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

[Allan]

Oh yes it is. On entry list as no 22. Howard Ferrabee from Hamilton.

[Ray Bell]

I suppose stranger things have been raced...

Somewhere.

[Roger Dowding]

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.

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.

[Roger Dowding]

" 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 ..

Just think of it as a Sprite !!

[Ray Bell]

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:



It's in Montana. Probably awaiting fresh shells for No. 3 big end.

[Roger Dowding]

" 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..

Apparently it got fixed and in the British Tradition " kept calm and carried on "..

[Ray Bell]

And you can see the reason, can't you?

They upset the balance of the car by removing the spare.

[Roger Dowding]

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.

[Ray Bell]

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.

[khyndart in CA]

Roger,
I found this ad in a 1959 "Sports Car Graphic" and I wanted to share it. (Note the prices !)

(Ken H)

[Roger Dowding]

Thanks Ken H, keep those inputs coming..

Appropriate as am putting together the story of the " faminz " - Ganley - " faminz " Sprite restoration

[khyndart in CA]

Roger,
Here is a neat story of a Moss customer and a beautiful restoration of a 1956 A/H 100 BN2.

(Looks neat with that windshield lowered.)


Ken H.

[ERC]

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.

Which is why they were sold as Austin Metropolitans in the UK... We had this discussion some time ago on another thread. Although we knew they were originally 'Nash' Metropolitans, I still remember the UK ones as Austins.

[Ray Bell]

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.

[Kevin Hirst]

Thanks Ken H, keep those inputs coming..

Appropriate as am putting together the story of the " faminz " - Ganley - " faminz " Sprite restoration

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

[Bruce302]

Kevin, how about the Hooters Vintage (Pre 1960) race series, that big old six would be ideal.

[Ray Bell]

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.

[Roger Dowding]

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, will be good to see .. and a few mods won't go amiss either..

[Roger Dowding]

The Car is for sale by Coys Auctions in Europe
Notes on the car
" Delivered to Sydney, Australia in 1955, this BN1 was fitted with an Ausca race body two years later and campaigned locally by Lindsay Hughes in the 1960’s with some success. In 1967 Hughes commissioned Sid Ward to build a full aluminium coupe body which the car still wears today. Not only a rare piece of Australian motor-racing history but one of the finest coachbuilt Healey specials to have been produced, this exceptionally rare example would be a credit to any collection. "

A photo ;

[ATTACH=CONFIG]61335[/ATTACH]

My own photos of the car appeared here back in 2016.

Link to the Auction House site

" http://www.coys.co.uk/cars/1955-austin- ... l2BYtffAus "

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.

[ERC]

Kevin, how about the Hooters Vintage (Pre 1960) race series, that big old six would be ideal.

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.