1958' Austin-Healey 100/6
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NegotiablePublished 4 July 2022ID: HfxdoI
Expired
2 years, 4 months ago
Information from the owner
Age: 64 years
Exterior color: Green
Exterior: Tonneau Cover
Seller's comments about 1958' Austin-Healey 100/6
BN44L052774. This is a truly outstanding example, with excellent body, chassis and mechanics. I cant emphasise enough how good the body is, which I would suggest is priority number one when looking to own a Healey. The car has had a body off restoration which took place in the mid 2000's. There is a photographic album of evidence to support the very high quality of work previously carried out; this work carried out in the States can only really be described as seamless. Restoration economics have never played a part in this cars later life, the quality of restoration has clearly always been at the top of the agenda, & this quality permeates through every detail of this much loved Healey.
It has an exemplary underside, the chassis is painted the same British Racing Green that the rest of the car proudly wears, no horrible underseal in sight, with just wax protection injected into the chassis members, this adds a level of quality that not all classic cars are afforded. The only negative underneath is a couple of minor dents in the cross members from where somebody in the past has used a jack without enough care and attention, otherwise it's spotless. In my ownership I have ensured the underneath of the car is given similar attention to the top, this care can hopefully be seen in the accompanying images.
I purchased the car from my father in 2020 who imported it from New Jersey, USA in 2017. It has all the import papers and is correctly registered in the UK with V05 etc. Upon purchasing it my father (an engineer) undertook the work in converting it to a UK user friendly RHD drive car, this work has been lovingly and skill-fully done with no single detail overlooked and is substantiated with invoices for brand new parts from SC, Denis Welch and AHZ spares which add up to well over £5000. As you can imagine the car now drives beautifully with wonderfully weighted, precise steering, the fresh dashboard houses a set of fully functioning gauges which makes this cockpit a really nice place to be, it is however worth mentioning that the speedo would benefit from being recalibrated as it slightly under-reads.
Mechanically the car has the later 3000 engine with original 4 speed box and HD8 Carbs from the last year of Healey production, coupled with a full Stainless steel exhaust system - the sound is truly glorious. The engine pulls fantastically well and shows excellent oil pressure; the ignition has been upgraded with a top specification, a fully programmable electronic ignition system from Denis Welch.
The laycock overdrive works perfectly and engages very quickly, the gearbox has a beautiful and weighted mechanical feel. I believe the engine was recommissioned when the restoration took place, which would explain the health of it and the indicated mileage of 22, 000. This Healey benefits from a front disc brake conversion, using the same set-up as a 3000 which is a great sensible modification to offset the extra power from the later engine/ carb set up. The discs have seen just a couple of thousand miles and I've just fully serviced the rest of the front brake set up with new pads, anti-squeal shims, calliper pistons and dust shields; with all this maintenance they work as you would expect - very well indeed. If you remove a wheel you will see the inner arches are in beautiful condition, body coloured, crisp, no rust anywhere and all parts to match, springs, shock absorbers etc all in great condition.
The wheels have also been uprated, subtly with 72 spoke 5. 5J wires which are in as-new condition with excellent splines. These have been media blasted and powder coated in satin black; fitted to them is an almost brand new set of Pirelli Cinturatu (period correct) tyres from Longstone tyres at a cost of circa £150 a corner, the tyre size fills the arches very nicely, so no big arch gaps that you get with the later 3000's. The tyres are perfectly suited, subtly wider which helps to provide really nice progressive grip, these are manufactured especially for cars of this period.
Other recent changes include new heat shield, clutch slave cylinder, new heater cables and full service. I drive this car only on dry days and it has proven to be completely reliable, even in hot conditions in traffic which usually finds these cars out. It's a wonderful driving experience and it is the driving of this special car that reveals just how fully sorted it is away from the visuals, it is tight, precise and surprisingly quick, easily keeping up with modern cars.
On the outside, the car is beautifully painted in dark British Racing Green. The paintwork is excellent, having benefited from a bare metal respray in the mid 2000's. It has a real depth of colour and quality, when looking down the sides of this car you will be greeted with a completely smooth, flawless, ripple free finish and exceptional panel fit and shut lines, I can’t Imagine they looked any better when rolling off the production line at Longbridge. The Chromework is in excellent condition all round, with just one small scratch (see photo) positioned on the rear bumper corner. Please bear in mind there are some very minor blemishes here and there as the car is used but these really are very minor and I would encourage all serious buyers to come and assess the car in the light of day.
Inside the car is a great place to be with a lovely contrasting tan interior reupholstered in the mid 2000's also, the leather is soft, supple and has great shape having seen little use and a lot of care. The door cards, dash top and all brightwork is all as it should be too and everywhere you look its condition speaks volumes. The carpet is in superb condition and is always carefully protected with Healey over matts. All dials, switches etc are original except the heater control fascia which was replaced during the steering conversion. There is a small scratch on the windscreen where the wipers have been operated with worn blades, I have been slowly polishing this out, and it is now hardly noticeable though noteworthy. The tonneau cover is present and used frequently, it's the original one and has been home modified to deal with the steering change to RHD, but it's a nice part of the car's story. The hood is excellent, being recently re-dyed in british racing green from the Tan colour it was previously. I have to say though I have never driven with it up (why would you!) Side screens/ wind deflectors are all present.
For the absolute purists the only real downside is it's a non-matching numbers car, but most people I expect will see the extra power and refinement brought from the 3000 with HD8 carbs with improved braking as a bonus. There is very limited history, it's a real shame, the history for the car dates back to around 2005, with service history from regular services and maintenance at The Stable in Gladstone New Jersey, where even here you can see no expense has been spared with invoices into the thousands. The photographic record has no date but as mentioned it looks to be around the mid 2000's. A heritage certificate comes with the car as well as side screens, original jack, some original tools, original service manuals and keyring. I'll be very sad to see this car go, it's a stunning example, without any doubt the straightest one I've ever seen. A truly excellent, rust free body, consistently admired & commented upon by garages and enthusiasts alike - it will be sorely missed. This car deserves a brilliant home and enthusiastic owner to keep maintaining it, and most importantly - enjoying it. I would strongly recommend viewing, I’m confident it won’t be a wasted journey.
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