1949 Healey Silverstone Roadster

In the 1930s, Donald Healey was the technical director at Triumph. Following World War II, in 1946, he set up a new company in Warwick, England bearing his name with the purpose of building the Healey Elliot, a fast saloon with a Riley engine. The Healey Elliot won the 1947 and 1948 Alpine Rallies as well as the touring class at the 1948 Mille Miglia.

A sports car, the Healey Silverstone, followed in 1949. It was named after the famed racing circuit and was a dual-purpose road and race car. Powered by a 2443cc / 104 horsepower Riley four-cylinder engine, it weighs less than 2,000 pounds, making it an excellent and reliable performer with a top speed in excess of 100 mph. Production ended when the chassis became the basis for the Nash-Healey. The Silverstone had been designed by Healey and Gerry Coker on an Elliot saloon chassis.

This example is the third of 105 produced between 1949 and 1951 and was first sold to Captain Francis Robinson of Newport, Rhode Island. He is listed as entering this car in the 1950 SCCA Watkins Glen Grand Prix alongside Briggs Cunningham, who drove his own Silverstone. It was purchased from his estate by Ernie Moore, of Fall River, Massachusetts, who then owned the car for 36 years. The current owner is just the third owner with the car remaining in its original unrestored condition. Bearing chassis number D-3, the Healey has just 28,000 miles from new. Interestingly, it is signed by both Donald Healey and Gerry Coker, the designers of the car. This is thought to be the most original Healey Silverstone in the world; most of the others have been upgraded and modified for racing.