#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.
#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.
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.
This one is far-removed from such stuff:
https://i.postimg.cc/0yxKSnCt/0120healeyatdam.jpg
Russell Ness and his Austin Healey at Hampton Downs today (Jan 26, 2020)
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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 ;
Attachment 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 ".
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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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..
That isn't a Nash Metropolitan with a racing number in the background of that Okahea photo is it?
Oh yes it is. On entry list as no 22. Howard Ferrabee from Hamilton.
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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" 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 ..
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Just think of it as a Sprite !!
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/2504pl...andnash-MT.jpg
It's in Montana. Probably awaiting fresh shells for No. 3 big end.
" 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..
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Apparently it got fixed and in the British Tradition " kept calm and carried on "..
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.
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.
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)
Thanks Ken H, keep those inputs coming..
Appropriate as am putting together the story of the " faminz " - Ganley - " faminz " Sprite restoration
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.
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.
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, how about the Hooters Vintage (Pre 1960) race series, that big old six would be ideal.
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.
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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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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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?
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.
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.
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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 ..
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.
photos of A90-95-105 .. for the AH story - a Healey Saloon -of course.. thanks ERC : " borrowed " these..
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I am sure they look like this - Family Resemblance ..
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Photo by Gerard Brown " Gidget - Austin Healey " on the Mongolian Rally - 2019.
or this - 100 Six that became a 3000 - works team car..
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