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Austin Motor
Company discovered the Healey day before the opening of the "Earls
Court Motor show" in the year 1952 at the show-booth of the Healey
Motor Corporation.
Leonard Lord, Austin Motor Corporation chief contacted Donald Healey
immediately and bought the car's production-rights before the show was
opened...
Donald Healey built the Healey with Austin parts which was ideal for the
step Austin took. Austin Motor Co. saw the Healey as the perfect answer
on Triumphs successful TR sports car which sold very well in the United
States.
The 100 was the first Austin Healey (also named 100/4 after the
100/6 six cylinder appeared on the market). This extremely well looking
car was equipped with a 2660 cc. four-cylinder engine. This engine was
used in the Austin Atlantic. The 100 models built up to the year 1955
were equipped with a 3-speed gearbox with optional double overdrive. The
latter models were offered with a 4-speed gearbox with optional
overdrive on the top-gear.
In 1955 and 1956 a special Austin Healey 100/ M version was made
available to the public. The car was fitted with a high compression cylinder head,
thus increasing power from 90 bhp. up to 110 bhp. The 100/ M can be recognized
by it's bonnet with louvers, it's special two position windscreen and
the Lucas 24 heures du Mans headlamps (Be warned: many recently "M"
converted standard 100/4's are around! The real thing is worth about 30%
more!). The Austin Healey 100/M was built 1159 times.
Top off the line Healey 100 was the 100/S, this was a full bred racing car
with a full aluminum body, engine tuned up to 132 bhp., disc brakes all
round and a top speed of 135 mph. (215 km/h.) Only 55 100/S were built
so it is a scarce and expensive classic nowadays.
The Austin Healey has a special place in car history; it is one of the
most important sportscars made in Britain.
Nowadays the Healey's from the first 100/4 up to the last "Big
Healey 3000" are very popular classics...
Technical
data (100/M)
4 cylinder
engine
cylinder capacity: 2660 cc.
carburettors: 2x S.U.
capacity: >110 bhp. at 4500 rpm.
top speed: 112 mph. - 180 km/h.
gearbox: 4-speed manual + overdrive
weight: 940 kg.
Information
on this Austin Healey 100/M Austin
Healey 100/M, year 1953. Color Coronet cream
(seldom seen original color), bleu leather interior.
This Austin
Healey 100/M was bought in the year 1953 by the Englishman Mr. John
Deeley as a standard Austin Healey 100.
Mr. John Deeley raced the car in many events. In the year 1954 the car
was factory converted, by the Healey Motor Corporation, to Le Mans
specifications. (This was before the 100/M came onto the market in 1955)
Certain steel body panels were exchanged by aluminum panels, the
suspension was modified and the engine was tuned to give an extra 20 bhp
capacity. From that moment on this car was one of the first pre
production, factory converted, Austin Healey 100/M racing cars.
Mr. John Deeley
successfully competed in many racing event with this Austin Healey
100/M:
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May 1954
winner on Goodwood
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1954 second
in the 3 liter competition on Zandvoort (NL)
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May 1954
winner of the Shenstone rally
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June 1954
winner on Snetterton of the Donald Healey Trophy
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June 1954
winner on Silverstone
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1955 winner
on Prescott Hill in the 3 liter competition.
His successes
brought Mr. John Deeley the membership of the BDRC. This exclusive
membership made it possible for him to compete in races with drivers
like Stirling Moss, Juan Manuel Fangio and other great drivers.
This Austin
Healey was fully restored 27 jears ago by Ellis & Son Restorations,
Northampton (GB). The car was maintained perfectly ever since and is
still in excellent original condition.
This unique Austin Healey 100/ M is shown and mentioned in several books
on the Austin Healey. Look at the publication in the book "Original
Austin Healey" in the last detail photo.
Full history of this Healey 100/M is known and documented. Photo
books are available of the restoration and the races in which the car
competed.
The historic importance of this car is high and is confirmed by the
recent invitation, by the British Austin Healey club, to participate in
the 50 year anniversary festival being held in honor of Donald Healey in August
2002. Only 50 classic Healey's are invited to participate.
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