Rarity of Big Healeys

[DesertSprite]

Aloha,

Just wondering what the general opinion is on the rarity of Big Healeys nowadays. It seems like so many of them are selling for pretty hefty sums. Is that just because of the quality of the restorations being completed, or are there just not that many cars out there anymore?

Most of the cars that are advertised on Hemmings or even in the AHCA magazine are rarely sub-$20K. Does the bargain driver still exist in the Healey world?

Mahalos,
Joel

 

[Dave Russell]

The approximate big Healey production & dates are;
1953 - 1955 BN1 = 10,000
1955 - 1956 BN2 = 4,600
1954 - 1959 BN4 = 4,240
1958 - 1959 BN6 = 4,150
1959 - 1961 3000 Mk1 = 13,650
1961 - 1963 3000 Mk2 = 11,560
1963 - 1967 3000 Mk3 = 17,700
1953 - 1967 total = 65,900
There no good estimates of how many cars are still with us. According to some registry counts about 10% to 20% are registered in the various registries.

The "bargain driver" depends on how you define bargain & driver. There are few at less than $20k that could be considered restored enough to be reliably driven very far from home. The high dollar ones are "really restored" to as new condition in all cosmetic, mechanical, & structural areas. No short cuts.
D

 

[Bruce Bowker]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Joel Simmons:
Aloha,

It seems like so many of them are selling for pretty hefty sums.
Mahalos,
Joel<hr></blockquote>

Price of a car such as this depends on demand. Healeys are popular now but next week who knows? A Pacer my suddenly be "the" car and suddenly those prices go up and up. It is a market thing. Even a very rare car may not sell for much at all. No demand for it. But as a car becomes valuable and if there are less and less, then price will go even higher.

 

[Jim Weatherford]

Yeh, it's not a Big Healey, buy...talk about rare in the Healey family. The Jensen-Healey had a 3 year run and only approximately 10,485 were produced. Today there are approximately 1,500 registered and on the road world wide, according to the registry and the JH Preservation Society. Despite the "rareness" of the JH, general public awareness and sports car ignorance has kept the JH in the dog house price wise. I frankly like it that way, driving it is the most fun I've had with my clothes on, it's like a Shifter Cart; fast and quick handling.

Lets face it the JH was SCCA National Champion in 73 and 74 (outlawed in 75, because theycouldn't beat it!)and again National Champion a class lower in Vintage in 97.

Today you can get a great driver in the $4K to $6K range and a really fine example for $12K to $15. This is one of the best values in Sports Cars today, in my never to be humble opinion.

[ 05-06-2004: Message edited by: Jim Weatherford ]</p>

 

[DesertSprite]

Aloha,

Yes, Big Healeys seem immensely popular right now. I suppose its just a case of wanting one from the time I was a kid to growing up and seeing how the values have sky-rocketed. Perhaps it will cool off in a few years. However, I highly doubt that the Pacer will ever eclipse the Healy in popularity.

mahalos,
Joel

 

[ThomP]

With a total of 65,000 Big Healeys and over 500,000 MGBs and 10,000, if rarity had anything to do with it, a "good" MGB would be ~$10,000 a Big Healey ~$75,000 and a Jensen Healey ~$500,000!!! That would make Jim the owner of a genuine bagrain. Dirve thet J.H. with a big simle.

 

[w. scott brunkhurst]

WOW! For sale, one of one works built BJ7,
$10,000,000.00. Will talk.

SB

 

[Bruce Bowker]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by ThomP:
With a total of 65,000 Big Healeys and over 500,000 MGBs and 10,000, if rarity had anything to do with it, a "good" MGB would be ~$10,000 a Big Healey ~$75,000 and a Jensen Healey ~$500,000!!! That would make Jim the owner of a genuine bagrain. Dirve thet J.H. with a big simle.<hr></blockquote>

It would nice if all 65,000 Healeys and all 500,000 MGB's were still around but they are not. Rarity is only one of numerous factors that can dictate prices.

 

[Jim Weatherford]

Ya, I do drive my JH with a big smile on my face anyway. I'm loving it, for me, that's what counts. HUH?