Austin-HealeyÂ’s and the Austin Healey Car Club of NZ and Others

[Roger Dowding]

Posters for the Pittsburgh Vintage Racing Grand Prix and other events July 2019.
Saw these two posters and thought of Spgeti and other Alfaholics [ oops "Alfisti " - correct term - having a beer as I type this -busy day - not ]
anyway here they are and not a Healey in sight.

And ..
there had to be A - Healey
. this is the cover photo on the Austin Healey Club UK Facebook page .. cropped as was very tall shot with a Scottish Loch and Hills in the background.

[Roger Dowding]

From Karsten Stelk archives - unsure of the meeting but the 100S is in the background with WAC247 a 100/6 or early 3000 in two of the photos.
The car was destroyed in 1964 and the engine and some parts were put into several other 100S according to Joe Armour
Karsten has more photos which he will post and has allowed me to " borrow " them.

and finally a group of 100S, a 100M and a 3000 or as believed by some one of the prototype AH 4000's ;

from JME Healey archives Goodwood 2009.

[ERC]

Interesting pics Roger. I can't identify the track in the grid pics, but one or two well known cars there.

Not Mallory Park, Silverstone or Goodwood. The Esso bridge may be a clue. The Lotus has a Derby registration and from memory, I think the Healey is West Midlands. (Just checked. Warwick = Healey country!) The D Types look as though they might be Ecurie Ecosse (Scottish registration). The XK 120 is Norwich. I'll have a Google... My first guess? Snetterton? Never been.

Five minutes of Googling brought up this pic from Snetterton September 1962 - the beginning of the Autosport 3 hour race. Team Elite Lotus ahead on the left.

The rickety Esso bridge visible but I don't think it was there much later than 1962/63.

[928]

the bridge is at the other end of the pits ERC.

[Roger Dowding]

Thanks ERC and 928 - will pass that image and notes onto Karsten Stelk.

He has just sent me another picture of the ex works [ ex Peter Riley ] 100/6 endurance and racer which become a works 3000 Rally car now with Peter's son Tim Riley in New Zealand.. VOK490 - the Cambridge University Auto Club car.

VOK 490 featured in this issue of NZ Classic Driver #60 May-June 2015, as did a story about Peter Riley

More to come from Karsten Stelk on NOJ391 works 100S VOK490 works 100 SIX / 3000 and others - as he finds them.

[ERC]

the bridge is at the other end of the pits ERC.

It was then!

I still think it is Snetterton though. Pit buildings are the same and the Esso signage is a predominant feature. Roger's posted photograph was more than likely a different year. As I said, I have never been to Snetterton and therefore my knowledge of any track history is virtually zero!

[928]

i only went there in the 70's,80's and 90's and there was no bridge that i can remember. could have been there in the 60's but i doubt it moved from one end to the other.

[ERC]

Snetterton - definitely!

1958

Year unknown

1960

[928]

the bridge moved again. not in the 1st photo, is in the 2nd, but not the 3rd must have been removed in 1957

[Oldfart]

the bridge moved again. not in the 1st photo, is in the 2nd, but not the 3rd must have been removed in 1957

From things I have found it would not appear in the 1st or 3rd on post 736 because it is further back along the track, but not as far as the long grid back row in post 731, perhaps extra pit buildings were erected when the grid went to a lesser side by side?

[ERC]

Post #731 shows that it was just beyond what we presume is the race control building.

The other pics therefore, were all pre 1962. The number of pit building may well have increased, which would have necessitated moving what looks to be a fairly simplistic pedestrian bridge. What we DO know though, is that it is definitely Snetterton!

[928]

all i said was "the bridge moved" and it was not there from mid 70's. there is a bridge over the back for cars to get inside the circuit. but snetterton is one of those circuits that keeps changing

[Roger Dowding]

A book I don't have but wish I did !!

67ARX on the 1962 Coupe des Alpes ;

BMC used three 3000's with the Registrations 57ARX 67ARX and 77ARX for the 1962 European Rally Season.
Drivers included the Morley Brothers [ Donald and Earl ] in 57, Paddy Hopkirk and Jack Scott also in 57, Pat Moss and Pauline Mayman in 77.
Rauno Altonen and Timo Makinen were also in the team as were David Seigle-Morris, Rupert Jones -[ the Reverend Rupert Jones ] and others - sometimes in the Big Healeys but also in Mini-Coopers and Morris and MG 1100's and MGA's.

Source " The BMC/BL Competitions Department - 25 years in Motor Sport ~ the cars, the people, the events "
. by Bill Price published in 1989 -

Here is the cover - a download as haven't photgraphed my own copy yet - I know BMC BOY has a copy as he suggested I get it. A must for BMC owners / enthusiasts Healey or not

I should get it out more often.It has some great photos ..
Bill worked for BMC for a lot of his life having been with Morris Commercial Cars in the late 1950's joining the Competition Department in 1960 until 1970 then returning to Special Tuning Department of Leyland ST in 1974 until 1981 - so should know his stuff.

[Roger Dowding]

Another example of disturbing the grass while driving.
A photo from 1977 taken by BMC BOY, that I do not recall seeing before. Ross sent it to me today.

Haven't got many photos of the car - another from Ross Cammick - could be same event

The third Sprite 1978 - 81 - to ex wife 1981 -sold in 1983 ; Ross Cammick photo

The First Sprite 1974-76 photo 1975 sold 1976 to buy the GT6 above ; Dennis Green photo NSCC event

and of course the TR on metal not grass owned 1978 - 1985 That unknown photographers photo.

and Ken H says I have trouble with Left Hand Drive cars - on grass again ; Mark Donaldson photo - enhanced by Nic Butterworth - recovered the colours !!

[Roger Dowding]

Thanks to Joe Armour for this Gem.. Austin Australia advert for the AH 100 [ 4 cylinder ].

That's all Folks ... Terrytoons cartoons ..
or
Its Good Night from me and its Good Night from him ........ The two Ronnies..
recently read Ronnie Corbett's Autobiography ..

[Milan Fistonic]

A 1954 Australian advert for the Austin-Healey

Its Good Night from me and its Good Night from him ........ The two Ronnies..
recently read Ronnie Corbett's Autobiography ..

I've recently picked up DVDs of Series Nine and Ten of the Two Ronnies show. They still make me lsugh.

[Roger Dowding]

" I've recently picked up DVDs of Series Nine and Ten of the Two Ronnies show. They still make me laugh. " Me too, and the book was good too !!

Cheers Milan

and another borrowed AH photo a Hundred Six a works car.

and a bit of a Whoopsy at Mt Druitt in 1957 AH 100 over MGTF, the AH owner David Finch later owned a 100S and D-type Jaguar.The MG driver was injured, not surprisingly -

[ERC]

I'm still a year behind with my magazine reading, (long cruise habit since 2011...) but there's a good article in the May 2018 edition (#179) of Octane, with a couple of ex works Healeys.

[Roger Dowding]

I'm still a year behind with my magazine reading, (long cruise habit since 2011...) but there's a good article in the May 2018 edition (#179) of Octane, with a couple of ex works Healeys.

Must check the second hand shops or the local Library they have a few " Old " car mags as in not this years.
Thanks Ray

[Ray Bell]

Does Joe still have his Sebring 100/6?