3 Attachment(s)
NOJ391 and NOJ393 - the AHX 1953 Special Test Cars
In 1953 the Donald Healey Motor Company at The Cape Factory in Warwick built 4 Special Test Cars under the AHX Build series.
They were NOJ391 chassis SPL224B, NOJ392 SPL225B and NOJ393 SPL226B which were Road Registered in 1953, additionally SPL227B was built as a Record Car - for the up to 24hiour endurance record sessions.
Here is NOJ391 with its Le Mans 1953 Team Mate NOJ393.. NOJ393 was the spare car for Le Mans 1953, NOJ391 and NOJ392 being the Le Mans entries Race #33 [ 391 ] and #34..
There is a long and convoluted story about these two cars as one became the other after NOJ391 was damaged and became NOJ393. Will add to the story later - meanwhile the photos from various archives as collected by Rainer Jordan.
Attachment 75142
Donald Healey [ DMH ] showing The Duke of Edinburgh [ HRH ] the car NOJ391.
Attachment 75143
looking at the Engine
Attachment 75144
The story goes that the Duke was interested in buying an Austin Healey, but needed something with more cabin space - perhaps to hold his hunting guns ??
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1952 the London Motor Show and the " Healey 100 ".
The original, and before the Austin tag was added ..
Leonard Lord with Donald Healey in the car - " Healey 100 " badge on the car - first day of the Motor Show.
Attachment 75168
Another photo of the pair in the car - can't see the badge but it is after the agreement was signed and the car became the " Austin Healey 100 ". the sign beside the car states that ..
Attachment 75169
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AHS3601 - the first chassis number Austin Healey 100S in NZ
AHS3601 was the lowest chassis number to come to New Zealand, AHS3908 the Seabrook Fowlds - Ross Jensen car one of the highest chassis numbers.
The car these days is a Recreation and chassis is AHS3601 R [ replica ] as built by Steve Pike in the late 1990's in Australia.
Car is owned by a New Zealander living in Queensland Alister Rayner, car currently in the UK.
A photo - page of the Brochure that was written in around 2012 when the car was purchased by Derek Mayor from Clas Arleskar and the car came to England.
Attachment 75213
The car - well some of it is visible - in a transport trailer recently - photo from Alister Rayner - the current owner.
Attachment 75214
The AHCCNZ Register details written around 1975 by Jim Reece as Big Healey Registrar for the Club.
Attachment 75215
We now have the details that while P H Vickery Lt - Vickery Motors owned the car it was raced a R Barney Giller.
Car then went to Jack Grieve as owner, in February 1957, then Max Richards in 1958, then via Shelley Motors in Wellington to Peter Lawson, back to Shelley Motors then sold on to Grady Thompson in 1961 and to John Egden in 1964 - who crashed it badly in the outskirts of Wellington on the 9th July 1967
- the day before Decimal Currency started - As an aside.
3 Attachment(s)
Austin Healey Advertisements from the USA
The Austin Healey BMC dealers in the USA advertise the vehicles through Hambro - here a selection of Adverts.
Two on the AH 100 from the 1950's 1953 - 57 period and one from around 1961 as has the new shape Sprite and the MGA, by 1962 the MGB had been released. - these from Hemphills Healey Haven archives.
A Hambro Advert from 1956 - The release of gthe BN2 version of the 100, with a four speed gearbox
Attachment 75252
An Advert mentioning the performance of the AH 100 .. note the speeds claimed were for a car that had modifications to streamline it - underbody panels and a headrest cowl behind the driver, plus wheel-spats on the rear wheels.
This from West Coast dealers
Attachment 75253
The AH 3000 AH Sprite MGA advert. a Hambro advert
Attachment 75254
2 Attachment(s)
AHS3601 R - when owned by Clas Arleskar 2000 - 2012
More photos from Clas Arleskar archives.
this one entitled " me and my Healey 100S at Thruxton in August 2002 "
a 100 with a Hardtop beside / behind the 100S.
Attachment 75309
At a English / European event - undated - Is it the same place ? " Ferodo " advert behind it again, as well as Kumho Tyres.
Attachment 75310
3 Attachment(s)
Just gone over 700,000 views - Thanks TRS - deserves a photo..
Origin of this photo not known -
The car is NOJ393 which Officially is Chassis number SPL226B - one of the AHX 1953 Special Test Cars built by Donald Healey Motor Company in the AH 100 shape - later modified with a 100S type grille.
At one stage NOJ391 was involved in an incident at Le Mans and its component put into NOJ393 to race to avoid have to be re-scrutineered by the French Officials..
The car is the one that had the huge crash at the 1955 Le Mans, driven by Lance Macklin, that involved Pierre Levegh Mercedes 300SL and the Mike Hawthorn D Type Jaguar.
Attachment 75311
A painting of the incident by Keith Parkes - which some opinions state is not accurate - shows the 3 cars involved.
Attachment 75313
Earlier time at Le Mans with NOJ391 and NOJ393 and cars with their original type 100 Grilles. the 1953 Le Mans Race
Attachment 75312
I should note that ERC has a thread with almost 1,9 million views - a wee way to go !!
3 Attachment(s)
AHS3707 The car that was owned by Fred Cohen in 1982
" Chassis Monday is presenting AHS 3707.
This 100S, AHS-3707, is the seventh 100S of the third batch of ten. It was shipped on 21 April 1955 as one of six sent to Gough Industries in Los Angeles, where the popularity of sports car racing was at a fever pitch. This car, finished in the classic and model-signature combination of Old English White and Lobelia Blue.
Although the original first owner is unknown, the ownership history has been continuous since early 1959, when the car was purchased by Bob Schilling from a used car lot on Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles. He would race the car on and off from 1960 to 1962, until he sold the Austin-Healey to Louise Grey-Young, of North Hollywood, in 1964. It subsequently traded hands several times over the years, with other notable caretakers including well-known and highly respected car collectors Jon Savage and Craig McCaw. "
I along with 1000 or so others saw the car at Snowmass, Colorado in July 1982 at the
" 30th Anniversary of the Austin Healey " celebrations.
The car at this time was still being restored and transported by Global Healeys, later Australian Steve Pike helped with finishing the restoration of the car
A montage of my photos form the Album I created after the event and others I attended in the West Coast of the USA, including Laguna Seca the 9th Historics and the AH Club of Oregon meeting at Medford Oregon.
Attachment 75325
The car when owned by Jon Savage in 2005
Attachment 75326
The car at Laguna Seca - the Monterey Historics in 2012.
Attachment 75327
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Healey Corvette - a couple of new photos and some old.
Arthur Kennard in the Healey Corvette pre 1960.
Race #10 and has the BP sticker by the door.
Attachment 75337
The car at The Goodwood Festival in the UK in 2019 - racing in the Freddie March Memorial Race - Freddie was I believe Lord March - well known in Motor Racing circles in the UK..
Attachment 75338
Another photo posted before of the Healey Corvette in New Zealand Number Plate 315.733 is the 1956 - 61 issue.
Car has Race #10 and the BP sticker is visible - posted before. Still wondering who is sitting against the car ??.
Location believed to be Wigram - the photo was used in an article when the car was invited to Goodwood in 2019
Attachment 75339
The car has changed a bit since being fully restored - the bonnet now sports 3 rows of louvres as it did back in 1957 on.
When the car was Hampton Downs in 2018 had a two rows of louvres and a different Roll Bar to its current one.
Attachment 75340
6 Attachment(s)
AHS3709 - Austin Healey 100S - Engine number 222729 despatched 22 April 1955
AHS3709 was sold new through Gough Industries - Los Angeles California.
It was part of a delivery to Gough Chassis numbers AHS3706 to AHS3710 and AHS3801 - dispatched on 21st and 22nd April 1955.
Original owner of the car is not stated in the Geoff Healey books, but the car was raced extensively by Jack Breskovich from 1959 to 1963 before it had a bad crash in the hands of another driver or owner.
The car was featured on one of the Austin Healey 100S facebook groups on their Chassis Monday, and as a result a number of pictures of it racing have emerged, some have been seen before.
- note for anyone searching the 100S group pages there are Two.
" AUSTIN-HEALEY 100S " the group that featured the first image and " Austin Healey 100S " - the original group.
Chassis Monday.
Attachment 75398
The car appears to have raced under the number #163 in the SCCA races in the USA, as well as some long distance Sports Car Races - the LA Examiner Grand Prix and the 3 hour Race for Sports Cars at Riverside, California.
A couple of pictures from 1959;
Pomona
Attachment 75403
Riverside
Attachment 75399
Races from 1963.
Attachment 75400
The Cobra in this photo is a well known car #198 and one of the first Cobra to race - in the USA
Attachment 75401
The car with Race #180 - it is presumed to be Jack Breskovitch, going the wrong way. undated
Attachment 75402
Some images are from " Austin Healey " - a pseudonym for the creator of " AUSTIN-HEALEY 100S " page and others from Rainer Jordan - as shown on the photos.
AHS3906 Article - refer post 1394 from " Speedsport ".
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Speedsports
I note that one of my articles, on AHS 3906 from the 1988 Yearbook of the Austin Healey Clubs of Australia has been posted here unfortunately without credit to me as researcher and author. To coincide with the National Australian Austin Healey Club Rally in 1988, which coincided with Australia's Bicentennial, I offered the host club, (NSW) to document the known history of every Austin Healey 100S that has been in Australian up until that time. Subsequently, I was asked to include Works Rally cars and 100M's. As this was all in the days before computers and due to publication time constraints, I had no chance to proofread (never again!). After months of late nights, the finished product was a little rough but considering the limitations, result was not too bad. I subsequently tightened it up for the second edition of John Blanden's 'Historic Racing Cars in Australia'.
As the creator of this Thread on " The Roaring Season ", I apologize to you " Speedsport " for the omission.
Please put your name to the thread and if the posting was mine I will amend, if posted by another Member it will be acknowledged.
Refer to Post #1340 on page 67 regarding the article " AHS 3906 from the 1988 Yearbook of the Austin Healey Clubs of Australia has been posted here unfortunately without credit to me as researcher and author. "
Cheers
Roger
5 Attachment(s)
UJB143 One of the 1960 Sebring Team and raced at 1960 Le Mans - later DD300
Notes from Rainer Jordan.
" How the former factory Healey (UJB 143) raced by Jack Sears and Peter Riley at Sebring 1960 #18 and Le Mans 1960 #23 became "DD 300".
In 1961, newspaper magnate David Dixon bought it and changed it to "DD 300."
David Dixon drove a Mini with the reg. number "DD 300" as a privateer and this personal number was to be on his newly acquired Austin Healey.
1961 #21 Austin-Healey DD 300, Stoop / Bekaert - Le Mans 24 Hours, DNF: Engine
1962 #24 Austin-Healey DD 300, Whitmore / Olthoff - Le Mans 24 Hours, DNF: Piston.
The number (UJB 143) now went on the next new car built by the Competitions Department, a new Red Rally car being prepared for the Swedish Midnight Sun Rally. "
Photos of the car at Sebring #18 in 1960
Le Mans 1960 #23
and in 1961 Le Mans owned by David Dixon raced as #21 DD300
In 1962 Le Mans as #24.
Attachment 75471
Attachment 75472
Have a scale model of #23 at Le Mans and have seen UJB143's sister car UJB141, that rolled at Sebring in 1960, when I visited Bill Bolton in Corvallis Oregon in 1982, saw the car at Snowmass also in 1982
The car as DD300
Attachment 75473
Attachment 75474
The car in John Chatham's hands in 2016 - thanks to Ray Green [ ERC ] for the " borrowed " photo.
Attachment 75475
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Targa NZ 2023 - and an Austin Healey Sprite
Allan Horner with his Toyota twincam powered Sprite is in the Time Trial Class of the Targe which started today
Tuesday 24th to Saturday October 28th 2023.
His Driver / Co-Driver this year is Des Redgwell - seen here in the car at the Start on Day One.
Attachment 75484
Had just purchased my copy of NZ Classic Driver Magazine and there is the car in a photo from a previous Targa and in the Entry List
In a previous Targa Frank Karl was the Driver with Allan Horner.
They featured in an article in NZ Classic Driver, written by Allan - and posted on this thread, last year.
One of the images from NZ CD in the August 2022 Edition.
Attachment 75485
4 Attachment(s)
AHS3802 - the ex USA car - came to NZ in 1958 then went to Australia and back to USA.
AHS3802 was imported into New Zealand by Fred Losee an American Dentist who worked at the Dental Section of Dunedin University 1958 - 60.
The car went to Ernest [ Joss ] Tims in 1960 and then through various NZ hands to Nic McFarlane in 1973 and was sold to Murray Wells in Australia in 1981.
A little piece of its New Zealand History - all the Owners, is on these two images copies of the NZ Registration Papers issued in 1975 with all the previous owners, as they used to do.
no longer under the Privacy Act !!
Attachment 75490
Attachment 75491
The Story of the car has been posted on here from the AHCCNZ archives as held by Jim Reece - who also had these papers.
There has also been photos of the car with Fred Losee which was stated to be at Balclutha.
It was in fact at Wangaloa, near the sea on a grass track beside the Coast Road that goes from Balclutha to Dunedin.
photo [ posted before ] and some new notes
Attachment 75492
Car has the 1956 - 1961 plates here as issued new in 1958.
Notes from Ivo Visser - referring to the article on AHS3908 the Seabrook Fowlds Ross Jensen car that has never left NZ apart from going to Albert Park Melbourne in 1956.
" In the next issue of Classic Driver I track down the ex Ross Jensen Austin Healey 100S.[ AHS3908 ] Three came to NZ — the Jensen car, the one and only black car for Vickery's, the Invercargill Austin dealer [ AHS3601 ] and American naval dentist Fred Losee brought one [ AHS3802 ]along when he came to Dunedin to teach at the Dental school.
Fred used his daily and competed in Otago Sports Car Club events and is seen here chasing Kerwin Taylor's Buckler at a Wangaloa grass track meeting. Fred fitted his car with bumpers.
The Jensen car has always been in NZ, the Losee car went back to the US while the Vickery car was destroyed in a road crash, but surviving parts were used to recreate it [ as AHS3601 R ] and it's just come back to NZ. "
The comments from Allan Dick who wrote the Article - edited by Ivo Visser, Chassis Numbers added to clarify
The photo with the Kerwyn Taylor Buckler as mention above. - posted before but fits with the story.
Attachment 75493
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AHS3802 and AHS3601 / 3601 R - there is a connection
A story about AHS3802 written by Roger with additional comment by Bernie Huynen [ RIP Bernie ] of the AH Car Club of New Zealand.
A link to article - ** see note below - as found by Rainer Jordan,
" AHS3802 is now in Northern California, owned by Dr Robert. Griffin
" https://classicpromenade.com/.../1955-Austin-Healey... "
** - The link is incorrect - the story is as a PDF file which will attach here.
For the good copy of the article go to the Facebook Page Austin Healey 100S [ Not AUSTIN-HEALEY 100S ]
Attachment 75519
The Article details the NZ Owners as shown in the NZ Registration Papers posted recently - more for the story
Photo from Clas Arlekar archives of the two cars AHS3601R in Black and AHS3802 in Red - The cars were owned by Murray Wells at the time.
Attachment 75517
AHS3601 R with Clas Arleskar Rally 3000 which he still has - Clas owned AHS3601 from 1999 to 2012.
Attachment 75518
3 Attachment(s)
George Lawton and his AH 100 Six - Northland Car Club events
George Lawton who was joint " Driver to Europe " with Denny Denis Hulme in 1960.
George had a 100 Six, which he campaigned in various Northland Car Club events, especially Hill Climbs.
John Windelburn sent me this photo of George Lawton at a Hill Climb near Waipu, in 1958.
It is not Puhipuhi Road which is further North.
" Oldfart " has mentioned the name of the road on TRS previously, couldn't find the notes in my quick search.
Attachment 75545
George Lawton at Puhipuhi Road - believed to be in 1957 - Brian Skudders - Northland Car Club archives
Attachment 75546
George also had a Cooper Bobtail - the two cars seen together - posted before. Graham Woods archives
Attachment 75547