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

[Roger Dowding]

Photos of the " Healey 100 " that became the Austin Healey 100 overnight at the Earls Court Motor Show in late 1952.

Photo of the original prototype before the show - Car has Steel Wheels with hubcaps- The Show car was on wires
- from the archives of Austin Healey Historic Pictures - a Facebook group.



At the Show with Donald Healey and Leonard Lord and apparently a politician ?
Amended / deleted my comment not a 100
- this is a prototype BN4 as noted by Joe Jarick " 100-Six. Sir Anthony Eden was Prime Minister 1955-1957. He was knighted in 1954. "
The BN4 was introduced in 1956. Production from August 1956 to March 1959

and Jim Lesher asked " Who has information about this Longbridge BN4 in the photo? "
The answer from Joe Jarick " Specially built at Austin in a section dedicated to building prototypes and show cars. Likely, sold off at the motor show. "



A Press photo - again a left hand drive car



Press photo - car has German ? Registration



The car won an award at the 1953 Miami Worlds Fair - very prestigious apparently
Donald Mitchell Healey and his Car.



Looking for more early photos of the first cars.

[khyndart in CA]

" At the Show with Donald Healey and Leonard Lord and apparently a politician ?"

Roger,
That politician was Sir Anthony Eden who was the British prime minister, 1955 to 1957.
Also British foreign secretary before that.[



(Ken H)

[Roger Dowding]

" At the Show with Donald Healey and Leonard Lord and apparently a politician ?"

Roger,
That politician was Sir Anthony Eden who was the British prime minister, 1955 to 1957.
Also British foreign secretary before that.[



(Ken H)

And he got to sit in the seat, Ken H.
I wasn't going to give his name as on the AH page somebody said it was him and he was Prime Minister, but that came later as you note, must have been the FS or maybe a Trade Minister at this time, October ? 1952.

As seen from the amended post - the photo with Leonard Lord [ Austin ] Donald Healey and Anthony [ Sir Anthony from 1954 ] Eden, is of the 100 Six [ model BN4 - the first of the 4 - seater cars ] so the 1956 Motor Show and he was Prime Minister, by then.
Cheers.

PS .. Big target for 2022, the 70th Anniversary of the Healey 100 / Austin Healey. The Conclave will be in Pennsylvania apparently.
More to come on that, and have more photos of the Prototypes - there were two .. must check out the details

[Roger Dowding]

More photos of the prototypes - including the Show car and some other early photos of the Healey 100 / Austin Healey 100.

The car at the Earls Court Motor Show in its " enclosure " - photo found online by Patrick Quinn another Australian AH enthusiast



The engine on the Healey 100 - see the badge from Warren Kennedy archives. Warren understands that one of the two prototypes is still around and known - the other unsure if it still exists - a pity if it has been lost in time.



The " Production Line " unsure at the moment if this is at the Donald Healey Motor Company works at the Cape or the Austin works, but factory looks big, so probably Austin's.



A couple of images of AH 100's in competition
Ian Walker - photo undated



John Chatham - a well known Austin Healey racer in later years too with a heavily modified 3000.
This in a 100 - photo undated - event at Mallory Park, UK.



Images are small, [ some very small ] but are as I have found them on AH Historic Pictures Facebook page - they have been posted on separate posts.

[Roger Dowding]

100 S

AHS3504 sold new to Jackie Cooper - seen here with Jackie in Race trim - event not known
This was one of the very early 100S part of a group of cars sent to the USA in 1955, including a car for Briggs Cunningham.
Chassis numbers were in groups of 10 with AHS3501 - 3510 the first 10
then AHS3601 - 3610 and on for the 50 Customer Cars
- finishing with the group AHS3901 - 3910.
The works cars, 5 of them had very different Chassis numbers



AHS3808 with DMH standing beside the car - Many 100S were in these paint colours Ivory/White over Lobelia Blue



RLF500 and EVV106 [ Registration numbers ]


Unsure of the chassis AHS numbers for these two

[Roger Dowding]

Pete Dicks was the Sprite Registrar for the AH Club Midlands branch in the UK, he was doing that when I started the NZ Sprite register within the AH NZ Club in 1975 and we got in touch.
Finally met him at Snowmass, and later visited him in England - Brownhills in the Midlands later in the year.
Pete posted these photos on Facebook and are here with his permission and acknowledgement.

Dick Santana's Sprite - in pale yellow. A very early car, one of the 1958 ones
Number 50 built. Chassis No AN5L 550 [ they started at AN5 501 for the production cars " L "for left hand drive models of which there were many - the majority like most Austin Healey's ].



A 3000 in the metallic silver blue, think it may the the car in the line in the first photo.



Pete has more photos which I hope to share on here

[ERC]

A friend in Australia sent me this YouTube link of a full Austin Healey Sprite restoration. It's over an hour long, so as yet, I haven't watched it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO8N...ature=youtu.be

The Mallory pic of SAL 75 (#1104) is a Nottingham registration.

A quick squiz at my Mallory Park programmes page, I can only find one Austin Healey 100 running as #38 (T. E. Lynch, 22nd April 1957). I can't read the car number of the Morgan and on that grid, there is no Morgan listed either! But just like today, there were often late entries, not in the programme.

http://www.monza.org.nz/UK_entries/mallory_01.htm

Judging by the size of the crowd, it may well have been a Bank Holiday meeting. As my collection of programmes is far from complete, as it is mainly Nottingham Sports Car Club events, I can't confirm the Mallory date.

There were plenty of Austin Healeys running at Mallory in the late 1950's, including a team of 3 x 100S's at more than one meeting.

http://www.monza.org.nz/UK_entries/m...%20Mallory.jpg

[Roger Dowding]

Thanks ERC, for the links, will take some time and have a good look.

As an aside have just got one of your NZ Classic Car mags moved on to another guy, Jonathan Paape, who has bought a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette and it features in the March 2007 issue - so sending it off, only about another 240 odd to go [ Oh I have kept a few too !! - Healey and Triumph stories mainly]

Cheers
Roger

PPS

Harley Norager, I knew Brett Norager in my NSCC days, think his brother, and I am sure Harley was a member at some stage also.
Sadly another one gone, Ross Haldane recently too !! **

[Milan Fistonic]

Thanks ERC, for the links, will take some time and have a good look.

As an aside have just got one of your NZ Classic Car mags moved on to another guy, Jonathan Paape, who has bought a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette and it features in the March 2007 issue - so sending it off, only about another 240 odd to go [ Oh I have kept a few too !! - Healey and Triumph stories mainly]

Cheers
Roger

PPS

Harley Norager, I knew Brett Norager in my NSCC days, think his brother, and I am sure Harley was a member at some stage also.
Sadly another one gone, Bob Haldane recently too !!

It was Ross Haldane who died, not Bob.

[Roger Dowding]

It was Ross Haldane who died, not Bob.

Milan, yes and I wrote it correctly on the NSCC page after seeing the note from Bob Kidd. now corrected, thanks.

[Roger Dowding]

Saw this car today at a Car Show at Pahoia, near where I live in Omokoroa.
Car Show was organised by the local Mechanic Brian Kirk and the local Tyre Guy Steve Abbott.
Steve is the son of Russ Abbott who worked on my Triumphs and Austin Healey's in late 1970's early 1980's.

A good low key show with probably a couple of hundred cars [ left after an hour so didn't see the late arrivals.

" AWSTIN " The plate
Plate Type: Special Issue
Origin: Import from USA
Used as: Private Passenger vehicle
Cause of Latest Registration: Used
NZ First Registration: 31-Jul-2013 "

Details of the Car.

" Year: 1962
Make: AUSTIN-HEALEY
Model: 3000
Colour: WHITE
Second Colour: Black
Submodel: MKII
Body Style: Convertible
VIN: 7AT0WF05X13274966
Plate: AWSTIN
Engine No: 29E/RU/H2800
Chassis: HBT7L/16390
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car/Van
Seats: 2
CC rating: 3,000cc
Fuel Type: Petrol
Assembly Type: Imported Built-Up
Country of Origin: United Kingdom "

Part of the scene at Pahoia.



AWSTIN when it arrived



Under the bonnet - the Tri-Carb engine





Other views of the car

[Kevin Hirst]

Saw this car today at a Car Show at Pahoia, near where I live in Omokoroa.
Car Show was organised by the local Mechanic Brian Kirk and the local Tyre Guy Steve Abbott.
Steve is the son of Russ Abbott who worked on my Triumphs and Austin Healey's in late 1970's early 1980's.

A good low key show with probably a couple of hundred cars [ left after an hour so didn't see the late arrivals.

" AWSTIN " The plate
Plate Type: Special Issue
Origin: Import from USA
Used as: Private Passenger vehicle
Cause of Latest Registration: Used
NZ First Registration: 31-Jul-2013 "

Details of the Car.

" Year: 1962
Make: AUSTIN-HEALEY
Model: 3000
Colour: WHITE
Second Colour: Black
Submodel: MKII
Body Style: Convertible
VIN: 7AT0WF05X13274966
Plate: AWSTIN
Engine No: 29E/RU/H2800
Chassis: HBT7L/16390
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car/Van
Seats: 2
CC rating: 3,000cc
Fuel Type: Petrol
Assembly Type: Imported Built-Up
Country of Origin: United Kingdom "

Part of the scene at Pahoia.



AWSTIN when it arrived



Under the bonnet - the Tri-Carb engine





Other views of the car

was this a 3carb model when built as there was one at the waipu car show last weekend,Jayne had her first drive in A95 as I was riding my 750 honda. over one thousand cars & bikes turned up on the day, great variety

[Roger Dowding]

was this a 3carb model when built as there was one at the waipu car show last weekend,Jayne had her first drive in A95 as I was riding my 750 honda. over one thousand cars & bikes turned up on the day, great variety

Kevin yes a Tri-Carb when built they were made for around a year in the 1961 -62 period - car originally LHD as shown by chassis number " BT7L ....
Car owner is a member of the Austin Healey club, spoke to him briefly. He had the cars details on the board shown above lying in the grille.

Close up of the board -



Good to read that the Waipu show was big,probably between a 100 and 200 cars at Pahoia.

The poster for the show

[Kevin Hirst]

Kevin yes a Tri-Carb when built they were made for around a year in the 1961 -62 period - car originally LHD as shown by chassis number " BT7L ....
Car owner is a member of the Austin Healey club, spoke to him briefly. He had the cars details on the board shown above lying in the grille.

Close up of the board -



Good to read that the Waipu show was big,probably between a 100 and 200 cars at Pahoia.

The poster for the show

Must ask my daughter if she went along, she lives in omokoroa as well, are you coming up to auck again soon Roger at end of month for smales farm or anything like that, be great to catch up, Have cleaned up the pistons for 3ltr motor, had to set them up in lathe & cut them out with a one mil cut off disc set up on lathe, too iregular to try & use parting tool &also hard as hell, worked well so now all ready to assemble ,only need head gasket & rocker cover gasket, cheers Kev

[Roger Dowding]

Must ask my daughter if she went along, she lives in omokoroa as well, are you coming up to auck again soon Roger at end of month for smales farm or anything like that, be great to catch up, Have cleaned up the pistons for 3ltr motor, had to set them up in lathe & cut them out with a one mil cut off disc set up on lathe, too iregular to try & use parting tool &also hard as hell, worked well so now all ready to assemble ,only need head gasket & rocker cover gasket, cheers Kev

Kev, Hi,
Slow reply.
Auckland - was there a week or so ago for a few days, but not the right time for Smales Farm.
Will be good to catch up again at a future one, or a similar Car Show.
Waipu Show - looks like it was great.
I did however run the MX5 and think I have blown a heater hose as hen it got hot there was steam all through the engine bay and it came into the car. Hoping it is not more serious but did not have the time to really look at it.
Next time up will check it out - think the whole water / cooling system - radiator heater etc - needs to be drained and flushed and refilled. Never seem to have enough time when in the Big Smoke !!. Always lots of family things to do - the car gets a bit ignored.

Good to read that Jayne drove the A95.

From memory there were no Austins at the Pahioa Show, [just noticed an A35 in the photo - must have been the only one ] and only small Morris's including this one - a 1930 ish Morris Minor - likemy late Uncle had back in 1946/47 - his was a Tourer though.

[Roger Dowding]

For all the Healeyites - check out this article by " New Zealand Autocar " magazine.

" https://www.autocar.co.nz/classic-re...cTO1rBH6xvYPqE "

Have seen the cars before and the 100 Six belongs to a TRS member.
The other 3 cars [ 100 - 4 and the two 3000's ] belong to the AHCCNZ President Mark Donaldson.

A trio of photos from the article: There are 42 plus the header.

The header - main - photo;



100 Six ( facing ) and the 70's racer ;


The group of cars and view of " Autoasis " as we called it back in the 1980's.


Mark posted the story on Facebook.

[Roger Dowding]

Ardmore 1961 - the Russell Leathers Ruddspeed 3000 amongst several Austin Healeys. P Lawson and I Fraser-Jones
Cars were big Healeys unsure if 100's 100 Six or maybe early AH 3000's like the Ruddspeed

Newspaper article of the results at the NZ Grand Prix meeting January 1961.



Wigram 1961 the "Motor Cup Race " - cars at the start including AH race #25. I G Johnston in the AH 100
Also there was " Joss " E. Tims in the 100S and " Ed " E D Candy in the Healey Corvette - ex Arthur Kennard.



The Entry List for the " Motor Cup ".



All times from Graham Woods' vast archives.

[Milan Fistonic]

[Roger Dowding]

Milan, Thank you for that advert - and with Colour too !!
Cheers
Roger

PS been away for a week, hence slow response - had no Wifi.

[khyndart in CA]

Roger,
I don't think this Healey NOJ 392 will be towing a boat anymore !




https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20929/lot/350/

'NOJ 392' - THE EX-WORKS MILLE MIGLIA AND LE MANS 24-HOURS , 1953 AUSTIN-HEALEY 100 SPECIAL TEST CAR
Registration no. NOJ 392 Chassis no. SPL 225B Engine no. 1B136876

Sold for £ 785,500 (US$ 1,082,866) inc. premium 2013.








(Ken H)