1949 Healey Elliott Sports Saloon
Coachwork by Samuel Elliott & Sons
Registration no. GFY 465
Chassis no. B1797
Engine no. B1663N797

The Donald Healey Motor Company completed its first car in 1945, going into full-time production in a disused RAF hangar in Warwick the following year. Given Donald Healey's background, it was inevitable that his firm's first products would be cast in the sporting mould. An ex-RFC fighter pilot and many times Monte Carlo Rally competitor during the 1930s, Healey had won the '31 event for Invicta and later that year joined the Triumph Motor Company, where he went on to develop the Dolomite Eight and Southern Cross sports cars.

Healey's first offerings as an independent producer were the Elliott sports saloon and Westland roadster, each taking its name from the coachbuilder responsible for the body. Both models were 2.4-litre Riley-powered and constructed on a welded-up X-braced chassis featuring Healey's own trailing arm independent front suspension. For a time the Elliott was the world's fastest closed four-seater production car, clocking 110mph at Jabbeke, Belgium in 1947. In 1950 the Elliott and Westland were superseded by the Tickford saloon and Abbott drophead coupé, by which time only 101 Elliott saloons and 64 Westland roadsters had been built.

A coachbuilt car that could show many of its contemporaries a clean pair of heels, this Elliott-bodied Healey sports saloon was restored in 1999, including an engine rebuild, and remains in generally very good condition. The car was sold to Dr Clive Randall in 2002 and then in November 2005 was acquired by the current vendor. In March 2008 the Healey was selected to participate in the Parliamentary Car Club's rally in honour of HM The Queen's 60th wedding anniversary, and later that year took part in a Goodwood track day. Part of a private collection, 'GFY 465' benefits from servicing by marque specialist Warren Kennedy, undertaken in July 2015, which included fitting a new brake master cylinder and other items, and comes with the bill for £1,774. Sold only due to lack of use, the car is offered with sundry restoration invoices, old-style logbook, current MoT certificate and a V5C registration document. This is a rare opportunity to acquire one of these handsome sporting saloons that aroused such interest in their day for their unique combination of performance and precise roadholding.