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

[Milan Fistonic]

Fred Fowler must have upgraded to the Awstin.

[Roger Dowding]

Fred Fowler must have upgraded to the Awstin.

Must send that to him, Milan, brilliant !!

Have sent Fred a copy - he appreciated it,

Cheers
Roger

[Roger Dowding]

Some magnificent photos in this article.

Attachment 67139

Picking this up from Milan's post in 2020 #1060.
Must be two articles in " Supercar Classics " Magazine from 1989. on Austin Healey and the Healey's -
A " Geoffrey Healey Interview " also features.

Have not seen the Magazine.

Recently dug out an N Z Classic Driver Magazine from 2015 Issue #60 - May - June 2015- which features two AH articles, one on VOK490 the Record Breaking LHD 100 Six, from 1958 that became a works 3000 Rally and Race Car in 1960,
As mentioned the car is in New Zealand and was owned by the late Peter Riley, and is now with his son Tim Riley.
Peter Riley was interviewed while in New Zealand to visit his son and family in 2015 by Tony Haycock for NZ Classic Driver and was met by some AH Club people including Malcolm Currie who presented Peter with an AHCCNZ Car Badge.
The interview also features in the magazine as noted on the cover.

[Roger Dowding]

Had collected other photos of the 100 Six Record Breaker the Left Hand Drive BN4 from 1957/58 that became a Right Hand Drive 3000 in 1960.
They include the Black and White photo of the Car and Drivers at the Record Attempts at Montlhery [ - spelling must check as seen it as Monthlery too. ** MontLhery is correct - known Linas - Montlhery and is located about 30km from Paris ]

Details on Wikipaedia ;
" Autodrome de Montlhéry (established 4 October 1924) is a motor racing circuit, officially called L’autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry, owned by Utac, located south-west of the small town of Montlhéry about 30 km (19 mi) south of Paris. "

Drivers were: Gyde Horrocks, John Clarke, Rupert Jones, Ray Simpson, Bill Summers, Arthur Taylor, Tom Threlfall,(also drove) Marcus Chambers.


The car in later years - as the Works 3000 with Jack Sears Autograph, he drove it in a few events.



The Chassis Plate form the car showing its 100 SIX Left Hand Drive heritage BN4 - a 100 Six Model L - Left hand Drive, from the NZ Classic Driver article - Tony Haycock.



The car also appears on the Front Cover of the " Reverend " Rupert Jones Book, Rupert Jones was a BMC Works Driver



Marcus Chambers was the head of BMC Works Team at the time of the Record Attempts and was one of the Drivers. Rupert Jones was also a Driver at the event.

Plan of the Circuit - presume that the BMC CUAC Team used the Oval version. top right, the full circuit, described here as the " Grand Circuit " is 12.5 km.



Was difficult to find a map of the circuit in suitable format and size.

[Roger Dowding]

A good group of Austin Healey cars and people at the Ellerslie Concour, and there was the Brit-Euro in Wellington.
My friend John Vevers posted around 60 photos in one group on the BLENZ Facebook page including the Austin Healey group.
Know several of the cars from my time in the club and have seen them since - a couple last year on the Grand Tour.
The Yellow 100 SIX came from Kerikeri and is now with a recent owner in Auckland as noted by Ross Cammick.
" but has recently been bought out of KeriKeri and used to belong to Tom Clark from Campbells Bay. The new owner lives in Karaka and seems very keen. "
They had 9 cars turnout for the Concour' as part of the AH Club display.



The Valiant Healey - saw it in Tauranga last March, with owner Grant MacKenzie.



Old Mate BMC BOY - 1959 AH 3000. a 2 Seater car, I think - checking as on wires not the Minilites that were on his car last time I saw it several years ago, and in photos from back then too !!.
Ross Cammick advises that it is his car back on the Chrome Wires and a little while ago he removed the Chrome Bootrack too.



A late model 3000 a BJ8.



a 1961 Tri-Carb model 3000, left hand drive - ex USA and Canada, car owned by Mark Donaldson, the founder of the AHCC in New Zealand back in 1972.



The Tri-carb again with a group of AH's
- the wide wheeled and flared 100, I am wondering whose it is.?? - question now answered 13 Feb.
[ Has plate MY100.. but that does not show on Carjam. ].
Plate partly hidden - actual Plate is MY1008 and is car known as the 100 Eight [ 100/8 ] in the Austin Healey Club since the 1970's when it was first rebuilt with a V8 by Reg Whittaker, he still owns it and it went to the Concours' with BMC BOY Ross Cammick and the Red wire wheeled early 3000 in the photos.
Ross has sent me pictures of the car, which is a bit different from when I last saw it in the late 1980's - around 1990 actually.
Car no longer has the Roll Bar I remember from the mid 1970's - 80's.
- More to come on the 100 Eight.

" Year: 1954
Make: AUSTIN
Model: HEALEY
Colour: RED
Body Style: Sports Car
VIN: 7AT00T07X21133829
Plate: MY1008
Engine No: COVERED
Chassis: 6253
CC rating: 5,736cc (5.7l)
Fuel Type: Petrol "



A couple of Engines to follow in the next post.

[Roger Dowding]

Austin Engine in a 100 SIX. Thought it was the " 100 SIX MM " that was once White with a Black Mille Miglia Hardtop and owned by Mark Donaldson back in the early 1970's.

Had been informed not the MHD car, however it is now [ 1st March 2024 ] listed for sale in Papakura and described as a " 1958 BN4 100 SIX MM " - Mille Miglia,
Mark's car also described as a MM Mille Miglia model - did have the plate HY1006 !.
HY1006 Plate is still on Carjam for a 1959 AH 100 Six, the car now Red, was White with Black Hardtop in the early 1970's

This car shows plate AH1006 - more work to do, as that plate does not appear on Carjam nor does AHI006 !! Wonder what the real Registration is ?? - with the car for sale on Trade Me Motors.
More to come on this 100 SIX MM have found more photos.



Chrysler Engine in a 100 SIX.



Can't believe everything on Carjam ..
The Valiant Healey details - 2300 cc - was 2639cc - when built as the 100 SIX, much bigger now.

" 1957
Make: AUSTIN
Model: HEALEY
Colour: PURPLE
Body Style: Sports Car
Plate: SN3000
Engine No: 26CUH47347
Chassis: BN4S47347
CC rating: 2,300cc (2.3l)
Fuel Type: Petrol "

More to come on the Concour and the cars.

[Roger Dowding]

The Reg Whittaker V8 powered 1954 AH 100.

" Year: 1954
Make: AUSTIN
Model: HEALEY
Colour: RED
Body Style: Sports Car
VIN: 7AT00T07X21133829
Plate: MY1008
Engine No: COVERED
Chassis: 6253
CC rating: 5,736cc (5.7l)
Fuel Type: Petrol "
Unsure what the engine is - probably a Chevrolet, think the car has had a couple of V8 motors over the years.
With Reg freshening it up in recent years the side vents have got larger and the Roll Bar has been removed.
Have ridden in the car a few times back in the 1980's at or to events with Reg and the AH Club.

The car in 1976 at New Plymouth - my photo - posted early in this thread.



Feb 2024 in Auckland before the Concour'









More to come as I get the details.

Reg Whiitaker was a School Teacher in Otuau and Waiuku and responsible for the Club having the Maioro Road Otaua Hill Climbs as he knew most of the locals - taught their children and getting approval was relatively easy, then a quick application to the Frankiin District Council and the Club was set.

As noted on this thread the AHCCNZ ran the event from 1983 to 1990, and then handed it over to the MG Car Club, as we were a small Club and getting helpers proved harder as the event went on.

It is still run and as noted by ERC the MG Club, including Derek Prior and ERC in the 1990's and others more recently MGCC run a good event which now also supported by the Waitemata Branch of the VCC, after they lost the Chelsea Sugar Works event " Chelsea Walsh " in 2017.

[Roger Dowding]

Car Show weekend - Brit-Euro Trentham, Wellington.
A busy time in two of our cities for the Healey people and many other British and European " Marque " owners.

Photos from Digby Paape the Austin Healey's at the Brit - Euro. photo of 3, 3000's one of which - the Green over Ivory car LM3000 has been around the AH Club scene since the early 1970's.







LM3000, was originally GM171 and all BR Green when first in New Zealand, was owned by Bill Clouston and went to Les and Shirley Meggett in the mid 1970's, as GM171, with Les getting his initials on the later plate.
Car was sold a couple of years ago but still in the Wellington area



Thanks Digby for the photos.
The Paape family have a strong Motoring and Motorsports heritage - father Godfrey was a founding member of the Otago Sports Car Club and an early ANZCC committee member in the late 1940's - also on the Organising Committee of the Dunedin Festival Street Races - he raced an Austin A90 Atlantic in the 1950's at Dunedin and other local " Otago " events. The A90 ran the same motor as the first of the Austin Healey cars the " 100 " BN1 and BN2 - 1953 - 56.

[Roger Dowding]

Running rather late - a few photos from the stop-over - Night at The Armitage, Tauranga last year.









The Official Vehicle and Trailer that carried a lot of the Clubs " Stuff " - driven by Allan Horner and another AH Guy.
Here Allan left and Mark Donaldson front are sorting something out !!



Finally got to download the photos today to my new laptop, and also photos from the Pahoia Car Show yesterday.
Only One Healey there Fred Fowlers 3000, which did the Grand Tour.

Fred's car at Pahoia, this year , was there last time in Feb 2021 as well.

[Roger Dowding]

The last few 100S AHS3905 to AHS3910 were delivered to various owners in July and August 1955.
AHS3905 through Larke Hoskins Sydney, 3906, and 3907 went to Australia as did AHS3909, to Austin in Melbourne
AHS3908 came to New Zealand, through Austin New Zealand to Seabrook Fowlds and the last car AHS3910 went to Sweden.

AHS3906
Taken at South Wharf, Port Melbourne (opposite GMH plant) in late 1955, this photo of 3906 after it had been unloaded from the ship was taken by Robert Jones of Corowa and passed to Jim McConville. It is the earliest known photograph of the car. archive Ivo Visser.



AHS3908
Ross Jensen in the 1956 New Zealand Grand Prix meeting archive Clas Arleskar



AHS3908
Harvey Kibble of Wellington with the car in 1970 at the Alexander Road Hill Climb Car has full windscreen and as noted the grille does not look right. the car had been raced and damaged for many years by then.
Origin of the photo not known, It does appear in the Allan Dick article in NZ Classic Driver issue #70 Jan-Feb 2017.



Owners of the car after Ross Jensen, were Graham Pierce then many owners including Frank Wilkin who had a " heavy road accident " the to Ivan Cranch, Auckland Car Club President in 1960/61, carried out the repairs including the " New " grille.
Later owners were Peter Sullivan, P Crocker, Glen Hunt, then Dexter Dunlop and Harvey Kibble.

Glen Hunt, wrote this story recently about his time with the car.
the article was a post on the Fb group Austin Healey 100S.

" Hi I’m Glenn Hunt one of the previous owners of the AHS 3908 and after reading your article thought you might be interested in a couple of my experiences with the car.
I owned the car in the early ‘70’s when I was 19.
I entered a Wellington car club hill climb at Log Whare hill near Hunterville and I remember my legs turning to jelly as I began my first start.
I never got out of first gear for that hill climb because you could get up to 60 mph in first! I think I got 2nd overall that day.
Another memory is on a drive from Bulls to Wellington- I used 44 gallons of fuel - I was rather fortunate my father owned a gas station!
On another trip to Hawkes Bay I was travelling along the Takapau plains passing 4 or 5 cars when I noticed a traffic officer parked in a farmers gateway - as I zoomed by his head turned as if he were watching a tennis match!! I quickly turned up a side road, lit a cigarette and waited! He soon zoomed past with his siren going. I think I was doing 120 mph. He was in a Holden - top speed around 85mph! "

[Roger Dowding]

George Lawton, from Northland, was a regular competitor with Northland Car Club, in his Austin Healey 100 SIX, and also ran a Cooper T39 Bobtail around 1959/60, he raced the Healey in 1957 and on after that.

Have seen photos of George in the Healey at Puhipuhi Hill Climb run by NCC and also with his Cooper.

John Windelburn, was another NCC, NSCC, ACC and Pukekohe CC competitor and worked on the Healey. John recently sent me this photo of the car - emerging from his workshop. undated but was before he took it to the South Island for the racing there. Car has the 1956 - 61 plates on it [ AH 100 Six were released in 1957, and George went to Europe in 1960 ].



The car at Puhipuhi Road Hill Climb, also from John Windelburn archives;



The Healey and the Cooper from Graham Woods archives - photographer not known. - posted before.



As is known George Lawton was sadly killed in an accident at Roskilde Circuit in Denmark in the year he arrived in Europe the 1960.
" born 14 Jan 1939 Wellington; died 10 Sep 1960 Roskilde, "

Brian Skudder of NCC wrote a short history / tribute to George Lawton back in 2010 for the Northland Car Club.

a link to the history ;

" https://www.ncc.org.nz/index_htm_fil...ry_updated.pdf "

hope it works.

[Roger Dowding]

Back to past and a visit to a Wreckers Yard in Eugene, Oregon 31st August 1982.

Foreign Parts West, was full of Old British Cars, Austin Healeys, Jaguars [ had an XK120 Jaguar on the roof ]Triumphs and others.



Some Triumphs - where the new [ secondhand ] bonnet for my TR4A came from - probably off one of these !.



The Austin Healey Pile - lots stacked up. Ross Cammick photo.
Myself with Bryan and Brenda Harris, the " Four Kiwi's in a Kombi ".



The Wrecking Yard closed a few years ago, according to an Austin Healey [ and Jaguar ] Mate in Salem Oregon, Jerry Luidahl. I would image that Bob had well and truly retired by then.

2699 Prairie Road, Eugene, is now a transport and storage area with containers and Machinery on the site.

Post #224 has the montage of photos as in the Album done in 1982/83 after the Big Trip to the USA and UK.

The Memory was jogged by this photo from John Vevers an Austin / BMC / BL guy.

definitely Healey and TR memory Lane.

[Roger Dowding]

More " borrowed " photos. AHS3907 was imported into Australia along with AHS3906 that went to Stan Jones, father of Grand Prix Formula One driver Alan Jones, Stan won the first Ardmore - NZ Grand Prix in 1954 in his Maybach Racer.

AHS3907 in the pit area - Fishermans Bend Race Track Melbourne .. so not at Albert Park, ?
the site of the Australian Grand Prix
A different event to the Programme below - same driver but different Race number

Photos Ivo Visser.



Moomba Races - an event I didn't know of - at Albert Park, Melbourne.
The cover of the Programme - March 11th 1956.



The Entry lists and a photo of #43.



AHS3908 with Ross Jensen was at Albert Park in 1956 too !!.
The Grand Prix meeting in November 1956,

With those 60.608 plates on.



Here at the refueling Depot of " SHELL " - the Royal Dutch Shell Petroleum Company, of days gone by.



The above photo appeared in the NZ Classic Driver story on the car by Allan Dick, as part of a montage on the inside cover. Issue #70 from 2017.

The Stan Jones car AHS3906 #42 with the feature car AHS3907 beside #43.

[Roger Dowding]

Austin Healey 100 SIX MM - Mille Miglia.

The car was the Ellerslie Concour recently and I was advised it had recently come to be in Auckland.
It is now for sale - and from photos provided has the " Hardtop " that part of the " MM " model variant.

- The photos are from Trade Me - Motors.
Interestingly there are half a dozen " Big " Healeys for sale at the moment all 6 Cylinder and ranging from 1959 to 1963 models so 100 SIX and early - mid model 3000's BN7 and BJ7.



The car with the Hardtop fitted - in White, and in the Wet..



On a better day,



The Interior



Two of the other cars for sale are ;
" XY4034 " a 1963 BJ7, originally Left Hand Drive " HBJ7l21965 " in Metallic Blue over Ivory/White
- XY plate issued in 1999.
Have realised this is the ex Allan Horner car that he sold a year or two ago, - my photos on this thread from June 2020 at Caffeine and Classics.
Allan still has his Twincam [ Toyota powered ] Sprite with the modified nose that he does Targa and Classic Trial racing.
and
" 63BJ7 " also a 1963 BJ7 " HBJ7L207978 " also originally LHD in Red. First Reg in NZ in 1997
6

[Roger Dowding]

" " XY4034 " a 1963 BJ7, originally Left Hand Drive " HBJ7l21965 " in Metallic Blue over Ivory/White
- XY plate issued in 1999.
Have realised this is the ex Allan Horner car that he sold a year or two ago, - my photos on this thread from June 2020 at Caffeine and Classics. "

The photos from Trade Me Motors, in Christchurch now Feb/Mar 2024.







Under the Bonnet.



The interior



One of my photos from C and C Smales Farm June 2020.

[Roger Dowding]

UOC741 The first 6 cylinder Rally/Race Car.

This 100 SIX was described as " The first of the standard-bodied sixes, UOC741, was to become the link between the Warwick-built competition cars and the Abingdon-built rally cars.
Originally prepared and developed for competition use at Warwick [ DHMC - Donald Healey Motor Company - The Cape, Warwick. ] at the instigation of DMH's old friend, Tommy Wisdom, it subsequently went to Abingdon to become the first of their rally Healey's. UOC741 incorporated the 100S strengthening gussets and larger rear dampers, " quote from the Geoff Healey book - " Austin Healey - The Specials "

Austin's publicity department had used the car as a promotional vehicle - as seen with this photo.



The cars first event was the 1957 Mille Miglia, where it appeared with a cut down windscreen - seen here at Scrutineering with Co Driver Cecil Winby - photo by George Phillips for Autosport Magazine taken at Brescia 1957.
Driver was Tommy Wisdom, a long time friend of Donald Healey and had co-written the first book on the marque " The Austin Healey " published in 1959.



The Car leaving the startline - Entry #414.



The car at the finish, crossing the line. The car had already competed in the Sestriere Rally in March 1957 with his daughter Ann - Ann Wisdom went on the be Pat Moss' Navigator / Co-driver for the BMC Works Team in Austin Healey's, Morris Minors and various Austin Saloons, A40 Farina's A90 and A95's et al.
" Tommy competed with the same car in the Mille Miglia race with Cecil Winby. They won their class and finished 37th out of the field of 365 cars. "
quote - - " The story of the Big Healeys " Geoffrey Healey. "



The car Rally prepared, here in England prior to the Monte Carlo Rally of January 1958

as noted " And so to 1958 and the Monte Carlo Rally, for which Wisdom's Mille Miglia car was prepared to be driven by Tommy himself " .. " atrocious weather conditions. Ice and snow were feet deep on the roads, especially on the route from Paris, from which the ' 100 Six ' started. Almost the entire Paris entry of nearly 90 cars foundered during the first hours of the run, and Wisdom .. was no exception. "
quote - " The Austin Healey " Donald Healey - Tommy Wisdom. "



The car appears to be a medium colour " Blue " over White or Ivory but was in fact Two shades of Green.

The only colour photos I can find are very blurry and the colours not clear.
However, my 1;43 scale Corgi Model shows the two greens, Spruce Green over Florida Green - I have been told recently.



The other model has a connection as is URX727 which was one of the Big Healeys, a 3000 rallied by Pat Moss and Ann Wisdom as well as others from the BMC Team

More to come on UOC741 and its BMC Team and Private Entrant Rally History.

[Roger Dowding]

Austin Healey 100 SIX - UOC741 a bit more.

The 1958 TULPEN Rally [ Tulip ] Jack Sears and Peter Garnier.



an unknown driver and event - Race no #107, but who, where, when ??



By 1960 the car was in private ownership, and here in the 1960 RAC Rally 21st - 26th November driven by P [ Peter ? ] Smith and G Bryant. Car No #5.



A Tulpen - Tulip - Rally Car Plaque, from another Big Healey BMC Entry, PMO202 in 1959, of Pat Moss and Ann Wisdom
- [ later Ann Riley, married to works driver Peter Riley. ].



A Minimodels 1;43 Scale model of UOC741 in its Monte Carlo Rally guise 1958 #264 Tommy Wisdom and J Hay. - see previous post. Gives those unusual colours Green over Green.

[Roger Dowding]

Garage sign from; Warrens Auto Service, 212 Lee St, Kingsland, Georgia USA - archive Ray Donovan

[Roger Dowding]

The car built by DHMC was entered at Le Mans in 1953 Race #33, it had issues and the entry was the car SPL226B which had the plate NOJ393, however, DHMC put the NOJ391 plates on the car as it had been cleared through scrutineering.

The two NOJ391 cars at Le Mans. the lower picture is actually SPL226B - NOJ393
Note the standard solution to getting heat from the engine compartment - the slightly raised rear edge of the bonnet. My 100 was like that from 1984 onwards, - purchased in 1983. longer bolts on the bonnet latch with spacers.



No #33 and the two entered cars #33 and #34 with the Nash Healey entries



NOJ391 at Goodwood later in 1953



NOJ391 on display at the 1953 Earls Court Motor Show.



The car was rebodied - modified to be a 100S, with the Oval Grille Central Fuel Filler and other 100S mods - Disc Brakes etc.

[Roger Dowding]

The accident damage that occurred during practice - before the swap of number plates with onto NOJ393 to enter the 1953 Le Mans Race. Robert Visser archives.



NOJ391 at another event - details not known but before it became a 100S. SPL224B. Ivo Visser archives



Another couple of photos of NOJ391 at Goodwood on 22nd August 1953. Rainer Jordan archives
At speed on track.



In the pits around the time of an earlier photo posted. R Jordan arch.