1955 LeMans Austin Healey
Discussion
Galileo said:
I just heard on the radio that the Austin Healey that was involved in the 1955 Le Mans tragedy has been restored and is going up for auction. I can't see anything on google so was wondering if anyone knows where and when?
Bonham's December Auction at Mercedes Benz World - http://www.bonhams.com/eur/press/6016/Thank you for the link Mr Drift.
I personally don't think it's distasteful to put it up for sale after all this time. It's not like they are profiteering from the disaster, but I can understand why one would think it bad karma. But none the less, it does have a place in one of the biggest stories in motor racing history.
Being offered for sale at Mercedes-Benz World seems a bit ironic.
I personally don't think it's distasteful to put it up for sale after all this time. It's not like they are profiteering from the disaster, but I can understand why one would think it bad karma. But none the less, it does have a place in one of the biggest stories in motor racing history.
Being offered for sale at Mercedes-Benz World seems a bit ironic.
Edited by Galileo on Wednesday 7th September 12:09
Rude-boy said:
FourWheelDrift said:
Still in Italy and still held by the authorities isn't it, like Senna's Williams?
99.99% certian that Senna's Williams was handed back a number of years ago.I suspect that has been put under the 100 tonne press by now.
Galileo said:
Which would be a shame. I don't think these things are any different from a WWII Spitfire being renovated or Campbell's Bluebird being dug up and restored. They all have historical significance which would be a shame to loose.
Not sure myself, jury is out on this for me.FourWheelDrift said:
Still in Italy and still held by the authorities isn't it, like Senna's Williams?
It was bought from an authority scrapyard in about 1984-1986. It was kept in a somewhat mawkish collection with various other "fatal" cars including some of Ronnie's Lotus 78 bodywork. The chassis was bought, supposedly, by a well known British historic racer and has allegedly been rebuilt to "as new" by one of Britain's leading race car restorers and historic racers.Allegedly, the tub is sat on a shelf in deepest darkest Leicestershire with no further plans for it currently.
Life Saab Itch said:
Rude-boy said:
EFA
Are you insinuating that the car wearing that chassis number isn't the car, driven by Macklin, involved in the accident in 1955? Or are you saying "it's just a number"?Is it 100% the Le Mans car? Absolutely not, for a start more than 1/3 of that car was obliterated in the crash. Does it wear the chassis number of that car? Yes. Is the seat in that car the one that Maklin was sat in? I have no idea, but then I am not someone who has the credentials to make an expert judgement on this, nor someone whose views on this subject should be taking into serious consideration.
I have also, like you, been involved in the racing world for more years than I care to remember. How many C-Types, ERAs, etc, were built when the 'factory' was open and how many are there today?
The providence of historic racing cars has always been an issue. What is and what isn't an original car? There are many multi million pound cars about today which have very few of the original parts they left the factory gate with, yet the market accepts them with open arms. I'm not talking about cars that were damaged in period either but in one particular case I know a lot about I know that there is less that 10% of the original car in the one you would see if it drove up your drive tonight. Does this make it a fake or just Triggers new broom?
To answer your question more directly, a chassis plate is just a number. How much weight you wish to attach to that I suspect depends on what it is attached to and how important it is to the people with or who would like an interest in it.
I mentioned earlier that I wasn't really sure how I felt about this car being restored and sold. Now I have thought about it more my answer to that question would be "Uneasy". Even if one were to put aside the loss of life that the driver of this car was implicated in I have always had trouble with cars that were seriously damaged in period and then repaired many, many years later.
The trouble with the "uneasy" argument...and as I said earlier on this thread, I am in that camp...is Babs. By all rights it should have remained buried, but then I see it and I cant help thinking "Im glad they did that, it lets me see a superb piece of real engineering from before my time."
I suspect such things will remain an uneasy subject.
I suspect such things will remain an uneasy subject.
DJRC said:
The trouble with the "uneasy" argument...and as I said earlier on this thread, I am in that camp...is Babs. By all rights it should have remained buried, but then I see it and I cant help thinking "Im glad they did that, it lets me see a superb piece of real engineering from before my time."
I suspect such things will remain an uneasy subject.
Personally I think that Babs should have been left where she was buried all those years ago. I suspect such things will remain an uneasy subject.
But I suppose that the logical progression of that argument is what about Mummies - should they not have been left alone? If they had been our understanding of the people they ruled would be infinitely poorer.
As with anything that is sullied by emotion you will always have more than one view point as there is no correct answer.
Edited by Rude-boy on Friday 2nd December 16:01
According to the blurb, this one was rebuilt very soon after that terrible accident. It was then raced in period for a decade or so, then laid up as was. Any restoration on this car was 'in period' at the factory, and as result can be described as very original. It can't be confused with a ground up restoration from a chassis number. I for one, am very interested in it's history. Any ex-works Healey will always command a hefty premium, add Le Mans history to that and you start talking serious money. I think the specific history of this one adds interest, but not too much monetary value. It would be a cast iron entry into any event worldwide, and in that context looks quite good value. It would a shame for it to undergo a nut and bolt refurb though, but that's what it'll need to gain an entry into the Le Mans Classic.
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