1955 Austin-Healey 100 100M Roadster

Donald Healey of Perranporth, Cornwall, studied engineering while at Newquay College. Afterwards, he had an apprenticeship with Sopwith Aviation Company in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey and he joined Sopwith in 1914 continuing his engineering studies at Kingston Technical College. In 1916 and prior to the end of his apprenticeship, he volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and earned his 'wings' as a pilot. He was later shot down by British anti-aircraft fire on one of the first nigh bomber missions of World War I. After a further series of crashes he was invalided out of the RFC in November of 1917.

After the war, he returned to Cornwall and took a correspondence course in automobile engineering. He opened the first garage in Perranporth in 1920. He quickly found a passion for racing and used the garage to prepare cars for competition. In 1929, he entered the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Triumph 7. He won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1931 driving a 4.5-liter Invicta and was 2nd overall the following year.

His success in racing convinced him to sell his garage business. He moved to the Midlands to work for Riley, followed by another move to the Triumph Motor Company where he worked as an experimental manage. He was soon promoted to technical director and was responsible for the design of all Triumph cars. While in this role, he created the Triumph Southern Cross and then the Triumph Dolomite 8 straight-eight sports car in 1935.

In 1934, Healey finished 3rd overall and first in class at the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Triumph Gloria of his own design.

In 1939, Triumph went into liquidation but Healey remained on the premises as works manager for H.M. Hobson making aircraft engine carburetors for the Ministry of Supply.

In 1945 he formed with Sampietro and Ben Bowden the Donald Healey Motor Company Ltd. The cars produced from his base in Warwick, UK, were high-quality sporting and luxury cars using Riley running gears. The cars were often purchased by the upper middle-class owner who could drive to work and rally or race on the weekends. Thus, the cars were not cheap. These were followed by the Nash-Healey sports car which utilized a modestly priced-running gear from the American independent manufacturer. Due to the car's chassis, suspension and coachwork, the price was still expensive, cost more than $4,000.

Wanting to build a car that could appeal to a larger audience and their budgets, Healey set his sights on the emerging sports car market. A 4-cylinder 2.6-liter Austin A-90 engine and transmission were sourced from the parts bin of the newly formed BMC (a merger of the Austin and Nuffield/Morris companies), Healey created a prototype with styling by Gerry Coker. The new 'Healey Hundred' was first shown at the 1952 Earls Court Motor Show in the United Kingdom, where it caught the attention of Leonard Lord of BMC. Lord selected the Healey over a new MG prototype, thus delaying the replacement of the MG TD, which was also in the BMC family.

Sales of the Austin-Healey 100 began in 1953 and had a base price of less than $3,000 in the United States. These first cars were designated as 'BN1s' and were powered by the 90 horsepower Austin engine and mated to a three-speed transmission with overdrive. Most of the 10,688 examples produced were sent to the United States.

This particular example was delivered to the United States market with a supply date of January 13th of 1955. It left the factory finished in the colors it wears today - Healey Blue paintwork, blue interior and blue top. Its Heritage Certificate states it had wire wheels, laminated windshield, heater and miles per hour speedometer. It has the upgraded LeMans package which is believed to have been fitted in period.

In recent years, the car was given a full restoration and was fitted with a BN2 4-speed transmission.

The current owner acquired the car in 2014. Since then the car has been given a lightweight flywheel, uprated front pulley, and front disc brakes. It has a complete 100/4 tool kit as well as a set of new side curtains.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2018