General Information

The Austin-Healeys were the result of an unusual collaboration between sports car builder Donald Healey and Austin, a major producer of the small sedans that were so popular in postwar Europe.  Healey had been a successful rally driver in the 1920s and technical director of Triumph in the 1930s, but he set out on his own as soon as WWII ended.  The first Healeys featured a proprietary chassis and body but were powered by a variety of engines, including those from Riley, Alvis, and Nash.  In 1952 BMC (Austin's parent company) staged a competition to generate designs for a new sports car based on Austin mechanicals, and Donald Healey's 'Hundred' was selected as the winning entry.

The first Healeys went into production in the spring of 1953, using the 2.7 liter 4-cylinder from Austin's A90 Atlantic.  The new 100 was very popular in America on account of its good looks, attractive price, and brisk performance.  In late 1956 it was replaced by the 100-6, which, as the name suggests, used a six-cylinder engine.  Although the new engine was more powerful, it was also considerably heavier, so the first sixes were actually slower than the fours had been.  This was remedied when the more powerful six-port version of the engine arrived at the end of 1957.

Beginning in 1958, the 100-6 was offered in two configurations, the two-seat BN6 and 2+2 BN4.  This BN4 features a rare optional hardtop, which cost the buyer an extra $239 in 1958.  It was in the possession of one Oregon owner form 1963 to 2010 and it was fully restored in 2010 by John Wilson's Healey Lane Restoration.  The restoration included a bare metal repaint, new chrome, top, carpet, side curtains, stainless wire wheels, tires, fuel system, hydraulic system, and wiring harness, as well as extensive mechanical restoration.  The transmission was upgraded to the overdrive type and front disc brakes from the later 3000 model were added, but the car is otherwise very correct and exceptionally well presented.  Tammy Allen acquired this gorgeous roadster at the 2010 Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction.