[Healeys] Last Big Healey?

Peter Dzwig pdzwig at summaventures.com
Fri Mar 24 06:47:24 MDT 2017 

While originality has a value, it is all in the eye of the beholder.

If a car belonged to, say, Steve McQueen and you have all the documentation
going back to when it was sold to him then it has provenance and provably so:
what you are prepared to pay for that is up to you. Previous ownership depends
on your taste, after all Hitler's Mercedes found a buyer. I wouldn't want it.

Consider race cars and rally Healeys which command probably the highest premiums
of all. Most cars were modified or rebuilt after each event and throughout the
period in which they were campaigned in line with changing technologies and in
some cases rules. As a result they have very few bits that were in place when
they rolled off the production line. Yes the parts were fitted by a BL
engineer/technician but everyone on this list knows what that can mean! That
doesn't prevent them from being "authentic". Such a car cannot be considered to
be "original" in that it doesn't have the same components with which it left the
factory.

A very interesting case concerns the Bentley widely known as "Old Number One" in
which the originality and "genuineness" of the car and its value were in dispute
and which ended up in a twelve-day trial. The judgement is here:

http://www.gomog.com/articles/no1judgement.html

As far as I am aware it hasn't been superceded in English Law. It's probably
also in several other places too. It's very interesting and well worth a read.

Peter



On 23/03/2017 23:50, Jean Caron wrote:
> I am of the opinion that all these items like matching numbers, first off the
> line, last one built etc. are nothing but auction lexicon to try to get more
> money for a car they have on consignment and therefore make more money for the
> sometimes 5 minutes they spend selling a particular vehicle.
> 
> There is little doubt, getting a catalogue ready for a sale is no small task,
> then getting the car at the site, the paperwork afterwards etc, it all cost
> something but since most well know auction house get 10% from the seller and the
> buyer, there is a lot of money at stake for them and the few key words they can
> add to attract a buyer, they'll do it to create a market.
> 
> 
> Jean
> 
> 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> on behalf of HealeyRick
> <healeyrik at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* March 23, 2017 8:11 PM
> *To:* Bob Spidell
> *Cc:* healeys at autox.team.net
> *Subject:* Re: [Healeys] Last Big Healey?
>  
> Good point, Bob.  So many of the things in the car hobby that are supposed to
> add value to a car don't make a lot of sense.  What makes a car with "matching
> numbers" more valuable than one with a replaced engine built to the same
> specification?  Cars at the beginning or end of production, why are they more
> valuable?  Cars owned by celebrities, who cares what famous butt sat in the
> driver's seat?  And of course, no offense, why is a factory 100M so much more
> valuable than one fitted with a LeMans kit (can it be the hi-comp pistons?)  As
> Steve (and the greatest football coach of all time) say, it is what it is.  
> 
> Rick Neville
> 
> On Thu, Mar 23, 2017 at 11:34 AM, Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net
> <mailto:bspidell at comcast.net>> wrote:
> 
>     __
> 
>     Am I the only one that thinks this car being 'the last of ... whatever' adds
>     no particular cachet?   I'd rather have a well-preserved, low-mileage
>     survivor--with rough but original paint--or a top-of-the-line concours
>     resto, in the middle of the production pack.  But, my cars are for driving,
>     not bragging rights (well, except for the 'M').
> 
> 
>     Bob
> 
>     --------------------------------
>     Bob Spidell - San Jose, CA
> 
>>     On March 23, 2017 at 1:29 PM BJ8Healeys <sbyers at ec.rr.com
>>     <mailto:sbyers at ec.rr.com>> wrote:
>>
>>     Yes, that much would be correct.   However, after the statement quoted
>>     below, I received this from another source at the auction house:
>>
>>     --------------------------
>>
>>     Steve , Good Afternoon.
>>
>>      
>>
>>     My name is ­­­­­­---------- and I do quite a lot of work for Silverstone
>>     Auctions preparing catalogue entries and helping to sort out the
>>     inevitable mistakes that occur when a dozen or so people are under
>>     pressure to close a catalogue with 200 cars.
>>
>>     I am 67 and have owned a number of big Healeys including an early 100/4
>>     with a competition history,(which I bought in 1966), so as a 'Marque'
>>     enthusiast, I am as keen as you to ensure that what we commit to paper is
>>     accurate. I have read ------------ response to you and it's patently
>>     completely inaccurate, however, he does not claim to know what he is
>>     talking about, and is too young to remember the ins and outs of the Donald
>>     Healey Motor Company. In fairness, having had a quick look at our vendor's
>>     'Entry Form' there are a number of claims on there which Richard took at
>>     face value but which now may be incorrect.
>>
>>     The CCA catalogue has now been printed so it's too late to change that,
>>     but we can change the Website and issue a 'Saleroom Notice' prior to the
>>     auction.
>>
>>     I propose that I have a good look at the information provided to us by the
>>     vendor and form some opinions. I will share these with you and see what
>>     you think. It's patently obvious that you have considerable knowledge of
>>     the subject and, I guess, we will be guided by you, but as I said, it
>>     appears the vendor is under the impression that what he has told us is
>>     correct and the team were excited to be handling a car with such provenance.
>>
>>     If it appears that the car, although a stunning example, is not what he
>>     claimed, then we may have to revise the 'monetary value', which may not go
>>     down too well, but, given your information, we are obliged to correct any
>>     statements we have made and we are keen to ensure a happy purchaser on the
>>     day.
>>
>>     I will deal with this from now on and if you can give me 24 hours, I will
>>     get back to you with as much information as I can find at this end.
>>
>>      
>>
>>     Thank you for your interest in this matter.
>>
>>      
>>
>>     ---------------------------------
>>
>>     Steve Byers
>>
>>     HBJ8L/36666
>>
>>     BJ8 Registry
>>
>>     AHCA Delegate at Large
>>
>>     Havelock, NC 
>>
>>      
>>
>>      
>>
>>     *From:*Per Schoerner [mailto:per at schoerner.se <mailto:per at schoerner.se>]
>>     *Sent:* Thursday, March 23, 2017 8:15 AM
>>     *Cc:* BJ8Healeys; healeys at autox.team.net <mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>
>>     *Subject:* Re: [Healeys] Last Big Healey?
>>
>>      
>>
>>     Let's accept then that this is the highest vin number that left the
>>     production line.
>>
>>      
>>
>>     Best, Per
>>
>>     Skickat från min iPhone
>>
>>
>>     23 mars 2017 kl. 12:40 skrev HealeyRick <healeyrik at gmail.com
>>     <mailto:healeyrik at gmail.com>>:
>>
>>         The ad has been updated, but the sellers are sticking to their
>>         assertion that this was the last one off the line:
>>
>>          
>>
>>         ·         We don't want to 'labour the point' but this is the LAST big
>>         Healey off the line - ever!!!
>>
>>
>>         /NB: We are aware of the three cars assembled after Chassis 43025.
>>         When the production line was stopped, a further two cars /
>>
>>
>>
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-- 

===========================================================
Dr Peter Dzwig

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