[Healeys] Recent 100M on BAT

[rfbegani at gmail.com]

Dear Josef:

 

Your comments are the same in the USA especially in Florida where there are large numbers of retired people.  My good friend and President of our British Car Club Hermann Schuller formerly of Germany has said that younger people want Japanese or European sports cars.  It is the same for those who enjoy boating.  Sailors today are 55 to 80 years old.  I had to give away my 1967 28-foot sailboat in good condition at our summer home on Lake Michigan as younger boaters want speed and comfort.  I still have another younger 28-foot sailboat in Punta Gorda, Florida and will continue to sail in accordance with the agreement with my wife that I will not sail alone.  

 

Also, our British Car Club of SW Florida is very large and growing thanks to the efforts of Hermann who revived the club.  He is a born salesman and a lover of old sports cars.

 

Regards,

 

Bob Begani

67 BJ8

 

 

 

From: Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> On Behalf Of josef-eckert--- via Healeys
Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2023 1:15 PM
To: Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net>; Michael Oritt <michael.oritt at gmail.com>
Cc: healeys at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Recent 100M on BAT

 

As far as I can see here in Europe, the market for Austin-Healeys and comparable vehicles from the 1950s has collapsed extremely. It's like the pre-war vehicles. They can no longer keep up with today's traffic and on motorways they are quite problematic due to the high traffic density and the many trucks that also recklessly swerve to overtake. A 100M and also a 100 are no longer in demand. The clientele that still knows Austin-Healey from her past is almost extinct. Hardly anyone has met Donald Healey here. I'm 66 years old now and didn't know him either. I saw Geoff once before he died, but we knew Margot quite well, having met through friends. But back to the 100M. Hardly anyone here knows the difference between a 100 with a LeMans kit and a 100M. All of these are then usually offered as 100 Le Mans. If a genuine 100M is actually offered, the price is slightly higher than for a comparable 100, but not by a factor of 2. Nobody actually pays that here. There is also non who would pay 100K$ for a 100 or 100M. But as I said, Austin-Healeys are slow sellers and the 3000 BJ8 Ph2 is most in demand because it offers just enough comfort. But younger people don't want these old cars at all. They are looking for a BMW, Porsche or something else from the 70s or 80s that also offers more safety and comfort and that they know from their youth. Lower priced british cars like MG Bs are also out. They are too expensive compared to a Mazda MX-5, or Jaguar XK8 which are definitely the better cars compared.

Btw.: The Austin-Healey clubs here have gotten pretty tired. The beautiful events like International healey Weekends that were offered 20 years ago are no longer offered in thre former glance for a long time. There are hardly any active people willing to do work for the clubs anymore. Those who do it are also a good 70 years old and what is then done is not really inviting. Many people now stay away from these events which are expensive, but not inviting.

 

Josef Eckert

Germany

 

 

 

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