Austin Healey 100/M, 1953

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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 sports car 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)

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 on this Austin Healey 100/M

Austin Healey 100/M, year 1953. Color Coronet cream
(seldom seen original color), bleu leather interior.

This Austin Healey 100/M was bought in the year 1953 by the Englishman Mr. John Deeley as a standard Austin Healey 100.
Mr. John Deeley raced the car in many events. In the year 1954 the car was factory converted, by the Healey Motor Corporation, to Le Mans specifications. (This was before the 100/M came onto the market in 1955) Certain steel body panels were exchanged by aluminum panels, the suspension was modified and the engine was tuned to give an extra 20 bhp capacity. From that moment on this car was one of the first pre production, factory converted, Austin Healey 100/M racing cars.

Mr. John Deeley successfully competed in many racing event with this Austin Healey 100/M: 

  • May 1954 winner on Goodwood

  • 1954 second in the 3 liter competition on Zandvoort (NL)

  • May 1954 winner of the Shenstone rally

  • June 1954 winner on Snetterton of the Donald Healey Trophy

  • June 1954 winner on Silverstone

  • 1955 winner on Prescott Hill in the 3 liter competition.

His successes brought Mr. John Deeley the membership of the BDRC. This exclusive membership made it possible for him to compete in races with drivers like Stirling Moss, Juan Manuel Fangio and other great drivers.

This Austin Healey was fully restored 27 jears ago by Ellis & Son Restorations, Northampton (GB). The car was maintained perfectly ever since and is still in excellent original condition.
This unique Austin Healey 100/ M is shown and mentioned in several books on the Austin Healey. Look at the publication in the book "Original Austin Healey" in the last detail photo.
Full history of this  Healey 100/M is known and documented. Photo books are available of the restoration and the races in which the car competed.
The historic importance of this car is high and is confirmed by the recent invitation, by the British Austin Healey club, to participate in the 50 year anniversary festival being held in honor of Donald Healey in August 2002. Only 50 classic Healey's are invited to participate.


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