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

[Roger Dowding]

The Reg Whittaker V8 powered 1954 AH 100.

" Year: 1954
Make: AUSTIN
Model: HEALEY
Colour: RED
Body Style: Sports Car
VIN: 7AT00T07X21133829
Plate: MY1008
Engine No: COVERED
Chassis: 6253
CC rating: 5,736cc (5.7l)
Fuel Type: Petrol "
Unsure what the engine is - probably a Chevrolet, think the car has had a couple of V8 motors over the years.
With Reg freshening it up in recent years the side vents have got larger and the Roll Bar has been removed.
Have ridden in the car a few times back in the 1980's at or to events with Reg and the AH Club.

The car in 1976 at New Plymouth - my photo - posted early in this thread.

Feb 2024 in Auckland before the Concour'

More to come as I get the details.

Reg Whiitaker was a School Teacher in Otuau and Waiuku and responsible for the Club having the Maioro Road Otaua Hill Climbs as he knew most of the locals - taught their children and getting approval was relatively easy, then a quick application to the Frankiin District Council and the Club was set.

As noted on this thread the AHCCNZ ran the event from 1983 to 1990, and then handed it over to the MG Car Club, as we were a small Club and getting helpers proved harder as the event went on.

It is still run and as noted by ERC the MG Club, including Derek Prior and ERC in the 1990's and others more recently MGCC run a good event which now also supported by the Waitemata Branch of the VCC, after they lost the Chelsea Sugar Works event " Chelsea Walsh " in 2017.

[Roger Dowding]

Car Show weekend - Brit-Euro Trentham, Wellington.
A busy time in two of our cities for the Healey people and many other British and European " Marque " owners.

Photos from Digby Paape the Austin Healey's at the Brit - Euro. photo of 3, 3000's one of which - the Green over Ivory car LM3000 has been around the AH Club scene since the early 1970's.

LM3000, was originally GM171 and all BR Green when first in New Zealand, was owned by Bill Clouston and went to Les and Shirley Meggett in the mid 1970's, as GM171, with Les getting his initials on the later plate.
Car was sold a couple of years ago but still in the Wellington area

Thanks Digby for the photos.
The Paape family have a strong Motoring and Motorsports heritage - father Godfrey was a founding member of the Otago Sports Car Club and an early ANZCC committee member in the late 1940's - also on the Organising Committee of the Dunedin Festival Street Races - he raced an Austin A90 Atlantic in the 1950's at Dunedin and other local " Otago " events. The A90 ran the same motor as the first of the Austin Healey cars the " 100 " BN1 and BN2 - 1953 - 56.

[Roger Dowding]

Running rather late - a few photos from the stop-over - Night at The Armitage, Tauranga last year.

The Official Vehicle and Trailer that carried a lot of the Clubs " Stuff " - driven by Allan Horner and another AH Guy.
Here Allan left and Mark Donaldson front are sorting something out !!

Finally got to download the photos today to my new laptop, and also photos from the Pahoia Car Show yesterday.
Only One Healey there Fred Fowlers 3000, which did the Grand Tour.

Fred's car at Pahoia, this year , was there last time in Feb 2021 as well.

[Roger Dowding]

The last few 100S AHS3905 to AHS3910 were delivered to various owners in July and August 1955.
AHS3905 through Larke Hoskins Sydney, 3906, and 3907 went to Australia as did AHS3909, to Austin in Melbourne
AHS3908 came to New Zealand, through Austin New Zealand to Seabrook Fowlds and the last car AHS3910 went to Sweden.

AHS3906
Taken at South Wharf, Port Melbourne (opposite GMH plant) in late 1955, this photo of 3906 after it had been unloaded from the ship was taken by Robert Jones of Corowa and passed to Jim McConville. It is the earliest known photograph of the car. archive Ivo Visser.

AHS3908
Ross Jensen in the 1956 New Zealand Grand Prix meeting archive Clas Arleskar

AHS3908
Harvey Kibble of Wellington with the car in 1970 at the Alexander Road Hill Climb Car has full windscreen and as noted the grille does not look right. the car had been raced and damaged for many years by then.
Origin of the photo not known, It does appear in the Allan Dick article in NZ Classic Driver issue #70 Jan-Feb 2017.

Owners of the car after Ross Jensen, were Graham Pierce then many owners including Frank Wilkin who had a " heavy road accident " the to Ivan Cranch, Auckland Car Club President in 1960/61, carried out the repairs including the " New " grille.
Later owners were Peter Sullivan, P Crocker, Glen Hunt, then Dexter Dunlop and Harvey Kibble.

Glen Hunt, wrote this story recently about his time with the car.
the article was a post on the Fb group Austin Healey 100S.

" Hi I’m Glenn Hunt one of the previous owners of the AHS 3908 and after reading your article thought you might be interested in a couple of my experiences with the car.
I owned the car in the early ‘70’s when I was 19.
I entered a Wellington car club hill climb at Log Whare hill near Hunterville and I remember my legs turning to jelly as I began my first start.
I never got out of first gear for that hill climb because you could get up to 60 mph in first! I think I got 2nd overall that day.
Another memory is on a drive from Bulls to Wellington- I used 44 gallons of fuel - I was rather fortunate my father owned a gas station!
On another trip to Hawkes Bay I was travelling along the Takapau plains passing 4 or 5 cars when I noticed a traffic officer parked in a farmers gateway - as I zoomed by his head turned as if he were watching a tennis match!! I quickly turned up a side road, lit a cigarette and waited! He soon zoomed past with his siren going. I think I was doing 120 mph. He was in a Holden - top speed around 85mph! "

[Roger Dowding]

George Lawton, from Northland, was a regular competitor with Northland Car Club, in his Austin Healey 100 SIX, and also ran a Cooper T39 Bobtail around 1959/60, he raced the Healey in 1957 and on after that.

Have seen photos of George in the Healey at Puhipuhi Hill Climb run by NCC and also with his Cooper.

John Windelburn, was another NCC, NSCC, ACC and Pukekohe CC competitor and worked on the Healey. John recently sent me this photo of the car - emerging from his workshop. undated but was before he took it to the South Island for the racing there. Car has the 1956 - 61 plates on it [ AH 100 Six were released in 1957, and George went to Europe in 1960 ].

The car at Puhipuhi Road Hill Climb, also from John Windelburn archives;

The Healey and the Cooper from Graham Woods archives - photographer not known. - posted before.

As is known George Lawton was sadly killed in an accident at Roskilde Circuit in Denmark in the year he arrived in Europe the 1960.
" born 14 Jan 1939 Wellington; died 10 Sep 1960 Roskilde, "

Brian Skudder of NCC wrote a short history / tribute to George Lawton back in 2010 for the Northland Car Club.

a link to the history ;

" https://www.ncc.org.nz/index_htm_files/ ... pdated.pdf "

hope it works.

[Roger Dowding]

Back to past and a visit to a Wreckers Yard in Eugene, Oregon 31st August 1982.

Foreign Parts West, was full of Old British Cars, Austin Healeys, Jaguars [ had an XK120 Jaguar on the roof ]Triumphs and others.

Some Triumphs - where the new [ secondhand ] bonnet for my TR4A came from - probably off one of these !.

The Austin Healey Pile - lots stacked up. Ross Cammick photo.
Myself with Bryan and Brenda Harris, the " Four Kiwi's in a Kombi ".

The Wrecking Yard closed a few years ago, according to an Austin Healey [ and Jaguar ] Mate in Salem Oregon, Jerry Luidahl. I would image that Bob had well and truly retired by then.

2699 Prairie Road, Eugene, is now a transport and storage area with containers and Machinery on the site.

Post #224 has the montage of photos as in the Album done in 1982/83 after the Big Trip to the USA and UK.

The Memory was jogged by this photo from John Vevers an Austin / BMC / BL guy.

definitely Healey and TR memory Lane.

[Roger Dowding]

More " borrowed " photos. AHS3907 was imported into Australia along with AHS3906 that went to Stan Jones, father of Grand Prix Formula One driver Alan Jones, Stan won the first Ardmore - NZ Grand Prix in 1954 in his Maybach Racer.

AHS3907 in the pit area - Fishermans Bend Race Track Melbourne .. so not at Albert Park, ?
the site of the Australian Grand Prix
A different event to the Programme below - same driver but different Race number

Photos Ivo Visser.

Moomba Races - an event I didn't know of - at Albert Park, Melbourne.
The cover of the Programme - March 11th 1956.

The Entry lists and a photo of #43.

AHS3908 with Ross Jensen was at Albert Park in 1956 too !!.
The Grand Prix meeting in November 1956,

With those 60.608 plates on.

Here at the refueling Depot of " SHELL " - the Royal Dutch Shell Petroleum Company, of days gone by.

The above photo appeared in the NZ Classic Driver story on the car by Allan Dick, as part of a montage on the inside cover. Issue #70 from 2017.

The Stan Jones car AHS3906 #42 with the feature car AHS3907 beside #43.

[Roger Dowding]

Austin Healey 100 SIX MM - Mille Miglia.

The car was the Ellerslie Concour recently and I was advised it had recently come to be in Auckland.
It is now for sale - and from photos provided has the " Hardtop " that part of the " MM " model variant.

- The photos are from Trade Me - Motors.
Interestingly there are half a dozen " Big " Healeys for sale at the moment all 6 Cylinder and ranging from 1959 to 1963 models so 100 SIX and early - mid model 3000's BN7 and BJ7.

The car with the Hardtop fitted - in White, and in the Wet..

On a better day,

The Interior

Two of the other cars for sale are ;
" XY4034 " a 1963 BJ7, originally Left Hand Drive " HBJ7l21965 " in Metallic Blue over Ivory/White
- XY plate issued in 1999.
Have realised this is the ex Allan Horner car that he sold a year or two ago, - my photos on this thread from June 2020 at Caffeine and Classics.
Allan still has his Twincam [ Toyota powered ] Sprite with the modified nose that he does Targa and Classic Trial racing.
and
" 63BJ7 " also a 1963 BJ7 " HBJ7L207978 " also originally LHD in Red. First Reg in NZ in 1997
6

[Roger Dowding]

" " XY4034 " a 1963 BJ7, originally Left Hand Drive " HBJ7l21965 " in Metallic Blue over Ivory/White
- XY plate issued in 1999.
Have realised this is the ex Allan Horner car that he sold a year or two ago, - my photos on this thread from June 2020 at Caffeine and Classics. "

The photos from Trade Me Motors, in Christchurch now Feb/Mar 2024.

Under the Bonnet.

The interior

One of my photos from C and C Smales Farm June 2020.

[Roger Dowding]

UOC741 The first 6 cylinder Rally/Race Car.

This 100 SIX was described as " The first of the standard-bodied sixes, UOC741, was to become the link between the Warwick-built competition cars and the Abingdon-built rally cars.
Originally prepared and developed for competition use at Warwick [ DHMC - Donald Healey Motor Company - The Cape, Warwick. ] at the instigation of DMH's old friend, Tommy Wisdom, it subsequently went to Abingdon to become the first of their rally Healey's. UOC741 incorporated the 100S strengthening gussets and larger rear dampers, " quote from the Geoff Healey book - " Austin Healey - The Specials "

Austin's publicity department had used the car as a promotional vehicle - as seen with this photo.

The cars first event was the 1957 Mille Miglia, where it appeared with a cut down windscreen - seen here at Scrutineering with Co Driver Cecil Winby - photo by George Phillips for Autosport Magazine taken at Brescia 1957.
Driver was Tommy Wisdom, a long time friend of Donald Healey and had co-written the first book on the marque " The Austin Healey " published in 1959.

The Car leaving the startline - Entry #414.

The car at the finish, crossing the line. The car had already competed in the Sestriere Rally in March 1957 with his daughter Ann - Ann Wisdom went on the be Pat Moss' Navigator / Co-driver for the BMC Works Team in Austin Healey's, Morris Minors and various Austin Saloons, A40 Farina's A90 and A95's et al.
" Tommy competed with the same car in the Mille Miglia race with Cecil Winby. They won their class and finished 37th out of the field of 365 cars. "
quote - - " The story of the Big Healeys " Geoffrey Healey. "

The car Rally prepared, here in England prior to the Monte Carlo Rally of January 1958

as noted " And so to 1958 and the Monte Carlo Rally, for which Wisdom's Mille Miglia car was prepared to be driven by Tommy himself " .. " atrocious weather conditions. Ice and snow were feet deep on the roads, especially on the route from Paris, from which the ' 100 Six ' started. Almost the entire Paris entry of nearly 90 cars foundered during the first hours of the run, and Wisdom .. was no exception. "
quote - " The Austin Healey " Donald Healey - Tommy Wisdom. "

The car appears to be a medium colour " Blue " over White or Ivory but was in fact Two shades of Green.

The only colour photos I can find are very blurry and the colours not clear.
However, my 1;43 scale Corgi Model shows the two greens, Spruce Green over Florida Green - I have been told recently.

The other model has a connection as is URX727 which was one of the Big Healeys, a 3000 rallied by Pat Moss and Ann Wisdom as well as others from the BMC Team

More to come on UOC741 and its BMC Team and Private Entrant Rally History.

[Roger Dowding]

Austin Healey 100 SIX - UOC741 a bit more.

The 1958 TULPEN Rally [ Tulip ] Jack Sears and Peter Garnier.

an unknown driver and event - Race no #107, but who, where, when ??

By 1960 the car was in private ownership, and here in the 1960 RAC Rally 21st - 26th November driven by P [ Peter ? ] Smith and G Bryant. Car No #5.

A Tulpen - Tulip - Rally Car Plaque, from another Big Healey BMC Entry, PMO202 in 1959, of Pat Moss and Ann Wisdom
- [ later Ann Riley, married to works driver Peter Riley. ].

A Minimodels 1;43 Scale model of UOC741 in its Monte Carlo Rally guise 1958 #264 Tommy Wisdom and J Hay. - see previous post. Gives those unusual colours Green over Green.

[Roger Dowding]

Garage sign from; Warrens Auto Service, 212 Lee St, Kingsland, Georgia USA - archive Ray Donovan

[Roger Dowding]

The car built by DHMC was entered at Le Mans in 1953 Race #33, it had issues and the entry was the car SPL226B which had the plate NOJ393, however, DHMC put the NOJ391 plates on the car as it had been cleared through scrutineering.

The two NOJ391 cars at Le Mans. the lower picture is actually SPL226B - NOJ393
Note the standard solution to getting heat from the engine compartment - the slightly raised rear edge of the bonnet. My 100 was like that from 1984 onwards, - purchased in 1983. longer bolts on the bonnet latch with spacers.

No #33 and the two entered cars #33 and #34 with the Nash Healey entries

NOJ391 at Goodwood later in 1953

NOJ391 on display at the 1953 Earls Court Motor Show.

The car was rebodied - modified to be a 100S, with the Oval Grille Central Fuel Filler and other 100S mods - Disc Brakes etc.

[Roger Dowding]

The accident damage that occurred during practice - before the swap of number plates with onto NOJ393 to enter the 1953 Le Mans Race. Robert Visser archives.

NOJ391 at another event - details not known but before it became a 100S. SPL224B. Ivo Visser archives

Another couple of photos of NOJ391 at Goodwood on 22nd August 1953. Rainer Jordan archives
At speed on track.

In the pits around the time of an earlier photo posted. R Jordan arch.

[Roger Dowding]

Car has recently come up for sale and the sellers is in Malta - a long
way from its original base in the 1950s and into the 2010's - saw it at a Queensland AH Club Show in 2015.

a couple of photos posted by the seller.

Car has been for sale a few times in the past - unsuccessfully for a while but apparently sold in 2019.

My own photo from the Scarborough QLD event.

The car after its first rebody - after a big accident.
The body is made by " Ausca " and the body style has been seen on a few Australian Specials.
photo from Peter Linn archives and appeared in a " Healey Factory " - Melbourne story on the car a few years ago

[Roger Dowding]

As mentioned on the Matamata thread the " Ruddspeed " 3000 raced there both years and was [ thanks to Milan's note ]
- a 4000 - the A125 engine.
The restoration is being done as the car was at Ardmore in the 1961 NZ International Grand Prix meeting.

The Car readied for Ardmore with Race #122 - posted before - a new copy of the image.

The car at Matamata in 1964 with the 4000cc motor - photo from the Morrie Given - Scott - Given archives.
- posted on the Matamata thread.

Recent photos of the restoration from Myles Hicks.

Another photo has emerged of the " Ruddspeed " from 1966 - coming in a new post.

Another restoration of a known AH Sprite is now complete after 4 years - photos to follow.

[Roger Dowding]

Brett Young " faminz " in this group, has completed the restoration of the Sprite he owned many years ago and bought back - in the early 1980's it was with Phil Ganley, wife of Denis Ganley [ Howdens brother ]. Car is a 1959 model Chassis No. AN5 21031.

At Eastbourne, Wellington last weekend.

" 1959
Make: AUSTIN
Model: SPRITE
Colour: WHITE
Body Style: Sports Car
VIN: 7A80T1W0798521031
Plate: XE2121
Engine No: 9CUH20491
Chassis: AN521031
CC rating: 948cc (0.9l)
Fuel Type: Petrol "
Car has been in NZ since 1992 - according to this - would have had a 5 yearly plate 1961 -64/65 when first registered.
" Plates History
Plate Effective Date
XE2121 29-Jun-1998
BD5874 02-Oct-1962 "

Classic Car Portraits images of the 1958 - 1961 Sprite - later known as the Mark One,but more often as - depending on which side of the Atlantic a Bugeye or Frogeye.

[Roger Dowding]

The AH has the A125 Motor and is now 4200cc, up from 3993cc, the size in an Austin Princess.

The entry list for the Race - a couple of cars have already passed, well one you can just see the tail.
The Ruddspeed taking a wide line through the Elbow.
Roger Smith, David Oxton #38 and Trevor Sheffield - the Daimler SP250 trio.

both images from Graham Woods archives - photographer not known, - would be taken from the Stables, maybe on the steps.

[Roger Dowding]

X224 - one of the eXperimental cars that Donald Healey Motor Company built.
As is known Healey used a few different engines in his " own " cars - Riley 2.4 litre hi cam 4, the Nash 6, the Austin 4 and 6 cylinder motors in the " Big " Healey's and the 948 - 1098 and 1275 " BMC " A Series motors in Sprites.

One of the more unusual Healeys was X224 - powered by a 2.5 litre Ferrari Motor,

A little of the - story - notes from Rainer Jordan.
There is information on the car in the Geoffrey Healey Book " Healey - The Specials ".

" Nassau Trophy 8.12.1957
4th Annual International Bahamas Speed Weeks
(Race 15 - Nassau Trophy race), Oakes Course, Nassau
Grid: Le Mans start , Started: 42 , Distance: 250 miles
Results:
10th #18 Peter Collins (GB) Austin-Healey Ferrari Special X224 1th [ 1st ] Class: D
23rd #16 Phil Stiles (USA) Austin-Healey 100M 4th Class: D
26th #11 David Darrin (USA) Austin-Healey 100 5th Class: D
30th #46 Hugh Sutherland (CDN) Austin-Healey 100S AHS 3805
6th Class: D
From the 12-hour Florida International Grand Prix of Endurance on March 23, 1957 to the December 8, 1957 Nassau Speed Weeks, either car #24 or #25 was selected for an experiment.
Peter Collins was a good friend of Donald Healey and he suggested a use of a Short distance 2,5 litre Ferrari four-cylinder Grand Prix Engine. A Ferrari gear box and the Rear (de Dion) Suspension and trans-axle from the Ferrari 625F1 were installed.
In late-1955 the Ferrari 625F1 was purchased Donald Healey. X224, that was the code given to Donald and Geoffs’ project to fit the 2.5 Ltr. four cylinder engine and trans-axle from the Ferrari 625 into a modified Austin Healey 100 chassis.
The Ferrari engine developed 210BHP using petroleum spirit, down from the 240 BHP that it developed when using Methanol " "

The car at Nassau in 1957

The car was later raced with an Austin 6 motor as well as the Ferrari 4 cylinder.
It ran at Nassau again in 1959 - more details to come but this is known about the Nassau 1959 Event- Bahamas Speed Week. A very popular Event that Chevrolet sent 3 Grand Sport Corvette Special Bodied C2 Corvettes to in 1963

" Nassau Trophy 29.11.1959
My posts about the Bonneville record runs and Streamline race participation end here.
A long-term solution with the Ferrari engine as an alternative was not possible due to some problems because the combination Ferrari engine and Austin Healey Cassis did not work well together.
For example, the ground clearance with a full tank and the (de Dion) rear suspension was zero, so that the exhaust dragged on the ground.
The Ferrari 2.5l engine was also more suitable for short distances and consumed a lot of oil.
So for 1959 it was decided to use the newly designed and prepared Austin Healey 100-six engine for racing.
Transaxle and rear end were removed from the car and X224 was rebuilt using a six cylinder Austin engine and transmission.
It was heavier than the Ferrari engine, but the car did about 175 mph and was better suited for the upcoming stages than with the Ferrari engine.

Nassau Trophy 29.11.1959
6th Annual International Bahamas Speed Weeks
Preliminary race Nassau Tourist Trophy +2000 ccm
Track: Oakes Field Course, Nassau (Bahamas), 7.242 km
Result:
2nd #73 Roy Salvadori (GB) Austin-Healey 100-6 X224, 1st in Class D GT

In the 5-lap race for larger GT cars, Stirling Moss in a private Aston Martin DB4GT beat Roy Salvadori’s special-bodied Austin-Healey 100-Six. "

Notes on the photo below:
" The X224 Streamliner at the Nassau Speedweek in 1959. The car was driven by Roy Salvadori who is pictured standing behind the car Roger Menadue work at the front wheel. "

[Roger Dowding]

Reims [ Rheims ] Race Circuit has been used over the years in various iterations as shown in previous posts, from an Oval to other closed tracks and then the longer circuits that went through the local town.
The Circuits are known as Circuit Reims - Gueux.

In 1956 AHS3810 Race #1 was entered and driven - by Raymond Flowers and Colin Davis and came 8th, in 1957 the car had Race #13 and was a DNF. AHS3810 was a customer car with the Lobelia Blue and Ivory / White paintwork.

Photos from Rainer Jordan archives with notes from Ivo Visser. - the 1956 Race.

Chassis and Engine number details of the Special Test Cars.

OON441 the other entrant in 1957 alongside AHS3810.
In the Pits - along with other Competitors, before the Start ;- two different photos

A couple more photos to follow