Vehicle Description
The one and only 1958 Earl's Court Motor Show display car
Factory-appointed with 24-karat gold trim/brightwork and special
ivory paint Lavishly trimmed from the factory with Champagne
Connolly kid leather and Champagne Diadem Mink fur Documented by an
extensive history file Well-preserved former restoration by marque
experts at Healey Surgeons One of the most flamboyant and
recognizable Austin-Healeys extant Purpose-built to create
excitement on the Austin-Healey stand at the October 1958 London
Motor Show at Earls Court, this one-of-one Austin-Healey l00-Six
that looks like it holds the key of the "Midas Touch" upstaged
Britain's 'Big Five' / automakers as the unqualified hit of the
event. Today, it remains the most famous example of one of the
definitive British sports cars of the 1950s and 1960s. Featuring
audacious gold-plated brightwork, kid leather with mink upholstery,
and real ivory controls, this stunning car was conceived by Ken
Gregory, Donald Healey's personal public relations manager. As a
successful racer, team owner, and former personal manager of none
other than Stirling Moss, Mr. Gregory clearly understood that
something very special was required at Earls Court to continue
captivating Britain's motor journalists and enthusiasts, despite
Healey's limited marketing resources. While Gregory sold Donald
Healey on the promotional value of a radically outfitted 100-Six to
dominate the floor traffic at Earls Court, Healey quickly
reconsidered due to the projected costs. Undeterred, Gregory
persisted and finally obtained Healey's approval, provided a buyer
would commit to purchase the car at a fixed price. Following a
meeting in a Fleet Street pub with Daily Express motoring
correspondent Basil Cardew, who conveyed the proposal to his Editor
Tom Blackburn, the newspaper agreed to purchase the show car from
Austin-Healey and award it as the grand prize in a contest. With
little time, a regular-production 100-Six (model BN6, Two-seat)
Roadster was plucked from the Austin-Healey assembly line and
prepared in secret after regular working hours to maximize impact.
While essentially stock mechanically, Dunlop four-wheel disc brakes
were fitted, making this 100-Six one of the only non-racing Healeys
so equipped. Brake servos were also fitted, which were not to
become standard until 1964. A special ivory paint finish was
applied, and all brightwork was plated in 24-karat gold..." right
down to the tiniest trimming washers and screws: the wire wheels,
disc brakes, bumpers, and instruments were give the same
treatment," as Gregory later recalled in his autobiography. The
cockpit was similarly flamboyant, with the seats, dashboard, inner
doors, and side panels all trimmed in reversed champagne kid
leather by Connolly. Luxurious Champagne Diadem Mink by London
furrier Lorna Doon Snow adorned the inserts and back squabs of the
bucket seats. Genuine Ivory replaced the normal plastic interior
parts and control knobs, and the factory steering wheel was
replaced by one beautifully fashioned from intricately joined
sections of Ivory. Appropriately rounding out the incredible
package, the Austin-Healey even included a gold-plated ignition key
and key ring, complete with a solid-gold scale replica of the car
itself. Valued at approximately £4,000 when new, nearly four times
the price of a regular-production 100-Six, the Earls Court Motor
Show car was dubbed "the most flirtatious car in the Motor Show" by
the Daily Express. Once unveiled, the special Healey achieved its
objective and took Earls Court by storm. A steady stream of press
reports and excitement around the Daily Express' "Super
Austin-Healey" contest, in addition to hordes of onlookers,
provided a massive public relations coup for Healey that normal
advertising techniques never could. The Daily Express contest
winner sold the car almost immediately. Records on file in an
extensive scrapbook confirm the very special 100-Six was first
road-registered on February 2
