Vehicle Description
Nicely done older restoration still in fantastic shape. Twice
completed the California Mille rally. Beautiful blue leather
interior, properly tuned and sorted, drives superbly. Full weather
equipment included. A desirable early Healey in perfect condition
for driving events.The Austin-Healey partnership resulted in some
of the finest British sports cars of the period. Bigger and more
robust than much of their competitors, the Healeys were renowned
for their high-speed comfort and ability to traverse long distances
at high speeds without fatigue. Later versions were successful at
LeMans and other racing venues, and like many craft-built sports
cars, racing improved the breed. This particular 1955 100-4 BN1 is
an early production Austin-Healey that has been sympathetically
upgraded with details from the 100M, including the louvered bonnet
with leather strap, giving it a distinctive look. It's probably
also worth noting that the 100-4 is the only Healey with the
dramatic folding windshield, its signature feature, and it really
does transform the car. With a restoration that's approaching its
10th birthday, it remains in first-rate condition thanks to a
conscientious owner who cared about making the car right as much as
he cared about making it pretty. The two-tone Ice Blue over English
White color combination is iconic on the Healeys and looks as good
here as it ever did. Excellent bodywork ensures that the doors
close properly, the louvered hood fits right, and panel gaps are
even throughout. They probably weren't this nice when they came out
of the factory. You'll also find excellent chrome trim-just enough
to make the 100-4 sparkle without looking weighty. After all,
performance was the car's reason for existing.Blue leather bucket
seats anchor a surprisingly comfortable and spacious cabin that's
more luxurious than your average MG or Triumph. The big three-spoke
banjo steering wheel is in your lap, which was how cars were back
then, and the shifter-complete with quirky shift pattern-is right
up against your thigh. They spent the time to make it right for
people who wanted to use the car in combat. Beautiful plush carpets
help with the upscale feel and also control noise and heat, making
this a comfortable place to spend an afternoon on your favorite
winding road. All the factory Smiths gauges are fully operational,
as are the lights and other ancillaries. Overdrive was standard on
the 100-4, functional on 2nd and 3rd gear and controlled by a big
chrome toggle switch on the dash-just about where you fingers can
flick it at will. Of note, this car has a matching blue vinyl
folding top, full side curtains, as well as a cockpit tonneau,
which is the right way to enjoy a British sports car solo. And yes,
the windshield folds properly if you want the full Healey
experience. In back, there's a neatly finished trunk with a
matching full-sized spare tire and fuel filler.The 2660 cc inline-4
was taken directly from Austin's more pedestrian offerings but with
90 horsepower, it was able to push the 100-4 to more than 100 MPH.
It's torquey and energetic, and with dual carburetors, throttle
response is crisp. This one is apparently the car's original engine
(the stamping pad matches the car's serial number) and is dressed
in correct Austin Green engine enamel with a polished aluminum
valve cover on top to help disguise the engine's mass-produced
origins. It starts easily, idles nicely, and has a wonderful
baritone voice when running at 8/10ths. Correctly detailed when it
was restored, it shows well although there are obviously some signs
of use-this car has twice completed the California Mille, a
1000-mile road rally that's far more demanding than most old car
tours. This car is a proven runner. It stays cool, the generator
makes electricity, and there's plenty of oil pressure on tap to
ensure you won't worry about running it as intended. Underneath
it's clean and shows evidence of a quality restoration, which now
has about 10,000 miles on it so it's no longer perfect. But
perfection is over-rated when you have a big Healey sports car in
your garage beckoning you to hit the road. Clutch action is light
and once you master the quirky shift pattern, the 3-speed manual
gearbox is a willing partner. And the overdrive makes this a
legitimate high-speed cruiser that never puts a tire wrong. This
car has been upgraded with disc brakes from a later model and
there's a new stainless exhaust system that properly replicates the
signature exhaust note. Obviously rust is a non-issue and the fuel
system was restored with the rest of the car so it's healthy, too.
Factory wire wheels were chrome plated for a little flash and carry
right-sized 165SR15 blackwall radials that ride and handle
great.Extras include a set of side curtains and a full tonneau
cover, plus a removable protective 'bra' for the nose of the
car-nice on longer drives.Iconic is one way to describe these
wonderful cars. They provide everything you need from a sports car,
no more, no less. For long-distance touring, they're fantastic
partners that don't mind hustling. With sensible upgrades, this one
is supremely competent and insanely fun to drive. If getting in,
turning the key, and getting some bugs in your teeth is your kind
of fun, this Healey is ready to do it with you. Call today!Harwood
Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional
inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.
