Beschreibung
At the start of the 1950s, Donald Healey set out to provide a modern, lower-priced sports car to replace the successful, but costly Healey tourers and sports models he had been making in his Warwick factory. Not far away at Longridge, Austin chief Leonard Lord was burdened with sluggish demand for his Austin A90 models and hinted he might be interested in building a sporting two-seater using as many of the A90's components as practicable. Healey moved quickly and on his stand at the 1952 Earls Court Motor Show a delectable sports roadster was displayed, using body design by Gerry Coker, while the chassis was developed by Barry Bilbie. The new sports roadster was powered by a mildly tuned version of Austin's "big four", using its gearbox, axles and other components. Smitten, Lord struck a deal with Healey, and the Austin Healey 100 was born. It handled well with a genuine 100mph top speed (giving it the name “100”) and its production car-based mechanism meant that it was inexpensive and easy to look after. It cost more than the Triumph TR but much less than a Jaguar XK. Enthusiasts soon flocked to buy in tens of thousands, encouraged by the car's great record in international rallying and sports car racing. The first series of the 100 was given the code name BN1 and a total of 10, 030 units were produced from 1953 to 1955 when it was replaced by the BN2.
The Austin Healey 100/ 4 BN1 was delivered with a 4-cylinder, 2, 660 cc engine developing 90 HP and a 3-speed gearbox. In a test of the BN1 model in 1953, the British magazine The Motor reported the following technical data: top speed of 171 km/ h, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/ h in 11. 2 seconds and a fuel consumption of 12. 6 L/ 100 km.
Produced during three years only, the Austin Healey 100/ 4 BN1 today represents the holy grail of Austin Healey collecting. The early cars are eligible to a variety of exclusive events including the Mille Miglia storica (coefficient 1. 35), the Tour Auto, Le Mans Classic only to name a few.
It is a real sports car, easy to drive and maintain, with a bewitching sound.
The Vehicle
Our Austin Healey 100 is a BN1 version produced in 1953, matching numbers, as verified by comparing the numbers with those of the Certificate of Origin issued by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust. The car is therefore a delivery of the first batch of 400 production cars, No. 329, produced on October 2, 1953, with different features from the following models: different front fender curvature, two-piece dashboard, unique transmission tunnel, different hood arch, lighter rear axle, aluminum hood and rear trunk lid, etc.
This example should be considered as a solid project car for a partial or complete restoration.
On the Outside
The vehicle is presented in a metallic blue colour that shows damages a bit all over the original bodywork. Some spots might have been repaired using filler, especially the sides. This example was delivered new in a rare Healey Grey colour, which is not the colour it is presented in today. Most of the original chrome appears to be present and intact and can certainly be saved. The same can be said about the lights at the front and the rear. The foldable windscreen is in good condition, and the side screens are stored in the trunk of the vehicle. Being a very early example, this Austin Healey has some features that can only be found on the first batch of cars, including a bonnet and trunk lid made of alloy. The bonnet currently fitted is of the type M specification. The wire wheels appear to be in good nick. A spare wheel with tire, a wheel without a tire and two spare brake drums come with the car, all in condition that will require recommissioning. The tires currently mounted will need to be renewed. An overall charming appearance with a lot of patina which leaves it open to the next owner how far he would like to go in the restoration process.
On the Inside
The inside of our car is comparable to the outside and would also need some work to be brought back to former glory. The seats are made of black skai and are fitted with a red piping. This colour combination is not original; the interior has been re-upholstered a while back and the original blue interior was replaced. The black carpets show severe signs of wear and are not salvageable. Being a car from the first batch of production, some rare characteristics can also be found inside the vehicle, notably the split dashboard. All the instruments of the dashboard appear to still be in place and intact, and the steering wheel currently fitted is also of the correct type and likely original. Please do refer to the comprehensive picture gallery for a full appreciation of the car’s condition.
Underneath
From underneath, the car makes a generally solid impression and does not appear to suffer from serious rust. Either way, this example will need a complete mechanical recommissioning. The same goes for the engine, where the rocker arms have been severely attacked by corrosion and rust and the engine is blocked. You are looking at a full rebuilt of the engine, once again giving you the opportunity to specify this vehicle at your own preferences: you can leave the engine in its original configuration, or could choose to tune it up a bit, which is easily done with these power units. The engine fitted to the vehicle is the original unit, making this a matching numbers car. The original 3-speed gearbox was replaced by a 4-speed unit from the BN2 series.
History Highlights
Our Austin Healey was produced on the 2nd of October 1953 as the 329th car of the first batch of production and was subsequently delivered to the USA where it would spend all of its life. Its early history is unknown, but by 1978, it was owned by Mr. Robert A. Adair from Idaho, having purchased the vehicle from Mrs. Frances L. Carpenter. In 1980, the vehicle was bought by Mr. Richard Fisher and his wife Sandra from Colorado, for the sum of 4. 287 USD. The car’s odometer read 55. 975 miles at that time. The Fisher couple would keep their beloved British sportscar for close to 40 years until Ms Fisher passed away in 2019, aged 83. Shortly after, Mr. Fisher decided it was time to part ways with the Austin, which had most likely not been driven since the early 1980s.
Today, the car shows 56. 551 miles on the odometer, which is less than 1. 000 miles more than when the Fisher’s bought the vehicle, a surprisingly low mileage for such a long ownership. In fact, Mr. Fisher stopped his handwritten maintenance notes in 1983, which leads us to the conclusion that the couple only effectively drove the vehicle for a short amount of time.
The vehicle was purchased from Mr. Fisher in 2022 and imported to Europe.
The Austin Healey 100 is a thrilling car representing peak post-war British performance. A nicely set up example is a very fast and thrilling machine, eligible to a variety of exclusive classic car events. Being a car from the first production batch, delivered in a rare and desirable original colour combination and still having its matching numbers engine, the Austin Healey on offer represents a fantastic opportunity to acquire a great restoration project.
