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Thread: Worlds most expensive car crash...............£20m vintage Aston Martin

  1. #1

    Worlds most expensive car crash...............£20m vintage Aston Martin

    And to think I was annoyed when I reversed my old Izuzu Trooper into a post and damaged the bumper........

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...ing-crash.html

  2. #2
    Craftsman
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    The guy who owned it has made some his money from Wonga, so not perhaps as much sympathy as I would normally have!

  3. #3
    Master CamCG's Avatar
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    A real shame, but I do have respect for owners who are willing to put their rare cars at risk so they can function as intended and provide opertunities for other people to watch them (although I do take the above point about some of the owner's money coming from Wonga!).

    On a side note, the Telegraph should double check their captions as the damaged green car shown in the pictures further down the page is the Aston, not an XK 120.

  4. #4
    As the report manages to get the photo captions completely wrong there's little chance that they've managed to get anything else right.

  5. #5
    Holy Shoot, Who would have thought that driving a load of cars , swiftly, around a race circuit could have resulted in such a thing. Though , I do agree that the owners of these lovely machines , who really do appreciate them for what they are, should be applauded for letting them be used for their sole purpose . i.e racing .

  6. #6
    Master unclealec's Avatar
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    I bet the Gary Hart trailer-on-East-Coast-Main-Line crash that cost 10 lives would have racked up more that 20 Million. I seem to recall that it was classified as an RTA, and remember wondering at the time if Fortis, his insurer, would survive the incident. Railtrack were after him for 11 million, and there are the ten deaths to reckon on as well.

  7. #7
    Grand Master VDG's Avatar
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    Oh no, watches cars been used as intended and some quality journo work from the DT :roll:

  8. #8
    Why do people think that because the car is worth £20million it would cost so much to repair? In reality, the repair bill for the Aston will be similar to the repair bill of the Austin Healey.

  9. #9
    A decent panel beater and a bit of T-cut and the job's a good un.

  10. #10
    Master
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    Plenty of errors here as reported above. Plus the Austin Healey was the "squashed car" not the Aston. Apart from that, the Aston is reported as being " priceless" then given a value of £20 million.

  11. #11
    Grand Master Foxy100's Avatar
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    The Healey is as far as I can see a 100S, probably worth half a million quid or so.

    The Aston is fine, all the value is in the engine and chassis number and I'd be amazed if the engine is the correct original one. When cars reach a certain value you pop out the original (and incredibly valuable) drivetrain and insert ones built up for racing. In fact if I owned that car I'd probably keep the original in a vault and have an exact replica built up for racing.

    I hope the owner of the Healey has the kind of money the Aston owner has. I've seen an exact replica of a 100S built up from a modified 100 chassis and it took a huge amount of time and head scratching to put it together, along with a lot of aluminium and rivets.
    "A man of little significance"

  12. #12
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by CamCG View Post
    A real shame, but I do have respect for owners who are willing to put their rare cars at risk so they can function as intended and provide opertunities for other people to watch them (although I do take the above point about some of the owner's money coming from Wonga!).

    On a side note, the Telegraph should double check their captions as the damaged green car shown in the pictures further down the page is the Aston, not an XK 120.
    Exactly what i was thinking. You can even see the Aston badge in the photo!

  13. #13
    Grand Master PickleB's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Foxy100 View Post
    The Healey is as far as I can see a 100S, probably worth half a million quid or so.

    The Aston is fine, all the value is in the engine and chassis number and I'd be amazed if the engine is the correct original one. When cars reach a certain value you pop out the original (and incredibly valuable) drivetrain and insert ones built up for racing. In fact if I owned that car I'd probably keep the original in a vault and have an exact replica built up for racing.

    I hope the owner of the Healey has the kind of money the Aston owner has. I've seen an exact replica of a 100S built up from a modified 100 chassis and it took a huge amount of time and head scratching to put it together, along with a lot of aluminium and rivets.
    But Goodwood doesn't allow replicas into their races. See filming Jaguar's £1 million E-types:

    'Racing is what these cars were born to do and, for those who own them, the doors will be open to prestigious race events all over the world. Unless, it seems, it is the Goodwood Revival. I caught up with Lord March, master of this particular motoring Mecca, to ask if he would allow any of the six new Lightweights to race at the iconic Revival or the even more exclusive Members’ Meeting. His answer was an immediate “no”. He sees these new cars as replicas and replicas simply don’t make the grid at Goodwood.'

  14. #14
    Grand Master Foxy100's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PickleB View Post
    But Goodwood doesn't allow replicas into their races. See filming Jaguar's £1 million E-types:
    'Racing is what these cars were born to do and, for those who own them, the doors will be open to prestigious race events all over the world. Unless, it seems, it is the Goodwood Revival. I caught up with Lord March, master of this particular motoring Mecca, to ask if he would allow any of the six new Lightweights to race at the iconic Revival or the even more exclusive Members’ Meeting. His answer was an immediate “no”. He sees these new cars as replicas and replicas simply don’t make the grid at Goodwood.'
    No, it doesn't. That would be very naughty, wouldn't it.
    "A man of little significance"

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    Grand Master snowman's Avatar
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    As has been mentioned, whoever wrote that article had no clue what they were looking at...

    The white car sandwiched is the Austin Healey and the green one (captioned as an XK120) is the Aston!

    Laughably poor reporting, worthy of the Daily Mail...

    Although they would have found some way to blame immigrants and report that The Yorkshire Ripper was driving it on a jaunt to get his £50,000 weekly benefits cheque...

    M.

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by PickleB View Post
    But Goodwood doesn't allow replicas into their races.
    There have been literally dozens of replicas at Goodwood! I nearly bought an ex-Goodwood Alfa that had been made up from parts. And many of the cars have no racing story at all, this year's Fairlane Thunderbolt for example. Some of the Daytona Coupes that you see around are continuation models.

    Remember that field of GTO's a few years ago? Half of them had replacement bodywork (which personally I think is only sensible, but some purists get a bit uppity about it).

    It's all part an parcel of racing these days.

  17. #17
    Grand Master Foxy100's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Corporalsparrow View Post
    Remember that field of GTO's a few years ago? Half of them had replacement bodywork (which personally I think is only sensible, but some purists get a bit uppity about it).
    I bet not a single one was running its original engine. For argument's sake a 250 GTO is worth £30million. You can replace the bodywork, chassis, seats, dash, lights, instruments and most of the running gear - essentially the whole car. Sure, some bits are very hard to find but the engine and gearbox, you don't want to mess with those. They and the chassis number/ownership in your name are worth about £29million. You smash up your GTO you can have it rebuilt using what's left/repairable but if you throw - say - a million quid at an exact replica, with a racing engine built for the car, and the original never ever seeing daylight, you'll be a very sensible person. Of course the racing history gets added to the history of the original car, and when you come to sell it you register your GTO replica with perhaps the chassis number of the donor 250 GTE you used in the first place...

    I'm pretty sure Nick Mason's one is original bar the engine and gearbox.
    "A man of little significance"

  18. #18
    Grand Master PickleB's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Corporalsparrow View Post
    There have been literally dozens of replicas at Goodwood! I nearly bought an ex-Goodwood Alfa that had been made up from parts. And many of the cars have no racing story at all, this year's Fairlane Thunderbolt for example. Some of the Daytona Coupes that you see around are continuation models.

    Remember that field of GTO's a few years ago? Half of them had replacement bodywork (which personally I think is only sensible, but some purists get a bit uppity about it).

    It's all part an parcel of racing these days.
    I'm no expert but I did find this (link):

    'The Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt was originally built by legendary Ford works team Holman & Moody in 1964, and was raced in 1965 by Alan Mann himself who took it to two Brands Hatch Boxing Day wins in a row.'

    I had to go off to Wiki (link) for this:

    The Goodwood Revival is a three-day festival held each September at Goodwood Circuit since 1998 for the types of road racing cars and motorcycle that would have competed during the circuit's original period—1948–1966.

    Then I found reference to a replica Mini competing in the Gerry Marshall Trophy, so it seems you are correct. However, building a replica from standard production components (alternatives manufactured by the same manufacturer as the original production component being allowed) must be a bit different from Jaguar manufacturing a replica from scratch.

  19. #19
    Master london lad's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Corporalsparrow View Post
    Why do people think that because the car is worth £20million it would cost so much to repair? In reality, the repair bill for the Aston will be similar to the repair bill of the Austin Healey.
    ^^^ This

  20. #20
    Grand Master Foxy100's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PickleB View Post
    I'm no expert but I did find this (link):
    'The Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt was originally built by legendary Ford works team Holman & Moody in 1964, and was raced in 1965 by Alan Mann himself who took it to two Brands Hatch Boxing Day wins in a row.'

    I had to go off to Wiki (link) for this:
    The Goodwood Revival is a three-day festival held each September at Goodwood Circuit since 1998 for the types of road racing cars and motorcycle that would have competed during the circuit's original period—1948–1966.

    Then I found reference to a replica Mini competing in the Gerry Marshall Trophy, so it seems you are correct. However, building a replica from standard production components (alternatives manufactured by the same manufacturer as the original production component being allowed) must be a bit different from Jaguar manufacturing a replica from scratch.
    Jaguar are making/have made continuation models. They allocated 12 chassis numbers but only made six cars. They've built the other six, just a few years later.

    It remains to be seen what happens to the chassis numbers allocated to the D-Types and XKSSs burnt out in the Browns Land fire in 1957. I wonder how many people would give their right arm for Jaguar to build them either an XKSS or D-Type to their spec. I'd have a D-Type to the original short nose spec with wraparound screen on driver's side only, no fin and dark blue. Thanks.
    "A man of little significance"

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    Quote Originally Posted by PickleB View Post

    Then I found reference to a replica Mini competing in the Gerry Marshall Trophy, so it seems you are correct. However, building a replica from standard production components (alternatives manufactured by the same manufacturer as the original production component being allowed) must be a bit different from Jaguar manufacturing a replica from scratch.
    Well, one could ask what modern Jaguars áre, ditto Astons, Bently, even Rolls.

    Also what does that make a current day Royal Enfield or Panerai watch.
    The rights were bought by a foreign investors group and production takes place in a different country.

    A lóng time ago when racing with old motorcycles crossed the North Sea I was involved in the development of rules and regs, ascertaining what the ´classic´ or ´historic´ should cover.
    In the end it boiled down to nothing more nor less than technology úsed pre ´65 and totally new motorcycles manufactured from scratch are ´classic´ racers.
    The main argument is very sound: When úsed, the vehicles will need to have parts replaced and original parts are both old (possibly unsafe) ánd limited. To keep the classics operational they would need modern made parts and there is no limit to thát, i.e no limits.

    Now, when we are dealing with a rolling muséum, hey, that is different.

    In between there is imo no grey middle ground.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Foxy100 View Post
    It remains to be seen what happens to the chassis numbers allocated to the D-Types and XKSSs burnt out in the Browns Land fire in 1957. I wonder how many people would give their right arm for Jaguar to build them either an XKSS or D-Type to their spec. I'd have a D-Type to the original short nose spec with wraparound screen on driver's side only, no fin and dark blue. Thanks.
    Brilliant illustration of a moot point.
    A newly made car with an old chassis number is no different in ÁNY way from a newly made one with a new chassis number. Apart from the homologation idiocracies.

  23. #23
    Goodwood do allow replicas but it depends on what it's a replica of and how it has been built. An E Type isn't rare or special enough to warrant being allowed in as a light weight replica, but a Ferrari 156 would be.

    But then most classic racers these days are a bit like Triggers Broom. It's virtually impossible to find a completely original car that's 60 years old, especially if it's been raced. Continual history is generally thought to be the main criterion for being considered the genuine article. That's pretty much the reason why continuation cars are now eligible for a lot of classic race series.

  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Groundrush View Post
    Goodwood do allow replicas but it depends on what it's a replica of and how it has been built. An E Type isn't rare or special enough to warrant being allowed in as a light weight replica, but a Ferrari 156 would be.
    In the 1960's Jaguar only made 12 lightweight E Type racers.....so I'd argue they are rare......

    I can understand Lord March not wanting the 'new' lightweight E Types at Goodwood though- they are quite obviously not the real deal-
    anyone paying 1 million odd for one must be crazy- I can think of about a hundred authentic classic cars I'd spend a million on before
    a new replica E Type.
    For that dough I'd take a Porsche 2.7RS and a Bristol 404, -that would still leave about £400k for a nice holiday.

    I love the Bristol 404 but they ain't cheap because only 50 odd were made.
    I recall chatting to a guy once at a classic car meeting-he stood next to his mint 404 telling me he did not like
    the sandy gold colour of his car.....I asked him 'why don't you spray it a different colour then?'
    He replied that the King of Jordan was the previous owner who sprayed it gold so he was reluctant to change it!
    Here's a 404:

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by PickleB View Post
    I'm no expert but I did find this (link):

    'The Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt was originally built by legendary Ford works team Holman & Moody in 1964, and was raced in 1965 by Alan Mann himself who took it to two Brands Hatch Boxing Day wins in a row.'

    I had to go off to Wiki (link) for this:

    The Goodwood Revival is a three-day festival held each September at Goodwood Circuit since 1998 for the types of road racing cars and motorcycle that would have competed during the circuit's original period—1948–1966.

    Then I found reference to a replica Mini competing in the Gerry Marshall Trophy, so it seems you are correct. However, building a replica from standard production components (alternatives manufactured by the same manufacturer as the original production component being allowed) must be a bit different from Jaguar manufacturing a replica from scratch.
    The Thunderbolt variant of the Fairlane was originally created as a street dragster, and that particular car was completed just 10 days before this year's Revival specifically for the event. Lots of people are quite dismissive of the rules, referring to these cars as "Goodwood specials".

    The rules are…how can we say it….loose. They're what the Competition team decide they are, not what's written in the programme.

    All the same…it makes for the greatest historic spectacle of the them all. Got to be glad for that!

  26. #26
    Grand Master Foxy100's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by farmkid View Post
    In the 1960's Jaguar only made 12 lightweight E Type racers.....so I'd argue they are rare......

    I can understand Lord March not wanting the 'new' lightweight E Types at Goodwood though- they are quite obviously not the real deal-
    anyone paying 1 million odd for one must be crazy- I can think of about a hundred authentic classic cars I'd spend a million on before
    a new replica E Type.
    For that dough I'd take a Porsche 2.7RS and a Bristol 404, -that would still leave about £400k for a nice holiday.

    I love the Bristol 404 but they ain't cheap because only 50 odd were made.
    I recall chatting to a guy once at a classic car meeting-he stood next to his mint 404 telling me he did not like
    the sandy gold colour of his car.....I asked him 'why don't you spray it a different colour then?'
    He replied that the King of Jordan was the previous owner who sprayed it gold so he was reluctant to change it!
    Here's a 404:
    A 404 regularly goes past my office, I haven't worked out if it's the same chap who drives a Beaufighter, I haven't yet seen them both on the same day. I usually see one every day, although the Beaufighter tends to see most of the rain. Have you seen the knackered 403 in the west country? It looks superb, bar the large clockwork key on the bootlid.
    "A man of little significance"

  27. #27
    Master CamCG's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Foxy100 View Post
    ...I'm pretty sure Nick Mason's one is original bar the engine and gearbox.
    Nick Mason does have a completely original 250 GTO (including the original V12 engine).

    However, a "spare" engine is used when the car is raced at events like Goodwood because, if the engine was damaged beyond repair, his 250 GTO would no longer be a matching numbers car.

    There is an interesting article about Mason's car collection here:
    http://www.pistonheads.com/features/...llection/29762

  28. #28
    Grand Master Foxy100's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CamCG View Post
    Nick Mason does have a completely original 250 GTO (including the original V12 engine).

    However, a "spare" engine is used when the car is raced at events like Goodwood because, if the engine was damaged beyond repair, his 250 GTO would no longer be a matching numbers car.

    There is an interesting article about Mason's car collection here:
    http://www.pistonheads.com/features/...llection/29762
    I think that article is incorrect, I don't think it's a spare GTO engine, but a donor engine from a GTE or similar and tuned up for racing. A real GTO engine would be worth a fortune (and probably the basis of another car!). My point, however, remains, he runs it with a different engine (and gearbox) to preserve the original.
    "A man of little significance"

  29. #29
    Grand Master snowman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CamCG View Post
    Nick Mason does have a completely original 250 GTO (including the original V12 engine).

    However, a "spare" engine is used when the car is raced at events like Goodwood because, if the engine was damaged beyond repair, his 250 GTO would no longer be a matching numbers car.

    There is an interesting article about Mason's car collection here:
    http://www.pistonheads.com/features/...llection/29762

    I was once filling my classic (a lowly Marcos GT) up with fuel on the Hogs Back, admiring the Ferrari parked next to me on the other side of the pumps when the guy driving it wandered back to it after paying.

    He looked at my car and give me a little nod of acknowledgement ("a fellow classic owner") which I returned and he got in and drove off.

    It was only some weeks later that I realised it was Nick Mason himself - I never liked Pink Floyd (still don't), but he's a top bloke in my books.

    The car's registration was "250 GTO"...

    M.

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