidently, the 100S had that grill in 1955 (obviously as evidenced by the video). It first appeared on the "S" (only) and then later on the 100-6 and upward. It looks like the car was repaired with steel panels, and one wonders how much of the original car is still there. $1.3M???? Gads.

 

[jlaird]

I remember that crash. Was in all the papers and TV news. Not like it would have been today but.....

Guess I don't understand why the car went for such a price. Would have made a nice restoration project but that is about it. Guess maybe that is why I am not rich.

 

[nomad]

The Le Mans crash was a tradjety in many ways with plenty of blame to go around. Many blame the D jag but the conjestion at the pit entrance can also be blamed. Lance Macklin's over correction can be blamed as well as the Merc not showing a bit more caution. At any rate it affected motor racing for a long time and from what I've read Lance Macklin never got over it. He was an up and coming driver before the crash. The Healey Werks near me in Lawton Ia had the 100S that Lance Macklin and Stirling Moss shared just a few months before at, I believe, Sebring. To me the history behind this car makes me think the buyer got a bargain.

Kurt.

 

[Dug]

Maybe sounds like a lot for a car that didn't have a winning history, but then you read a day or so later a first edition Superman comic book sold at auction for 2.6m, well…

 

[Guest]

. It is a little graphic so take care when watching.

The news report is worse. What were they thinking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=RMoh5hZAaZk