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

[Roger Dowding]

These would be from the April 18 meeting in 1971...

Steve Booker is the MGB driver, the Centaur is either Will Charlton or John Campbell.

The colour pics of the Healey being unloaded is at the bottom end of the pits at Sandown, but I can't for the life of me find Bond mentioned in a race report at that circuit. It would seem (by the roll bar) to have been prior to May, 1970.

Ray Bell, thanks for those details - will add to the photos and the post. 1971 Lakeside was only 10 years old.
I have a cap from the 50th Anniversary Celebration meetings in 2011.

The colour ones- realise I had seen them before from Larry Varley - They are at Sandown from 1968.

[Ray Bell]

While there is irrefutable evidence that Bond made it to Sandown in that period, I cannot find a single mention of him in any report from '67 onwards.

He must have run as a very much also-ran in a race with cars like Matich's SR3 and Niel Allen's Elfin out in front.

[Oldfart]

The spread of sports cars became almost too much for organisers to cope with, at least on the eastern side of the Tasman.

[Ray Bell]

I would ask Ross, but I understand his marbles are having a bit of a roll-around these days...

He was always a great competitor, Ken Webb prepared his cars superbly. Did I ever tell you about their first run with the alloy head?

[Roger Dowding]

" Did I ever tell you about their first run with the alloy head ? "

Ray Bell please do.

Meanwhile in America - 15th -16th October 1960 at the Southern California Amateur Championship Races at Riverside.
AH 100S #164 entered and driven by Robert Windhorst.
AH 3000 #100 entered by Phil Gough and driven by Dan Parkinson- an Alfa Romeo in front and several Corvette's behind.
There was another Healey AH 100S AHS3706 entrant " Chucks Foreign Car Service " and driven by Earl Tradeup- is that name for real !! from Rainer Jordan archives

A few years before across the Atlantic and into the Med ..
Lance Macklin in an Austin Healey 100 - Race number 550 .. his start time - Lance drove solo as seen here on the start ramp.

[Roger Dowding]

More pictures of the AH 100S and that accident.
Some of these I have not seen before - and where they were posted was a similar comment.

The image with the Cunningham Race #22 going past is well known and shown before.

[Ray Bell]

Pretty sad stuff...

Okay, back to Ross Bond. And also to Ken and Shirley Webb, who were behind the car.

Ken obtained an alloy head and fitted it to the engine, which by this time had Holden pistons as well. On the dyno it showed 10hp less than it had with the iron head and Ross was pretty dejected about it, wanting it back the way it had been. Ken was adamant that he had to drive it.

So to Warwick Farm they went. The weight reduction (50lbs?) from over the front wheels had such an effect on handling that he was two seconds a lap quicker than before.

[Oldfart]

I thought, at the time, that Ross' car always looked pretty rugged, but I loved it for what it was.

[Ray Bell]

To my way of thinking it was far from 'rugged'...

Look at the photos of it coming off the trailer, the colour pics in post 1281, it looks pretty good there and that's how I always remember it to have been.

It got rugged later when subsequent owners decided to drag-race it and set fire to it trying to do a burnout. Carl Stecher took it from there, I don't know where it went after he died.

[Oldfart]

[quote="Ray Bell"]To my way of thinking it was far from 'rugged'...

Looking at the photos of the front in post 1286, which are similar, if not the ones that appeared in Sports Car World, clearly show why I (and friends) had that impression!

[Roger Dowding]

Nash Healey Le Mans 1952 entry Race #11 .. in 1953 the car also raced but without the number plate on the bodywork.
archive - Frederic Brambillo.

1970's-looks like a Jaguar Drivers Club Sprint meeting, lots of Jaguars, an AM and an AH- Glenn Cannie photo - Glen was a Flag / Grid marshall on the day.

In 1979 " Personalized " - with the US " z " Plates were issued by the Authorities in British Columbia, Canada.
A photo and notes from the local paper in Victoria - the Victoria Tomes - Colonist. 6 Dec 1969.
The same photo appeared in " Wings " Magazine - the AH Club of Brirish Columbia in January 1970.
President of the AH Club of BC at the time was a friend the late Nell Holdstock [ later Nell Donaldson, living in NZ from the late 1980's ]

The closest I came to a personalised Healey plate was " LX100 " on my 1955 100 back in the 1980's but I do have this
- a gift from the late John and Shirley Wilson, of Oregon, given to me in 1988.

[Roger Dowding]

AHS3709 was among a group of cars sold through / to " Gough Industries " in Los Angeles - they were despatched from the DHMC works at the Cape in April 1955 - April 21st and 22nd.

In the Geoff Healey book on the " Big Healeys " there is no note of who bought the cars AHS3706 - 3710 and AHS3801.
All supplied to " Gough " at the same time

The car was campaigned by a Jack Breskovich [ Breskovitch ] from 1959 to 1962 at the L A Times Grand Prix for Sports Cars, held at Riverside, near Los Angeles, California - the track is now residential real estate - seem familiar, Baypark, Wigram et al.

A few photos - four taken at the start of the same event in 1962.

First a cutting from a Sports Car magazine published in the USA.

Car has the Race number #163 and the class " D " which was a capacity class in the USA at the time.

Riverside at the Start line - which was in a bit of a " canyon " !! - Ken H may know more about Riverside.

The car in action - a colour photo that has faded .. same Race number

The images were posted by Rainer Jordan in the USA - who is trying to find out more about the car that was
- " written off " in 1963 - no details are known on the reason ..
Would have just been an old and well used racing car by that time !

More photos of this car AHS3709 in October 2023 Post #1393 - includes a duplicated photo from here

[Roger Dowding]

More photos have emerged on the car AHS3709, and re -reading information and looking at my photos I now realise that the Austin Healey 100S of Fred Cohen, that was at Snowmass in July 1982, AHS3707 was part of the same set of cars distributed through Gough Industries of Los Angeles in mid 1955 - they left DHMC at the cape in April 1955.

The car at the back of a group - believed to be Riverside and would be 1962 as the new C2 Corvette's feature.
The last of the C1 Corvette model was the 1961 - 62 version that had the same front as the 1958 on cars but the Stingray tail - the shape of things to come, and modeled on the original "StingRay " of Zora Arkus Duntov the Chevrolet Engineer who raced the prototype .. ray in the late 1950's early 1960's..

[ATTACH=CONFIG]74193[/ATTACH]

AHS3709 is it ?. hard to tell from the image .. looks more white than the pale blue of the Jack Breskovich car.
Amongst a group of Corvette's Jaguar XK's and others [ a Mercedes 300SL Gullwing- the Corvette's are C1 with the new for 1958 twin headlights, following the Chevrolet " corporate " image, reputed to be Pomona Race Track - one for Ken H,

[ATTACH=CONFIG]74194[/ATTACH]

Refer also Post #1393.

[Roger Dowding]

More photos have emerged on the car AHS3709, and re -reading information and looking at my photos I now realise that the Austin Healey 100S of Fred Cohen, that was at Snowmass in July 1982, AHS3707 was part of the same set of cars distributed through Gough Industries of Los Angeles in mid 1955 - they left DHMC at the cape in April 1955.

The car at the back of a group - believed to be Riverside and would be 1962 as the new C2 Corvette's feature.
The last of the C1 Corvette model was the 1961 - 62 version that had the same front as the 1958 on cars but the Stingray tail - the shape of things to come, and modeled on the original "StingRay " of Zora Arkus Duntov the Chevrolet Engineer who raced the prototype .. ray in the late 1950's early 1960's..

AHS3709 is it ?. hard to tell from the image .. looks more white than the pale blue of the Jack Breskovich car.
Amongst a group of Corvette's Jaguar XK's and others [ a Mercedes 300SL Gullwing- the Corvette's are C1 with the new, for 1958, twin headlights, following the Chevrolet " corporate " image, reputed to be Pomona Race Track - one for Ken H,

[Ray Bell]

The Cobra would also date it as 1962 or later...

Love that last pic with the overpass and the XK looking like it's being pedalled very hard.

[Roger Dowding]

The " Austin - Healey Car Club of New Zealand Inc " was Officially incorporated in early 1973, after a group of Austin Healey enthusiasts got together at Mark Donaldson's house in 1972 - Mark had purchased an Austin Healey in 1971.

The Club is to celebrate its 50th Anniversary this year and as part of the celebration is ;
" The Austin-Healey Car Club of New Zealand's 50th Anniversary Grand Tour ; 16th March to 10th April 2023.

The Grand Tour will travel from Auckland to Invercargill via Tauranga March 18th, Turangi and Havelock North, arriving in Greytown on March 22nd.
Then to Wellington and across Cook Strait to to Blenheim 23rd March, through Hanmer to Christchurch March 29 -31 and then on to Dunedin 31st March 1 st April and to Invercargill on April 2nd.
Grand Tour actually finishes on April 4th, some are off to Wheels at Wanaka for Easter April 7th - 9th.

Heard about the Official Dinner in Auckland [ Karaka ] on March 16th and the Grand Tour from Mark Donaldson when we were at the NSCC Reunion back in August.

Details are now in the Classic Driver Magazine along with the feature article on 6 different Austin Healeys, a 100 M spec 4, 100S Replica, 100 Six, 3000 and a Bugeye [now MK1 ] Sprite also a Jensen Healey.
Healey and Jensen Healey cars have always been welcome in the Club..
Jensen Healeys were new cars in 1973,first released in 1972.

Hope to catch up with the Tour when they come through Tauranga and get a few photos.

More to come on the Grand Tour as it goes on.
The Tour is staying at the " Armitage Hotel " complex on Saturday the 18th as an overnight stop.

Will try to find out the time, for us locals .. - Nigel Watts !!

[Roger Dowding]

This Austin Healey, one of several built apparently, put a modern style [ for the time ] GT Coupe body on the 3000 chassis and mechanicals.
Had first seen a bit about the car in one of the " Tintin " books - published by the Belgium Author a few years ago.

The Tintin image - the page from the book.

Another copy of the image with the Tintin Book- the notes were translated by Google as noted.
The car was styled by " Pininfarina " - by some of his younger stylists / designers.

One version of the real car.

[Roger Dowding]

Not much detail on these ..

A custom Healey 100 .. with an A C - Cobra -esque nose .. used on the A C Bristol and and A C Zephyr well before the Cobra.

This photo is in one of the Geoff Healey books on the Austin Healey marque - the first one, the story of the " Big Healey "
## - The Six 100s and two Austin [ Nash ] Metropolitans - all bound for Sebring 1955 Race.
The 100S were AHS3501 to AHS3506 4 were White [ Ivory ] over Blue [ Lobelia ] AHS3502, 3503, 3505 and 3506, one AHS3501 the Briggs Cunningham Car was White with Blue Stripes the 6th car was BR Green the Jackie Cooper car AHS3504

A Dutch Healey Club meeting with a group of cars at Zandvoort Race Track in 1993.
Healey Silverstone [ Riley 2.4 litre Hi-cam motor ] on the inside and a Sprite on the outside and all the others behind them - on track.

[Roger Dowding]

Heard yesterday that Craig Swift passed away after a short illness on the 6th of March.

Met Craig first in 1977 at the Austin Healey Rally at New Plymouth and at many rallies after that that.
Craig, along with Ross Cammick, Bryan and Brenda Harris and myself all left Auckland in July 1982 to attend the " 30th Anniversary of the Austin Healey " at Snowmass and travelled together over the next few weeks, to Colorado and back and around Los Angeles, before Craig went to New York and the other 4 bought the VW Kombi and toured the West Coast of the USA for the next two months.

Had heard from Bryan that Craig was not good and a few days later Jim Reece advised he had passed.

RIP Craig Swift ..

A few photos - in memory.

The Kiwi contingent at Snowmass in July 1982. Craig in the middle of the back row ..- as named below -
- article by Mark Donaldson NZ Healey Club and photo by Hans Nohr - who organised 5 of us Kiwi's to get from los Angeles to Snowmass and back in 10 Austin Healey's a Lincoln a Jaguar and a couple of other cars ..

Craig sitting in Bill Barnett's 100 at Bill's house in Santa Ana Los Angeles in the top image.

Craigs BJ8 at Rotorua in 1980 - Craig looking in the boot - complete with the " Yellow AHCCNZ T - Shirt "

Craig had bought his AH 3000 in the early 1970's and had worked on it and kept it for well over 20 years.

[ He acquired the Registration Plate HS3000 in 1975 when a lot of " H " plates went to Healey owners to replace the damaged ones - as many did ]

[Roger Dowding]

The " Austin - Healey Car Club of New Zealand Inc " was Officially incorporated in early 1973, after a group of Austin Healey enthusiasts got together at Mark Donaldson's house in 1972 - Mark had purchased an Austin Healey in 1971.

The Club is to celebrate its 50th Anniversary this year and as part of the celebration is ;
" The Austin-Healey Car Club of New Zealand's 50th Anniversary Grand Tour ; 16th March to 10th April 2023.

The Grand Tour will travel from Auckland to Invercargill via Tauranga March 18th, Turangi and Havelock North, arriving in Greytown on March 22nd.
Then to Wellington and across Cook Strait to to Blenheim 23rd March, through Hanmer to Christchurch March 29 -31 and then on to Dunedin 31st March 1 st April and to Invercargill on April 2nd.
Grand Tour actually finishes on April 4th, some are off to Wheels at Wanaka for Easter April 7th - 9th.

Heard about the Official Dinner in Auckland [ Karaka ] on March 16th and the Grand Tour from Mark Donaldson when we were at the NSCC Reunion back in August.

Details are now in the Classic Driver Magazine along with the feature article on 6 different Austin Healeys, a 100 M spec 4, 100S Replica, 100 Six, 3000 and a Bugeye [now MK1 ] Sprite also a Jensen Healey.
Healey and Jensen Healey cars have always been welcome in the Club..
Jensen Healeys were new cars in 1973,first released in 1972.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]74249[/ATTACH]

Hope to catch up with the Tour when they come through Tauranga and get a few photos.

More to come on the Grand Tour as it goes on.
The Tour is staying at the " Armitage Hotel " complex on Saturday the 18th as an overnight stop.

Will try to find out the time, for us locals .. - Nigel Watts !!

The Tour had a formal Dinner last night in Karaka, South Auckland and the cars will be heading South, towards Tauranga tomorrow.
I understand they will be in small groups, not a convoy, and are coming over the Kaimai's a decision made because of the flooding in the Gorge.

The are approx 80 people attending some or part of the Tour [ a few doing the South Island only ].

Hoping to see people I have not seen in 25 or so years ..

Have to get out the memorabilia.. and dress appropriately.