I think Steve's comment here are right on the money. The cars
auctioned at B-J are not intended for the enthusiast. They ate built
to sell for high $ at the auction. To be bought by people who want a
car now and are willing/able to pay for it.
Kurt Tanner would have been crazy not to come back with a MGB car
after the one last year sold for $92K+. Money in the bank. That is
his business and how he makes his living. Comparing cars built for
concours to cars built for auction makes no sense.
I do not know Kurt Tanner and only met him this weekend, briefly, but
I believe he's in a different restoration business than other Healey
restoration shops run/owned by enthusiasts. Tanner told us that he
was "getting out of the (Healey) roadster business and concentrating
on MkIII because that's where the money is."
I'm curious, I've heard that Tanner only builds cars to sell at
auction and does not not take in cars from individuals for
restoration. Does anyone have knowledge either way on this?
Randy Hicks
'56 100M
'65 BJ8
'53 MGTD
Healey100M@gmail.com
On Jan 25, 2006, at 3:18 PM, Steve B. Gerow wrote:
> Couple comments FWIW--
>
> Kurt Tanner told me on one of his shop tours that his buyers are
> not Healey
> people per se. They are people who have a lot of money and want a
> Healey
> which either their dad owned when they were a kid or they owned
> back in
> college.
>
> I believe that to these buyers the difference between $70k and
> $150k is
> about the difference between a burger and a double burger to the
> rest of us.
>
> There's a fellow in our local Healey club who has a very nice BT7
> which has
> done well in concours which is absolutely original, right down to the
> painted 60-spokers and the satin patina of its paint. He says
> Donald Healey
> said such and such about his car, etc. Since he's in his 70s and
> grew up
> with the car, he's very involved with the history of the marque. I
> think all
> that's interesting, but in an academic sense. I find the car a bit
> dull.
>
> I'm convinced that to a younger set of buyers none of this matters
> a damn
> and they'd just as soon have a little bling without messing up the
> overall
> impact of the car. And if they have your actual folding money
> they'll pay
> for the Tanner because it's a turn key deal--like buying a new car
> built to
> a very high standard.
>
> There was a similar situation a few years ago where an absolutely
> gorgeous
> XK-140 brought $130k (if memory serves ) which was a way-high price
> at the
> time. Automobile Magazine's coverage referred to the car as having "a
> non-standard color and tremendous curb appeal". Seems like the same
> situation with Tanner's cars.
>
> The whole concours vs auction thing is apples to oranges.
>
> --
> Steve Gerow
> Pasadena CA
> 59 BN6
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