Sorry; in my haste to pass this information on to the Healey list I
neglected
to read it all the way through and to figure out that I was looking at an
email, not a website.
Here is an excerpt from the press release. NOJ393 is NOT being resold, but
rather being displayed by the current owners in cooperation with Bonhams,
which handled the sale of the car in 2011. Apparently the car is going to be
displayed and lightly raced in Europe after its recent restoration.
<<<
The story of NOJ 393 is well known. It was one of the Works Special Test Cars
that ran in the 1953 Le Mans 24-Hours, later became the 100S prototype b
racing at Sebring, the Carrera PanAmericana, and Nassau b and was involved
in the ill-fated 1955 Le Mans accident.
After its factory works team career, it spent a few years club racing
before
being acquired b in a very tired state b by Jack Scott in 1969. Jack
always meant to get around to restoring the car but work and family
commitments prevented him from doing so. In 2011 Jack contacted James Knight
at Bonhams and said that, after 42 years, he felt it was time to sell the car
to a collector who would do it justice. At the resulting auction in December
that year NOJ 393 attracted much interest from around the world, selling for
B#843,000 b establishing a new world record for any Austin-Healey by some
distance.
World Sports Car Championship pedigree aside, NOJ 393 is one of only two
surviving Special Test cars from 1953. Importantly, it is the only survivor
that, competing for three seasons as a Works entry, is able to reflect
development in prototype form across the Austin Healey 100 model range: from a
pre-production 100, through to a 100M, in this form success at Le Mans in 1953
and from there as a 100S, where at Sebring in 1954, its wonderful result
cemented both the 100S model name and specification.
The car was bought at the auction by a European collector and committed
Austin-Healey enthusiast, who entrusted Steve Pike of Marsh Classic
Restorations in Australia to restore it to the zenith of its history b the
start line specification for the 1955 Le Mans race.
Following an exacting and sympathetic restoration, NOJ 393 is ready to
re-emerge onto the world stage, prior to featuring at various events in the UK
over the coming season.
James Knight, Group Motoring Director of Bonhams, handled the sale of
NOJ
393. He said: b It gives me great pleasure that Bonhams is hosting the
special viewing to re-introduce this significant motor car to the
collectorsb motor car fraternity. As a Healey 100 owner and enthusiast of
the marque, it is very much a personal privilege as well. I look forward to
seeing the car on both road and track over the coming years.b
>>>
Gary Anderson
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