Austin Healey 100/4 "Le Mans", 1956

Return to the archives  -  Photo overview Healey history
Technical data
 
Information

Austin Motor Company discovered the Healey day before the opening of the "Earls Court Motor show" in the year 1952 at the show-booth of the Healey Motor Corporation.
Leonard Lord, Austin Motor Corporation chief contacted Donald Healey immediately and bought the car's production-rights before the show was opened...
Donald Healey built the Healey with Austin parts which was ideal for the step Austin took. Austin Motor Co. saw the Healey as the perfect answer on Triumphs successful TR sportscar which sold very well in the United States.
The 100 was the first Austin Healey (also named 100/4 after the 100/6 six cylinder appeared on the market). This extremely well looking car was equipped with a 2660 cc. four-cylinder engine. This engine was used in the Austin Atlantic. The 100 models built up to the year 1955 were equipped with a 3-speed gearbox with optional double overdrive. The latter models were offered with a 4-speed gearbox with optional overdrive on the top-gear.
In 1955 and 1956 a special Austin Healey 100/ M version was made available to the public. The car was fitted with a high compression cylinder head, thus increasing power from 90 bhp. up to 110 bhp. The 100/ M can be recognized by it's bonnet with louvers, it's special two position windscreen and the Lucas 24 heures du Mans headlamps (Be warned: many recently "M" converted standard 100/4's are around! The real thing is worth about 30% more!). The Austin Healey 100/M was built 1159 times.
Top off the line Healey 100 was the 100/S, this was a full bred racing car with a full aluminum body, engine tuned up to 132 bhp., disc brakes all round and a top speed of 135 mph. (215 km/h.) Only 55 100/S were built so it is a scarce and expensive classic nowadays.
The Austin Healey has a special place in car history; it is one of the most important sportscars made in Britain.
Nowadays the Healey's from the first 100/4 up to the last "Big Healey 3000" are very popular classics...

Technical data 100/M specifications

4 cylinder engine
cylinder capacity: 2660 cc.
carburettors: 2x S.U.
capacity: >110 bhp. at 4500 rpm.
top speed: 112 mph. - 180 km/h.
gearbox: 4-speed manual + overdrive
weight: 940 kg.

Information

Austin Healey 100/4 BN-2, year 1956. Fully modified to Le Mans specifications. Colour ice blue metallic with a dark blue leather interior. The seats are trimmed with white piping. This Austin Healey 100/4 is in superb condition! Altena Classic Service sold the car to the current owner two years ago. The car was regularly serviced by us ever since.
The car was fully restored in the Netherlands in 2000/ 2001 and it was converted to Le Mans specifications by Altena Classic Service in 2002.
An extensive list of the modifications which have been made is available! This is a matching numbers car with Heritage certificate.
This beautiful and excellent driving Austin Healey is fitted with an overdrive, wire wheels and a tonneau cover.

This classic car was sold by
Altena Classic Service.


info@altenaclassicservice.nl
 
Altena Classic Service
Telephone international: +31 524 56 11 22


© 2004, V3D/ ClassicarImages. All rights reserved.