• Year of manufacture 
    1955
  • Mileage 
    63 000 mi / 101 389 km
  • Car type 
    Convertible / Roadster
  • Chassis number 
    BN1224328
  • Drive 
    RHD
  • Condition 
    Original Condition
  • Interior colour 
    Red
  • Number of doors 
    2
  • Number of seats 
    2
  • Location
    United Kingdom
  • Exterior colour 
    White
  • Gearbox 
    Manual
  • Drivetrain 
    2wd
  • Fuel type 
    Petrol

Description

• Original right-hand drive Austin-Healey 100/4
• Sydney Motor Show car
• Only 63,000 miles documented by outstanding history file
• Original interior, roof and tool kit

Model History
In 1952 Donald Healey unveiled the Healey Hundred to the world. After seeing the success of Jaguar’s XK120, Healey set off on an unsuccessful trip to America to persuade the US manufacturers to supply powerful V8 engines to wedge into his little sports cars. Unperturbed, and realising there was a gap in the market for those that wanted a fast car but not looking to reach Jaguar’s heady 120mph Healey had the master-stroke idea of using the many spare engines from the unloved Austin A90 Atlantic in order to reach the magic 100 mph.

With the 1952 London Motor Show fast approaching Healey instructed Gerry Coker to design the body for the Healey-100. Coker, a mechanical engineer by training with no experience in aesthetic design was nervous to release his creation to the public. He needn’t have been. The Donald Healey Motor Company Healey 100 was the star of the show and crowds flocked around to see the exciting sports car of the future.

Leonard Lord, MD of Austin quickly realised the demand for this car would far out-strip the supply capabilities of the small Healey Motor Company and so struck a deal with Donald Healey at the show to produce the car in large quantities and rename the car (and indeed the whole company) Austin-Healey.

As Lord predicted the orders for the 100 came flooding in, particularly from the US. At the time steel was strictly rationed in the UK but manufacturers were rewarded with a greater steel allowance for exports to the United States which brought in much needed dollars to the ailing British economy. As such UK manufacturers’ attention was strayed from the home market, meaning very few cars were built in right-hand drive specification.

This Car

The Austin-Healey 100 now for sale at The Classic Motor Hub is one of those few right-hand drive cars. This 100/4, chassis number BN1224328 is presented in Old English White with Bordeaux Red leather interior. Austin-Healey presented BN1224328 at the 1955 Sydney Motor Show and is in original condition having covered only 63,000 miles since its unveiling at the show which is shown in the supporting history file. The car was purchased new by Les Shaw of Torch Street, Bathhurst who used the car for family journeys up until April 1971.

The next owner, Geoff Fry took fantastic care of the car, as is evidenced in the file. Fry took his 100/4 to 9 concourses between 1972 – 1992, frequently winning either best in show or Best 100/4 in show. The next owner was a Peter Rutzou of Swan Hill, New South Wales. Mr Rutzou used the car far more sparingly, covering less than 1000 miles in 2 years, his final odometer reading 60,604 as of August 1997. The car was imported to the UK in 2013 with mileage reading only 63,000 miles.

Accompanying the car is a fantastic history file containing the build sheets and the original Healey guarantee card along with workshop manuals, handbooks and its unused tool-kit. The tonneau, side curtains and roof are all original and in fantastic condition for the car’s age.

The history file shows that this Austin-Healey 100 has been well looked after throughout its life but most recently this 100/4 has had the good fortune of being looked after by Classic Performance Engineering. In 2018 the engine was given a thorough overhaul, removing the heads for skimming, refreshing the valves and checking the clearances as well as checking suspension components and servicing the brakes. As such the car drives like new but remains in delightful time warp, rust-free condition.

The car is ready for immediate inspection and for sale at The Classic Motor Hub.