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MG Midget and Sprite General - up for sale,1955 Austin Healy that killed 84 peopl

I just came across this...apperantly the auction has already taken place and sold for 1.3 million usa dollars

Talk about a car with some providance

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/12/01/racing-car-involved-in-84-deaths-to-be-auctioned/?test=faces



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I have to admit...i want this car...if i had the cash it would be mine...i know thats a sick thing to say, but that car has some wow factor...kind of like the hope diamond or the hanging chair

Someone should seriously make a movie about that 1955 la mans race...thats got oscar written all over it....esp using that exact car in the film

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Here is a news artical for the auction of the Austin Healy that sold

Wow...what an incrediable store.

http://www.classicandsportscar.com/news/classic-car-auctions/healey-and-lola-to-star-at-bonhams
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Prop. There have been several documentaries made about the LeMans disaster, but not a feature drama. I think it's a bit strong to call it the car that killed 84 people. It was being driven by Lance Macklin when Macklin was cut up by Mike Hawthorn who turned across the front of Macklin to go into the pits. Macklin had no choice but to brake hard and move to his left. The unfortunate Pierre Levegh's car clipped the back of the Healey and was launched into the crowd. Levegh was also trying to do the whole race single handedly, so that could also have been a factor.

Bernie.
b higginson

Hey Bernie,

Thanks for the insight...tbh, i only know about the 6 lines of info from the fox news story and nothing more...so im limited in what i can say as fact...(not that, that has ever stopped me before on commenting...hahaha)

But im sure im not alone in lack of this knowledge of this event and austin healy being such a close sister to our cars and the fact this car came out of hiding ... And up for sale
I just thought what a great topic to talk about

You dont see that kind of story everyday

I appoligise to sound so cavalier... But it was a long time ago... And i find history and war and odd objects like military guns and swords from civil war . Ect ect to be intrestimg...even tho people died from there association


Ive been reading a bit on this race... And has just grabbed my attention and imagination for what a great movie idea this would make... Esp considering the crap we have to pay $20 to endure in 3 D

This would just be a great story to tell.. esp in light for what passes as race film with morans like vin diesil in the movies series ...i got a small worm so i got to drive fast and ferious...hahaha


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The car has considerably more history than just that incident.
It has been a test bed and race car for several years an would be a very interesting car even if it had nothing to do with the disaster.

Would love to have it but would not know what to do with it.
Restore?
Keep as is?
Drive?
Display?
Race!!!!!!!!!?
Onno K

Exactly Onno,

At 1.3 million dollars...what do you do with it, im not sure id want to even wash the mud off ...that alone might have a connection to history...most likely id stick it in my living room and hook it up to X box 360 and use it as a racing simulator....hahaja...

But id definatly want to make a an epic film of the le mans event and use that car in the film...gez what a great movie idea

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Yes Onno, as you say, the car does have lots more about it than the '55 LeMans disaster. It also raced there in 1953.
There was an article in this weeks Cassic Car Weekly the day before the auction with the following information.
In '53 the car, (NOJ393) entered LeMans as NOJ391 its sister car which had been damaged. It finished 14th overall and 3rd in class. After the '55 disaster it was impounded by the French authorities for 18 months after which it was repaired by the Donald Healey company, then raced by private owners in the '60s.
As you say, what would you do with it? On the one hand it would be nice to see it restored to all its former racing glory and on the other hand left as it is with all its scars and dark secrets. The pre auction picture in CCW looked pretty tatty with lots of different paint colours on it like the ones in the above links.
It will be interesting to follow its progress. Maybe one day it will race again.

Bernie.
b higginson

This thread was discussed between 02/12/2011 and 03/12/2011

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