Healey Sprite - help!

[razbox]

Hello,

An elderly friend of a friend has a Healey Sprite from 1967 that she needs valued. It hasn't been driven for years but kept in a garage and she is the third owner. Any pointers in how I can get this valued?

We're in Central London

thanks

[b2hbm]

Healey owners club ?

http://www.austin-healey-club.com/

You can get a rough idea from the classic cars mags, Practical Classics publishes a price guide every month for example. Personally though I'd contact an owners club because they might also help you to sell the car to an enthusiast.

[SB - Nigel]

Riaz I've PMed you

All my personal opinion now -

Sorry but in my nearly 20 years of experience I very much doubt the Healey Club would be interest unless the car is very, very special for some reason, Healey Club no matter what they say are only really intertested in the "big Healeys"

Magazine values reflect higher values than can be achieved privately to allow for traders adverts, what a car is advertised for need not be anywhere near what it will sell for

eBay prices fluctuate too much to be a good guide (unless from a professional trader who's giving some sort of warranty perhaps)

[john2443]

SB - Nigel said:

All my personal opinion now -

Sorry but in my nearly 20 years of experience I very much doubt the Healey Club would be interest unless the car is very, very special for some reason, Healey Club no matter what they say are only really intertested in the "big Healeys"

I don't completely agree with this, but the club is big Healey biased.

The AH club do have valuers in each region, I think mainly for insurance valuations but presumably will do it for other reasons. I have got the list somewhere if it isn't on the AHC site mail me at healeyowners at dsl dot pipex dot com if you need the local name.

You could also try the Midget and Sprite club. Their newletter editor visits the Healey forum http://healey.hyperboards.com and there are Sprite owners on there as well as big Healey people. They may also have valuers.

Value depends very much on condition, I would say a car for complete restoration would get about £500 and a good runner £3-4000, the price would be very dependant on how much rust - if it needs new floor, sills, A posts, spring hangers then you're most likely in the £500 area, if that lot is solid and it can be made to drive with a brake overhaul and service, then maybe £2000. I think it's unlikely that a car that's been parked up for years woul dbe in the £3-4000 range.

John

[SB - Nigel]

john2443 said:

SB - Nigel said:

All my personal opinion now -

Sorry but in my nearly 20 years of experience I very much doubt the Healey Club would be interest unless the car is very, very special for some reason, Healey Club no matter what they say are only really intertested in the "big Healeys"

I don't completely agree with this, but the club is big Healey biased.

Perhaps, maybe, I've been too harsh but I see you don't completely disagree either

The OP Pmed me before I'd seen this thread and I gave my advice including contacting local clubs MGOC, MGCC and M&SOC

So we've both given very similar advice and helped a fellow PHer

If Riaz wants to post my email to him it might help some others that look at this thread

And good on you John for your post

[Huntsman]

I bought an MG from these people

http://www.mgcars.org.uk/formerglory/range.htm

Ask them to have a look and value it?

Post some decent pics and let us have a guess?

Edited by Huntsman on Sunday 7th February 18:45

[razbox]

Thanks so much to you all, and I will follow up those links.

Nigel's kind email to me may be useful to others as well, so I have copied it below:

SB - Nigel said:

Sorry no I don't unless she lives close to an MG or classic car specialist who will call out to value it, best to contact local owners in MG Owners Club, or MG Car Club, or Midget and Sprite Owners Club

Realistic bit now - even if it was totally original, which having had three owners suggests it may not be, unless the garage it is kept in was very, very, very dry or dehumidified and heated then assuming the car hasn't been regularly started and moved at all but the bodywork, paint, hood and wheels are in very good condition and the engine will run reasonably well you would still have to consider:
• the bodywork and especially the inner sill and panels will very probably be rusting/rusted even if it doesn't show
• the brakes and clutch would probably need fluid replacing and other work, probably fully recommissioning
• handbrake mech could be seized and steering rack and gaiters and could need attention/replacing
• the tyres no matter how much tread they have will need replacing
• suspension may have sagged and grease gunked up, bushes perished
• battery and petrol in tank will need replacing
• water pump could need attention
• coolant and fuel hoses could be perished, cooling system clogged/silted up
• exhaust could be perished
• the car (not just engine) would need a FULL service
and that's just off the top of my head

On the plus side people do like restoring (or at least starting or attempting) MGs but few like spending much money on or doing up a Midget

As I said check out local MG Owners Club, or MG Car Club, or Midget and Sprite Owners Club as she could be lucky

Good luck, cheers, Nigel

[perdu]

I'd better add that the proper name of the Midget And Sprite Club hasn't got "Owners" in it

MASC, MGCC and MGOC will all help you with this

in my opinion an unrestored car "might" bring a couple of thousand but is not very likely to, depends more on what it WILL need done to it

Gary the MASC magazine editor lives in London and is likely to be of help to you, hope you get sorted soon

http://www.midgetandspriteclub.co.uk/

The AHC will offer help too and although there's lots of anecdotal Big Healey preference they aren't THAT bad I find

When we ran Spridget50 the AHC were staunch supporters of the smaller cars too

[SB - Nigel]

Sorry about getting M&SC name wrong been 18 years or so since I was a member, good thing Bill spotted my mistake

A note for Riaz I avoided giving any ideas to the car's monetary value and others have and will give only possible price ranges for a car that needs a very close inspection in the cold light of day

Gary at M&SC would be my first person to contact and I'm glad to hear in other people's experience the AHC may be worth approaching just (as I said before) in personal experience and opinion the AHC are only interested in the original (MK1 , Bugeye) Sprite or very special other models and usually only if the cars are of show standard - but that's just my experience

A progress report on this thread could be very useful to other PHers as this sort of subject reappears regularly

Good luck to all invovled with the car too many classics sit in garages far too long and then never return to regular use

I hope the car helps the current and future owner

[perdu]

Sb-Nigel I do agree with you about their bias but we have to give the benefit of any doubt these days

And they did support and help organise SPRIDGET50 (arranged for most of the Historic Cars to be displayed there)

So credit where due

OP, Prices are an absolute nightmare, my "quite quick" Midget is worth the world to me but I doubt if anyone buying a Midget would give me more than three and a huff grand for it, running and breathed on

And TAXFREE

the 67 Sprite will have THAT in its favour too though

I hope these messages help sort things out for its owner