Austin-Healey’s and the Austin Healey Car Club of NZ and Others

[Roger Dowding]

Ray Bell - Rod can post anything Healey related on here - look forward to it.

In the meantime this from Karsten Stelk some AH 100's on cards and coasters.

First from NZ a Sanitarium ' Weetbix " series -must be mid 1950's.
Don't remember ever seeing this one.



and some cards and coasters all with AH 100's some artistic licence with the drawings !!

[Ray Bell]

We'll see how it goes with Rod...

He says his filing system is in disarray.

[Ray Bell]

I was quite surprised to see Healeys today...

Driving towards Alice Springs, along a straight stretch of desert road, about eight Healeys in convoy. Fumbled the camera trying to get it up quickly and only got the last two with this very poor shot:

[Roger Dowding]

We'll see how it goes with Rod...

He says his filing system is in disarray.

I know the feeling Ray - I am trying to sort and then resort my photos as I have already used a number Grr.

Thanks for the photo on the road - saw a pair of Healey's near here the other and no camera - you did well !!

[Roger Dowding]

" Forrest Dana, racing in the 1960 Nassau Trophy Race of the 7th Annual International Bahamas Speed Week, on Austin Healey / Chevrolet Corvette 4660cc, finishing 1st in Class C and 23rd overall [10 laps behind the winner]. "

Photo and details from Pieter Bakker;



The 283 ci 4660 cc is the same motor used by Arthur Kennard in his car
The Arthur Kennard car as it looks [ photo January 2018 at Hampton Downs - in the pit area not competing ]. my own photo.



The International Bahamas Speed Week was a huge event on the North American calender, with works teams attending even Europeans in the 1950's 60's
In 1963 Chevrolet with Corvette Grand Sports went with a team of three cars #50,#65 and #80. The first event for the cars.

[Ray Bell]

I knew that the Healeys I saw the other day were doing something special...

So I googled and found on Facebook:

This morning eight big Healeys, led by Charlie and Linda Mitchell, set off from Gooseberry Hill on the start of their marathon 25 day trip around half of Australia. The other seven cars belong to members of the Victorian Austin Healey Club.

They had all left their cars in Perth after the recent National Rally held here in April. Their return journey will take them up the west coast to Darwin then down through the centre of the continent to Alice Springs then on to Port Augusta.

There the Victorian contingent will turn left and head home to Melbourne and the Mitchells will turn right and head home to Perth across the Nullarbor. For those not familiar with Australian geography, that means a journey of some 9500 KMs for Charlie and Linda. Wishing them all a safe and fun filled journey.

Check here:

https://www.facebook.com/Austin-Heal...2126876517709/

I thought there was about eight of them, and they were all nicely polished too. Not only that, but Rod knows Charlie Mitchell.

[Ray Bell]

A different (mis)adventure, this one came up too:

https://classicoutbacktrial.com.au/c...brien-2016-41/

Not what I'd do if I had a Healey!

[Roger Dowding]

Ray thanks for the two links, I knew about the rally to Perth but not the second trip, I guess other Healeys went home after the Rally.
Will have a good read.
Cheers
Roger

[Roger Dowding]

My first Sprite owned mid 1974 to early 1976, had a Roll Bar [ MANZ compliant ] fitted later in 1974.
Here it is in the car - the high tube is the soft top frame - should have taken that out.



The Roll Bar was built and fitted by Reg Cook at his workshop in Papakura.

When the car was sold the Roll Bar and Hard Top were sold separately.

The owner of this car my 3rd Sprite when I bought it in 1978 had bought Hard Top of me in 1976.
When we bought the car in 1978 he was also trying to sell the Hard Top separately. I had to persuade him to sell it to me - it still had the various AH Club stickers on it [ US and NZ ones ] - He agreed.

The car when purchased in 1978 beside " that TR4A "..



The car with hard Top removed so the dog could sit in it - 1980 -no Roll Bar



Here is the car in 1984 [ after it had been sold in 1983 ] fitted with the same type of Roll Bar.
Seen here at Napier - the Austin Healey Car Club National Rally.
A workmate owned the Alfa Romeo in the background - he lived in Napier at the time.



The Dog " Sam " like cars especially Sports Cars .. I think
1981 - The 4th Sprite ..



The car travelled up the road a whole six properties when I bought it - was owned by a neighbour and fellow AHCCNZ member at the time, Frank Coleman - The car because of its colour and owners name was known as -
" The Coleman Mustard Sprite " ..

The car, although scruffy, was very good had a great motor.
- It was modified when I owned - with a Mini Cooper exhaust manifold the pressed steel type [ not cast iron ] with the bottom piece turned 90 degrees.
- The rear shock absorb-ers [ Armstrong Lever Arm ] were replaced by Mini front shocks - removed the axle straps [ stop the axle from dropping to far ] and used the shock to perform the dual roll of shock absorb-er and axle locator -
- It ran 5.5 inch Ford widened rear wheels for a time too !

To complete the Quartet 1974 - 1981/83 [ the Red Mark 3 went to my ex-wife in 1981 sold in 1983 ]..
A photo of the second Sprite the LHD one - ex Canada. as purchased in 1978 - yes brought two Sprites in the same year - this one as a project. 1978 - 1980.

[Roger Dowding]

Unfortunately even I do not have a spare copy of Ralph Watson Special Engineer as otherwise I would send you one. As it happens I loaned the last one I had, to be never returned. :-)

Just scrolling through this, the " Austin Healey " thread, as have found some stuff and making sure it hasn't already been posted when I came across this comment - a reply to " Oldfart " Rhys Nolan about Trevors book and link.
The book has recently been updated and republished I got my copy just the other day.

Trevor's image of the Cover and one of the pages ;



A good read - stories of the cars and their Histories and of Ralph - plus lots of Technical information.

Thanks again Trevor

[Roger Dowding]

This time 37 years ago the " 30th Anniversary of the Austin Healey " was being celebrated in Snowmass [ at Aspen ] Colorado .. Much has been posted of my and Ross [ BMC BOY ] Cammick's photo.
Have just come across the article that was published in the History Book of the event - sent to participants at the event later in 1982.
The story written by Mark Donaldson - who was the co-ordinator for the NZ participants at the event.
Mark traveled from Vancouver BC Canada with his lady Nell Holdstock in her 1961 Tri-carb.







We traveled from Los Angeles - Ventura via Flagstaff and Durango

Reading the last line of Marks article
' Since Snowmass, people have been asking " Will there ever be another one ? " I hope so. In fact we're planning a small one in Wellington, New Zealand capital, in 1984. See you there ? '

' P.S. You've got a year and a half to start saving ' .....

The 1984 Rally was held but not in Wellington it was in the Hawkes Bay - based at a Motor Camp facility in Havelock North .. There was a contingent of West Coast Americans who attended, mainly from Oregon but a couple from California. Was there for that one too !! - photos have been posted.

Traveled in these cars ; The 100 and the Wolseley, the 1275GT stayed home.

[Roger Dowding]

Banner photos Karsten Stelk





The Austin - Austin - Healey lighted dealer sign, Paul O'Neill's recent purchase.



AH 100 on the cover of Autocourse Magazine

[Roger Dowding]

AHS3802 - The car was in New Zealand in the 1960's in the hands of Joss Timms and Fred Losee.
Was in Australia in the 1980's and back in the USA by the 1990's/2000's.

New Zealand in the 1960's



In Australia in 1992 [ disregard note on photo ]



In the USA more recently.



Names of whose archive photos are from is on the photos.

[Roger Dowding]

A post and photo by Karsten Stelk on the pages of " Austin Healey Owners " and " Austin Healey Sprite " Facebook pages with this car

Not much is known but Ghia - Aigle were a Coachbuilding company in Europe with Italian and Swiss connections.

Car described as " Austin Healey Sprite Ghia Aigle " on the back of the Karsten Stelk photo.

Attachment 62652

The car photo in Monchrome and slightly lightened.

Attachment 62653

There is a brief mention of " Ghia - Aigle " in this link.

" http://www.ghia-aigle.info/ "

Attachment 62654