[Healeys] Buyer Beware, eBay BN2

Curt/Nancy Arndt cnaarndt at gmail.com
Mon Jun 4 13:03:20 MDT 2012


*Fellow Listers,

Here is a listing for a BN2 on eBay that I was suspect of because of
several inaccuracies...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Austin-Healey-100-4-56-austin-healey-roadster-
/320917803724?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item4ab83112cc

The original listing text stated that the VIN No. was 1B232786, yet the
photos clearly showed the chassis tag as BN2L 228404 and the body number of
10568 was consistent with this chassis number.  What really raised my
suspicions was this statement, the first line in the sellers original text
stating...

**1 family owned since new*; original CA '56 plates; new cylinder head, new
interior, redone steering wheel, new convertible top, new paint, new
windshield, new tires, redone powder coated wheels with stainless steel
spokes; new fuel tank; new electric pump; new trunk liner; new cockpit
coaming; new speedo, tach, split gauges; rewired, new exhaust. was in
storage since 83 restoring since 2007, engine is strong and gearbox is
good, propshaft and rear axle are untouched, overdrive is in order, never
wrecked, all parts except those that were replaced are original, recently
driven trouble free 100 miles.
*
*

Im not buying this statement since a car owned from new would have been
properly registered under the chassis number, and not an engine number from
a car built months later.
*
So... I emailed the seller the following...

"Dear ssilverbach,**

The listing says that the VIN No. is 1B232786M (an engine number
designation for chassis/VIN No. BN2L 232786) however the photos clearly
show the chassis number, which is the acknowledged VIN No. for Austin
Healeys, as BN2L 228404??? The photos of the engine clearly shows that the
engine number tag has been removed. Help me out here."
*
To which I received this reply...
*
"The VIN was corrected to correspond to the tag on the firewall.  The
engine is as the whole car original but then during its use from 56 to 83
there is little info that can be added.  Hope this is helpful."

*How the heck do you just change the the VIN No*??? * If the engine is
original as he states, then how did this seller come up with an engine
number as a VIN No., especially one from a another BN2???*  *I smell fraud,
what say you.*

*Comments,

Curt*
*


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