Unrestored 1953 Austin-Healey '100' Special Sells At Auction For $1.3 Million
An unrestored works racing team 1953 Austin-Healey ‘100’ Special Test Car has sold at a December auction for a record amount of £843,000 (about US$1.3 million) by a private buyer. The car was considered to be in “barn find” condition and this marks the first time it has made an appearance in 42 years.
Favored by drivers such as drivers Lance Macklin, Gordon Wilkins and Marcel Becquart back in the day, this car finished third in its class and 14th overall in the 1953 Le Mans 24-Hour race. After it was updated to ‘100S,’it drove in the week-long Carrera Pan-Americana road race and Bahamas Speed Week.
This 100 Special Test Car also had its share of not-so-great-moments too – when Macklin was driving it in the 1955 Le Mans race, it was involved in the devastating Le Mans Disaster, when it was rammed from behind by Levegh’s works Mercedes-Benz 300SLR. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the car was impounded for 18 months by French authorities. But there is a happy ending to the story: it was faithfully repaired and restored at Donald Healey Motor Company’s Warwick factory. Back in driving condition, it made its way back to the race track until 1969, when it was bought privately and sat waiting to make headlines once again.
For $1.3 million, this has to be one of the most expensive fixer-uppers we’ve ever come across. Do you think its worth all that money? Leave us your thoughts in the comments section below.
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I sold mine for 900$ in 1962 in slid ell Louisiana. I wonder where it went. It was perfect.
It was dark green and the tilt windscreen