2014-05-16 18:08:54 | pauls writes:

Car to be at auction 5/14
www.bonhams.com/auctions/21901/lot/50/

Auction description:
Lot 50*
1956 Austin-Healey 100M 'Le Mans' Roadster
Chassis no. BN2-L/230581
Engine no. 1B/230581
€130,000 - 160,000
US$ 180,000 - 220,000
Chassis number 'BN2-L/230581' was delivered new in 1956 to Florida and in 1958 was purchased by the second owner, a Mr Ditter from Miami, Florida who used it until 1971. The Healey was then stored in his garage until his daughter sold it in 2006 to Harold Brandner from BMC Classics of Smyrna Beach, Florida who restored it completely between 2006 and 2009 (see DVD on file). In 2010 the car was shipped to the current owner in Basel, Switzerland.

Benefiting from a no-expense-spared, 'ground upwards' restoration to original specification, '230581' must be one of the very best of its kind available, as evidenced by its '1st in class' awards at the Tampa British Car Show (October 2009) and the Winterpark Concours d'Élégance (November 2009) and '3rd in class' award at the British Classic Car Meeting in St Moritz (July 2010).

Swiss registered, the car comes with one of the very few hand built wooden steering wheels by Donald Healey together with a new top, tonneau cover and windows; chromed spare wheel; '100M' and 'Le Mans' badges and a well-stocked badge bar.

Finished in its original factory colour scheme of Healey Blue and Old English White, '230581' represents a rare opportunity to acquire an iconic first-of-the-line 'Big Healey', built by the factory to the desirable 100M 'Le Mans' specification.