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A very Official Title - Register Secretary of AHCCNZ..
Pete Dicks, whom I met at Snowmass [ at Aspen ] Colorado at the " 30th Anniversary of the Austin Healey "meeting in late July 1982 was digging through his archives / collection / stuff .. and found this.
I just thought I was just putting information together about AH Sprites.
This from " Thoroughbred and Classic Car " Magazine - probably the first of the " Classic Car " magazines to start.
The June 1980 Issue.
The cover
Attachment 69902
part of the article ;
Attachment 69903
The Car was owned by Tony Van De Water at the time, he still had it in 1989 and it was raced by him at the Ardmore Reunion meeting in January 1989 and he attended the AHCCNZ Rally at Easter the same year.
Tony moved to Renwick and I believe still runs BASIS the spare parts company there.
He has spent time at the Airforce base in the area when working as a RNZAF photographer.
I also understand he still has the car.
** Update Dec 18th 2023. AN5-758 is still owned by Tony Van de Water who recently sold BASIS, the Spare Parts business and has just completed a restoration / tidy up of the Sprite.
The car did appear during the " 50th Anniversary Grand Tour " by the AH Club of New Zealand in March April 2023.
Many earlier cars have now been uncovered including AN5 501 the first production Sprite, but this car could still be the earliest in New Zealand.
Attachment 69904
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Another Healey Story - about a number plate - MWD 360
Using a Number Plate on another car - a short story from the early 1950's - thanks to Paul O'Neill for this gem.
DMH - always the Gentleman ..
About MWD 360 ..
A framed " picture " well a letter and a cutting from a newspaper - there were very observant people back then too!!.
Attachment 69905
The letter - dated 6th November 1952 - not long after the London Motor Show where a " Healey 100 " became the " Austin Healey 100 "
Attachment 69906
The article - a cutting from a newspaper, details not stated.
Attachment 69907
The car they are referring to.
Photo from the Motor Show ; " HEALEY - HUNDRED " on the front of the car.
Photo prior to Leonard Lord from " Austin " making the agreement with the " Donald Healey Motor Company ".
Attachment 69908
A prototype on Steel Wheels from 1952. Plate could be MWD 341 - hard to determine. Has a " Healey 100 " badge on the shroud.
Attachment 69909
Must check on how many " Prototypes " there were, probably a couple.
Must try to find the Mille Miglia car - a Healey, not an Austin Healey.
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Today in History - 30th July 1979
An extract from New Zealand Memories magazine - the November 2020 issue.
Had my Triumph TR4A for the Tuesday Carless Day, so it could compete in Motorsport on the weekend, and an Austin A35 with a Sunday sticke , to drive on Tuesdays with Sprite twin carbs as the Mark One Sprite was in pieces.
The [ ex ] wife had the other Sprite a Mark 3 for her daily driver except for on another week day - can't remember what day, Oh for an Exempt sticker.
Attachment 70032
The stickers ;
Attachment 70033
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Random AH related pictures .. Big and Small cars a T shirt and a cartoon
A bit of a mix here with photos from early AHCCNZ Rallys in 1973 and 1975 - [ 1975 at Rotorua ]
1973 Mark Donaldson and the late Bernie Huynen examine Ross Cammick [ BMC BOY ] BN7 a 1959 model which has featured on here recently with Milan Fistonic post from the Auckland Car Club Bulletion in 1979.
This was a the First " National " Rally by the Club.
[ Photo from the AH Clubs own website - probably by Ross Cammick ]
Attachment 70034
1975 and Peter Nelligan in his BJ8 on the Gymkhana course at the Rotorua " National " Rally. Photographer I think was Ross Cammick.
[ from the AH Clubs own website ]
Attachment 70035
Moving to the USA - Geoff Healey standing beside Jerry Liudahl [ from Oregon ] 100 at Snowmass in 1982 at the 30th Anniversary of the Austin Healey gathering where around 1000 AH enthusiasts attended including 11 from New Zealand. [Jerry Liudahl photo ]
Attachment 70036
Another Oregon car Rex Urbans Sprite Racer, which was also at Snowmass and Medford in 1982 and has featured on this thread before
[ this is a recent photo from Rex Urban's own archives. ]
Attachment 70037
T - Shirt worn by the AH Club of Oregon attendees at the 1984 " National " Rally at Napier -around a dozen American Austin Healey people came to NZ for the Rally,mainly from Oregon - the " On the Road Again 1984 " line is as some had come to New Zealand in 1980, and they came back again in 1988 too !
The T shirt is still in the hands, and on the clothes-line, of Bryan and Brenda Harris. - Thanks to Bryan for the photo.
Attachment 70038
A Healey cartoon by Brian Caldersmith in Australia who draws other cartoons in the style of " Brockbank " the well known English Motoring cartoonist from the 1950's and 1960's.
Attachment 70039
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AHS3601 and AHS3908 - The two 100S that were sold new in New Zealand
Have posted quite a bit on AHS3908 the Austin New Zealand imported car - sold to dealers Seabrook Fowlds, for John Seabrook, then Ross Jensen, and later Graham Pierce. A 100S car that is still in New Zealand.
Story a few years ago by Allan Dick form NZ Classic Driver that has appeared in this thread [ parts of the article ]
AHS3601 was also imported by Austin New Zealand and sold through P H Vickery " Vickery Motors " of Invercargill.
Engine Number 222707C Body number 79 despatched 14.10.55.
Already had some information on the car but recently came across more details.
Jim Reece an Austin Healey guy, his cars have featured on the thread, put together a Register Record of the car back in the early 1970's when involved with the Austin Healey Car Club of New Zealand.
The car was badly crashed and burnt and written off and has been the subject of a recreation by Steve Pike in Australia.
It is now in the hands of Alister Rayner with the Chassis Number " AHS3601 R ". R for recreation / replica.
Here is the AHCCNZ letterhead record of the car which had the number plate 408.032 in 1957 [ 1956 -61 plates and permanent plate DN6440 - There will have been another plate for 1961 -64 period.
Attachment 70047
Photo of the car outside P H Vickery Ltd in Invercargill in 1956 - first registered in January 1956 after shipping from England DMH's factory in October 1955
Attachment 70048
A Warrant of Fitness sticker from PH Vickery dated February 1957.
Attachment 70049
car with 408.032 plates [ 1956 - 61 ] with 4th owner Max Richards
Attachment 70050
Another photo on the 408.032 plates, with Jack Grieve in 1957
Attachment 70051
Again a photo from the 1957 -61 period with another owner / driver Peter Lawson at the 1961 Ardmore NZ International Grand Prix meeting,leading a group [ in a trio ] of cars.
Attachment 70052
More to come on the car - the accident - and the recreation.
Note ; source of images are on the images
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30th Anniversary of the Austin Healey - July 1982..
In early July 1982 a group of Austin Healey Club of New Zealand, Guys and Girls - headed for the USA to attend the event, which was held at Snowmass ( at Aspen ) a Ski Resort - just outside the Town of Aspen in Colorado.
There were 5 days of competition, [ Concours,D'Elegance, Road Rally - a Time Speed and Distance Trial, Funkhana various Social Activities and on the last day a Prizegiving..
The Prizegiving, I vaguely remember, but have recently been sent some images by Ron Edwards who collected three trophies with his Austin Healey 3000 BJ8.
The Car ; which Ron still owns has had it since 1973
Attachment 70536
The Michigan Plate that was on the car at the time
Attachment 70537
The three trophies
Attachment 70538
Plaque for the TSD Rally that is on the Trophy
Attachment 70539
Plaque for the Concours' - note on photo " Concourse " as that is on the trophy.
Attachment 70540
Whilst not being able to compete for a trophy as not having a car there, did get to collect patches and badges from the event and other events that 5 of the Kiwi's attended after Snowmass.
The Historic Motor Races at Monterey [ Laguna Seca ] the Austin Healey Club of Oregon Rally ay Medford Oregon and the " All British Field Meet " at Portland Oregon
Attachment 70541
I understand that a big event is being organised for next year 2022 in the USA.
- the 70th Anniversary of the Austin Healey
- the car first seen as the " Healey Hundred " at the Earls Court Motor Show in London in November 1952.
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Over 500,000 views thanks TRS ;
Cracked it, Over 500,000 views [ long way to go to be like ERC though ].
I love Healeys as is known, both Big [ full size owned one ] Small [ full size Sprites owned 4 ] and models.
This from Healey Museum, Dinky model 100's with a boat and trailer..
as they commented " cheaper to own than the real thing ;
Attachment 70583
Don't have the Dinky 100, but do have a " Budgie " model - it is broken though - scale around 1;70.
The " Budgie " model - my damaged one ;
Attachment 70615
Attachment 70616
Have 1;18 100 Six and a tri-carb 3000 and various 1;43 models - 100 / 100S / 3000 and a couple of Sprites and 1;87 3000.
Here are some of them. the 1;18 scale plus a couple of 1;43 scale Sprites.
Attachment 70584
Cheers
Roger