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

[Ray Bell]

Isn't the coupe a 4000, Roger?

[Roger Dowding]

Isn't the coupe a 4000, Roger?

Ray, unsure about that - they made a couple of 4000's - now I have do some research, Some rather non BMC looking tail lights too !!
We have a Rego Number so some experts will know more [ NAC 3430F is probably not the original - unsure when the Letter after the numbers came in ] Cheers.
Roger D.

[ERC]

Re the UK plates - suffix.

Originally, from 1963, it was Jan 1st to December 31st, but the trade weren't happy as sales tailed off towards the end of the year as even though the car might have been built in 1964 in June or July, it could be sitting in the showrooms for months or in some cases, years, unsold, but the date it was first registered was the date on the paperwork and plates.

So, in 1967 they changed the date from August 1st to July 31st. In that format (it changed again a few years later) and earlier, the last two letters denoted the place where it was first registered, so with 'NAC', the 'AC' was Warwickshire - which of course included Coventry.

It is now part of the West Midlands - which includes Birmingham.

A = 1963
B = 1964
C = 1965
D = 1966
E = 1967 January to end July
F = 1967 Aug 1st to July 31st 1968
G = 1968 - 1969
H = 1969 - 1970
J = 1970 - 1971

My Marcos was first registered in the UK as EMT 128 J, built September 1970 by Hexagon of Highgate.

I also have a Greeves single motorbike (part restored) with a pre 1963 plate of '55 CEW' - the plate (in the UK - and it is still on their system) is apparently worth far more than the bike... Sensible offers accepted.



"The West Midlands is a metropolitan county and city region in western-central England with a 2014 estimated population of 2,808,356, making it the second most populous county in England after Greater London. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire."

[Ray Bell]

BLMC was formed on January 17, 1968, and that's what led to the demise of the 4000 project. Six chassis were built.

[Roger Dowding]

BLMC was formed on January 17, 1968, and that's what led to the demise of the 4000 project. Six chassis were built.

Interesting Ray, Geoff Healey's book " Healey the Specials "mention 3 of the Rolls Royce powered " 4000 ' cars being built [widened 3000 body and chassis ] one of which was saved and restored.

The Coupe in the above photo was the second version with a shortened tail, the original long tail [ similar length to the 3000 Roadster / Convertible ] was made earlier from a Sebring Race car and Registered " DAC 130C " which makes it a 1965 year registration -presumably from the Original Roadster cars build time.
The F Designation of the short tailed car [ pictured ] looking and " ERC's " notes would be 1967.

With no specific dates of the builds in the book, only the chassis numbers would determine original production of the Roadsters that became the two Coupes.
It seems that the work was being done in 1967/68, ahead of the RR powered cars which as Ray Bell says were killed off in 1968 - the last year of 3000 production, and in 1969/70 the Donald Healey contract was terminated - the 1970 Mark 4 Sprites - were " Austin Sprite " models not " A-H Sprite " models.
The two Coupes became transport for Donald - the first car - replacing his 100 Coupe, and Geoff the second short tail car.

Thanks to Ray B and Ray G = ERC for the information [ ERC was about to Google British Registrations when you replied,]
Cheers

PS - must gather more photos and expand on the " Specials " Coupe's and the RR cars.

[Roger Dowding]

An archive photo of " AHS 3908 " at a Seabrook Fowlds display, looks like at an A and P Show type event, can see a Marquee / Tent in the background and a line up of Austin Trucks and Cars.



AHS 3908 still lives in New Zealand, in Dunedin, as covered on this thread and was the subject of a story by Allan Dick in NZ Classic Driver in January 2017 - issue #70.

[Oldfart]

While not totally relevant, the current (from year 2001) plates have letters as a "regional identifier, then 2 numbers, first part of the year from March will be this year 19, then part way through , September, add 50, so will become 69. Sharon was offered a choice of several suffix letters, chose GNU.

[Ray Bell]

To wrap up on the 4000 story, what I was told was that they laid down six chassis, three cars were completed (as Geoff Healey said) and they were all sold off - including the chassis - when the decision to abandon came. Later the buyers of the incomplete cars finished them off.

And on a totally different subject:

Meeting an old bloke at the weekend who had a pic of a Healey at the start of a hillclimb led me on a detail chase which unearthed this:

http://www.healeyvic.com.au/1302.pdf

There's a history article in there well worth reading.

[Roger Dowding]

A Couple of random photos of Austin Healey's and Ladies ..

posted before - now believed to be from Life Magazine and shot in Los Angeles in the mid 1950's



Now moving to 1959 - 1960 a smaller Healey but maybe longer Legs ..posted by Tom Colby from the USA on a Fb page..

When I reposted it on " Austin Healey Historic Pictures " received a bit of negative comment from a gentleman and he commented about an " elderly man " posting things that were not Historic and wanting to know what the Admin Guy for the page was doing !!! .



My apologies in advance if anyone is offended ..

[928]

I like the mat under the engine/gearbox for the oil leaks

[Ray Bell]

I'm told I'm an elderly man...

I didn't notice the mat.

[Roger Dowding]

I'm told I'm an elderly man...

I didn't notice the mat.

It wasn't You- Ray

[Milan Fistonic]

I think this was the only Austin Healey at the Thames Wings and Wheels last Saturday.

[Roger Dowding]

received these images from Ewart Stronach, a Kiwi - now lives in Melbourne - he has this folder of the " Booklet " -
Have borrowed a couple of pages on Austin's and Austin Healey's - the " Booklet " is worth about AUD 40 .. - would have thought worth more !!!.


The inside leaf - all in a ring binder -
Front Cover is a Deep RED ..

The Austins and Austin Healey's - there are more Austins on the previous page to this one.



and the Austin Healey 100M - a close -up ;

[Ray Bell]

Did we get to this one yet?

[Roger Dowding]

Did we get to this one yet?

Wow Ray - I used to buy Sports Car World in the mid-late 1960's was a good magazine - thanks for the cover photo ..

[Milan Fistonic]

Austin Healeys featured on the cover of SCW quite a few times in the fifties and early sixties. These are from April 1957, when SCW first appeared, to the end of 1965.

[Milan Fistonic]

..and the rest









The yellow Sprite on the cover of the October 1960 magazine was designed and built by Stan Brown and Clive Adams, the same people who did the Prad Healey, pictured on the front of the mag that Ray posted.

[Roger Dowding]

Milan, Thanks as always you have great information and archives. Those Covers are great ..

Probably had a few of those in the day..Enjoyed the Magazine - as it covered a lot of cars we could see in New Zealand..

and to follow here is a piece from a Tintin Book [ in French ] about an Austin Healey 3000 2 + 2 Coupe - which does exist..





and time for a small Healey, well a Big Healey but in small scale - all these images from Karsten Stelk,a Healey Guy in Europe.

[Roger Dowding]

Posted by Warren Kennedy on " Austin Healey Owners Fb page ;

Warren notes ;" The first photo shows X8 after the body was fitted that was removed from X5. After the Disastrous effort at Le Mans with the French Drivers the body was again removed and re-cycled to a Silverstone E56. X8 was then rebodied and renumbered to match X14.This was the body that gave Gerry Coker the inspiration for the 100/4 "

The pictures ;





The cars here are in fact the Nash Healey entries by the Donald Healey Motor Company at Le mans in 1952.
The number 10 car finished 3rd in 1952 - the 11 car [ the faster car ] retiring during the race with engine trouble
One car #11 had a Hemi-head modified to fit the Nash 6 cylinder engine
- source - Brooklands Book " Le Mans - The Jaguar Years - 1949 - 1957

The number #11 car X5 was as raced in 1950 where as #14 it came 4th ..