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Roger Dowding
06-01-2019, 03:23 AM
When you could brag you were on row 2 of the grid - with a straight face... :p

Yupp - the widest but shortest grid ever seen -Don't think they did that at Wigram ??

Roger Dowding
06-02-2019, 04:54 AM
Does Joe still have his Sebring 100/6?

Ray Bell, [ late reply ] must find out - Joe posts on a couple of AH Club pages and also on some Austin Healey pages too !!

Roger Dowding
06-03-2019, 04:40 AM
Ray Bell - has Joe still got his 100/6 Sebring .. ??


Ray Bell, [ late reply ] must find out - Joe posts on a couple of AH Club pages and also on some Austin Healey pages too !!

Ray - the answer - its is a 1965 BJ series [ BJ8 ] not a BN 100/6 which Joe has owned since 1976.

Here a photo I got from Joe today !!.

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Not a good shot -must see if there are more around, I think so !! on some of AH Clubs Aussie Fb pages !!

Ray Bell
06-03-2019, 12:10 PM
Okay, I was sure that it was Joe who owned the Sebring 100/6 back in the seventies.

Roger Dowding
06-04-2019, 12:16 AM
Okay, I was sure that it was Joe who owned the Sebring 100/6 back in the seventies.

Joe has just posted some photos of the car when it was in the UK - the NSW Rego is the same as the English Rego Plate number.except for the " C " suffix
Joe Armour has owned the car since 1976 ..

Joes note on the photo's " 1965 Works Sebring 3000 being raced in UK by owner at the time Steven States USAF. Date late 1969 - 1970s "
The other car from Jonathon Whitehouse-Bird " That I don't know Joe ... too late for 9253 WD. It's an early sidescreen car on wide rims, but beyond that... "

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Will look for more Photos.

Roger Dowding
06-04-2019, 11:51 PM
From Jim Bennett archives - photo show Jim's brothers in their Morgans with Fred in AHS3802
Dunedin around 1960 - Car has low windscreen but AH 100 Bumpers ..
Will put it with Jim's stuff on Dunedin thread too !!.

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Jim said Ivan looked at buying the car after this event. He didn't.

ERC
06-06-2019, 09:17 AM
Roger, I have started scanning old race programme entry lists and over time, there will be various UK Austin Healeys listed. Just keep a check on the web pages now and again.

http://www.monza.org.nz/UK_entries/entries_01.htm

Roger Dowding
06-06-2019, 10:48 PM
Roger, I have started scanning old race programme entry lists and over time, there will be various UK Austin Healeys listed. Just keep a check on the web pages now and again.

http://www.monza.org.nz/UK_entries/mallory/162_0423_02%20Mallory.jpg

http://www.monza.org.nz/UK_entries/entries_01.htm

Thanks for the Heads Up Ray - will do and some details " May = Will " appear on the Austin Healey thread. I have discovered that quite a few AHCC members follow the thread and I get Emails from a Ross Osborne in Dunedin - who assists and corrects me from time to time..

Cheers

Roger D.

Roger Dowding
06-07-2019, 04:38 AM
Ross Jensen took the car to Melbourne in 1956 for the Australian Grand Prix meeting at Albert Park, Melbourne.

His was one of four 100S and another four 100's were entered in the main Sports Car race as shown in the entry lists.
from Graham Edney on Old Motor Racing Photographs - Australia - shared by Wayne Watkins an Australian Healey enthusiast.

Stirling Moss and Jean Behra ran Maserati 250F's in the Grand Prix and Maserati 300S Sports cars in the Trophy race.
Ron Roycroft was there in his Ferrari as well for the GP event.

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The shown in this montage at the refueling Bay at Albert Park [ lower left pic ]. Allan Dick archives as published in NZ Classic Driver.

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The Car today - well when the NZ Classic Driver Magazine issue #70 came out Jan-Feb 2017

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Haven't managed to find any results yet - must take the time to look it up!! :cool:

Roger Dowding
06-10-2019, 05:01 AM
No theme - just stuff I have come across recently - a collage /montage ??

Posted the 100S Castrol series card before -here it is in the set of Paul O'Neill's he has the full 24 cards.

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The Joss [Josh ] Timms often in entry lists as E Tims /Fred Losee 100S Joss' wife on the car

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1961 a couple of photos from !! .. Wigram

Cooper Bristol and AH 100 Sean [ seaqnmac ] archives.
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The Healey in action Cobber Hurley [ Hurley Hurling the Healey around ]. seaqnmac archives

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Roger Dowding
06-11-2019, 10:47 PM
Following on from the Castrol Card series - I remember these books from the 1960's had several years of them, but now gone - where ?? Was only 13 when this one came out - must have pestered my Dad to get hold of them.

He used to bring home the " Bedford Transport Magazine " from his work at Briscoe and Co - the real Briscoe's hardware and Ironmongers, and New Zealand Agents for " Michelin Tyres ".

He told the story once of the Michelin Man - not the logo one !!, arriving in New Zealand for a meeting with Briscoe and Co, about Tyre supplies [ subject to strict Import Licensing in those times ] and was asked about them setting up a factory in NZ - the response was they could make in One Day enough tyres for whole New Zealand tyre market's annual sales.
That was around the time that Goodrich had helped Reidrubber set up a factory in NZ with locally made tyres. - had some on my cars over the years,
before preferring Dunlops on my Mini's and that TR and had Pirelli's on my yellow Sprite. :confused:

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Own photo of the Sprite and Mangere Town Centre in 1974.

Dennis Green of Northern Sports Car Club - their photographer, took this photo - when BMC BOY was doing the same for Auckland Car Club.
More action in the D Green photo !!

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These from Paul O'Neill, who had the " Castrol " Cards - Racing Car Series -
They have been put on ERC's " Bookshelf " thread.

The 1960 edition -pages related to Austin Healey - including the front cover with URX 727 the Pat Moss Ann Wisdom [ Riley ] car.

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John McKechnie
06-12-2019, 04:45 AM
He told the story once of the Michelin Man - not the logo one !!, arriving in New Zealand for a meeting with Briscoe and Co, about Tyre supplies [ subject to strict Import Licensing in those times ] and was asked about them setting up a factory in NZ - the response was they could make in One Day enough tyres for whole New Zealand tyre market's annual sales.
That was around the time that Goodrich had helped Reidrubber set up a factory in NZ with locally made tyres. - had some on my cars over the years,

Roger.....can you guess what company makes worldwide the highest number of tyres per year?

Dont anyone else put the answer up, this is for Roger

Ray Bell
06-12-2019, 08:54 AM
Just imagine the supply lines keeping the materials coming for that kind of production level!

Oldfart
06-12-2019, 01:27 PM
Michelin told me their production capability world wide could do every inflatable tyre in NZ in around 14 minutes when I was importing some specific ones in the 1990s. No wonder we had to wait on occasion!

Roger Dowding
06-12-2019, 09:14 PM
He told the story once of the Michelin Man - not the logo one !!, arriving in New Zealand for a meeting with Briscoe and Co, about Tyre supplies [ subject to strict Import Licensing in those times ] and was asked about them setting up a factory in NZ - the response was they could make in One Day enough tyres for whole New Zealand tyre market's annual sales.
That was around the time that Goodrich had helped Reidrubber set up a factory in NZ with locally made tyres. - had some on my cars over the years,

PS my Dads comment was from the late 1950's early 1960's ***

Roger.....can you guess what company makes worldwide the highest number of tyres per year?

Dont anyone else put the answer up, this is for Roger

And here is one commentary on that Figure ..... a few years old .. no one mentioned car truck bus etc .. or full size tyres or tires .. ??

" And the World's Largest Tire Manufacturer Is… Drumroll Please…
Company Tires produced (2011)
Lego* 318 million
Bridgestone 190 million
Michelin 184 million
Goodyear 181 million "

and by Dollar Value - Bridgestone !! guess the average Lego tyre cost only a few cents or a dollar or so !!.. Lets not mention wheelbarrows and motor mowers !!

Interesting topic - as off this very morning to see Steve Abbott, son of Russ Abbott of Rallying Triumph Dolomite fame to price two tyres for my daily driver .. didn't want to go and see Del Trotter !!.

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Have found the Original of the above photo with Del and Rodney - the tyres are photo-shopped.

See here the original photo !!

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Roger Dowding
06-13-2019, 04:51 AM
Two Works cars both well known .
Photos from Karsten Stelk archives ;

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DD 300 went to the USA in 1990 for the USA / UK Team Challenge.
believe it was also in Australia at Bathurst in 1985 for the all Healey race that preceded the Bathurst 1000 - won by the Jaguar XJS V12 Coupe.

Another photo of VOK490 - in readiness for a Rally - year unknown.

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and finally the Main photo for the Facebook group " Old British Car Club "

62190.

Ray Bell
06-13-2019, 10:15 AM
Hmmm...

'All Healey' race at Bathurst? I'm sure that was 1998, with a follow-up in 1999.

Roger Dowding
06-14-2019, 04:46 AM
Hmmm...

'All Healey' race at Bathurst? I'm sure that was 1998, with a follow-up in 1999.

That has got me thinking Ray Bell, !! But,
- pretty sure the Race I am thinking of was 1985 as I had it on VHS tape -which I stupidly dumped many years later as we had a DVD player by the mid 1990's should have had it converted to DVD or CD Rom .. and remember I was still living in Herne Bay at the time, sold that place in 1995..

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Others may know more !
But you have got me thinking, Mate !! Cheers

Ray Bell
06-14-2019, 12:12 PM
Held to celebrate 50 years of Healey cars...

1948 to 1998. And featuring Peter Hopwood's fantastic drive.

Roger Dowding
06-15-2019, 01:31 AM
Held to celebrate 50 years of Healey cars...

1948 to 1998. And featuring Peter Hopwood's fantastic drive.

Ray saw a bit about it when I googled Austin Healey's at Bathurst ;
The [ Sir ] Donald Healey International Tribute Race - and yes Peter gets a mention .. Dennis Welch and John Chatham were there too !!
This should be the clip - about 15 minutes long;

" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxwgGKzYmXk "

Just checked and it works !! Cheers Ray..

Ray Bell
06-15-2019, 11:18 PM
Peter would have got more of a 'mention' if his plan had come off...

A very brave race for a man as ill as he was.

The following year they had another Healey race, the commentator on TV said, "Peter Hopwood isn't here this year, but he'll be watching us now."

In fact, he was in hospital having his spinal cord cut so he could endure for just a little longer.

Ray Bell
06-16-2019, 08:04 AM
Actually, that clip is the minor race...

It was in the main event when Peter showed Welch his shortcomings.

Roger Dowding
06-17-2019, 10:04 PM
Austin Healey's Small, 1;18,
Smaller 1;43
Smallest 1;87

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Roger Dowding
06-20-2019, 01:33 AM
The well known car that was involved in the terrible crash at Le Mans in 1955 Race #26
- with Drivers Lance Macklin USA and Les Leston UK.
The car was hit by Pierre Levegh's Mercedes 300 SL
The incident was described as " The Le Mans Disaster " by Gregor Grant at the time.

Here the 100 is crashed against the wall and car #22 A Cunningham is driving past.

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The car was fully restored and in recent times [ 2011 ] sold for US$1.3 million
Here the car in a scene with OON439 SPL256BN another Works car Phil O'Neill archives year not known but would be mid 1950's
Donald Healey's 100 Coupe partly in the picture

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As an aside have models of both cars;

Here is NOJ393 ; in 1;43 scale, with a standard 100 and the Works 3000 from Le Mans in 1960.

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ERC
06-21-2019, 08:34 AM
http://www.monza.org.nz/UK_entries/silverstone/157_0525_05%20Silverstone.jpg
NSCC Silverstone May 25th 1957, just one of several entry list scans that have AH 100S.

Roger Dowding
06-22-2019, 12:34 AM
http://www.monza.org.nz/UK_entries/silverstone/157_0525_05%20Silverstone.jpg
NSCC Silverstone May 25th 1957, just one of several entry list scans that have AH 100S.

A very " British " field - Aston M, Austin H, Jaguar and Riley.

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ERC, Thanks for that - any you find please post on here, Cheers.

Obviously the English NSCC, as in ;

" https://www.nottinghamsportscarclub.co.uk/about.php "

There is now a Nissan Sports Car Club
and of course The Club in New Zealand that was my club of choice 1967 - early 1980's, My Uncle Eddie Dowding was one of the early Presidents in 1945 -46 - the second President had been club Captain 1944 -45 [ Club formally came to being in October 1943 ].

this one ;

" http://www.nscc.org.nz/history.html "

The Club has a link to the NSCC thread on " The Roaring Season " on its " History " page.

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ERC
06-22-2019, 01:20 AM
I've scanned about 200 pages so far Roger and Austin Healeys and Sprites appear regularly. Far too many to carry over to here!

Note that the entry list for that particular race was a bit thinner than usual as it wouldn't be too often that Healeys were 50% of the grid and 33% would have been 100S's!

What is interesting is that back in the 1950's and 1960's, there were plenty of races with good entries for sports and sports racing cars under 1000cc, 1200cc or 1300cc. Lotus dominated...

Roger Dowding
06-22-2019, 01:57 AM
I've scanned about 200 pages so far Roger and Austin Healeys and Sprites appear regularly. Far too many to carry over to here!

Note that the entry list for that particular race was a bit thinner than usual as it wouldn't be too often that Healeys were 50% of the grid and 33% would have been 100S's!

What is interesting is that back in the 1950's and 1960's, there were plenty of races with good entries for sports and sports racing cars under 1000cc, 1200cc or 1300cc. Lotus dominated...

Thanks ERC, Ray - I will look though your links and get anything of interest in the " Healey " world.

Roger Dowding
06-26-2019, 10:34 PM
Just looking a for a photo to send to a Mate when I came across these in some old Emails [ 2013 - 2016 ].
All Photos by BMC BOY - Not sure if all at the same events.

First one posted before ;

Kathy Povey, and Lyle Chambers sitting on Bill and Kathy's Healey [ a 100 Six from memory ] Richard Leaper looking in to the Healey,Judy Leaper sitting on her and Richards Alpine.
That Alpine was my daily driver after I had the accident in my TR4A in September 1980.
Lyle's BSA at left - bonnet off !

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Lyle Chambers, Clive Thompson and his son, Clive's Mark 4 Sprite behind. Clive bought my Yellow /Mustard Bugeye in 1981.- same day same Shoes and Flares for Lyle.

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That BSA driven by Richard Leaper, Lyle's Mate

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Phil Mules kicking up dust in his 3000.

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a 100 at the start of a test- unsure who, but know some of the crowd are -may be a different event but definitely Auckland people.

62291.

There are also several from one of the Le Mans Relay Races - I think 1982 - have my own photos of some of the cars from it,plus others I was given.
They will follow.

Roger Dowding
06-27-2019, 03:49 AM
This thread started as the photo-story of the February 1983 Jaguar Drivers Club Le Mans Relay Race when the Austin Healey thread was created in 2015 - Now 4 years later I have come across photos of another Relay event

Those Relay Race photo's think it is 1982 - the Car numbers are different, so could be the late 1983 race run by the Porsche Club.

Bernie Huynen in his 100 [ RIP Bernie ].

62296

Ross Osborne [ North Island Ross - as there is a Ross Osborne in the AH Club in Dunedin ] Car is a 100 SIX but think it had a 3000 motor - I drove it at Thunderpark Dragway, Napier in 1984, when Ross organised the AHCC National Rally.

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Chris White in a Sprite - Race #15 - before he got the 100 and later a 3000.

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Photos by Ross Cammick.

A couple of my own from the event.
Ross Osborne 100 SIX in the pits - Cameron Mackay's 3000 at the side.

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Another view of Ross O's car

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Sprite - Not Chris White as Race #16 Chris White's car ' GO ' Reg is parked.
Craig Swift from Wellington adjusting something - Craig often wore Sandals - Craig was one of the 10 Kiwi's that went to the USA in 1982.
Craig is still in Wellington and Jim Reece [ who has provided photo's on here and Bryan Harris - another of the USA group ] have caught up with him in recent times - Craig sold his 3000 a few years ago.
Le Meggett 3000 BJ8 on the grass and another Healey behind that.

62302

Roger Dowding
06-27-2019, 04:53 AM
" Warren Country Club Chelmsford UK May 3rd 2013
Marco Trevisan, Steve & Helen Pike, Dani Schlatter
NOJ393 first public reappearance after restoration.
photo complements Joe Jarick ESQ. "
Comments by Steve Pike - who was involved with the restoration.

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AHS3610 - another restoration - photo from Steve Pike.

62305

Not a 100S just a photo of my 100 after some repainting - sitting the garage with a couple of very different Mates a T-Bucket [ Chev powered ] and our MGB GT - the T was owned by our son back in 1990/91, was a dog to drive, was built for drag racing so not a road friendly car .

62306

Have uncovered some photo's I had forgotten about - so my own archives growing again.

Roger Dowding
07-03-2019, 03:44 AM
Not just " Nash Healeys at the 1953 Le Mans race. " but 100's too
1953 would be the first year for Austin Healey, but Donald Healey's team had been there well before that.

62368

The Nash Healey's were considered a USA entry while the A-H 100's were from Great Britain.

Leslie Johnson and H L Hadley came 11th in the Nash Healey Race #11
The car also won a Biennial Cup having competed the race two years running
The other Nash Healey only complete 3 hours. Veyron and G Cabantous

Maurice Gatsonides and Johnny Locket came 12th in the Austin Healey #34
A - H #33 was in 14th Place. driven by Marcel Bequart and Gordon Wilkins - better known as Motoring Writer

a link to the results

" https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Le_Mans-1953-06-14.html "

Roger Dowding
07-03-2019, 10:50 PM
Not just " Nash Healeys at the 1953 Le Mans race. " but 100's too
1953 would be the first year for Austin Healey, but Donald Healey's team had been there well before that.

62368

The Nash Healey's were considered a USA entry while the A-H 100's were from Great Britain.

Leslie Johnson and H L Hadley came 11th in the Nash Healey Race #11
The car also won a Biennial Cup having competed the race two years running
The other Nash Healey only complete 3 hours. Veyron and G Cabantous

Maurice Gatsonides and Johnny Locket came 12th in the Austin Healey #34
A - H #33 was in 14th Place. driven by Marcel Bequart and Gordon Wilkins - better known as Motoring Writer

a link to the results

" https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Le_Mans-1953-06-14.html "

A couple more photos of the cars from Le Mans 1953

Thanks to Karsten Stelk Clas Askelar and Chris Dimmock

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Milan Fistonic
07-05-2019, 01:43 AM
From The Autocar's report of the 1954 London Motor Show.

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Milan Fistonic
07-05-2019, 01:47 AM
A report from The Autocar on the first six 100S cars to come off the production line.

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62398

Roger Dowding
07-05-2019, 04:51 AM
Milan ; Thanks for the 100S information ..
I used to buy " The Autocar " with my pocket money while at High School 1964 / 65. kept buying them once I started work for many years.
A great Magazine back then.

The 100S in the row of finished cars with a driver is AHS3501 - the first in the series - apart from the
" Special Test Cars " is the Briggs Cunningham car - White with the Blue Stripe, Americas Racing colours and a trademark of Briggs cars over the years from 1950 onwards at Le Mans

Roger Dowding
07-05-2019, 05:01 AM
Healey's raced at Le Mans - starting with the Silverstone, then Nash Healey's followed by the 100 -four and by 1955 the 100S to the 3000 in 1960 then some Specials Sprites and the XR cars.

This is a Pace Car not a Race Car.
Car has a New York State Registration Plate and it is believed the Race Meeting - first photo - could be Bridgehampton NY State.
Photo from " Healey Museum " archives - their Facebook page
62399

This the Second photo was for sale on EBay at USD 9.75 - it did not sell and was relisted ??

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Ray Bell
07-05-2019, 10:23 AM
I'd reckon a Nash Healey would be a good thing to play with...

Any details of the makeup of the suspension etc?

Ray Bell
07-05-2019, 10:10 PM
I had a bit of a look online and I'm not so interested any more...

The front suspension is Healey's trailing arm (as on Silverstone etc), which doesn't sit well with me. The rear is okay, a coil spring version of the torque tube arrangement from a Nash with a Panhard bar. Healey made a special head for the engine in alloy, but the power wasn't magnificent.

Roger Dowding
07-06-2019, 03:56 AM
I had a bit of a look online and I'm not so interested any more...

The front suspension is Healey's trailing arm (as on Silverstone etc), which doesn't sit well with me. The rear is okay, a coil spring version of the torque tube arrangement from a Nash with a Panhard bar. Healey made a special head for the engine in alloy, but the power wasn't magnificent.

Ray, thanks for the comments - believe that the " Healey " front suspension was rather complicated and expensive, no wonder they used a more basic but good handling set up on the Healey 100, that became the Austin Healey 100 - was modified over time to use on the 100 Six and 3000 apart from better Brakes [ Disc ] on later cars nothing much changed.

The suspension - edit from Wikipaedia.
" The chassis was a widened and reinforced Healey Silverstone box-section ladder-type steel frame. Independent front suspension, also Healey Silverstone, was by coil springs, trailing link, and a sway bar. The rear suspension featured Nash's rear end and coil springs replaced the Silverstone’s leaf springs, while the beam axle was located by Panhard rod. "

Classic and Sportcar article states " With rumours that his supply of Riley engines was about to dry up, Healey had been on his way to Detroit to shop for the new overhead-valve Cadillac V8; when it wasn’t forthcoming (Cadillac couldn’t spare any), Mason’s offer of the rugged 3.8-litre Nash ‘Dual Jetfire’ straight-six began to look like a good deal.

Special high-compression, 125bhp versions of this seven-bearing, overhead-valve unit – complete with three-speed overdrive gearboxes – were shipped to England, six at a time, in giant packing cases. All the Donald Healey Motor Co had to do was fit twin SU carburettors, which helped to get a lower bonnet line.

It was then installed into a suitably modified Healey Silverstone box-section chassis, with trademark coil spring and cast-alloy trailing-link front suspension and a new coil-sprung rear end. Nash supplied the propshaft, torque tube, rear axle, wheels and ‘Weather eye’ heater, plus various items of instrumentation and trim. "

A 1950 Model for sale - doesn't seem right as production was 1951 - 54. so maybe they mean a 1950's model.

62402

:cool:

Ray Bell
07-07-2019, 10:56 AM
You need some of this bloke's work on this thread!

https://i.postimg.cc/Lsdqk4NC/Rod-4-jpeg.jpg

Oldfart
07-07-2019, 07:32 PM
The trailing arm was a very rare alloy, pretty much unobtanium now. As told to me by the Healey family it was "pistominium"

Ray Bell
07-07-2019, 08:10 PM
Probably the same as the pistons as portrayed in the beginning of The World's Fastest Indian...

John McKechnie
07-07-2019, 11:45 PM
Ray, thanks for the comments - believe that the " Healey " front suspension was rather complicated and expensive, no wonder they used a more basic but good handling set up on the Healey 100, that became the Austin Healey 100 - was modified over time to use on the 100 Six and 3000 apart from better Brakes [ Disc ] on later cars nothing much changed.

The suspension - edit from Wikipaedia.
" The chassis was a widened and reinforced Healey Silverstone box-section ladder-type steel frame. Independent front suspension, also Healey Silverstone, was by coil springs, trailing link, and a sway bar. The rear suspension featured Nash's rear end and coil springs replaced the Silverstone’s leaf springs, while the beam axle was located by Panhard rod. "

Classic and Sportcar article states " With rumours that his supply of Riley engines was about to dry up, Healey had been on his way to Detroit to shop for the new overhead-valve Cadillac V8; when it wasn’t forthcoming (Cadillac couldn’t spare any), Mason’s offer of the rugged 3.8-litre Nash ‘Dual Jetfire’ straight-six began to look like a good deal.

Special high-compression, 125bhp versions of this seven-bearing, overhead-valve unit – complete with three-speed overdrive gearboxes – were shipped to England, six at a time, in giant packing cases. All the Donald Healey Motor Co had to do was fit twin SU carburettors, which helped to get a lower bonnet line.

It was then installed into a suitably modified Healey Silverstone box-section chassis, with trademark coil spring and cast-alloy trailing-link front suspension and a new coil-sprung rear end. Nash supplied the propshaft, torque tube, rear axle, wheels and ‘Weather eye’ heater, plus various items of instrumentation and trim. "

A 1950 Model for sale - doesn't seem right as production was 1951 - 54. so maybe they mean a 1950's model.

62402

:cool:

At last, a Healey that is pleasing to my eyes....

Oldfart
07-08-2019, 05:02 AM
Probably the same as the pistons as portrayed in the beginning of The World's Fastest Indian...

Merlin pistons are a tad hard to find for raw material these days.

Ray Bell
07-08-2019, 02:02 PM
Ford and Chevrolet aren't...

Roger Dowding
07-09-2019, 09:06 PM
You need some of this bloke's work on this thread!

https://i.postimg.cc/Lsdqk4NC/Rod-4-jpeg.jpg

Love it Ray, have been reading a bit about the Rally and the trip across Australia. A huge drive for " old-er " cars

Ray Bell
07-10-2019, 12:52 PM
I was referring purely to Rod's work with the cartoons...

There are other Healey cartoons he's done.

Roger Dowding
07-11-2019, 02:34 AM
I was referring purely to Rod's work with the cartoons...

" There are other Healey cartoons he's done."

Please post them on here Ray..

Ray Bell
07-11-2019, 07:56 PM
Unfortunately many of them have disappeared due to web-hosts changes etc. And others have great 'Photobucket' shadows over them.

But I have asked Rod if he can post them here. He is a Healey owner.

Roger Dowding
07-12-2019, 09:00 PM
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.

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

62459

Ray Bell
07-14-2019, 09:34 PM
We'll see how it goes with Rod...

He says his filing system is in disarray.

Ray Bell
07-19-2019, 12:24 PM
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:

https://i.postimg.cc/zDMBrw6H/0719healeys.jpg

Roger Dowding
07-20-2019, 02:39 AM
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
07-21-2019, 04:37 AM
" 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;

62516

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.

62517

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
07-22-2019, 05:39 AM
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-Healey-Club-Of-WA-602126876517709/

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
07-22-2019, 05:45 AM
A different (mis)adventure, this one came up too:

https://classicoutbacktrial.com.au/craig-obrien-2016-41/

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

Roger Dowding
07-22-2019, 07:14 PM
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
07-26-2019, 01:23 AM
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.

62547

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 "..

62549

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

62550

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.

62548

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

62551

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.

62552

Roger Dowding
07-26-2019, 02:05 AM
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 ;

62553

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

Thanks again Trevor

Roger Dowding
07-26-2019, 02:42 AM
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.

62554

62555

62556

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.

62557

Roger Dowding
07-27-2019, 11:34 PM
Banner photos Karsten Stelk

62585

62586

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

62587

AH 100 on the cover of Autocourse Magazine

62588

Roger Dowding
07-28-2019, 12:28 AM
AHS3802 - The car was in New Zealand in the 1960's in the hands of Fred Losee. who brought the car to NZ around 1960, passed on to Joss Timms [ E Tims ]
Was in Australia in the 1980's and back in the USA by the 1990's/2000's.

New Zealand in the 1960's

62589

In Australia in 1992 [ disregard note on photo ]

62590

In the USA more recently.

62591

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

Roger Dowding
08-08-2019, 02:10 AM
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.

62968

The car photo in Monchrome and slightly lightened.

62969

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

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

The Ghia - Aigle -logo.

62970

Roger Dowding
08-31-2019, 11:14 PM
Put some of these on Ken H's Monterey 2019 thread - but the Healey's belong here too !!.
Terry Cowan photos - Terry was there and supporting the Team with the Austin A35 - seen here with its cousins a couple of Sprites and Big Brother a Healey 3000..!!.

62963

PMO200 - a works racer ! not sure but looks it.
Standing still

62964

and on the move !

62965

in a group in " Town "..

62967

More of the group.
62966

Some Alfa's for Bruce Dyer and other " Alfisti "..

Must check for more photos !! and Tell " Tell " [ Terry ] I have " borrowed " them.

:cool:

Roger Dowding
09-02-2019, 11:36 PM
NOJ391 at Le Mans in 1953 - K Stelk archives.
The Becquart and Wilkins car - 14th car #34 the Gatsonides Locket AH 100 came 12 and the car in place13 was a Fraser-Nash Coupe of Ken Wharton and H Mitchell

63005


another 1953 build 100 - this time a special body with a Chev v8 - Terry Cowan photo from Monterey 2019.

63006

ERC
09-03-2019, 12:08 AM
MG Day at Pukekohe Sunday.

63007

Roger Dowding
09-03-2019, 12:54 AM
Thanks ERC - is that the ex Andrew Shrimpton Car ? It was for sale again recently- had seen your photos of it at Caffiene and Classics some months ago.

Roger Dowding
09-03-2019, 01:00 AM
A series of photos of a small scale AH collection ;

a famous Race Car ;

63012

the Streamliner and some new car bodies off to be finished all 100's ;

63013

The main part of the collection ;

63014

Models from various makers including some 1950's Dinky's on the bottom shelf

Roger Dowding
09-08-2019, 04:52 AM
Had not heard of these ACME were in the USA and made hardtops for a lot of cars from AH to Triumph - and even Corvette !!

The AH hardtop on a 100/6 ? bit of a brow over the screen though

63075

an advert - that car has been customised a little - tail- lights

63076

on a 3000 !. later than 1962 as windup windows .. and no side windows in the hardtop.

63077

Roger Dowding
09-08-2019, 05:13 AM
Thanks to Aussie Healey guy Joe Armour of a magazine cover C and CC from the UK.

63078

Roger Dowding
09-15-2019, 03:47 AM
AHS3701 - Sold new to David Smith through York Motors Pty Ltd, Sydney Australia
Engine #222720C body #54 despatched 4th April 1955.

AHS3901 - Sold new to Da Silva Ramos through AFIVA, France. Engine #222741 body #71 despatched 2nd July 1955.

AHS3905 - Sold new ; Imported by Austin, Sydney Australia for dealer Larke Hoskins and sold to John Crouch
Engine #222743 body #75 despatched 20th July 1955.
The car was subsequently owned by Jack Davey and Sam Miller amongst others - see more of the History in a post of 12th November 2019 [ today as I write this ]

AHS3906 - Sold new through Austin, Melbourne, Australia Engine #222748 body #76 despatched 22nd July 1955.

Photo of the four cars at the Australian Grand Prix meeting in 2006.
Photo by Marshall Cass from the Archives of Paul O'Neill in Australia.

63149

another photo of the David Smith car AHS3701, at Gnoo Blass in 1955.

63150

AHS3905 at Bathurst in 1957 being driven by Sam Miller

63151

Another well known Australian AHS3807 in 1982 with Joe Jarick and another 100S - in Queensland.
Car on the left has a NSW Registration Plate, so presume Joe's car is the one on the right. Identity of this car being sought.

AHS3807 was " Invoiced to - J. J. Concalves Sucrs., Lisbon, Portugal Engine number 222737 Body number 65 - despatched 25.5.55 [ 25th May 1955 ]
- Quote Geoffrey Healey book " Austin Healey -the story of the Big Healey's "..

63153

AHS3807 in 2018 in Queensland
63152

Joe and Lyn Jarick in AHS3807 in 2018.

63154

Paul O'Neill owns one of the 100S but unsure of the Chassis number - presume one of the above cars but not AHS3905. - Will check that out and amend the post.

*** Errors being corrected the Joe Jarick car, which Joe and Lyn have owned for 40 years or so is AHS3807 and not AHS3905 - clarification from Mark Donaldson of the AHCCNZ who has known Joe, Lyn and the Car for many years [ probably the 40 or so ]

Some pictures posted before but now grouped together.

Roger Dowding
09-17-2019, 04:48 AM
At last, a Healey that is pleasing to my eyes....

John Mck - this needed a reply !! I must have been asleep, ZZZZ Mate -

Healey 100
Healey Nash
or
Healey 100 ??
OR
Healey 100S

63163

63164

or
63165

OR
63166

For their time and with the American Influence the Nash Healey is a great looking car, in my mind though it is the AH 100 .. a bit biased of course.

And the Thread cracked the 250,000 views, long way to go to get to ERC with over 850,000 .. even with my 8 threads only at 640,000 - " so much to do, so little time !! "

Roger Dowding
09-21-2019, 04:00 AM
Labour charges at Kerbside Motors - the English branch of the Company.

Sign in the workshop
63196

Meanwhile at the Spare Parts Counter .....
63197

This was at the local branch of the business back in 1980's.
63198

Roger Dowding
10-06-2019, 04:42 AM
Cards from the 1980's sent to me in 1983 the first two and 1985 the last one - by the people who owned the cars.

Bill Bolton had just acquired this Racer - at the time he owned ABL6 - the Modsport car and UJB141 the Sebring Works car that rolled in a big way and was rebuilt.
Bill has sold all the cars - ABL6 is back in the UK, unsure of the whereabouts of the others.

63351

The late John and Shirley Wilson, from Eugene Oregon - their [ one of their ] 3000. Card from 1983

63352

The Wilson Family and two of their cars another of that 3000 and a Sprite - photo from 1985 - colours have faded on this one !!

63353

Milan Fistonic
10-06-2019, 08:46 AM
Two rather different Austin Healeys seen at Goowood.

63361

63362

63363

Roger Dowding
10-07-2019, 04:20 AM
Milan, Thank you - I guess you are now back ? Hope you had a great trip .. On my Bucket List !! Goodwood ..

Roger Dowding
10-10-2019, 04:47 AM
BU 1629 owned by the Heasley family back in the 1960's -a photo from 1966.
Car became IF4514 ** This now is incorrect but I knew of IF4514 in the late 1980's and have several photos of it. car is Red as

This detail from Mark Donaldson, founder 1st President and again President of the Austin Healey Car Club of New Zealand.

" I purchased this great car in 1971 and it was the reason I founded the Austin-Healey Car Club in 1972. It had a racing history from the early days when the late Phil Neill owned and campaigned it. He fitted it with Dodge flat-top pistons sponsored by Hepolite. A very quick car. "

The Heasley Family photo - from 1966 - the plate would have been issued in the 1964-65 Registration Year.
Photo from Colin Heasley of his brothers car - the same photo appears on the Carjam website.
Note April 2022 ; Registration Plate BU1629 - issued in 1964. Car has Yellow Registration Sticker - centre of windscreen, for 1966 -67 year.
Understand no sticker for 1964 -65 - first year of new plates and the 1965 - 66 sticker was green.

63449

A couple of my photos of IF4514 ** from the AHCCNZ Rally in Masterton in 1989.

63450

a closer view of IF4514 **

63451

Carjam shows the following;

The Plates History is inaccurate as original plate issued BU1629 in 1964 year - first of the new plates the July 1996 date is for the personalised version [ re-issued ]

" Plates History

Plate Effective Date
BU1629 23-Jul-1996
IF4514 04-Mar-1977
Registration

Registration Status: Get Full CarJam Report
Plate: BU1629
Plate Type: Personalised
Origin: NZ New
Used as: Private Passenger vehicle
Cause of Latest Registration: New
NZ First Registration: 04-Mar-1977
NZ Last Registration: Get Full CarJam Report
Was Registered Overseas? No '

The Car details ..

" Year: 1954
Make: AUSTIN
Model: HEALEY
Colour: Red
Body Style: Sports Car
Plate: BU1629
Engine No: N/A
Chassis: 159475 " *** see note below

More to come on this car - if I can get more info from Mark Donaldson.....
There is some conflicting information about the Number Plates = Registration ..

It appears that Carjam have merged two cars details as BU1629 is Chassis Number 159745 and not 159475 .. so correct designation is BN1-159745 .. It would seem that IF4514 is 159475 - but will seek confirmation.
*** Information from Mark Donaldson of AHCCNZ - in fact Mark states that his owning BU1629 the ex - " Phil Neil car in 1971 is one of the reasons he started the Austin Healey Car Club of New Zealand in 1972 ".

More to come on this - to confirm IF4514 the Gary Weaver car which is the Red 100 in my photos.

Roger Dowding
10-14-2019, 04:00 AM
From Graham Woods archives - unsure which meeting but could be either the ACC meeting in December 1964 or was it the GP meeting at the beginning of the year. Posts of other races from 1964 and 1965 have been on " Old New Zealand Motor Racing " Fb page recently by Graham ..

The W [ Bill ] Dunster 3000 - now with BMC BOY, and Trevor Sheffield in his Daimler SP250 too !!

63518

Charlie Conway in his 100 and J Kingdon in a 100/6
R Speedy in a 100 [ 4 ] and D Curlett in a 3000.
The AH 3000 with 4000cc engine P McLoughlin - I do not know of !!

I do now .. more on this car has been posted [August 2020 ]

Will pass the item on to the NZ Healey Club - may get some answers ..

Milan Fistonic
10-14-2019, 08:57 AM
From Graham Woods archives - unsure which meeting but could be either the ACC meeting in December 1964 or was it the GP meeting at the beginning of the year. Posts of other races from 1964 and 1965 have been on " Old New Zealand Motor Racing " Fb page recently by Graham ..

The W [ Bill ] Dunster 3000 - now with BMC BOY, and Trevor Sheffield in his Daimler SP250 too !!

63518

Charlie Conway in his 100 and J Kingdon in a 100/6
R Speedy in a 100 [ 4 ] and D Curlett in a 3000.
The AH 3000 with 4000cc engine P McLoughlin - I do not know of !!

Will pass the item on to the NZ Healey Club - may get some answers ..


That's from the Auckland Car Club meeting at Pukekohe on December 12, 1964.

The race was won by Jim Boyd (Lycoming), from Ian Green (Tojeiro Jaguar) and John Donnelly (HWM Thuderbird).

Roger Dowding
10-14-2019, 07:18 PM
That's from the Auckland Car Club meeting at Pukekohe on December 12, 1964.

The race was won by Jim Boyd (Lycoming), from Ian Green (Tojeiro Jaguar) and John Donnelly (HWM Thuderbird).

Thanks, Milan.
I sent the entry list to Trevor as he is mentioned, and have asked BMC BOY and Mark Donaldson - President of AHCCNZ, if they know of the Healey's especially that one from Thames shown as 4000cc " Austin Healey 3000 M I " .. Don't think the Healey-Valiant had been built in 1964.

Graham Woods has posted the entry list for most of the races and the Presidents Letter for the December 1964 meeting.
I will put them on the Pukekohe thread soon.
Cheers
Roger

Milan Fistonic
10-14-2019, 07:52 PM
This was in a publication called Classic Car Weekly that I picked up in the UK.

63519

Ray Bell
10-15-2019, 03:52 AM
Originally posted by Roger Dowding
......Don't think the Healey-Valiant had been built in 1964.....

A 'Healey-Valiant' would have to be powered by a Slant 6, they were about 3.76-litres but could stand a lot of boring out.

But would the engine have been installed as a slant, or vertically? As a slant it would have made it terribly difficult to work on.

And what might an earlier '4000' have carried under the bonnet?

Perhaps a Princess R engine like the factory 4000s? Or is that too much to ask?

Roger Dowding
10-15-2019, 04:20 AM
A 'Healey-Valiant' would have to be powered by a Slant 6, they were about 3.76-litres but could stand a lot of boring out.

But would the engine have been installed as a slant, or vertically? As a slant it would have made it terribly difficult to work on.

And what might an earlier '4000' have carried under the bonnet?

Perhaps a Princess R engine like the factory 4000s? Or is that too much to ask?

Ray Bell the Princess R motor was my thought too !!.

Tha Valiant Healey " Healey Valiant " did have the slant six - I don't have a photo of the original Valiant motor when fitted but do have this photos of the current installation. On a slant with the lovely Webers sitting flat ..

63538
Photo by Milan Fistonic - rebuild by the current owner - who had to take out the non-compliant V8

One of the Owners [ Grant McKenzie ] photos of the car from Mark Donaldson at the All British Day in Auckland last year I think

63539

Roger Dowding
10-15-2019, 04:34 AM
This was in a publication called Classic Car Weekly that I picked up in the UK.

63519

Thanks Milan - Interesting that they would pair the two cars - the 100 SIX, actually had a smaller motor 2639 cc compared to the 4 with 2660 - was less powerful and longer and heavier - Still I would like any Big Healey these days.

Roger Dowding
10-15-2019, 04:53 AM
Learn't a bit more about this car from another guy that both Bill and I know - Rex Urban from Salem Oregon was a Sprite and small BMC Cars Man Austin A30's A40's -[ which were pretty rare in the USA ] Rex and his mate Paul Lawry and Mini's ran " Mini Motors " for many years - Rex Urban is still restoring and rebuilding cars.

The photo again.

63540

a bit of the story on the car;

" Rex Urban – who restored the car in White ; it was restored as it raced in the can-am racing series. White.. I'll look for pictures. It had very interesting mods. Lots of alloy and no vent in the bonnet. Light doors and boot. Brings back memories of 1980s.

Dave Birchall; That would make it the 1961 Canadian Championship winner? With alloy body. Driven by Grant Clark?

Rex Urban : reply to Dave Birchall ; Yes!!! That's it!.. Bill made sure that the numbers were exactly correct. Wonderful car. Lots of mods to the engine. Very driveable
"

Bills other two racers - ABL6 the Modsport type car and UJB141 the ex Sebring 1960 works car part of a Team of 3, UJB143 did Le mans as well in 1960. UJB141 had a huge rollover at Sebring.

63542

Both these cars have been sold by Bill, the Modsport ABL6 is in the UK, UJB141 and the above racer I am unsure

63541

Rex Urban will look for photos of the car and its rebuild.
Interestingly a couple of ex North American racers have made their way to New Zealand - unsure if they have been rebuilt restored yet - one arrived in the 1980's and owned by Mark Donaldson.

Ray Bell
10-15-2019, 05:18 AM
I'm pretty sure you posted that Slant 6 pic before, Roger...

And I think I commented then how difficult it must have been to get to the distributor. But there's room for carbies and that's all good.

Roger Dowding
10-22-2019, 04:01 AM
Following up with Ray Bells comment on the 4000 cc engine.

More information on the " Austin Healey 3000 M I capacity 4000 "- entered in the Auckland Car Clubs December 1964 Race meeting at Pukekohe. by P A T McLoughlin.

The entry list again from Graham Woods archives;

63639

P A T McLoughlin was one of the McLouglin Brothers who owned the Austin Healey in 1964.
have gleaned some of the story from BMC BOY [Ross C ]and the cars current owner and restorer Myles Hick [ son of the late Gavin Hicks - well known in Classic Car and Restoration circles in Auckland and indeed New Zealand.

Myles observes ;
" Interesting it’s listed as 4000 as most of the programs had it entered as 4200.
The original motor would had been 4000, so they must have done the enlargement after this date "

Ross writes about the car ;
" I think the McLaughlin car is the Ruddspeed Healey that belongs to Myles Hicks (do you remember Gavin Hicks father of Myles and Justin. He passed away recently)
It was fitted with a 4000 big Austin motor and the original Ruddspeed was fitted into a A95 Sedan which I think hit a bridge and killed one of the McLaughlin brothers.
When Gavin bought the Healey the 4000 was still in the car and they could drive it.
The A95 was parked in damaged condition under a tree with the Ruddspeed engine out beside it.

Myles is currently finishing the car which had only about 40000 miles on it and in very nice condition bodywise for its age. Old English white over black as original with a black works hardtop.
It has a lot of mods fitted from Ruddspeed including an original 100S oil cooler.
It’s a 1959 3000 BT7 from memory. No doubt it will go overseas to get the sort of money cars built to the Hicks’
standard can be found.

They found a buyer with a Jensen 541 who wanted a modified 4000cc Austin 6. Probably the only person who would want one of those boat anchors!
"
Spelling of the name McLaughlin or McLoughlin - will clarify as we know spelling in entry lists is often incorrect - the organiser / secretary having to decipher " Boys "handwriting.

Have other entry lists from meetings around this time at Pukekohe,being from Thames it may be the only track they raced on but could well have been at Matamata, Mt Maunganui and other middle North Island Race Meeting.

Myles no doubt has more information on the car - Probably met him back in the 1970's when involved with the Austin Healey Club - I have met and seen Gavin at many meetings of AHCCNZ or other Classic Clubs TACCOC, Jaguar Drivers when competing.

More to follow.

Ray Bell
10-22-2019, 05:50 AM
"Boat anchor" would probably be a good description if it's the truck motor...

They were also used in the A125 Sheerline and big Princess models of the late forties and early fifties, they would have put an enormous load on that Healey front end.

It was, in fact, the six from which the Healey four was derived. Built on a pre-war truck engine which started out, IIRC, at 3500cc.

Rex Law used one briefly in his Regal...

https://i.postimg.cc/nc72q9t6/REGLBG6.jpg

...but replaced it with a Cadillac V8. His was 3500cc from a military ambulance.

Kevin Hirst
10-22-2019, 08:03 PM
"Boat anchor" would probably be a good description if it's the truck motor...

They were also used in the A125 Sheerline and big Princess models of the late forties and early fifties, they would have put an enormous load on that Healey front end.

It was, in fact, the six from which the Healey four was derived. Built on a pre-war truck engine which started out, IIRC, at 3500cc.

Rex Law used one briefly in his Regal...

https://i.postimg.cc/nc72q9t6/REGLBG6.jpg

...but replaced it with a Cadillac V8. His was 3500cc from a military ambulance.

They where a pretty reliable truck engine in there day, only the odd burnt valve [typical of that head design] but not many other problems, would never think you would be able to get a lot of performance out of one though, the McLouclan brothers were in the TVCC, around the same time as I was.

Roger Dowding
10-22-2019, 09:11 PM
They where a pretty reliable truck engine in there day, only the odd burnt valve [typical of that head design] but not many other problems, would never think you would be able to get a lot of performance out of one though, the McLouclan brothers were in the TVCC, around the same time as I was.

Kevin, Hi,
I remember we [ teams of cars from Northern Sports car Club ] used to compete in Trials run by Thames Valley Car Club, as part of the Mercury Trophy series in the mid 1970's.
The mention of Thames - do you know Lloyd Gleeson ?, a Thames Boy who now lives in New Plymouth, he still has his Morgan Plus 4 that he bought new in the UK around 1970. he is a good mate of my Neighbour in Omokoroa, also a Thames Boy, named John Mitchinson - John and I went to Pukekohe for one day of the " Supercars " recently.

Ray Bell
The A125 / A135 Motor - yes, believe that it was a version of the A70 A90 AH 100 motor - which was a Truck motor of around 3 1/4 to 3 and 1/2 litres [ the A70/90 was the same block just cut down to a 4 cylinder - good stuff and thanks.

Myles Hicks is going to find some photos of the AH 3000 / 4000 and send them to me.
- watch this space.

Ray Bell
10-23-2019, 12:22 AM
Look forward to that...

The first usage of the 4-cyl version of that 6, the reason it was built, was as a replacement for Jeep engines made locally so they didn't take up shipping space.

Then:

Austin 16 (is that right?)
A70
London cabs
A90 Atlantic
Nuffield tractors
Morris Commercial trucks
Austin Healey
100S Racing Healeys
Healey LSR cars

As for the six, it was out to 4-litres by 1947 or so for the A125 (or 135?) and also in trucks. Another two racing Specials I know of using them in Australia was the Sheerline Special (built by the Wylies) and the Stewand of Norm Andrews. In the latter it was a replacement for... a Jeep engine!

Here it is in Austin-powered form:

https://i.postimg.cc/FzrL9vts/STEWAND.jpg

stubuchanan
10-23-2019, 09:51 AM
They where a pretty reliable truck engine in there day, only the odd burnt valve [typical of that head design] but not many other problems, would never think you would be able to get a lot of performance out of one though, the McLouclan brothers were in the TVCC, around the same time as I was.

Spelling of surname was always McLoughlin in programmes I have from 1960's. They also ventured into single-seaters a year or two later, not with much success, cars a bit long in the tooth by then - 2.5 Cooper and Lotus 18 - Peter (not Pat) and Roger I think.

Stu

Allan
10-23-2019, 06:36 PM
NZ Motor racing site (Sargent) shows him in the 1967 GP as "Pat Loughlin Cooper T53 Climax 2495cc".

Kevin Hirst
10-23-2019, 07:28 PM
NZ Motor racing site (Sargent) shows him in the 1967 GP as "Pat Loughlin Cooper T53 Climax 2495cc".

Yes, only knew him as Pat, & Roger his brother, I thought A70 & A90 where different castings 2.2 ltr & 2.6, first used as2.2 in austin 16 about 1948 Roger, no did not know the guy's you mentioned from Thames, cheer's

Ray Bell
10-23-2019, 10:18 PM
Different castings for the larger bores...

I wonder if they had 'siamesed' cylinders like the later engines when they were ultimately enlarged?

Externally similar, of course, dimensionally identical except for bore sizes.

And as I posted above, first used as a replacement engine for Jeeps during the war.

Oh, and I forgot that they were used in Austin Gipsy and the civilian version of the Austin Champ.

Roger Dowding
10-23-2019, 10:55 PM
Spelling of surname was always McLoughlin in programmes I have from 1960's. They also ventured into single-seaters a year or two later, not with much success, cars a bit long in the tooth by then - 2.5 Cooper and Lotus 18 - Peter (not Pat) and Roger I think.

Stu

Stu, thanks for the info about the name - I will check with Myles Hicks on the Christian names [ the Pat came I think from the initials P. A. T. perhaps ]
Thanks Kevin too about the motors - have received nearly a dozen photos from Myles Hicks and a lot more on the History of the car.
Interestingly just got a Message from Ken H -he knew of a John Mitchinson when in Kiwitahi - at school who was around the same DoB as his brother 1944 !! - Small World ?? perhaps

This montage shows the car several photos and the burnt out wreck of the A95.

63658

More photo to follow am trying put them in order - from the Rego plates white on deep red 1956-61 and then black on yellow the last series.

Number plates ;
1956 - 61 - Car was a very early 3000 built in 1959. so had a set of these first.

63659

Then these 1961 -64.

63660


Plates 1937 to 1965/66 year
63661

Ray Bell
10-24-2019, 12:10 AM
And the A99 discs on the A95...

Roger Dowding
10-24-2019, 04:50 AM
And the A99 discs on the A95...

Probably needed them with the Ruddspeed modifications - would have made a great tow car for a Sprite/Midget Racer .. Good spotting Ray - hadn't really looked at the picture properly ..
Bit of a Mess -early Ford Laser beside it what date would the photo be ?

Have now !
63666

I know BMC used the Westminster A105 and A110 wagons as support vehicle for the BMC Rally Team Mini's MGA's B's and Big Healey's in the 1960's

Ray Bell
10-24-2019, 07:24 AM
I have never seen an A110 (or A99) wagon, only sedans...

Did you also have the Morris Marshals in NZ? It came as a wagon as well as the A95 and A105.

Roger Dowding
10-25-2019, 03:41 AM
I have never seen an A110 (or A99) wagon, only sedans...

Did you also have the Morris Marshals in NZ? It came as a wagon as well as the A95 and A105.

Ray . No - Morris Marshalls in NZ - I liked that A95/99 ***
[ should be A105 not 99 see Ray Bells note post #852 ]
style the pre-Farina big Austins, we in NZ in the Healey Club nearly bought an A95 wagon as a group to help tow a race car would make a great set up as a Classic car with a Sprite on the trailer.

A check on the 110 wagons in my BMC Rally Book " The BMC / BL Competitions Department " by Bill Price covers the period of 25 years [ 1955 - 1981 ] by one of the guys in the Works Comp department.

63671

There is a photo of a Wagon one servicing the Morley brothers Mini in the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally, in other photos shows they used 110 Saloons with trailers too !! Not all were Austin some were Wolseley 6/110 as used at the Acropolis in 1967

As an aside Marcus Chambers who was in charge at one stage ran a Wolseley 6/99 Farina in the 1960 Viking Rally with Den Green

Ray Bell
10-25-2019, 07:04 AM
The A99s were the later (A60, Freeway etc) shape, Roger...

The A95 and A105 were the same shape, the A99 and A110 were the later style. Wolseleys too, 6/99, 6/110.

The A99 with the 3-speed and B-W overdrive was a masterly tow car. I used to tow my Clubman everywhere at close enough to 100mph with it, but front suspensions took a hammering, new to useless in under 10,000 miles.

stubuchanan
10-29-2019, 09:15 AM
Probably needed them with the Ruddspeed modifications - would have made a great tow car for a Sprite/Midget Racer .. Good spotting Ray - hadn't really looked at the picture properly ..
Bit of a Mess -early Ford Laser beside it what date would the photo be ?

Have now !
63666

I know BMC used the Westminster A105 and A110 wagons as support vehicle for the BMC Rally Team Mini's MGA's B's and Big Healey's in the 1960's

Being picky, I know, but the "Laser" is actually a Mazda 323 2-door hatchback - same mechanicals but slightly different body treatment. I had a Ford Laser from late '80's till its demise in early 2000's, but can't find a photo of it, surprisingly - a good knockaround shopping car and motor still ran like clockwork till the end. Laser was a 4-door hatch with quarter-window in rear pillar.

Stu

Roger Dowding
10-29-2019, 08:37 PM
Being picky, I know, but the "Laser" is actually a Mazda 323 2-door hatchback - same mechanicals but slightly different body treatment. I had a Ford Laser from late '80's till its demise in early 2000's, but can't find a photo of it, surprisingly - a good knockaround shopping car and motor still ran like clockwork till the end. Laser was a 4-door hatch with quarter-window in rear pillar.

Stu

Not " picky " Stu B, - gave it a " boys look " probably remember Lasers being it that colour - they would be the first of the front wheel drive 323's / Lasers -
My Uncle had the last of the rear wheel drive 323 Station Wagons for a while - his " take to Waiheke " Car that the family often used to go there - save wear and tear on the Daily Drivers.

At one time [ 1979 ] a guy had a RWD 323 of that earlier era that had a 13B Rotary in it ..looked very standard until the
" Wop,wop,wop "
as it sat on the start line at Pekanui Road, near Pirongia - then it was gone .... Was there in my TR4A .. must look up some details as John Climo has sent me a spreadsheet with many of the Competitors in the series of Bardahl Hill Climbs for the 1979 /80 season.

Roger Dowding
10-29-2019, 09:22 PM
Been busy going through Myle Hicks stuff - his writings and photos which is helping to get it in sequence.
A guy called Russel Leathers had the car originally a 1959 BN7 - so an early 3000 and ran it at Ardmore for a couple of years then at Pukekohe, Chamberlain Road and elsewhere .. The montage of photos are when Gavin and Myles bought both the AH and the Austin - Myles notes last warrant on the Healey in 1970 - see an NSCC Scrutineers sticker in the Montage too !!

More to come and must check through my Ardmore stuff - may have the entry details of the car 1960 - 1962 there.

Mcloughlins must have bought it 1964 - have a photo of it at Pukekohe with a permanent plate BN2253.

Photo of when it went to the Hicks - on the trailer - from the Montage of Four photos..

63729

The stickers NSCC and Shell meetings

63730

Roger Dowding
11-02-2019, 05:48 AM
Entry Lists from Graham Woods of the Sports Car Races - Trophy and Handicap Races.
The extra link is the connection with the Russell Leathers Austin Healeys [ he had more than one ] and the McLoughlin Brothers [ Pat ( Peter ) and Roger ] who also had several, Sprite 100 Six and the Ruddspeed 3000 that became the Austin 4000.

1960 Ardmore

63807

1961 Ardmore

63808

1962 Ardmore

63809

1963 Pukekohe the first running of the New Zealand ' International ' Grand Prix ..

63810
ignore the Ardmore reference on the photo my Typo ..



Car Race #122 Ardmore 1961 the Ruddspeed 3000. with Russell Leathers - ready to race ..

63811

The Ruddspeed on Ardmore racing -
racing number #71 1962 with Pat McLoughlin - Thanks to Myles Hicks for these car images

63812

The Full Ruddspeed story will follow

Roger Dowding
11-06-2019, 05:42 AM
The Full Ruddspeed story will follow ;

not quite ready but I have this ..

63864

Something to get a hold of ..

The Car had three Registration - Number Plates;

Cream on Deep Red ; 603.043 with Russell Leathers when the car arrived in NZ 1961 [ 56-61 plates ]

Black on Yellow ; 420.664 with Russell Leathers and as onsold to the McLoughlins in mid -late 1961.
[ 61-64 plates ]

Aluminium - Silver on Black ; BN2253 with the McLoughlins the first issue of permanent plates in 1964

Roger Dowding
11-07-2019, 05:37 AM
The first part of the Leathers, McLoughlin, Hicks story of an interesting Austin Healey 3000.
- The Ruddspeed 3000 - Austin Healey 4000 / 4200 - Ruddspeed 3000.

Most comments from Myles Hicks and some from BMC BOY;

The early life of the car ;

" . It’s a 1959 3000 BT7 from memory. " comment by BMC BOY

" A bit of the story of the car. 'from Myles Hicks..
Russell Leathers order a Healey 100/6. in 1959 for tourist delivery and sent his wife to the UK to collect it. When collected, it was one of the first 3000 MK1’s produced. She delivered it to Ruddspeed for a full conversion, which at that time was very similar to works spec.
When it arrived in NZ Russell raced it for approx 2 years. He said it was the only race car he had owned which cost him nothing to race, as the prize money paid for his races. "

Myles also noted ;

" I think the Ruddspeed May have been kept in the UK for a year before they brought it in, possibly for duty/tax reasons. "

Russell Leathers had a Healey prior to the Ruddspeed as noted by the entry in the 1960 Ardmore GP meeting - the Sports Car Race ; in a 100 - four cylinder.

The 1960 Entry List ; [ posted before ]

63877

Indeed a very early 3000 BT7 -

A photo of the car - bonnet up showing the top of the engine - as modified by Ruddspeed.

63878

The car ready for the 1961 Ardmore GP meeting - first time it raced in New Zealand. Race #122

63879

Entry List for the 1961 Race.
Note the entrant is G Leathers - presume that is Russell's wife who had collected the car taken it to Ruddspeed and would have been the " Purchaser " in England - This was probably under the Tourist Delivery scheme - where the car could be retained in the UK for up to 6 months - I believe.

1961
The car at Auckland Car Club Chamberlain Road Hill Climb - a well known road in the Speed Event calender in the 1960's 70's - this photo posted in a later post belongs here, and from the Number Plate Car would be with Russell Leathers-

63912

The McLoughlins with an Austin Healey at 2702 cc - presume the 100/6 that they later traded /part exchanged for the 3000.
Quite a few Austin Healey's in the the race

63880

He then sold it the Pat McLoughlin.

Picture of the Ruddspeed with the McLoughlins - and a 100 6. This car went to Russell Leathers as a part exchange.
Note the Black on Yellow number plates so mid late 1961.

63881

that is next part of the story;

nigel watts
11-07-2019, 07:00 AM
Same car? - This was at the 2012 NZFMR.

63883

ERC
11-07-2019, 09:29 AM
No! That is Mike Sexton's 100S recreation... He also has an immaculate Healey 100 - plus other cars and motor bikes.

I have known Mike for about 30 years (through my work) and it wasn't until he turned up for a classic trial at Pukekohe, some years ago, that I had any clue at all that he was interested in cars! Over many years and through three companies, my best client by a country mile.

Roger Dowding
11-08-2019, 11:17 PM
The McLoughlin ownership of the car and some competition details - events, entry lists and photo's.

Myles Hicks writes ;

" He then sold it the Pat McLoughlin. They raced it through until 1970. During that period it was raced all around the north island, originally with the 3000 Ruddspeed engine, but then later with the Austin 4000 engine which was then enlarged to 4200. It was probably changed to make the Healey more competitive against newer cars. Remarkably the larger engine fitted into the engine bay with very little modifications.
In 1970 Pats brother Roger was killed in a road accident in his A90 [ **A95 ! ] which had the Ruddspeed engine fitted to it. At that time the Healey along with Rogers lowlife [*** lowline ! ] Cooper Climax where parked in the barn.
"
" When we got the car it had a tow bar fitted which slid out, apparently they would tow the Cooper to the meetings behind the Healey, remove the tow bar, one raced the Healey, the other the Cooper, then hook it all up again at the end of the meeting. " .

Ross Cammick [ BMC Boy ] wrote this ; about the car when in the Mcloughlins care.

" It was fitted with a 4000 big Austin motor and the original Ruddspeed was fitted into a A95 Sedan which I think hit a bridge and killed one of the McLaughlin brothers.
When Gavin bought the Healey the 4000 was still in the car and they could drive it. The A95 was parked in damaged condition under a tree with the Ruddspeed engine
out beside it.
"

Ross adds ;

" Old English white over black as original with a black works hardtop.
It has a lot of mods fitted from Ruddspeed including an original 100S oil cooler. It’s a 1959 3000 BT7 "

Pictures of the car at Ardmore, and Pukekohe 1962 - 1964

Ardmore 1962 ;

63900

The Entry List Ardmore 1962 - Graham Woods

63901

Pukekohe 1964
- Race No #37 The Auckland Car Clubs December 1964 meeting Engine now the Austin Four Litre.
In the Paddock

63902

On the track being pursued !

63903

December 1964 the Entry List.

63904

More to come at Pukekohe and a photo at Chamberlain Road the ACC Hill Climb.

Roger Dowding
11-08-2019, 11:41 PM
Pukekohe 1966 Race No #35 -being driven quickly - the car is at Rothmans Hill - this photo has been cropped. I am hoping to get the Original.
Car now 4200 cc

63905

Entry list from the Race ; The Ken Wharton Memorial Trophy Race at the New Zealand International Grand Prix meeting.
I was there so have seen the car - but didn't realise it

63906

Got my time line a bit out of kilter !!
1961
The car at Auckland Car Club Chamberlain Road Hill Climb - a well known road in the Speed Event calender in the 1960's 70's -unsure when they stopped using it ?no details of the date - crudely painted numbers as they did at these events - just white chalk / poster paint that easily rubbed / washed off. This would be 1961
This is earlier in the cars history - still has the old style number plates 603.043
Would have been in Russell Leathers days as plates replaced with Black on Yellow in mid 1961 .. 420.664 and then with BN2253 when permanent plates arrived in mid 1964

63907

1963
This is an Entry List for Pukekohe 1963 with Pat McLoughlin in the car still the Ruddspeed 3000,Brother Roger in a Sprite which was painted in the same colour scheme Old English White over Black. No photos.

63908

That is all I have on the cars competition history - to date
Next is what the car looked like when the Hicks acquired it and the A90/6 [ A95! ] in 1985.

63909

Photos from Myles Hicks archives - except the Gear Knob from Mark Donaldson from AHCCNZ

Programmes mainly from Graham Woods with one from Milan Fistonic - as detailed on the images.

Note ; some photo descriptions partly incorrect - I have to rename them now that the events are correctly dated.

Roger Dowding
11-09-2019, 12:56 AM
Ownership Number three - we are now in 1985 - the car having sat since 1970.

Myles Hicks writes ;

" Gavin purchased the car in 1985, as it sat for the last period, with the Cooper still sitting with it.
When we got the car it had a tow bar fitted which slid out, apparently they would tow the Cooper to the meetings behind the Healey, remove the tow bar, one raced the Healey, the other the Cooper, then hook it all up again at the end of the meeting.
After sitting in our shed for another 30+ years, Gavin started the restoration last year. Sadly he passed away before it was completed. I have continued with the restoration which is getting close to completion. It was in very original condition, only done 39,000 miles.
"

Ross Cammicks notes ;

" I think the McLaughlin car is the Ruddspeed Healey that belongs to Myles Hicks (do you remember Gavin Hicks father of Myles and Justin. He passed away recently)
It was fitted with a 4000 big Austin motor and the original Ruddspeed was fitted into a A95 Sedan which I think hit a bridge and killed one of the McLaughlin brothers.
When Gavin bought the Healey the 4000 was still in the car and they could drive it. The A95 was parked in damaged condition under a tree with the Ruddspeed engine
out beside it.
Myles noted about the 4000 engine ;

" Interesting it’s listed as 4000 as most of the programs had it entered as 4200.
The original motor would had been 4000, so they must have done the enlargement after this date - referring to the Dec 1964 entry list shows 4000cc whereas the 1966 entry list 420occ "

Myles is currently finishing the car which had only about 40000 miles on it and in very nice condition bodywise for its age. Old English white over black as original with a black works hardtop.
It has a lot of mods fitted from Ruddspeed including an original 100S oil cooler. It’s a 1959 3000 BT7 .. Edited ..

They found a buyer with a Jensen 541 who wanted a modified 4000cc Austin 6. Probably the only person who would want one of those boat anchors!
"

Photos from the Montage - separated out.

63913

63914

63915

The burnt out A90/6

63916

Scrutineering stickers from the Car -last warrant was in 1970.

63917

The whole Montage [ posted before ]

63918


Restoration photos to follow ;

Roger Dowding
11-09-2019, 01:45 AM
Recent photos of the restoration from Myles Hicks -restoration started in 2018 ;
Some other interesting cars in the edges of the photos - other Hicks projects.

63919

63920

63921

The Engine Bay should look like this when finished a 1960 photo of the car when new-ish - a 1959 model as stated.

63922


That is the story so far !
Thanks to Myles Hicks and Ross Cammick for the information - Myles for the photos, and to Graham Woods and Milan Fistonic for the entry lists. Contributions from two TRS members..

Roger Dowding
11-11-2019, 10:13 PM
Correction of information has been made on both posts.
Incorrectly attributed Chassis Number AHS3905 to Joe Jarick from QLD Australia with that Chassis Number Joe and Lyn Jarick's Car is AHS3807 ..which they have owned for 40 years - My Bad - oops !!.

A bit of the History of AHS3905 from Chris Dimmock - sent to me by Mark Donaldson.
From the Austin Healey Owners Club yearbook.

63951

Post #828 about BU1629 and IF4514 - Carjam shows them as the same car - this is incorrect and the chassis number for BU1629 is 159745 not 159475 .. their error - must see if it can be corrected. I know you can correct odometer reading, so will try - It may rquire the actual owner to do so.

Both lots of information from Mark Donaldson - thanks Mark.

Mark is also locating some information on another Ruddspeed 3000 - this one a racer in the USA [ and Canada ! ] in the 1970's.

Ray Bell
11-12-2019, 08:02 AM
Sam Miller was quite a man...

He lived on the same farm all his life, about 30kms North of Gunnedah. During the war he built a little car for his nephews, a Douglas flat twin engine in the front drove a very long chain to the back axle, it looked like a miniature Riley and the wheels were turned up out of some gum tree.

In the garage when I visited there about 20 years ago was a Lancia Lambda which had been in that same garage every night since it was delivered new in 1926.

The real prize, as far as I was concerned, however, was a 1911 Regal Underslung...

Roger Dowding
11-15-2019, 04:44 AM
My getting the story wrong on Joe Jarick's car resulted in getting some clarification from Mark Donaldson, and today some details from Joe Jarick ;
Joe writes ;

" On arranging the purchase ; in November 1974

“ First mention of 3807 was in the May issue of Safety Fast magazine. Following been unsuccessful buying 3901 (too expensive even though I had supplied the engine parts to get it going), 3910 (Bo changed his mind), in mid 1974 I rang Directory assistance in Portugal and asked for his name. There was 83 people by the same name. I asked the operator to ring one. It was not him, but when I mentioned ‘Austin Healey’ he said you need ‘Ingeniro’, the man of the same name who was an engineer. He passed the message on and I received a letter a week or so later. “

Joe had previously owned AHS3701.

“I instigated the 100S Register in 1971 following purchasing AHS 3701. I am the third owner of AHS 3807, at the time I purchased it I met the original owner who was the Austin agent for Portugal. “
"

" 45 years ago today I purchased AHS 3807 in Portugal, having flown to Lisbon to meet the owner in Cascais, a resort village just to the north. The Carnation Revolution had taken place and on my return on 10 December, clutching the registration papers I drove the Healey through the border into Spain to Madrid, then north to meet the London bound ferry from Bilbao. I had sold a completely disassembled AHS 3701 in Australia to make the purchase along with almost everything I had. AHS 3807 had just 20,400 miles on it from new "

Photo of Joe racing the car - captioned ;
" a younger version of me. 1998 Australian Grand Prix Historic Support Event, Albert Park, Melbourne. I also ran the 100S at the 1996 Grand Prix, first ‘modern’ Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne "

The Melbourne Photo ; Joe Jarick archives

63985

Photo of Joe and Lyn in the Car in 2018 [ posted in #822 some time ago ]..Joe Jarick archives

63986

The car - Photo from many years ago

63987

Photo from Steve Pike noted as 1972 but would have been late 1974 or early 1975 when it arrived in Sydney..

Car was sold new in Portugal as noted by Joe Jarick - details in the Geoffrey Healey Book
-Austin Healey -" the story of the Big Healeys "

Invoiced to " J. J. Concalves Sucrs., Lisbon, Portugal despatch date 25th May 1955 "

As Joe Jarick mentions he started a 100S Register in 1971, and Mark Donaldson has a very compete record of the 100S cars too !!.
37 of the 55 still survive [ 50 Customer cars and 5 Works cars ].
The Chassis numbering was done to confuse other manufacturers and works teams, as cars number from AHS3501 to AHS3910 - [ 409 ] they are in blocks of 10 AHS3501 to AHS3510, then 3601 - 10 , 3701 - 10 .. etc, etc .. for the Customer cars ..

Roger Dowding
11-18-2019, 03:10 AM
BMC BOY sent me this photo from the archives on his car ..

Four Monochrome Photos showing the Car in the 1960's and in 2019.
Photo from mid 1964 on as has the permanent Number Plate

64043

64044

Race #23 - the Race Number at the Auckland Car Club December 1964 meeting.
But are they the same meeting as one photo the Race #23 is in a Roundel, the first photo does not appear to be. The car is at Pukekohe
Photo's above.
The Entry List thanks to Graham Woods -entry includes the Ruddspeed now Austin 3000 / 4000 of the McLoughlins.
64047

Race #21 the Race number for the 1965 Gold Leaf Three Hour Challenge Race.. Photo below.
Ken Hyndman had the programme- posted on my Pukekohe thread a while ago.
64048


64045

2019 - The Brit Euro - in Monochrome ..
with the HL3000 plate that would have been ordered through the Post Office and issued late 1970's when Ross completed the Rebuild /Restoration ..

64046

Carjam shows this

" Year: 1959
Make: AUSTIN
Model: HEALEY
Colour: Red
Body Style: Sports Car
Plate: HL3000
Engine No: 29DR96784
Chassis: HBN75439 "

" Plate Effective Date
HL3000 28-Sep-1964 "

BN7 The two seater version of the AH 3000 Mark One were fairly rare compared the the 4 seater [ well 2 + 2 ] BT7.
Produced 1959 - 1961 were 10,825 BT7 and 2825 BN7.
The two seater was even more rare in the 3000 Mark Two
Produced 1961 - 1962 were 5,095 BT7 and only 355 BN7 - these were the model known in the AH world as the Tri-Carb .. with the three SU Carburettors
The BJ series started in 1962




Thanks to Ross Cammick Milan Fistonic [ from a Magazine ] Rhys Nolan and Nigel Watts for the images.

Roger Dowding
11-20-2019, 08:38 PM
Have received more entry lists, results and Programme covers from Myles Hicks - showing the Ruddspeed 3000 / Austin 4000 at events.

Matamata Street Races 1965.
Programme Cover

64109

Entry List - Sports Car Race The Leathers / McLoughlin car - now with Pat Mcloughlin is the Austin 4000 powered car.
lap 1 was Tenth and it finished Fourth
Bill Dunster in second place

64110

Lap Times and Placings - handwritten note re the Trophy's.

64111

Auckland Car Club " Hillclimb @ Bombay " - would be Chamberlain Road and a couple of Austin Healey's are featured.
Date of meeting not known.
Results List ; Times and Placings.
The Leathers car is shown as 2912 cc so the Ruddspeed 3000 engine
an R Cammick in another Austin Healey - Is that BMC BOY - seems he would have been too young ??

It is in fact Rick Cammick - Ross' older cousin who now lives in Fiji. just found this out - had seen the photo before though [ copied below - from Milan Fistonic

My old Neighbour from New Lynn Alan Woolf in his Ford 8.. so image is 1961

64112

Car Race #27 - shown again. Same event ? It was at Chamberlain Road - Car has the early 1956-61 plates on

64113

Rick Cammick in his 100 Six at Golf Road - MG Car Club Hillclimb in Titirangi -Golf Road now a sealed road has been for many years and yes by the Golf Course - photo from BMC BOY Ross.

64119

Roger Dowding
11-20-2019, 09:23 PM
Started the story as got the entry list for a Race at the Auckland Car Club December 1964 meeting with a 4000cc Austin Healey entered.

The Programme cover
[ now TRS site is working again ].

64120

The full page with the entry list

Roger Dowding
11-21-2019, 12:42 AM
Nigel Watts comment on his thread about TRs uploading same thing in the post above #870 - the second image shows as attached images - yet didn't seem to load up when I tried so just added the post with idea of editing it later, and there it is ..

Was going to add this too !!.

The entry list that started the whole Ruddspeed story - from Graham Woods, Myles Hicks posted the whole page of the programme.

64127

Thats all the Ruddspeed for the moment.

64128

Many thanks to Ross Cammick, Myles Hicks for the Ruddspeed story and photo's, and to Graham Woods for the original image [ above ] and the Ardmore and Pukekohe Sports Car Race entry lists, already posted.
Finally to Milan Fistonic thanks for your images and programme's too..

Do have another photo of Rick Cammick [ Ross' cousin ] in his 100 Six at the Golf Road Hillclimb with Auckland Car Club .. I was living in New Lynn at the time and didn't realise - even though Alan Woolf would have been heading off form a few doors up in his Ford 8..

This by Milan Fistonic from BMC BOYS archives.

64129

That distance from 110 Seabrook Avenue ([ my house ] Alan Woolf was at 116 I think ) to Golf Road is only .....
3 km or ....
5 minutes to the bottom of Golf Road on Portage Road by the Golf Course - would imagine that they used the first Golf Course part of the road - as housing further up.

*** see Milan's comments next post .. nearer the top of the road, near Stottholm Road

The images have vanished - will try again in a new post Grrr ...

Milan Fistonic
11-21-2019, 01:34 AM
The MG Car Club Hillclimb was not at the Golf Course end of Golf Road. Going up Golf Road from Portage Road, the venue was Crum's clay pit on the left at the top of the hill just past the shops by Stottholm Road. That's my photo of Rick in the Healey.

Roger Dowding
11-21-2019, 02:24 AM
The MG Car Club Hillclimb was not at the Golf Course end of Golf Road. Going up Golf Road from Portage Road, the venue was Crum's clay pit on the left at the top of the hill just past the shops by Stottholm Road. That's my photo of Rick in the Healey.

Milan thanks, for that yes your photo which Ross Ricks cousin sent to me.. always like to acknowledge sources of photos etc..
Also thanks also about where the event was .. that would be where the new housing occurred later - in the late 1970's .. means it was even closer to where I lived.
Do you know the date[s] of the event. around 1960 - 61 by the number plates..

And now my attachments to post #871 have gone .. grrr..

Ray Bell
11-21-2019, 08:16 PM
Did we establish for sure that the 4000 engine is an Austin engine (truck or Shereline) yet?

I note that the programme above shows it to be 3993cc while most sources seem to have the big Austins at 3995cc.

Roger Dowding
11-23-2019, 03:54 AM
Did we establish for sure that the 4000 engine is an Austin engine (truck or Shereline) yet?

I note that the programme above shows it to be 3993cc while most sources seem to have the big Austins at 3995cc.

Ray, according to Myles Hicks - who now has the car, it was the car [so Shearline A125/A135 - I am not an expert on Big Austins ] version of the 4 litre - capacity details at motor race meeting were from the entry forms and deciphering the entrants handwriting then the potential for typos..
The engine got sold to a guy with a Jensen 541 - who liked the idea of a modified version of the engine at 4200cc and other mods.
as BMC BOY mentioned " about the only one who would want that " Boat Anchor ".
- I would have thought the 3000 could have been modified a bit more and kept competitive.
The result at Matamata was that the Bill Dunster 3000 came second and the 4000cc 4th.. or maybe Dunster was the better driver !!

Ray Bell
11-23-2019, 10:51 AM
There's every likelihood that the extra weight (probably over 100lbs of it) in the front end hobbled the handling...

Remember the Ross Bond experience with the alloy head.

Roger Dowding
11-25-2019, 06:54 PM
Nigel Watts comment on his thread about TRs uploading same thing in the post above #870 - the second image shows as attached images - yet didn't seem to load up when I tried so just added the post with idea of editing it later, and there it is ..

Was going to add this too !!.

The entry list that started the whole Ruddspeed story - from Graham Woods, Myles Hicks posted the whole page of the programme.

64127

Thats all the Ruddspeed for the moment.

64128

Many thanks to Ross Cammick, Myles Hicks for the Ruddspeed story and photo's, and to Graham Woods for the original image [ above ] and the Ardmore and Pukekohe Sports Car Race entry lists, already posted.
Finally to Milan Fistonic thanks for your images and programme's too..

Do have another photo of Rick Cammick [ Ross' cousin ] in his 100 Six at the Golf Road Hillclimb with Auckland Car Club .. I was living in New Lynn at the time and didn't realise - even though Alan Woolf would have been heading off form a few doors up in his Ford 8..

This by Milan Fistonic from BMC BOYS archives.

64129

That distance from 110 Seabrook Avenue ([ my house ] Alan Woolf was at 116 I think ) to Golf Road is only .....
3 km or ....
5 minutes to the bottom of Golf Road on Portage Road by the Golf Course - would imagine that they used the first Golf Course part of the road - as housing further up.

*** see Milan's comments next post .. nearer the top of the road, near Stottholm Road

The images have vanished - will try again in a new post Grrr ...

The images ;

The entry list that started the search ! from Graham Woods - Myles Hick also posted a copy.

64236

Shifting along

64237

the other R Cammick - Milan Fistonic photo Ross Cammick archives - Rick Cammick at Golf Road, Green Bay /Titirangi, West Auckland around 1961 ..
Milan knows more :
Posted before ... oops ! Rick Cammick
64238

Another of Milan's photos at Golf Road - that I meant to post Rick Cammick's car

64239

including this ; post 872 quote :

" The MG Car Club Hillclimb was not at the Golf Course end of Golf Road. Going up Golf Road from Portage Road, the venue was Crum's clay pit on the left at the top of the hill just past the shops by Stottholm Road. That's my photo of Rick in the Healey. "

275,725 views when I first looked today - Thanks for the interest in a One Marque thread.

Roger Dowding
12-03-2019, 03:37 AM
Russell Leathers must have done a few North Island meetings in the car
Here he is on the entry list at Ohakea 1961 - thanks once again to Graham Woods
[ - will send this to Myles Hicks in case he doesn't have it. ]
Three other Healeys in the race all 100's Four cylinder - unsure if any were 100S
Ivy Stephensen in a Buckler and Rod Coppins in a Jaguar 3500 cc - presume an XK of some description, or did he have a C or D-type ??.
Lots of well known 1960's and earlier Drivers there ..
Must see if Graham Woods has the results for this event.

64346

Milan Fistonic
12-03-2019, 05:00 AM
64346

Because this event was not a championship round, single-seater entries were so light they were combined with the sports cars. A scratch race and two handicaps were run but as the event number is not on the attached entry list I do not know which race is shown.

In the first handicap race the winner was Tony Shelly in his 2-litre Cooper with the first sports car being T Register's Morgan second and Cavanagh's 1500 Special third. Leathers, Doug Lawrence (Cooper), Rod Coppins (XK120), Alwyn Marshall (Buckler) were the next finishers.

The second handicap race saw Bob Blackburn's Lotus 7 take the honours from the single-seaters of Boyd (HWM) and Grimshaw-Jones (Cooper Bristol). Sports cars filled the next three places with Colin Ngan (Cooper) ahead of Ivy Stephenson (Buckler) and Register's Morgan. Jack Malcolm was 7th in the Cooper-Holden while Tony Shelly, after starting from the back mark, could only make it to 10th.

Roger Dowding
12-03-2019, 09:21 PM
The engines - the Austin 4000 beside the AH 3000 - Myles Hicks photo from when they got the engines out of the two cars the Healey and the A90.

This is for you Ray Bell. ***

Huge difference in size and as we know weight.

64347

New comment from Myles Hicks ;
" She was a whopper! It’s unbelievable that it fitted in. They only bent the bulkhead flange down a little and put the smallest notch in the upper from cross member.
It was identified as a Sheerline motor, and yes the same as the Jensen 541 but the 541R had a different head. "
Sheerline was designated A110 originally and then A125 with the larger engine;
" A110: 3,460 cc (211.1 cu in)
A125: 3,995 cc (243.8 cu in)
6-cylinder overhead-valve "

This from Wikipaedia - there will be other / better sources ;
" The Austin Sheerline is a large luxury car produced by Austin in the United Kingdom from 1947 to 1954.

The Sheerline was designed by Austin during the Second World War, but volume production did not begin until 1947 because of the commitment to war production. It was a luxurious car in the style of the contemporary Rolls-Royce or Bentley but at a much lower price, around two-thirds that of the equivalent Rolls-Royce but still the price of five or six small Austins. There were about 8,000 built but it is now becoming quite rare.

The first cars,[1] designated A110, had a 3,460 cc straight-six overhead valve engine but this was soon[2] increased to 3,995 cc with 125 bhp (93 kW) and the designation then became A125. Initially only a Saloon version on a 9-foot-11¼-inch (3 metres) wheelbase chassis was made, but this was joined by a Limousine version in late 1949[3] on a stretched 11 ft (3.3 metres) chassis also used for a hearse and an ambulance. At 37 hundredweight (1,850 kg) for the saloon and 2 tons (2,000 kg) for the limousine this was a heavy car, and to maintain performance a low final drive ratio of 4.55:1 with 16-inch tyres was fitted. Suspension was by coil springs at the front and half-elliptic leaf springs at the rear. The saloon version had a top speed of 82 mph (132 km/h).

Production ceased in 1954 and Austin's luxury offering was limited to the A135 [ Austin Princess ] "

This from an Austin Memories site ;

" Design of the Sheerline began in 1942, Leonard Lord wanted a traditional British look, the vehicle was amined at giving a luxurious car in the vogue of a Rolls-Royce or Bentley with vertical grille, large and impressive headlights; distinctive knife-edge styling with separate but flowing wings and traditionally mounted side lights. The interior also needed to give a feel of opulence with walnut veneer, leather upholstery and luxury carpets.

This all came to fruition in 1947 when the Austin A110 Sheerline was annoounced. But only 12 were actually made when a decision was made to increase the engine size from 3460 cc to 3993 The model which was produced at Longbridge remained in production till 1954. It could also be purchased in chassis form as a Hearse or Ambulance. The year before 1946 Vanden Plas a coach building company who were based in Kingsbury London had been bought by the Austin Motor Company. So when the Sheerline was launched as a A125 the Vandan Plas version was called the Austin A135 Princess Mk I using the same chassis and running gear as the Sheerline it had a streamline body with the headlamps blending into the wings."

" Model (A110)
Date when launched 1947
Total produced 12
Engine
3,460cc Power RAC rating 26.9hp.
Length 15ft 11.5ins Width 6ft 1ins Height 5ft 7ins
Wheelbase 9ft 11.3ins Track front 4ft 10ins rear 5ft 0ins
Price ex Works Aug 1947 £1277 "

" Model A125 Sheerline

Date when launched 1947 Discontinued in 1954

Total produced 11,605 including chassis for use with other bodies
Engine 3995cc 130bhp at 3,700 rpm Max torque 150 lbs/ft at 2,000 rpm
Length 15ft 11.5ins Width 6ft 1ins Height 5ft 7ins
Wheelbase 9ft 11.3ins Track front 4ft 10ins rear 5ft 0ins

Price ex Works September 1948 £1277 Suitcases £21

Colours in 1948 for A125 & A135 . . Metallic Grey with Grey upholstery.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Portland Grey with Beige upholstery.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Black with Beige upholstery.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Or to Order "

As Ray Bell mentioned engine described as 3993 cc and 3995 cc - even in the same article.




As mentioned the Jensen 541 and 541 R both used the A125 Motor;

" "

Roger Dowding
12-05-2019, 04:43 AM
" The Jensen 541 is an automobile which was produced by Jensen Motors from 1954 to 1959. It was first exhibited at the London Motor Show in October 1953,[4] and production started in 1954.

The 541 used fibreglass bodywork mounted on a steel chassis and was fitted with a straight-six engine, three SU carburettor version of the 4-litre Austin engine and four speed transmission with optional Laycock de Normanville overdrive.

The body consisted of three major mouldings and the entire front was rear hinged and could be raised for engine access. The doors were aluminium. Suspension was independent at the front using coil springs with a Panhard rod located rigid axle and leaf springs at the rear. A choice of wire spoked or steel disc wheels with centre lock fitting was offered.[3] At first the car had servo assisted 11 in (279 mm) drum brakes but from 1956, the newly introduced 541 Deluxe version featured Dunlop disc brakes both front and rear—the first British four seater thus equipped.

It was also a luxurious car with the well equipped interior featuring leather seats as standard. The individual seats in front separated by a high transmission tunnel and the rear seats had a small centre armrest and could also be tilted forwards to increase luggage space. Standard colours (1955) were black, ivory, imperial crimson, moonbeam grey, Boticelli blue, deep green and Tampico beige.[3]

By employing lightweight materials, Jensen managed to make the car significantly lighter than their contemporary Interceptor model, with a dry weight of 1,220 kg (2,690 lb) as against the older design's 1,370 kg (3,020 lb).[4] Performance benefitted.

In 1957 the 541 R was introduced, and in 1960 the 541 S arrived with wider bodywork and revised grill styling. Production of the Jensen 541 ended in 1959 and the 541 S early 1963 when the range was replaced by the C-V8. "

When the Austin Healey Car Club ran our Hill Climb at Otaua in the 1980's a coupleof Jensens turned up to spectate. One was owned by a Mate of Reg Whittaker who was the " Man on the Ground " in Otaua, being a Waiuku Boy born and bred, and a local schoolteacher,was living in Bothwell Park Road which is the next road over from Maioro Rd.
As has been mentioned Reg organised the " toilet " for the day, not a portaloo, but a genuine " Longdrop " .. don't think OSH would permit such things today.

Those Jensens ;.

64362

The CV8

64363

The Longdrop by Reg of Waiuku - R.O.W - known as that and it was his initials to Reginald Orton Whittaker.
Chris Watson in his TR5 races past.

64364

As an aside ; A group of Healeyites all past and some present members of the Austin Healey Car Club of New Zealand Inc - were at Manfield for the Classic Races last weekend.

This was sent to me by BMC BOY

64365

Left to right;
BMC BOY Ross, Standing ; Chris White [ former racer ] Reg of Waiuku, Frank Karl AH 3000 and F5000 Racer, Barry Moon former Ford Escort and Austin Healey Racer. - drinking Orange Juice too !!.

Ross - Thanks for the photo. Great to see some Old mates.. Think I am one of the oldest though, at 72, Chris is 70, You are way younger, not sure about Frank and Reg, Barry about my age !! If he is not my apologies.
No doubt You and Barry would have caught up with John McKechnie and others. !!

Roger Dowding
12-07-2019, 04:58 AM
The Austin Healey connection - the SCW magazine on the right - has a Road Test of an early AH 3000 - the test is in 1961 of a car owned by a Cambodian Diplomat - apparently there were no AH 3000's in Australia at the time.
Milan Fistonic posted the Magazine Cover many months ago on this thread.
There are about a dozen 1961 - 64 SCW's .. The writings are very old fashioned and the SCW help pages on tuning and modifying cars is interesting - the 1961 version of Google or other web - surfing .. Write a letter wait a couple of months for a reply in the Magazine,
The New Zealand correspondent for SCW was a Grant Howard who had a column every month - they too are worth a read. - could go on the Dunedin thread - for South Island events, or Pukekohe - for the Northern Races.

The Road test and another by an American Magazine " Sports car Illustrated will follow soon, once ;
1, I get my Camera back
2, Am home to use my scanner.
It is complicated, I am in Auckland very briefly,[ so can't collect those magazines ERC ]
Camera at Te Poi,
and
Scanner at Omokoroa.

The TRS connection the Magazines came from BMC BOY - in the box that they are lying in.

64378

Roger Dowding
12-08-2019, 12:48 AM
On the thread about a set of photos on the 1965 Hillclimb at Station Road, Fordell, was this comment by " 225sloper " and a series of photos ;
" Found these photos in a old Photo News dated 1965 of the Wanganui Car Club at one of their hillclimbs. . . . .Bruce Lester in his Healey Sprite who won the event with a 46.5 sec run. ".

The Sprite ;

64380

64381

Wanganui Photo News archives had the photos - Hillclimb event not a Trial - as noted in the comments on the photos.

The Registration Plate " CF1100 " is not current but may have been requested as the Sprite was probably an early 1098cc Mark 11 ..
The Lester family were / are a well known Motorsport Family in the Manuwatu / Taranaki area. Presume Bruce is part of the family, another competitor was his brother John in a Mini.

The Mini .. thanks again for the post .. 225sloper..

64398

Roger Dowding
12-08-2019, 05:20 AM
281,281 .. love sequences .. the number of view as at now 6;10 on 8th December 2019..

and a picture A-H of course ..

64383

The car is /was a Ruddspeed and I am hoping for more information for a story on it - Yes it is in the USA .. but all part of ;
" Healey-istory "

Car was owned by a great American friend - Bill Bolton, from Corvallis Oregon ..

Ray Bell
12-08-2019, 08:17 PM
Thanks for that photo, Roger...

https://i.postimg.cc/CxKx6C7D/1219cseriesv4000engine.jpg

It really puts the mockers (sp?) on anyone who tries to tell us that the C-series is derived from the truck engine, and it really emphasises the size and apparent weight differences.

Gauging what you can from the picture, it must be about four inches longer in the block and a couple of inches higher. Both are endowed with the heavy lower-block skirting, and it's obvious that the camshafts are on different sides. Didn't we establish that the C-series was a design from the Morris drawing rooms?

Roger Dowding
12-09-2019, 05:53 AM
Ray Bell, your comment.

" Didn't we establish that the C-series was a design from the Morris drawing rooms? "

Got my hands smacked [ not on TRS I might add ] for saying that the Austin A40 Devon and Somerset engine was the first version of the "B " series, I still believe the concept was, even if the block is not the same.

so keeping away from that.

However you are probably right.

I understand Austin did and A and B series, Morris the C. Austin had the big four Morris had a Wolseley Six, Riley had stopped the big-ish 4s..

An " A ".

64395

and A " C " ...

64396

Sorry haven't got a " B " ..

but do have a Truck engine well 2/3rds of one the AH 100 2660 cc which precedes the A B and C engines..

64397

Ray Bell
12-10-2019, 01:17 AM
I don't know what the differences in overall specs were between the A40 and B-series, but the B-series was a way more robust engine which probably 'learned' from the mistakes of the A40 unit...

There's no doubt that BMC (or the ADO) didn't really plan for the B-series to go as big as it did. Nor the A-series, for that matter, which finished up larger than the A40 unit anyway. Siamesed bores became the norm, as you will recall.

The A40 had a bore of 65.5mm and an 89mm stroke, the first of the B-series had the same, then went to a 73.025mm bore and the stroke was the same as the A40. That's 8mm less metal between the bores if they were on the same cylinder spacing. But they weren't but I don't know how much the castings grew. A note on Wikipedia says they were both longer and wider, and the head was too.

I don't see any connection between the Wolseley six and the later C-series. It was probably a 'work in progress' at the time of the merger.

Roger Dowding
12-10-2019, 04:35 AM
Thanks for " your inputs " Ray Bell,as Ken H says.

I need to do some more looking as there was a 6 cylinder engine of around 2.4 litres at one stage was used in Australia [ used in the Freeways and maybe other vehicles ], but I don't know its origins at the moment.
The Big Wolseleys 6/80's and Rileys RM's of the early 50;s became a different style of car by mid 50's with the Riley Pathfinder and the Wolseley 6/90 - pre the " Farina " styled era, by which time it was the " C " series motor, 2639 cc and 2912 cc.

Have some work to do.

Cheers

Roger D

Kevin Hirst
12-11-2019, 01:49 AM
Thanks for " your inputs " Ray Bell,as Ken H says.

I need to do some more looking as there was a 6 cylinder engine of around 2.4 litres at one stage was used in Australia [ used in the Freeways and maybe other vehicles ], but I don't know its origins at the moment.
The Big Wolseleys 6/80's and Rileys RM's of the early 50;s became a different style of car by mid 50's with the Riley Pathfinder and the Wolseley 6/90 - pre the " Farina " styled era, by which time it was the " C " series motor, 2639 cc and 2912 cc.

Have some work to do.

Cheers

Roger D
Roger, the Wolseley 6/80 motor was a single OHC design by Hispano/Suiza they had very large diameter valve stems with an adjustable platform on top of valve, no bucket's or rocker's, where very hard on valves, just about everything metric like post war morris engines

Roger Dowding
12-11-2019, 05:20 AM
Roger, the Wolseley 6/80 motor was a single OHC design by Hispano/Suiza they had very large diameter valve stems with an adjustable platform on top of valve, no bucket's or rocker's, where very hard on valves, just about everything metric like post war morris engines

Thanks Kevin,
and today I saw a photo of the Riley Two Point Six - which had the original version of the " C " series the 2639 cc with the restricted manifold that made the 100 Six so wheezy.

That Wolseley engine is interesting, didn't they make them quite small as well, around 1500 cc for some of their smaller cars ?

Ray Bell
12-11-2019, 08:06 AM
Roger, the 2.4-litre engine was a B-series with two extra cylinders...

Everything was the same, pistons, rods from the 1622 engine, porting and cylinder block construction. The oil pump was bigger and it became the salvation of the MG A twin-cam which needed a better oil pump.

Kevin Hirst
12-11-2019, 08:19 AM
Thanks Kevin,
and today I saw a photo of the Riley Two Point Six - which had the original version of the " C " series the 2639 cc with the restricted manifold that made the 100 Six so wheezy.

That Wolseley engine is interesting, didn't they make them quite small as well, around 1500 cc for some of their smaller cars ?

Did not know of any smaller engine of the same type as the 6/80, but could be, loved the car but let down by the engine, would like to find one today in restorable condition, very smooth motor when in good nick

Ray Bell
12-11-2019, 08:24 AM
Wolseley engines post-war would have been mostly carry-ons from before the war.

They had a model called the 18-85 which was very popular, it was also SOHC at 2312cc.

The 6/80 had the 2215cc engine described above and the 4/50 had a 3-cylinder version of that.

Phasing these out were the 4/44 (1250cc XPAW version of the MG XPAG engine) and the 6/90 with the C-series.

Strangely enough, though the Riley 'Two Point Six' looked so much like the Wolseley and had the same mechanicals, a lot of body panels were different and they had 16" wheels in lieu of the Wolseley's 15". Check pictures and you'll see the difference in the shape around the wheel arches.

Ray Bell
12-11-2019, 08:25 AM
And if you find it relevant, I always thought a 4/50 with a grey Holden engine would make a neat car...

Roger Dowding
12-17-2019, 03:59 AM
Photo appeared on the Facebook page Austin Healey 100S with the note only " 1958 " no where / or who ?

64486

Thanks to Milan Fistonic and Kelvin Brown it is this - quote from Milan ..
" Levin meeting on November 29, 1958. #19 is Angus Hyslop's D Type Jaguar and #13 is Graham Pierce in the ex-Ross Jensen Austin-Healey 100S. #28 is Roy Billington's Elfo Special. Pierce won three scratch races that day. "

The "Elfo " Special is a Buckler. Believed by "Oldfart " to be on a " copy Buckler chassis " so is it a replica or a special.

The 100S is of course the Seabrook Fowlds, - Ross Jensen - Graham Pierce Car that was rebuilt several years ago to how Ross Jensen raced it [ apart form the required ' Roll Bar ' ] and featured in a story by Allan Dick in NZ Classic Driver in the Jan - Feb 2017 edition of the magazine - issue #70- some of which has been posted on this thread.
Ross ran the car with Race No #18, Graham Pierce often had Race no #8,but #13 this day.

an Allan Dick photo of the car in 2017..

64487

Roger Dowding
12-18-2019, 03:58 AM
Advert from Graham Woods extensive archives ;

64499

A 100/6 at a Gymkhana in the mid/late 1960's at Western Springs Neville Findlay photo - in his own car, that BMC BOY remembers from the 1960's around St Heliers, Auckland.

64500

Neville at a Hillclimb, Bald Hill Road, which I know well as nearly lost it there in 1979 in the TR4A.

64501

Rego Plate BJ326 is not current - wonder where the car is now !!

Ray Bell
12-18-2019, 07:27 AM
Those ratios show that it needs an overdrive...

18.89mph in top would be a drag in Australia.

Roger Dowding
12-20-2019, 03:30 AM
The photo of the Graham Pierce car beside the Hyslop D Type - and the Elfo Special / Buckler - with the De Joux body has brought to light more photos of all three cars.

That event was Levin 28th November 1958
Here are 5 more photo's of the 100S - when owned and driven by Graham Pierce in 1958 - 1959 - he owned the car from 1957 to 1959.

In chronological order

January 18th 1958 at Levin - the Summer " Tasman " series of races when the Overseas Boys arrived ' en masse ' for the Formula Libre and NZ Grand Prix races

64506

November 1958 again at Levin - two photos.
The Le Mans start;

64507

The pack is racing;

64508
Roly Levis RAL, Jim Palmer Lotus XI, Bill Harris Buckler - De Joux body - white, and Roy Billington in the Elfo Special - Buckler,also with the De Joux body.

Levin in January 1959 again a Le Mans start with the 100S at an angle as the field takes off.

64509
Angus Hyslop D Type Jaguar, Roly Levis RAL, and Roy Billington in the Elfo Special - Buckler with the De Joux body.
At one of the meetings Bruce Webster drove the Hyslop D Type in some races Angus in others - not sure who is driving the helmets may help..
[ will edit if I find out more ]

Change of Place and Pace - in the paddock at Ohakea in February 1959 with some other well known cars.

64510
The Pat Hoare Ferrari 625 and Reg McCutcheon Normac Special


All photos from Jim Barclay - of Gemini FJ racing fame some from the Blair Collection.
The colour in some of the photos is excellent, other not so - have tried toenhance but has made almost no difference

Allan Dick wrote a story on Graham Pierce and the 100S 15 or so years ago,must try to find the magazine- NZ Classic Driver was just starting out with Allan at the desk so maybe in a very early issue- must try to jog his memory and get a back issue.
Thanks to Jim Barclay for the photos, and I hope more come to light.

Ray Bell
12-20-2019, 07:43 PM
Great pics there, Roger, m thanks also to Jim Barclay.

In particular it's interesting to see Roy Billington racing as, of course, I only knew him as Jack's mechanic when they made the annual trek here a decade or so later.

By the way, the use of the term, 'Tasman Series', is not correct until 1964. It was actually in 1960 that races were first held in Australia to coincide with the International visitors being just across the ditch at that time of year. Then in 1962 it became a more organised kind of setup and the promoters were all talking to each other. But only in 1964 did the term 'Tasman' become applied to it as the FIA sanctioned the 'Tasman Cup' as a proper series with pointscore and trophy to match.

Roger Dowding
12-21-2019, 12:37 AM
Great pics there, Roger, m thanks also to Jim Barclay.

In particular it's interesting to see Roy Billington racing as, of course, I only knew him as Jack's mechanic when they made the annual trek here a decade or so later.

By the way, the use of the term, 'Tasman Series', is not correct until 1964. It was actually in 1960 that races were first held in Australia to coincide with the International visitors being just across the ditch at that time of year. Then in 1962 it became a more organised kind of setup and the promoters were all talking to each other. But only in 1964 did the term 'Tasman' become applied to it as the FIA sanctioned the 'Tasman Cup' as a proper series with pointscore and trophy to match.

Cheers, Ray the " Tasman " series details, thanks.
When the first " Ardmore " New Zealand Grand Prix was held in 1954 a few of your compatriots came over, Stan Jones Jack Brabham Tony Gaze L Molina [ in his Holden powered Single Seater and the like ].
.
Stan winning the first Ardmore in the Maybach, a couple of English drivers came out to Ken Wharton, and Peter Whitehead.

64515

Three Austin Healey's finished only, all 100,s including Ross Jensen as the 100" S " he raced didn't arrive in New Zealand until November 1955.

First "Official NZ GP was actually at Ohakea in 1950. won by John McMillan in the Jackson [ Logan, later the Northland Special ]

A sketch of the " Australian Special " Holden powered of L Molina.
Sketch by Winton Bristow, a great Mate of my Uncle Eddie Dowding [ RIP Win and Eddie ].

64512

Another Jim Barclay archives photo - of the Billington Elfo Special, was referred to as a Buckler, probably because it had the De Joux body that a lot of Bucklers used. I have been told that it had a " Buckler " style chassis .. must go and check that out. The White Buckler in the photos belonged to " Bill Harris ! "

64513

Roy was a Northland Boy, - seen here competing at Puhipuhi, a Northland Car Club Hillclimb - have posted a photo or two of Healey's at these events.
Photo from Brian Skudder - a stalwart of Northland Car Club - which had a great relationship with Northern Sports car Club in my 1970's - still would have I imagine.

64514

Roger Dowding
12-21-2019, 12:43 AM
Have just discovered that when uploading to TRS - if you take too long - in the above post over an hour that the attachments disappear, I though they " Autosaved " - just added the 1954 Ardmore results from the 1963 Des Mahoney " Rothmans Book of New Zealand Motor Racing "- edited by Des Mahoney, but we know a young David McKinney did much of the work.

The Book

64630

Oldfart
12-21-2019, 08:55 AM
Brian Skudder's archives were very helpful in identifying the Bucklers and others of the northern parts. He also gave me leads to wives of deceased members and such which helped to clarify along with Kelvin Brown a few of which cars had some "mixed histories". I believe he contributed a lot to their history and celebrations of the 50th (?) of the Northland Car Club a few years back.

Roger Dowding
12-22-2019, 03:35 AM
Brian Skudder's archives were very helpful in identifying the Bucklers and others of the northern parts. He also gave me leads to wives of deceased members and such which helped to clarify along with Kelvin Brown a few of which cars had some "mixed histories". I believe he contributed a lot to their history and celebrations of the 50th (?) of the Northland Car Club a few years back.

Rhys, yes that would be right about Brian, there was a web page or link for the Northland Car Club 50th Anniversary, that is where I got a couple of Austin Healey photos.

Thanks for your comments about the Roy Billington Car - If it is considered a Buckler, would like to put them on your Buckler Thread and also send them to David Montgomery for " Buckler Cars and Karts " which we both belong to.. I must be an Associate Member of the Facebook group as don't own a car - not even a model one, sadly.. need to get Bart Jonkers to make me one, or Tony Lucas, who is closer ..

I hadn't connected the photos at Levin with the couple I had of Puhipuhi Hillclimbs - same car at different parts of the Island.. Must check for more..

Here a Healey at Puhipuhi - posted before. from Brian Skudder archives, George Lawton 100 SIX. This photo was on the NCC 50th Anniversary post - some time ago.. 1957

64525


Another NCC Healey photo - this time a 100S.. posted before - from Brian Skudder's archives. - 1956
Rego # 60.608 - the Ross Jensen - Seabrook Fowlds and later Graham Pierce car
64526

Milan Fistonic
12-22-2019, 08:44 AM
It was the Northland Car Club's 60th Reunion in 2015

64528

Oldfart
12-22-2019, 10:24 AM
Roger, if a builder doesn't consider a car something and gives it a different name???
In NZ so many cars with a de Joux body were registered as Bucklers. Buckler is the chassis. Also in NZ Buckler NZ were in a position of being unable to fill the demand, so a number of copies were "approved" some just blithely went ahead.
Here in the UK some of the groups who hold dear to their fibreglass body cars will attempt to change the identity from what it has always been to something else, for example SUG55 (the Allan Staniforth Buckler I had here) has gone to a new keeper and that group consider publicly that it's a Rochdale.
Rachel Hunter is still Rachel, even with some other clothes :)

Roger Dowding
12-24-2019, 04:53 AM
64548


64549


64550

Roger Dowding
01-05-2020, 05:07 AM
3 recent Photos from Paul Woolmer who looks after the Car in the UK for the owner.

- Paul looks after a few Works Cars for Austin Healey owners too - including ARX92B - the Rally Car built for the 1967 RAC Rally that was cancelled -because of the " Foot and Mouth " outbreak. Car ARX91B was also a Works Rally Car -more to come on these cars, over time.

AHS3810 was sold new in East Cairo, Egypt to Raymond Flower
Engine #1B 222740 Body # 70 despatched 10th June 1955.

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4th Photo from a Rally in Sweden in 2015 by Clas Arleskar

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Must see if any more information on the car is in my archives

Roger Dowding
01-12-2020, 04:48 AM
On the bookshelves and I dithered so need to search harder, may even have to ask Alan Walton or Allan Dick for a copy.
However, visiting friends today who are staying at some other friends house I saw the car that features in the magazine.

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Took a couple of photos which will download later, It sits next a 1970 Alfa Romeo GTV a type 105, for Spgeti.
Was a bit torn as to which I wanted. Healey like I had or the Alfa which I lusted after.

Photos from the magazine - article by Alan Walton Editor

Met John Crook and his wife Lee, who own the featured Austin Healey and told him I had taken photos of the car.
The occasion was a service for a mutual friend who had passed away, just before New Year, my mate Rex Harris, who had shown me the car that day in 2017.
John is building a large garage to house the AH, the GTV, a recently acquired 1967 Mini-Cooper S, and others. The Healey has been inactive for some time.



I did find Issue #73 of Classic Driver, one of four issues in the last few years to feature Austin Healeys
Issue #60, The Peter Riley works car
Issue #63 the Healey Corvette,
Issue #70 The Lost 100S,
and this one issue #73.

There is an early issue with an article on Graham Pierce, who owned " The Lost 100S " after Ross Jensen.
Probably there are other A - H article that I have missed,while across the ditch 2009 - 2017.
More searching to be done..

Roger Dowding
01-12-2020, 07:19 AM
Hawkes Bay Photo News - report on the races which I assumed were 1955/56 [ Napier founded in 1855 ] however Jim Barclay advised this ;
" This was the Hawkes Bay Centennial held on the South Pond circuit at Ahuriri, Napier, on 22nd November 1958 - Len Gilbert had done one prior hillclimb at Horahora recording a FTD (date unknown but sometime in late 1958) in the Cooper Bristol "
Article posted by Kelvin Brown.

It shows a couple of Austin Healey's in the photo's the 100S with Reg # 60-608 which have seen before racing at Puhipuhi in Northland Car Club Hillclimbs
Have included photos of other cars to give the whole article.

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Cars that have been identified so far
#33 Cooper Bristol - Len Gilbert
#36 R.A.L. Special Roly Levis the Elva OHV conversion on a Ford 10 Motor
#40 Brian Tracey in the Alfa Romeo
Others are named on the pages.
The TR3 ' Minstrel ' is a Mistral.

The Austin Healey 100S is the Ross Jensen car complete with the chrome scuttle vents in front of the windscreen / aero screen -
I must do some checking as Allan Dick posted a photo of the car at Puhipuhi and stated to be George Lawton driving.
The car has Rego 60.608 and the scuttle vents so the Ross Jensen - Seabrook Fowlds car - " The Lost 100S "
AHS3908 - the car had plate 60.608 when in Melbourne, in Wigram in 1956 the number plate was 451.100, and in Dunedin also 1956 451.100 ..
George had a 100 Six, am unsure about running a 100S .. more to come on this.

Milan Fistonic
01-12-2020, 10:39 AM
Competitors at Ahuriri 22 November 1958

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Roger Dowding
01-12-2020, 09:11 PM
Milan, You Champion - the details I was seeking.
Had worked out that Graham Pierce would be the owner driver by 1958 -from Allan Dick's story on the car. Will edit the story and add some more information - gleaned from You, Allan Dick, Jim Barclay, Graham Kyle, Kelvin Brown, Rhys Nolan and others.

Photo - which appears in the Napier article on the Centennial Races - 1958 .. Rhys Nolan " Oldfart " posted the photo a while ago elsewhere .. as a single photo..

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More to come on this car.

Oldfart
01-12-2020, 10:07 PM
OK, I was wrong using somebody else's dating, mea culpa, but I'm not reposting stuff seen many times before Roger :)

Ray Bell
01-13-2020, 02:37 AM
why not?

Maybe we all don't remember it...

Roger Dowding
01-13-2020, 04:52 AM
OK, I was wrong using somebody else's dating, mea culpa, but I'm not reposting stuff seen many times before Roger :)

All Good RN .. just trying to bring things together ..
I would never have known but for the photo being in the Hawkes Bay Photo News article..

Later - as in 14th January - just going over the thread of Kens " Blast from the Past " - and Rhys, I am one who should say mea culpa - or My Bad - as Ken had already corrected me that the photo with the 100S, TR3 Mistral, and others was indeed 1958 - so must be my putting 1960 on it and your name too !!.

A big oops from me ..
as for " reposting stuff " , I do it to either bring a post to the fore or to connect to a further story or even just for fun !!

Cheers
Time for a Beer, it is 5;15 almost in NZ right now ..

khyndart in CA
01-13-2020, 07:53 AM
Hang in there Roger, I'll let you use this for a reference source !
http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?2366-Blast-from-the-Past&highlight=Ahuriri

KH

Roger Dowding
01-13-2020, 08:16 PM
Hang in there Roger, I'll let you use this for a reference source !
http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?2366-Blast-from-the-Past&highlight=Ahuriri

KH

Ken H, now I am thinking was it your post of the photo I saw, or did I see it somewhere else - have edited the post, and added the entry lists from Milan to the Ahuriri thread too !! ..
Have fun on the weekend, take care on the narrow NZ roads ..

Roger

Roger Dowding
01-13-2020, 10:45 PM
AH 3000 Works rally cars -
The Austin Healey swansong should have been the 1967 RAC Rally in the UK, but the Rally was cancelled because of the outbreak of ' foot and mouth ' disease in cattle.
The production of the car ceased in December 1967 ending after the production of 17,000 cars - notes from Bill Price book ' " The BMC / BL Competitions Department " - 25 years in Motor Sport - the cars, the people, the events '.

A couple of pictures I had not seen before. from Paul Woolmer. photos are recent - not period - event not stated by Paul. one from the George Holt collection.

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For 1967 there were two AH 3000's this one ARX92B, and ARX91B - an ex-works car which had come 9th in the 1967 Targa Florio driven by Ted Worswick - notes from the Bill Price book.

This Book. well used since being published in 1989, and purchased soon after. photo of my own copy.

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Cover photo the Morley Brothers AH 3000 XJB876 - being serviced on the 1961 Alpine Rally [ photo Marcus Chambers ] Sister car beside it - Peter Riley, Tony Ambrose car XJB871

E&OE. RJD.

Roger Dowding
01-14-2020, 04:18 AM
All Good RN .. just trying to bring things together ..
I would never have known but for the photo being in the Hawkes Bay Photo News article..

Later - as in 14th January - just going over the thread of Kens " Blast from the Past " - and Rhys, I am one who should say mea culpa - or My Bad - as Ken had already corrected me that the photo with the 100S, TR3 Mistral, and others was indeed 1958 - so must be my putting 1960 on it and your name too !!.

A big oops from me ..
as for " reposting stuff " , I do it to either bring a post to the fore or to connect to a further story or even just for fun !!

Cheers
Time for a Beer, it is 5;15 almost in NZ right now ..

Now it is 5;15pm 14/01/2020 or as it is on the US date system on TRS 01 - 14 - 2020..

The front cover of that Programme - from Ken H's thread posted by Milan Fistonic back in 2017 -
My Bad again .. now corrected thanks Milan ..

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Milan Fistonic
01-14-2020, 04:43 AM
Now it is 5;15pm 14/01/2020 or as it is on the US date system on TRS 01 - 14 - 2020..

The front cover of that Programme - from Ken H - borrowed form his thread as mentioned above..

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I think you'll find I posted that image of the 1958 Ahuriri programme.

Roger Dowding
01-14-2020, 05:30 AM
I think you'll find I posted that image of the 1958 Ahuriri programme.

Thanks Milan , just when I thought I got it right - you posted the competitor entry list and a couple of the Race entries - will correct it..

ERC
01-14-2020, 06:21 AM
#917 Looks like Goodwood. The 'Festival of Speed' has had a rally section/stage - though I haven't been to an event and seen it... Just reading the various clues in the Pics.

Oldfart
01-14-2020, 03:02 PM
I think you are correct Ray, the side on shot of the Healey (I love those big Healeys) has a Goodwood festival header on the number plaque, the thing with wings, and the big wheel in the background looks right too.

Ray Bell
01-21-2020, 08:45 PM
This one is far-removed from such stuff:

https://i.postimg.cc/0yxKSnCt/0120healeyatdam.jpg

Milan Fistonic
01-26-2020, 08:41 AM
Russell Ness and his Austin Healey at Hampton Downs today (Jan 26, 2020)

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Roger Dowding
01-29-2020, 05:02 AM
Brett Young, a Healey enthusiast from Wellington - describes himself as retired - has a project..

This 1959 Austin Healey Sprite ;.

[Will follow the project, now I am back from " Overseas " at Waiheke -no Wi-Fi.
Did see a few Classic cars including a friends 1969 MGB GT.]

The Sprite - before the stripdown of paint and filler ;

64985.

More to follow ;

Brett likes Models of cars he owns/owned too !!.

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PS
Milan - Thanks for the Russell Ness - photo - does he still have the car? He was doing Classic Trials in it, had heard It was " For Sale ".

PPS, Thought I saw a familiar face in Brett Young posts about the Sprite Restoration ..
Then realised who he is. He is " faminz ".

Roger Dowding
02-02-2020, 02:32 AM
borrowed some of " faminz " archives for the story of the 1960 Sprite.

A photo from when " Phil " Philomena Ganley owned it in 1982 raced at Ohakea Reunion Meeting.
Brett owned in its early days, and bought it again in 1990, It had a rebuild then and is now being " Restored.

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Milan Fistonic copy of the Sports Car entry list for Ohakea 1982 - both classes.

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My only photo of the car - well it is hidden in the back row in this group.

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A group from the Austin Healey Club in Auckland went to support Frank Karl and Cameron McKay in their 3000's Des Spillane from Timaru and others were there in Healey 100/4's and others.

1983 Jaguar Drivers Le Mans Relay Race - the Team Healey entries on this page [ page 3 of the Programme/ Entry List.

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Brett tells me that the car is being restored at Andrew Fox workshops " Classic and Modern " a restoration shop in Wellington.

another glimpse of the work being done. Other Healeys in the background.

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Roger Dowding
02-02-2020, 02:36 AM
Russell Ness and his Austin Healey at Hampton Downs today (Jan 26, 2019)

64928

The car is well known in AH Club circles -restored to works style - a 1959 AH 3000 as rallied by Pat Moss and others - the restoration / replication done by Andrew Shrimpton as a tribute to Pat Moss - Carlson the car went to Harold Church before being purchased by Russell Ness a year or two ago.
[ Milan's caption says today ( Jan 26 2019 ) presume was 2020..

Ray Bell
02-02-2020, 10:50 AM
That isn't a Nash Metropolitan with a racing number in the background of that Okahea photo is it?

Allan
02-02-2020, 06:07 PM
Oh yes it is. On entry list as no 22. Howard Ferrabee from Hamilton.

Ray Bell
02-02-2020, 10:01 PM
I suppose stranger things have been raced...

Somewhere.

Roger Dowding
02-03-2020, 02:54 AM
I suppose stranger things have been raced...

Somewhere.

" That isn't a Nash Metropolitan with a racing number in the background of that Okahea photo is it? "

Ray, Think of it as an Austin A40 - which it was based on -mechanically, not sure about chassis etc.

A bit like this also from Austin .. really an Austin Healey with a big body - this is Godfrey Paape - stalwart of the Otago Sports car Club, organiser [one of them ] of the Dunedin Street races in the 1950's. photo from son Godfrey Paape's archives. Car also features in a couple of publications of South Island Motor Racing.

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With the generous rules, I guess both cars could race as Saloons, Hardtop roof - or Sports Cars, two doors.

A closer view with the Sprite in the frame, beside the Metro.

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Roger Dowding
02-03-2020, 03:49 AM
" That isn't a Nash Metropolitan with a racing number in the background of that Okahea photo is it? "

Not only in 1982 but here in the South Island in 2020 - Gary Talbot photo -
go hard out,
roll those tyres.
Came across the photo today - Believe from the recent Skope meeting in Christchurch.. at Ruapuna ..

65101

Just think of it as a Sprite !!

Ray Bell
02-03-2020, 06:57 AM
You make me wonder now what sort of chassis was underneath them...

But I could never relate it to a Sprite.

Here's a similar one in its native habitat:

https://i.postimg.cc/J0TsRS8T/2504plymouthandnash-MT.jpg

It's in Montana. Probably awaiting fresh shells for No. 3 big end.

Roger Dowding
02-04-2020, 05:18 AM
" It's in Montana. Probably awaiting fresh shells for No. 3 big end. "

Well,
Ray Bell,
the racing didn't go well,
it turned into a No. 3 wheeler oh hell
.. another Gary Talbot photo..

65121

Apparently it got fixed and in the British Tradition " kept calm and carried on "..

Ray Bell
02-04-2020, 02:13 PM
And you can see the reason, can't you?

They upset the balance of the car by removing the spare.

Roger Dowding
02-05-2020, 04:59 AM
And you can see the reason, can't you?

They upset the balance of the car by removing the spare.

Brilliant Ray,

Remember going to HillClimbs and Sprints and taking all the stuff out of the boot, so the tail of the Sprite went up, handling went down though ... and a huge amount of stuff to pack up after
- when you carried spare everything,-
Wheel and Tyre, Fan Belt, Radiator Hoses, Tool box, Hydraulic Fluid, Oil Container, Petrol Container, Tyre pump -hand or foot
[ of course ]- none of this plug into you battery or a spark plug thing, and other stuff, which you just might need.

We had Service Stations in those days too .. Not these Convenience Stores that happen to sell petrol.

Ray Bell
02-05-2020, 06:27 AM
I just had to look up some details, this is all new to me...

They were built from '53 to '61. That they were built beyond about 1956 was a surprise. I knew they had the A40 engine, but over the years the B-series went into production and was substituted. They had the A40 4-speed box, too, but with first gear blanked out. Too low, they thought. Ah well, personal experience tells me that it's at least one gear it would never jump out of.

The main point of my interest was the front suspension and even though I nurtured the belief that it would probably have the traditional Armstrongs as top wishbones it didn't. Pressed steel wishbones top and bottom, a coil operating on the top one and the tubular damper working on the lower one.

Further surprise. I rather thought that it would be like the Nash Healeys, with a lot of American content. But no, they were built entirely by BMC in England and for the first five years sold solely in North America. After that BMC negotiated the rights to sell it as one of their own, but not many were sold.

And no bootlid until 1959, which means the yellow one above is pre-'59. And it might explain the need to put the spare on the back.

khyndart in CA
02-06-2020, 09:04 PM
Roger,
I found this ad in a 1959 "Sports Car Graphic" and I wanted to share it. (Note the prices !)
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(Ken H)

Roger Dowding
02-06-2020, 09:08 PM
Thanks Ken H, keep those inputs coming..

Appropriate as am putting together the story of the " faminz " - Ganley - " faminz " Sprite restoration

khyndart in CA
02-07-2020, 12:22 AM
Roger,
Here is a neat story of a Moss customer and a beautiful restoration of a 1956 A/H 100 BN2.

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(Looks neat with that windshield lowered.)


Ken H.

ERC
02-07-2020, 03:55 AM
Further surprise. I rather thought that it would be like the Nash Healeys, with a lot of American content. But no, they were built entirely by BMC in England and for the first five years sold solely in North America. After that BMC negotiated the rights to sell it as one of their own, but not many were sold.Which is why they were sold as Austin Metropolitans in the UK... We had this discussion some time ago on another thread. Although we knew they were originally 'Nash' Metropolitans, I still remember the UK ones as Austins.

Ray Bell
02-07-2020, 10:22 AM
Sorry, I missed that conversation...

And I think the photo I posted was about the second one I've ever seen in my life. And I have been around for a while.

Kevin Hirst
02-08-2020, 06:44 PM
Thanks Ken H, keep those inputs coming..

Appropriate as am putting together the story of the " faminz " - Ganley - " faminz " Sprite restoration

shifting slightly sideways here but have just purchased a 1958 Austin A95, very rust free with very good mechanicals, paint & chrome poor, a blank canvass at the moment as not sure what to do with it, not worth restoring, any idea's out there or pictures, cheer's

Bruce302
02-08-2020, 07:16 PM
Kevin, how about the Hooters Vintage (Pre 1960) race series, that big old six would be ideal.

Ray Bell
02-08-2020, 07:24 PM
They ran a lot better in 3-litre form...

And if you want to cheat (depending on how 'loose' the rules are) you can get a bit more out of a 1962 or later head. Better yet, out of a Healey 12-port head. And enhance the handling by going to an alloy head.

Roger Dowding
02-09-2020, 03:26 AM
shifting slightly sideways here but have just purchased a 1958 Austin A95, very rust free with very good mechanicals, paint & chrome poor, a blank canvass at the moment as not sure what to do with it, not worth restoring, any idea's out there or pictures, cheer's

Kevin, will be good to see .. and a few mods won't go amiss either..

Roger Dowding
02-09-2020, 03:35 AM
The Car is for sale by Coys Auctions in Europe
Notes on the car
" Delivered to Sydney, Australia in 1955, this BN1 was fitted with an Ausca race body two years later and campaigned locally by Lindsay Hughes in the 1960’s with some success. In 1967 Hughes commissioned Sid Ward to build a full aluminium coupe body which the car still wears today. Not only a rare piece of Australian motor-racing history but one of the finest coachbuilt Healey specials to have been produced, this exceptionally rare example would be a credit to any collection. "

A photo ;

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My own photos of the car appeared here back in 2016.

Link to the Auction House site

" http://www.coys.co.uk/cars/1955-austin-healey-ward-special?fbclid=IwAR1pK_5Q4fcnro4Tkt2cGpkyyxb4JpiQXZ_bMmJOqC736TmOal2BYtffAus "

Car is for sale again in Holland - has Belgium Registration and appeared at the " Interclassica " A Motor Show in Maastricht Holland in January 2020.
More details to follow -as will put the Old and New information together for a story - previously was in photos part of Post #243 Page 13 from 2016 - this from Post #703 Page 36 in April 2019.

A recent photo of the car again with a Replica of the Original Victoria Australia Registration of " GTV 16 ".
In 2016 it had that Plate but under Queensland Registration
Photo from Hans Van de Kerkhof who was at the Show.

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ERC
02-09-2020, 06:34 AM
Kevin, how about the Hooters Vintage (Pre 1960) race series, that big old six would be ideal.Those Austins were amazing at Goodwood, 2018 - but they certainly weren't standard!

I know that there are those who think that by limiting mods to almost zero, entry level is easier, but the other view is that limited period mods make the cars far more interesting to drive - and to watch. Why not two classes, as to see and hear those A95s on full song and drifting through the corners was for me, one of the Goodwood highlights?

Entries in just about all classes seem to be plummeting this year and without good entries, there is only one long term outcome.

Oldfart
02-09-2020, 09:12 PM
Kev, make it like your own old car. I will ensure you can compete! (Still have some influence :) ) I hope to see you in May. To hell with buying technology, downport your own, just like you did way back when, it's beyond time you got recognition for that.

Kevin Hirst
02-09-2020, 10:19 PM
They ran a lot better in 3-litre form...

And if you want to cheat (depending on how 'loose' the rules are) you can get a bit more out of a 1962 or later head. Better yet, out of a Healey 12-port head. And enhance the handling by going to an alloy head.

My old A90 was bored out to 3LTR. moded head with 3 carb's & cam, went well, will not be doing any meck mod's at present just cosmetic as zink based chrome & bumpers are not good, have removed bumpers alreay & looks much better, mag wheels perhaps, jeep will fit but not sure yet, don't want to do it wrong.

Kevin Hirst
02-09-2020, 10:29 PM
Kev, make it like your own old car. I will ensure you can compete! (Still have some influence :) ) I hope to see you in May. To hell with buying technology, downport your own, just like you did way back when, it's beyond time you got recognition for that.

Thank's Rhys, just need to get roadworthy at moment, reg on hold so very little to do, will then look for cyl, head etc, need's a bit of time on repaint but not sure if I will get away with bumpers removed, does look better without them, look forward to seeing you in may, regard's

Ray Bell
02-10-2020, 12:23 AM
Jeep will fit? I think not...

The Austins have a 5" PCD, Jeeps were 5.5" in period, they came down to 4.5" some time in the eighties I think. I don't know of any 5".

Rover were 5", I think some Jaguars were, Austin 3-litre DeLuxe of course, Austin Kimberley/Tasman were 14" with 5" PCD.

5" PCD is a bit passé today...

Edit - Hold the phone... you are right! Cherokee and Grand Cherokee from '99 and some other Jeeps (Wrangler etc) had 5" from 2006 or so.

ERC
02-10-2020, 12:31 AM
Ah bumpers. Had this battle in the past. If people want to risk impossible to replace trim and bumpers on a race track. More fool them. As long as the car is tidily presented, that should be the guideline. The MG bumpers are solid and straight so I took fibreglass moulds off them.

Insisting on all original exterior trim is fine if all you want are Mustangs, Escorts Minis and MGBs, where spares are plentiful and repro items available, but we want (sorry, I want) variety on the track and I'd far rather see one A95 out there without bumpers than no A95 at all. These aren't BMW E30 control classes we are talking about, but older cars of different engine capacities and performance. There is no level playing field, so why try and make it level?

Ray Bell
02-10-2020, 01:44 AM
If it were to run as 'in period' in Australia, bumpers would be a non-issue...

Barry Gurdon ran such a car with a supercharger, he did retain his bumpers but bored it to 2857cc (this was prior to the release of the 2912cc engine) and I have no doubt it had other seriously non-standard additions.

Kevin Hirst
02-10-2020, 02:22 AM
Ah bumpers. Had this battle in the past. If people want to risk impossible to replace trim and bumpers on a race track. More fool them. As long as the car is tidily presented, that should be the guideline. The MG bumpers are solid and straight so I took fibreglass moulds off them.

Insisting on all original exterior trim is fine if all you want are Mustangs, Escorts Minis and MGBs, where spares are plentiful and repro items available, but we want (sorry, I want) variety on the track and I'd far rather see one A95 out there without bumpers than no A95 at all. These aren't BMW E30 control classes we are talking about, but older cars of different engine capacities and performance. There is no level playing field, so why try and make it level?

Yes bumpers are beaten up rusty mess so not really pos to even take moulds off, late model Jeep with 5inch or 127 mm pcd but they have a large offset, but come in sizes 16X7 upwards will fidd something with about 100MM if I can

Milan Fistonic
02-10-2020, 03:32 AM
Those Austins were amazing at Goodwood, 2018 - but they certainly weren't standard!

I know that there are those who think that by limiting mods to almost zero, entry level is easier, but the other view is that limited period mods make the cars far more interesting to drive - and to watch. Why not two classes, as to see and hear those A95s on full song and drifting through the corners was for me, one of the Goodwood highlights?

Entries in just about all classes seem to be plummeting this year and without good entries, there is only one long term outcome.

There was only one big Austin racing at Goodwood in 2019. It was the Nick Jarvis 1958 A105 of 2639cc, driven by Benoit Treluyer. It had a great dice with a 3.4 Jaguar and after the Jag had a minor off, it then battled with a Mk II Zodiac driven by Andre Lotterer.

65228

65229

65237

Roger Dowding
02-10-2020, 05:35 AM
Milan,second photo - with " BUY 1 " a famous Jaguar Mark One - the A105 seems to have a good drift on - great shot..

Kevin - a bit of inspiration, Mate ..

ERC
02-10-2020, 06:11 AM
I posted several pics from the 2018 meeting on my pics thread:

#2536 #2549 #2577 #2592

Note how flat they are cornering... Definitely an improvement on standard.

"TOL 563 was Jack Sears works supported A105 Westminster in 1958 BRSCC series - its inaugural year. After 11 races he was level on points with Tommy Sopwith (Jag Mk1 3.4), so they had a shoot-off. Both drivers were given identical BMC-prepared Riley 1.5s and had a 5 lap race at Brands Hatch. They then swapped cars and did another 5 laps - each won one race, but Sears aggregate time was 1.8 seconds lower so he became champion."

Up until then, saloons were a rarity on the race tracks as most races were for sports cars, sports racing cars and single seaters. Sports cars were often in three or four classes by capacity.

Roger Dowding
02-10-2020, 07:12 AM
I posted several pics from the 2018 meeting on my pics thread:

#2536 #2549 #2577 #2592

Note how flat they are cornering... Definitely an improvement on standard.

Austin - H as in Austin minus H - ealey.. ERC will go and look,
Cheers Ray

Roger Dowding
02-10-2020, 07:43 AM
Austin - H as in Austin minus H - ealey.. ERC will go and look,
Cheers Ray

photos of A90-95-105 .. for the AH story - a Healey Saloon -of course.. thanks ERC : " borrowed " these..

65231

65232

65233

65234

I am sure they look like this - Family Resemblance ..

65235
Photo by Gerard Brown " Gidget - Austin Healey " on the Mongolian Rally - 2019.

or this - 100 Six that became a 3000 - works team car..

65236

Kevin Hirst
02-10-2020, 06:57 PM
Austin - H as in Austin minus H - ealey.. ERC will go and look,
Cheers Ray

Would love to know exactly what they did in the way of mods, black & white no3 is an A50 great pic's, thank's Guy's

nigel watts
02-10-2020, 10:11 PM
65243

65244

65245

65246

65247

Roger Dowding
02-11-2020, 03:08 AM
Ken H, re Post #940 and the Moss Motors article on a beautiful 100
" Looks neat with that windshield lowered. "

Sure does, and my oops for not replying [ think i had a reminder just today ?? ].

Even my 100 on the 14 inch Hotwires looked cool like that - seen here in 1984 with Wayne Brown from Salem Oregon in the drivers seat. Wayne was a member of the Oregon Healey Club who toured NZ in 1984 along with about 20 others, mainly from Oregon and one or two from California.
Have put the article into my archives, Thanks Mate.




Makes the driver look too tall though, myself the same day Easter Sunday 1984 in Napier.



" Faminz " from TRS is getting his parts from Moss Motors in Goleta California, for the Sprite restoration - Did you take the order ??

Lots needs doing to the car ;



And thanks again for this Gem Ken H - getting the Non-Healey into a Moss Motors newsletter - a wee while ago ..

" http://www.mossmotoring.com/looking-back/ "

Now back to work for this Boy - work. as in, looking up stuff for TRS and other little projects I have.
Restoration of a Hornby " O " Gauge Loco, for the Father of a Mate is one ..

Not a Healey, but it is from the 1950's

65259


Those missing images - well two of them ..

65365

Roger Dowding
02-11-2020, 03:10 AM
Last Post -just now looks like some pictures are not there !! Not sure why ??
I clicked on the " Attachment 65258 and it appears ??

Today they are gone again 17th Feb Bu***er -er -er ..

Roger Dowding
02-17-2020, 05:45 AM
The Box

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The instructions - in German and English as produced by Revel GmbH ..

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I have it on good Authority that the President of the Austin Healey Car Club of New Zealand Inc [ Inc in 1973 ] has the model, which he had built for him by a Specialist Model Builder .. not sure what colour scheme though !.

Paul B
02-17-2020, 08:36 AM
Here is another one for you to borrow
I saw it at Shannon car show over the weekend
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Roger Dowding
02-17-2020, 09:16 PM
" Here is another one for you to borrow
I saw it at Shannon car show over the weekend "

Thanks Paul B - consider it done.

Roger ..

khyndart in CA
02-17-2020, 11:22 PM
Roger,
I think you and many others will enjoy this site.

http://www.oldirish.com/collection/healey.html

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Ken H

Roger Dowding
02-18-2020, 03:51 AM
Roger,
I think you and many others will enjoy this site.

http://www.oldirish.com/collection/healey.html

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Ken H

Ken H, Yes indeed, run by my Mate from [ back in 1982 Salem,] Oregon - Jerry Luidahl, who now lives still in Oregon, but is currently on holiday in Hawaii. Jerry has built a Garage /Man Cave for his model collection and real cars which includes a couple of Classic Jaguars..
When we first met he owned a Healey 100, which he took to Snowmass for the 30th Anniversary of the Austin Healey - the whole reason for the trip that BMC BOY and I did, together with other Kiwi's 10 in all from NZ [ one who was staying in BC Canada at the time and two others who were on their way back from Europe.

Jerry is currently modifying a Healey 100 1;43 scale model to be a replica of the Les McLaren - Bruce McLaren car that is still in New Zealand. In fact " Oldfart " posted a picture of the real car on these pages from the Lumsden Hill Climb in 2017.

The real car as it is now ; Rhys' photo.

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Now to find Jerry's model .. from his " Old Irish Racing " site ;

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The story - information from Mark Donaldson [ Jan McLaren's husband ] and others as provided to Jerry.

" 1953 100 BN1: Built on October 9., 1953, this 100 (BN1) was one of three Carmine Red AH 100's shipped to New Zealand to take part in the 1954 New Zealand Grand Prix (NZGP) as part of a publicity campaign for the new Austin Healey. It was campaigned by Auckland Austin distributor Seabrook Fowlds and driven by Ross Jensen, one of New Zealand's best racing drivers in the day. After the race, the car was offered for sale and purchased by Les McLaren, father of Bruce McLaren; and subsequently stripped down and modified (Le Mans kit?). Raced by the senior McLaren in the 1955 NZGP, he exited the race early due to transmission trouble. Ready for the 1956 NZGP, Les McLaren took ill just before the race and a substitute driver had to be found on short notice. With no one else available, young Bruce was given his opportunity to debut as a driver; albeit on a pretty large stage against formidable drivers like Jack Brabham and Stirling Moss. Not the last time he would face them on track! Bruce was in 3rd place when a gasket blew and ended his race. He would continue to run the 100 in local NZ races and hill climbs with great success and establishing himself as a promising future racing star. In 1957, a connecting rod broke and exited the block, ending the car's career in McLaren's hands. The rest they say, is history!
Model by OXFORD (modified) 1/43 "

End of the History - the story so far.

Cheers
Ken H ..

Roger Dowding
02-19-2020, 07:48 AM
The McLaren Healey . not this one - but it was a Seabrook Fowlds car - like Ross Jensen's first AH 100 and his 100S ..

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Win Bristow sketch from Ardmore around 1956 ..The Healey's being worked on in the Pits ..

Roger Dowding
02-20-2020, 05:25 AM
Ken H - mentioned the " Old Irish Racing " site - and a collection of Austin Healey models Diecasts and Resin - the Owner of the site Jerry Liudahl - whom I met, as mentioned in the USA in 1982 - is also into Kitsets and even has a few tinplates.

Here is Jerry's making of the Revell Kit around 50 years ago ..
** Jerry based the colour scheme and details on a car he knew of at the time.
I thought it looked a bit like Richard " Dick on Wheels " Mayor from Portland Oregon -met him in 1982 in Oregon and saw him Race at Portland International Raceway - PIR - in August 1988.
- Raced by - quote from Jerry -" Way before Dick Mayor Its Monte Shelton's car. "
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Dick Mayors car at Portland - [ posted before ].
The Green BJ8 following is also a well known Pacific North West Car

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Meanwhile in 2020 in Auckland another modeler has got this far with his recent purchase of the 50 year old kitset by Revell.

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Thanks to Jerry and Nic Butterworth for the images .. Chaindrive knows who Nic is ..

Roger Dowding
02-22-2020, 05:01 AM
July 1961 issue of Australian magazine - Sports Car World had a Road Test of this Austin Healey 3000.
Big Healeys were hard to obtain in Australia at the time - protection of local manufacture or assembly.
The car came from Cambodia - owned by e member of the Cambodian Embassy - It is Left Hand Drive and carries Australian Dilpomatic Number Plates

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Magazine provided by BMC BOY - who sent me a box of magazines mainly Australian with quite a few early 1960's SCW issues. - the box of magazines above ..

The cover - think Milan posted a copy of this in a previous post - this one has a glass [ beer perhaps ] mark on it

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Contents Page and part of the article

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The Specifications and Road Test details

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Ray Bell
02-22-2020, 10:43 AM
Roger, I don't know why there would have been difficulty obtaining a Healey in Australia at that time...

The only kind of protection in place for the car industry was a sliding scale of import duties and sales tax. These were compounding, so once the duty was calculated the sales tax was applied to that as well, the total could go as high as 84% from memory. That made a fully imported car a lot dearer than one with Australian content, and the percentage of Australian content was the factor which set the level of sales tax.

So a car might have been brought in as a CKD package and then assembled at a plant here, the tyres were made here, the seats trimmed here perhaps and it might use locally-made electrical parts. Then they might calculate that the Aussie content was, say, 50%. So that would have a sales tax percentage levied at a higher rate than a Holden, for instance, which was 98% Australian made.

Falcons were also about the 98% Australian made. And on the BMC side a number of cars would have been... Minis, Majors, Lancers, A60s, Oxfords, later the Freeway and 1100. They were able to compete fairly well.

A good example was the Chrysler Royal versus the Dodge Phoenix. More or less the same mechanical package, but the Dodges were CKD and the Royals were pressed here. The Royals sold for something like £1,750 and the Phoenix was around £2,700, much of the difference being in tax. And even that was allowing for Canadian manufacture of a lot of the Phoenix parts. Cars from other Commonwealth countries had Import duty advantages.

I don't know if the Healeys had any local content, they probably did. But as these considerations were the only ones of the time, there should have been no impediment to anyone walking into a BMC dealer and ordering a Healey.

The other thing was the (famous in Australia) Credit Squeeze bunged on by the Federal Government about the time that magazine came out. It led to everything taking a nosedive in the second half of that year and into 1962. Lots of small businesses closed down over that. But that wouldn't stop people from ordering a Healey unless they were marginal buyers.

Later on there were other restrictions imposed. Some leniency came into the duty and sales tax levels, but they introduced limits on car types to be assembled here or imported. This was in the early '80s and it led to all sorts of odd stuff. British Leyland had been selling a fair number of Dolomite Sprints and they went out of production. Peugeot needed someone to take over the assembly of the 505 - a sedan of around 2-litres - and because of the Dolomite sales British Leyland had a quota they could fill. So they took over the assembly and distribution.

But all of that is after the death of the Healeys so isn't relevant.

Roger Dowding
02-23-2020, 03:39 AM
Ray thanks for the detail,
So it would be cost rather than restrictions ! like we had in NZ - New Car you had to have about 25% of the cost in Overseas Funds or go on a long waiting list.
I know Sprites were plentiful is Australia early mid 1960's as they were assembled from CKD kits.

It seemed strange that the article talks about the 3000 Road Test as a
" Ride in Australia's only Austin - Healey 3000, with Hardtop comfort as well " on July 1961 - when they had been released in 1959. Maybe they are referring to the Hardtop which had been available on the 100 Six and was identical.

Seems my scan didn't all attach - so trying again.

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BMC BOY has a 1959 model that was New Zealand New

Hope these all attach ..
Cheers and thanks for your " inputs " keeping me on the right path..

Ray Bell
02-24-2020, 05:59 AM
I wonder if the lack of 3000s on the road in Australia in 1960/61 was because they had stocks of unsold 100/6s?

I could picture that. Buyers would know the 3000 was out and would wait for it, the 100/6s would remain unsold and so no 3000s would be brought in until they were.

If I had been a new buyer I don't think any amount of money off the price of a new 100/6 would prevent me waiting for a 3000.

Roger Dowding
02-24-2020, 07:19 AM
I wonder if the lack of 3000s on the road in Australia in 1960/61 was because they had stocks of unsold 100/6s?

I could picture that. Buyers would know the 3000 was out and would wait for it, the 100/6s would remain unsold and so no 3000s would be brought in until they were.

If I had been a new buyer I don't think any amount of money off the price of a new 100/6 would prevent me waiting for a 3000.

Ray Bell,

I agree, even a 100 Six with the better manifolds BN6 and a bit of work, wait for a 3000 .. 2 seater BN7 .. not a 4 seater
[2 + 2 = 2 kids ] BT7 - although they made many more of them, until by 1961 all 3000's were 2 +2 kids ..

Hope to get to Lakeside in May 2020,- back in SE Qld for a couple of weeks, trying to get to Lakeside for an event.. Are you likely to be up that way ??

Cheers

Roger

Ray Bell
02-24-2020, 08:25 AM
Impossible if it's a weekend...

Otherwise we might work something out.

Roger Dowding
02-25-2020, 05:06 AM
Impossible if it's a weekend...

Otherwise we might work something out.

We will indeed - they seem to have lots of Club Stuff during the week..

Roger Dowding
02-27-2020, 07:16 PM
Sent to me by Ken Hyndman The Sept-Oct 1959 issue of Sportscar Graphic- and I just happen to have the 1961 SCG Road Test of a later model - in a Magazine from BMC BOY. the 1961 -62 cars were the Tri-carb. BMC BOY owns a 1959 AH 3000 too

The Ken H article ;

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Always thought the Magazine was Sports Car Graphic - not Sportscar Graphic now corrected in the Title.

Ray Bell
02-27-2020, 09:24 PM
Did you know that the first pole position at Warwick Farm was held by a Healey?

And that the 100/4 in question was the first car to complete a racing lap at that circuit?

Also the first car to set a lap record and the second car to break a lap record?

Roger Dowding
02-27-2020, 11:50 PM
Did you know that the first pole position at Warwick Farm was held by a Healey?

And that the 100/4 in question was the first car to complete a racing lap at that circuit?

Also the first car to set a lap record and the second car to break a lap record?

Ray I did not, Thanks for the " input " some bragging rights I think
Cheers

Roger Dowding
03-02-2020, 07:43 AM
A herd of 100's [ and 000's ].. picture/photo from the " Healey Museum " archives.
The first car is well known in AH circles as a display car not as a Racer ..

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and from Paul O'Neill this piece from a Magazine on the 100S. They made 55 of them 50 " Customer " cars and
5 DMHC " Works Cars ".
** adding first page just found

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Roger Dowding
03-05-2020, 11:26 PM
AHS3501 - the car sold new to Briggs Cunningham by Austin New York.
Have recently come across some details and photos of the car when owned by Robert Wittke - the photos from Brent Wittke his grandson. Robert would appear to be the cars second owner 1956 on.

The car and other 100S on Transporters at " The Cape ".

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Some Regalia that Brent has from his grandfathers archives - Programme / Report from Buchanan Field Races 1955-56 and plaques from the car.

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Photos of the car at various meetings

First from the Buchanan Field Story July 1956.

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The car in other Races - with Robert Wittke
[ Car race #45 [ update April 2022] is fully restored and still in the USA - it features in some photos later in this thread. ]

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The car with other 100S -location not stated.


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Some of the photos are small.
Thanks to Brent Wittke - for letting me " borrow " them.

AHS3501 is the first Chassis built, although AHS3502 - AHS3507 were all despatched in the week 7th February 1955, All except AHS3503 went to Austin New York - the other car to Austin Canada.

and 305035 - is the views on this thread - when I logged in today

Ray Bell
03-06-2020, 02:37 PM
Some to be seen in these newly-uncovered sports car racing photos:

https://forums.autosport.com/topic/214661-revisiting-sports-car-racing-in-the-southeast-and-nassau/#entry9019145

Ray Bell
03-07-2020, 10:40 PM
I was told this morning that only six 3000s were 'officially' imported into Australia...

By the time the 3000 came out, BMC's Zetland plant was seriously into total car production and wanted to promote its Australian-made cars and CKD assembly cars to the full. At that time it included the A60s, 15/60s, Oxfords, MGAs, Sprites, Morris Major, Austin Lancer and Morris Minor.

Later many were privately imported. I guess it's possible that some came from New Zealand.

Roger Dowding
03-08-2020, 07:23 AM
Some to be seen in these newly-uncovered sports car racing photos:

https://forums.autosport.com/topic/214661-revisiting-sports-car-racing-in-the-southeast-and-nassau/#entry9019145

Ray Bell, had a look at the Autosport Site from the link - saw a couple of your posts - tried to join and got something wrong - great photo's - will try to get the log-in / joining correct.

Have a bit more detail on the Cunningham AH 100 when Robert Wittke owned it - will add to the post.
Still working on -
- the "Ward Special 100 " story
and the
- Brett Young " faminz " Sprite restoration.

Lots of thing to do - so little time !

Roger Dowding
03-08-2020, 07:35 AM
AHS3501 - the car sold new to Briggs Cunningham by Austin New York.
Have recently come across some details and photos of the car when owned by Robert Wittke - the photos from Brent Wittke his grandson. Robert would appear to be the cars second owner 1956 on.

The car and other 100S on Transporters at " The Cape ".

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Some Regalia that Brent has from his grandfathers archives - Programme / Report from Buchanan Field Races 1955-56 and plaques form the car.

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Photos of the car at various meetings

First from the Buchanan Field Story July 1956.

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The car in other Races - with Robert Wittke

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The car with other 100S -location not stated.

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Some of the photos are small.
Thanks to Brent Wittke - for letting me " borrow " them.

AHS3501 is the first Chassis built, although AHS3502 - AHS3507 were all despatched in the week 7th February 1955, All except AHS3503 went to Austin New York - the other car to Austin Canada.

and 305035 - is the views on this thread - when I logged in today

Details of Race numbers for the 100S .. - from Brent Wittke's archives

" This is what I have:
Cumberland ‘55 #38
Thompson ‘55 #72
Watkins Glen ‘56 #24
Pebble Beach ‘56 #106
Buchanan ‘56 #51
If he did do Buchanan in ‘55 he most likely was in his Cooper 500.

Yet the photo with #51 is out of the Buchanan Field 55/56 - programme / report and the car is being used for showing what the tech inspection - scrutineerers have to look at / for.

More questions ??

Roger Dowding
03-10-2020, 04:58 AM
This from the story written by Peter Linn - the owner of the car at the time - around 2016.

" Chassis: 1955 Austin Healey 100/4 BN1
Chassis no. BN1/222490 (no plates, given Victorian Police ID no. V702189P)
Engine no. H1B/222490-M
Body no. 7491
Gearbox no. 2134
O/D no. 28/1292/6989
Worked 2.6 litre (?) motor, twin side-draft 1 3/4” SU carbs on fabricated manifold, heat-proofed exhaust manifold, Flex fan, alternator conversion.
Custom radiator (20 litre capacity cooling system)
3-speed BN1 gearbox rebuilt by John Needham, 28% overdrive, custom centre-change linkage
Koni adjustable shock absorbers all round
Custom alloy fuel tank
3.54 diff
Front Alfin-style drums, drilled for cooling
72 spoke Dayton chrome wire wheels
100S style front seats, 2+2 conversion, wood-rim steering wheel
Electric windows (!)
Full dash inc. 140mph speedo, tacho, oil pressure and water temperature gauges, ammeter, vacuum gauge, fuel gauge, clock ".

The car with the " Ausca " body as in the story below;

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Early history of the car up to the fitting of the "Ausca " - Maserati A6GCS/53 style body

" The following history has been pieced together from information provided by the Healey Factory, and from conversations with most of the previous owners – Clive Millis, Lindsay Hughes, Peter Marshell, John Best and Peter Rowland – and with Sid Ward’s son Andrew. Iain McPherson knows the car well as in the early ‘70’s the then owner worked close by to Iain’s work. Iain has been able to fill in many details. Iain still owns a BN2 with an Ausca body, amongst other classic cars and historic racers. Clive Millis, the next owner, reports that the car was extensively damaged within months of delivery in a street racing accident at a place known as “Death Dip” on the Hume Highway at Craigieburn North of Melbourne. Clive says the damage was such that the car could have gone “end over end”. He bought the wreck as an insurance write-off (although the Vicroads records don’t show this event), straightened the chassis and fitted an Ausca fibreglass body, which was a direct copy of a Maserati A6GCS/53. The Ausca bodies were built by Paul England who worked for Repco. Only seven bodies were made, which were mostly fitted to Healeys, MGAs and Triumph TRs that were raced in the early ‘60’s by the likes of Haig Hurst, Bruce McLaren and Jim Madden. Clive Millis was in a car repair business with Lindsay Hughes, and went on to race in two Australian Grands Prix – 1970 and 1971 – in an Elfin 600B Ford. Paul England still runs Paul England and staff at Essendon, Melbourne.
With the Ausca body (see photo) Clive registered the car GTV 116 in January 1959 "

When I saw the car in Queensland in 2016 at the Austin Healey Owners Club of Queensland "Show and Shine at Scarborough, Brisbane.
It sported the number plate GTV 16 [not GTV 116 as in Victoria ].

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The story board at the time ;

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More to come on this story [ some photos posted before - most are new ] - the building of the Ward body and the car as it looks in recent years.

Full details of the story are on a link - will attach at the end of the story in a future post.

Roger Dowding
03-11-2020, 03:24 AM
The event has been and gone, I wasn't there but " The Fastest Milkman in the West " was - Mark Parsons, who was my milkman in Mount Albert in the 1970's and we were in Northern Sports Car Club also at that time.
Mark raced and rallied a Triumph TR7 V*, and also co-drove with Mal Clark in his P6 Rover V8 in rallies.

The results - times have come down a bit since 1983 - cars have changed too !! -
Mark was in a Toyota Starlet, the other Startlet is a " Kevin Sanderson’s Hayabusa Starlet ... 200 hp, 6 speed sequential,"
There is view of one of Kevins runs at 54 seconds - on Facebook, by I cannot get it to open is on a format / link called
" DROPBOX "..

The 2020 Results.

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The 1983 Results.

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Presume the Start and Finish are in the same places - The Start looks like it from the " DROPBOX "
Image.

Can't upload the image .. Grrr ..

Roger Dowding
03-12-2020, 05:09 AM
Managed to view the videos - mark parsons sent them to me on Fb Messenger, but I can't manage to download them - Road much as I remember and the Start Finish in the same places ..

Roger Dowding
03-12-2020, 05:16 AM
Another Picture of Joe Armour - from Picton NSW of his ex Sebring BJ8 .. at a car show not sure where - the photo was borrowed from an Fb page and reposted by Joe.

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Joe Jarick, another Australian Healey Enthusiast - now in Queensland posted this of a works Healey at a Targa Florio mid 1960's . The two Joes know each other well.

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Joe Armour wrote this about the photo;
" Works 1964 car that was a private entry in 1966&67 when owned by Ted Worswick. Not sure of which year of the Targa Florio this pic is from. 767kNX was the 1964 BJ.7 for Sebring. Don’t believe all the books that incorrectly say it ran Sebring in 1964 &65 " text as written [sic]

There may some details in the Bill Price Book on the BMC/BL Competition Department History - must check it out again.

Ray Bell
03-13-2020, 09:51 PM
Looks much busier than when I saw it...

https://i.postimg.cc/K8xgQbh0/0320targastands.jpg

Roger Dowding
03-16-2020, 03:43 AM
More photos of the Car as it became the " Ward Special " and details as finished.

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Details of the car
Interior

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Dash [ website photo ]

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Engine [ website photo ]

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Most photos from Peter Linn - The Healey Factory story
Others as noted.

Roger Dowding
03-16-2020, 03:53 AM
Posters created of a couple of Racers - by Bill Nesius - posted on " Race and Modified Healeys and MG Midgets " Facebook page
Both cars are 1961 3000's - originally tri-carbs [ Triple SU's made only in 1961 and 1962 - DMH and BMC reverted to Twin SU's at the end of 1962 ]

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Roger Dowding
03-23-2020, 05:29 AM
Putting the photo here too !!

" Barbara Windhorst Austin Healey 100S & Sandy Hale Porsche 550 Sypder, '60 Santa Barbara Road Races [Alan Grant] "

posted on the Santa Barbara thread of Ken H..

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and a 100S montage from the " Healey Museum " archives

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ERC
03-25-2020, 09:38 PM
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=812506172567947&set=gm.862328690863052&type=3&eid=ARDnNTotQ1vwp7KzpY8a597tsNMhP4SbXNytjOfbEQcGmq7iX1GzrlZsoD-vCMiaOVdSja2pqXCEqyHf&ifg=1

Closed Facebook group.

Roger Dowding
03-26-2020, 01:36 AM
ERC,

My computer says " Page broken when I clicked on the link- is it too busy or ??

Meanwhile the photo of AHS3501 - in the background, from a story about The Cunningham Team - Briggs purchased AHS 3501 delivered through Austin New York in February 1955 - they sold the first two cars AHS3502 went to Bob Fergus - the first car as noted on this thread - was then owned and raced by Robert Wittke .

Have just come across a picture of a 100S on a Rally in Europe on Belgium plates - It has a bit of a story - some myth some legend by the looks - will post later.

Cheers
Roger



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Roger Dowding
03-26-2020, 03:16 AM
AHS3606 100S was delivered new in Belgium - despatched 15th March 1955 to M Franssen.

The Car was entered in the " Liege - Rome - Liege " long distance Rally as car number 103, driven by Franssen with navigator / co-driver Moineau - the rally took place in August 1955.
The " Liege Rome Liege Rally " was known as " Marathon de la Route " and ran from 1931 until at least 1960.
The winners in 1960 were Pat Moss and Ann Wisdom in a Healey 3000.

Pictures from the 1955 event from the archives of Hans van de Kerkof and Clas Arskelar

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The story /mystery attached to the car is this :
" The unconfirmed story of this 100S is that a young Belgian guy owned this S but was not allowed by his parents to participate in races. He registered for a race anyway and died in an accident.
His friends hid the car and that is the last we know of this S.
Is this story true or false?
Like many others I have been looking for this car but without success.
The registration is now on a modern car ?
I assume that the car no longer exists or is there now a recreation of this 100S?
Does anyone have more info about how and what happened to this car ?
"

Car is unusual in having a full Windscreen of a 100 and Bumpers - bumpers are not the usual 100 ones, according the AH experts.
AHS3908 the Seabrook Fowlds Ross Jensen - Graeme Pierce - Harvey Kibble car the " Lost 100S " had a windscreen but no bumper[s] under Harvey Kibbles ownership, later removed and when restored a few years ago - does not have it,just low screen .

Another 100S AHS3603 was reputed to have been in Belgium too - various attempts to track it down have failed and rumours were that the engine went to another 100S .. there is a convoluted story about this.
Interesting as AHS3603 was sold new to the USA again through Austin new York who sold Briggs Cunningham and Bob Fergus the first two cars.

ERC
03-26-2020, 03:20 AM
Here you are Roger. Managed to download it. Pencil drawing by Gregory Whitt, who has a great, unique style.
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Roger Dowding
03-26-2020, 07:38 AM
Here you are Roger. Managed to download it. Pencil drawing by Gregory Whitt, who has a great, unique style.
65677

Ray,

That is Great .. Wow ! and Thanks