The Cobra would also date it as 1962 or later...
Love that last pic with the overpass and the XK looking like it's being pedalled very hard.
The Cobra would also date it as 1962 or later...
Love that last pic with the overpass and the XK looking like it's being pedalled very hard.
The " Austin - Healey Car Club of New Zealand Inc " was Officially incorporated in early 1973, after a group of Austin Healey enthusiasts got together at Mark Donaldson's house in 1972 - Mark had purchased an Austin Healey in 1971.
The Club is to celebrate its 50th Anniversary this year and as part of the celebration is ;
" The Austin-Healey Car Club of New Zealand's 50th Anniversary Grand Tour ; 16th March to 10th April 2023.
The Grand Tour will travel from Auckland to Invercargill via Tauranga March 18th, Turangi and Havelock North, arriving in Greytown on March 22nd.
Then to Wellington and across Cook Strait to to Blenheim 23rd March, through Hanmer to Christchurch March 29 -31 and then on to Dunedin 31st March 1 st April and to Invercargill on April 2nd.
Grand Tour actually finishes on April 4th, some are off to Wheels at Wanaka for Easter April 7th - 9th.
Heard about the Official Dinner in Auckland [ Karaka ] on March 16th and the Grand Tour from Mark Donaldson when we were at the NSCC Reunion back in August.
Details are now in the Classic Driver Magazine along with the feature article on 6 different Austin Healeys, a 100 M spec 4, 100S Replica, 100 Six, 3000 and a Bugeye [now MK1 ] Sprite also a Jensen Healey.
Healey and Jensen Healey cars have always been welcome in the Club..
Jensen Healeys were new cars in 1973,first released in 1972.
Hope to catch up with the Tour when they come through Tauranga and get a few photos.
More to come on the Grand Tour as it goes on.
The Tour is staying at the " Armitage Hotel " complex on Saturday the 18th as an overnight stop.
Will try to find out the time, for us locals .. - Nigel Watts !!
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 03-06-2023 at 05:22 AM. Reason: sentence missing ###47
This Austin Healey, one of several built apparently, put a modern style [ for the time ] GT Coupe body on the 3000 chassis and mechanicals.
Had first seen a bit about the car in one of the " Tintin " books - published by the Belgium Author a few years ago.
The Tintin image - the page from the book.
Another copy of the image with the Tintin Book- the notes were translated by Google as noted.
The car was styled by " Pininfarina " - by some of his younger stylists / designers.
One version of the real car.
Not much detail on these ..
A custom Healey 100 .. with an A C - Cobra -esque nose .. used on the A C Bristol and and A C Zephyr well before the Cobra.
This photo is in one of the Geoff Healey books on the Austin Healey marque - the first one, the story of the " Big Healey "
## - The Six 100s and two Austin [ Nash ] Metropolitans - all bound for Sebring 1955 Race.
The 100S were AHS3501 to AHS3506 4 were White [ Ivory ] over Blue [ Lobelia ] AHS3502, 3503, 3505 and 3506, one AHS3501 the Briggs Cunningham Car was White with Blue Stripes the 6th car was BR Green the Jackie Cooper car AHS3504
A Dutch Healey Club meeting with a group of cars at Zandvoort Race Track in 1993.
Healey Silverstone [ Riley 2.4 litre Hi-cam motor ] on the inside and a Sprite on the outside and all the others behind them - on track.
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 10-07-2023 at 04:58 AM. Reason: Notes added ## The Six .. #47
Heard yesterday that Craig Swift passed away after a short illness on the 6th of March.
Met Craig first in 1977 at the Austin Healey Rally at New Plymouth and at many rallies after that that.
Craig, along with Ross Cammick, Bryan and Brenda Harris and myself all left Auckland in July 1982 to attend the " 30th Anniversary of the Austin Healey " at Snowmass and travelled together over the next few weeks, to Colorado and back and around Los Angeles, before Craig went to New York and the other 4 bought the VW Kombi and toured the West Coast of the USA for the next two months.
Had heard from Bryan that Craig was not good and a few days later Jim Reece advised he had passed.
RIP Craig Swift ..
A few photos - in memory.
The Kiwi contingent at Snowmass in July 1982. Craig in the middle of the back row ..- as named below -
- article by Mark Donaldson NZ Healey Club and photo by Hans Nohr - who organised 5 of us Kiwi's to get from los Angeles to Snowmass and back in 10 Austin Healey's a Lincoln a Jaguar and a couple of other cars ..
Craig sitting in Bill Barnett's 100 at Bill's house in Santa Ana Los Angeles in the top image.
Craigs BJ8 at Rotorua in 1980 - Craig looking in the boot - complete with the " Yellow AHCCNZ T - Shirt "
Craig had bought his AH 3000 in the early 1970's and had worked on it and kept it for well over 20 years.
[ He acquired the Registration Plate HS3000 in 1975 when a lot of " H " plates went to Healey owners to replace the damaged ones - as many did ]
The Tour had a formal Dinner last night in Karaka, South Auckland and the cars will be heading South, towards Tauranga tomorrow.Originally Posted by Roger Dowding
The " Austin - Healey Car Club of New Zealand Inc " was Officially incorporated in early 1973, after a group of Austin Healey enthusiasts got together at Mark Donaldson's house in 1972 - Mark had purchased an Austin Healey in 1971.
The Club is to celebrate its 50th Anniversary this year and as part of the celebration is ;
" The Austin-Healey Car Club of New Zealand's 50th Anniversary Grand Tour ; 16th March to 10th April 2023.
The Grand Tour will travel from Auckland to Invercargill via Tauranga March 18th, Turangi and Havelock North, arriving in Greytown on March 22nd.
Then to Wellington and across Cook Strait to to Blenheim 23rd March, through Hanmer to Christchurch March 29 -31 and then on to Dunedin 31st March 1 st April and to Invercargill on April 2nd.
Grand Tour actually finishes on April 4th, some are off to Wheels at Wanaka for Easter April 7th - 9th.
Heard about the Official Dinner in Auckland [ Karaka ] on March 16th and the Grand Tour from Mark Donaldson when we were at the NSCC Reunion back in August.
Details are now in the Classic Driver Magazine along with the feature article on 6 different Austin Healeys, a 100 M spec 4, 100S Replica, 100 Six, 3000 and a Bugeye [now MK1 ] Sprite also a Jensen Healey.
Healey and Jensen Healey cars have always been welcome in the Club..
Jensen Healeys were new cars in 1973,first released in 1972.
Hope to catch up with the Tour when they come through Tauranga and get a few photos.
More to come on the Grand Tour as it goes on.
The Tour is staying at the " Armitage Hotel " complex on Saturday the 18th as an overnight stop.
Will try to find out the time, for us locals .. - Nigel Watts !!
I understand they will be in small groups, not a convoy, and are coming over the Kaimai's a decision made because of the flooding in the Gorge.
The are approx 80 people attending some or part of the Tour [ a few doing the South Island only ].
Hoping to see people I have not seen in 25 or so years ..
Have to get out the memorabilia.. and dress appropriately.
Saw the group in Tauranga and have photos to download..
In the interim there are these from Fred Fowler from Omokoroa who is on the tour.
The cars at Greytown today 22nd March.
Tomorrow they head for Wellington and the Cook Strait Ferry,
The car closest to camera is the " Valiant Healey " powered by a 225 ci slant six Valiant Motor,it was towing a Healey shaped trailer - the rear was a Fibreglass moulding of an AH 3000 rear shroud and boot -owner Grant Mackenzie rebuilt the car and built the trailer.
More to come both my own photos and others posted by Tour people..
February 2024 - finally out some of my Grand Tour photos from the overnight stay at Taraunga.
As they say in those Cheese Ad's " Good things take Time ".
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 02-21-2024 at 06:02 AM.
The Grand Tour in the central North Island on 19/20th March.
They left Tauranga 19th and overnighted at Turangi
The Valiant Healey with Trailer, behind is the support AUdi which is driven by the Alan's Allan Horner and Alan Johnstone.
It has the Club Logos on the door and is towing a trailer to help the participants.
The names starts with the right letters ..
Grant McKenzie [correct spelling ] and others including Frank Karl
The group at dinner. Alister Rayner from Queensland on the right Alister owns the Recreation of AHS3601
[ AHS 3601 R ] The car built /recreated by Steve Pike in Australia.
Alister is driving a BN1 AH 100 with registration BNI which is usually at Highland Motorsport Park in the collection there.
These photos appeared on the AHCCNZ Facebook page and have been " borrowed ".
Sebring 1955, the Austin Healey entry list was large ..
6 100S customer cars, including the Briggs Cunningham AHS3501 - the first chassis number, as private entries.
DHMC Donald Healey Motor Company entered a works car SPL258BN, and there were 3 100's also private entries.
The images are of a pit stop of the S Moss Lance Macklin driven car - part of Clas Arleskar vast archives.
The car with Moss behind the wheel.
Moss in the 100S passing a Porsche - and the placings in the race.
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 04-01-2023 at 04:08 AM.
A few photos from people on the Tour posted on the AH Club Facebook page.
This 100 is not on the Tour as not fully finished but it did turn up at one of the stops -[ Christchurch ].
100s, a Jensen Healey and 3000s ..
some Sprites -including the Malcolm Currie one, must find out which one !!.
** details on the Sprite photo. from Malcolm Currie.
Left the Tony Van de Water AN5 758, next is Ray [last name not known also from Blenheim in the Red car which is in Concours condition a 1960 model, and on the right is Malcolm Currie's car a 1959 model.
- Must pull up the Registration details and get more info from Malcolm Currie
Just realised that the first sprite - on the left is one of the first Sprites built AN5758 with plate BS4308 and is the 257th one built and probably the oldest in New Zealand.
Owned by Tony Van de Water .. have added a photo of the cars at Masterton in 1989 .. same Roll Bar same widened wheels
Just re-reading a 2017 issue of NZ Classic Driver, which has the article on John Crook and his AH 100, came across these two "Dusty Images " from Allan Dick archives..
Stated to be George Lawton in 1956 .. with the plate 60*608..
Have another image of that car with the same plate at Puhipuhi Road Hill Climb in 1956 ..
The other photo is the ex Arthur Kennard Healey Corvette .. some discussion as to who is driving it !!
The page from NZ CD.
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 04-02-2023 at 11:03 PM. Reason: more info #### 47
I wonder when the Valiant Healey got its engine transplant...
Mainly because the Hemi 6 would be so much lighter and more powerful, but if it was done before Hemi 6s were available I'd understand it, also if engine length was critical.
Today's Australian Grand Prix saw a parade of the drivers sitting in Austin-Healeys:
Ray,
" I wonder when the Valiant Healey got its engine transplant...
Mainly because the Hemi 6 would be so much lighter and more powerful, but if it was done before Hemi 6s were available I'd understand it, also if engine length was critical. "
The original transplant was back in the late 70's early 1980's and is the 225 CI slant six - to fit under the bonnet of the Healey.
Had a bit of a chat with the current owner Grant McKenzie and will find out more about the car after the Tour.
It is now on a Kilmartin Chassis and the 225 is a replacement motor, as at some stage after Bernie Huynen sold the car it was repowered with a V8 but had all sorts of issues and I understand couldn't get " Compliance " so best bet when Grant got the car, back to the Hemi Six, which has been in the car longer than the original BMC " C " series Motor..
** Note the Valiant Healey is still on the " Simmons " Chrome wheels it had in the 1980's.
The Driver parade - AGP Melbourne, thanks for the photos - have seen a few on various Facebook groups,
Cheers
Roger.
PS : have some photos of the other well known Healey with a transplant - the Healey - Corvette, that was at the George Begg Festival in the South Island, the AH Club Tour contingent went, well some did.
Roger
More to come on both the VH and the HC..
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 04-04-2023 at 08:41 AM. Reason: Notes added. ###47
Re ;the Healey - Corvette, that was at the George Begg Festival in the South Island, the AH Club Grand Tour contingent went, well some did, among them Allan Horner.
Allan Horner photos of the car.
The engine in 2023
The engine in 2015, when Allan Dick did an article on the car in NZ Classic Driver. Issue 63 Nov-Dec 2015
A better size of the last photo - previous post
The Hemi 6 would probably be no higher than the slant 6 and certainly less in the way. The slant leans over across the steering and could well interfere with the master cylinders, whereas the Hemi is more like the original engine.
The thought that the slant was leaning over to make a lower bonnet line possible is a phurphy. I realised this when I did some thinking about the Peugeot 404/504 engines, which lean over at 45°, so are much further over than the slant 6's 30°. In the Peugeot it could readily be established that the carby sticking up at an angle from an inlet port that was minimally lower than it would have been had the engine been vertical meant that the engine was no lower overall.
With the slant, the inlet ports were actually higher than they would have been if the engine had been vertical. I set up a diagram to show this once on a forum and got howled down, but the facts are the facts. The centre of gravity would have been very much unchanged, the height at the air cleaner was no different (and that's the kind of thing which truly sets the bonnet clearance or height) while in right hand drive cars they become a maintenance menace.
In left hand drive it made sense, both for Peugeot and for Chrysler. Better access for the steering, column change mechanism, master cylinders etc. The starter motor is more accessible and generally there's more room for things. With the Valiants I believe one of the major considerations was intake runner lengths, though Peugeot didn't worry about that.
A side benefit of the slant is that the water pump can still be centralised in the car and moved back alongside the block, so the engine could be a little shorter overall.
The thought of a Hemi in a Healey is definitely attractive. There's a 260Z running around Brisbane with one in it, the engine's lighter than the Datsun engine, more powerful and fits in well.
The Grand Tour got to Invercargill, and went to Teretonga for the George Begg [ Memorial ] Festival.
A set of photos by Adrian Robertson - who runs [ with others ] the Group " South Island Motorsport " on Facebook.
Published with permission and with a couple of BJ9's - as in others cars, in Healey parlance, like your daily driver or just the other car.
ZKMOG .. saw that car at Caffeine and Classics, Smales Farm, Auckland in May 2017, when just back in NZ and living
" just up the road "
Some of the Healey's and the MOG..
Let this car in as my Uncle Eddie Dowding had a brand new one in 1957,
The ZKMOG.
More to come on the topic..
More from the Festival [ carpark ] -some Racing / Competitor photos to follow.
At the Motel in Invercargill .. John Craig photo ..
Reliant with a Healey Sticker on the back and " AC3000 " with an MGB V8 ? and another Healey in the back of the photo.
Two AH's and the BCM, Lycoming and others at Teretonga Quintin Taylor photo..
AHS3908 - the Seabrook Fowlds, Ross Jensen, and many others car and the Geoff Mardon, Arthur Kennard Healey Corvette.. driven by Eric Swinbourn, the 100S driven by Martin Dippie.
I'm sure Stephen won't mind me posting this here:
Thanks Ray Bell,I'm sure Stephen won't mind me posting this here:
Have seen a few photos of the " Healey " Drivers Parade... quite an honour for the make in its 70th Anniversary of Production and I am advised that they raced the new Austin Healey at the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne in 1953 too !!.
Find anymore, please put them on here !!!.
More to come on the AHCC New Zealand Grand Tour - the 50th Anniversary 1973 - 2023..
A few more photos from Teretonga of the two Austin Healey cars being raced.
AH 100S " AHS3908 " driven by Martin Dippie,
and the
Arthur Kennard " Healey - Corvette " driven by Eric Swinbourn.
Eric was heavily involved in the restoration of the Healey Corvette, helping Lindsay O'Donnell and Dave Bunn make the car a good driveable Racer.
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