1953 Austin-Healey 100/4 BN1

Please note the extensive history file has been temporarily misplaced whilst the seller is moving house

Donald Healey's stylish Austin-Healey ‘100’ caused a sensation when it debuted at the 1952 London Motor Show. Intended as a low-cost, high-performance, limited production sports car, it went on to be a huge success.

Built between 1953 and 1956, the Austin-Healey 100/4 was the first of the iconic Austin-Healey brand, and had two main variations during production, denoted by the codes BN1 or BN2; only available as a two-seat model, both cars are powered by the same torquey four-cylinder 2660cc engine (from the Austin Atlantic) producing 90bhp; when installed in the lighter and more streamlined Healey the result was a genuine 100mph-plus car capable of reaching 60mph in under 11 seconds. The BN1 was the first to be produced, with its 3-speed gearbox and overdrive, superseded by the BN2, with its four-speed gearbox with overdrive and the addition of the stronger five-stud rear axle (also fitted to some late BN1s), and the styling change of a rear wing swage line. The simplistic lines and interior favours the purists and those who want a true 1950s sports car. Able to reach 100mph, the 100/4 was fitted with its famous folding windscreen which can be lowered virtually flat.

The car presented here is a 1953 Austin-Healey 100/4 BN1 (Body #1076) and it remains a matching numbers car having lived almost all its life in California, for most of the time in storage, unused! As a very early example, built in December 1953, #1076 still retains all the features of the very early cars, including the 4-stud rear axle, no reflectors above the rear shrouds, early door hinges, and much more.

#1076 was repatriated to the UK in 2017 and has since undergone a bare-shell, nut and bolt restoration and must surely now be one of the best examples in the UK. The hugely thorough project was headed up by classic car expert, Richard Craig of RMC Classics, who sourced and owned #1076, and it is he who has conveyed much of the information offered here. His expert engineering work ensured every component was either restored or replaced, with the focus being to preserve much originality as possible. The car won Best in Show at its first outing to an MGCC Concours event and was chosen as ‘the car that people wanted to take home’.

Fascinatingly, #1076 still retains a rally plate (affixed to the dashboard) from a 1954 event in which it competed – the California Square Wheel Touring Society’s Moonlight Rally – an event which Donald Healey actually competed on in the same year. Frustratingly, we don’t have an entry list for the event so can’t confirm if Donald himself drove this very car, but there can’t have been many other Healeys competing in this far-flung event so early on in production!

At some point since then, another (earlier) rebuild was undertaken and all of the external panel-work has been replaced with aluminium items – all four wings, doors, a 100M louvered bonnet and boot lid. Of course, the front and rear shrouds are the original items. The attention to detail of the panel-work is fantastic and all the gaps are really very good indeed - all four wings have been hand-beaten by a coach builder - what an investment this was then, to make #1076 lighter and more desirable, quite an undertaking. All of the original spot welds in the inner wings etc. are visible, it’s just amazing to see how well preserved the car has been in the dry climes of California.

The more recent UK-restoration is documented in hundreds of photographs, and help illustrate that, upon stripping the car down for the rebuild, how evident it was that the car has covered very little mileage – the engine had never been apart, still retaining all of its original bearings, water pump and even clutch! The ancillaries are all original too – carburettors, distributor, starter motor etc.

It is so incredibly rare to find a 1950s sports car which has clearly led such a charmed life and hasn’t been subject to endless repairs over the years. Even three of the four cockpit trims are stamped with the body number, with pencil markings next to them noting the numbers to be stamped - this is very rare to see! Richard continues “Of course, the car now starts and runs beautifully, with excellent oil pressure and compression figures thanks to its complete rebuild. It pulls strongly and willingly, and sounds absolutely fantastic. Every system on the car has been rebuilt or renewed so it really does offer the driving experience of buying the car brand new in 1953! Overdrive works flawlessly, including the kickdown switch and the car rides very nicely indeed.”

#1076 is now in a simply immaculate state of preservation, with originality and any modifications (to make the car more usable in the modern world) being very discreet.

Please see the following notes provided by Richard Craig of RMC Classics:

Body and Chassis

• Stripped to a bare shell and inspected. Being a dry climate car, the chassis was very sound indeed – and the car came apart incredibly easily, with not a single stuck/rusted fixing anywhere! The floors were found to have had a couple of small patches, so the decision was made to replace the complete floors and footwells with replacement panels, along with new sills. It seemed silly not to take the belt and braces approach while the car was at this stage, even though it didn’t really require complete panels.
• Repainted in Healey Ice Blue Metallic, inside and out, after dry-building to ensure all panel gaps were correct. Painted in 2-pack paint with a small amount of matting agent to achieve a period finish – but as you can see, shines beautifully with deep reflections!

Engine and ancillaries

• Engine completely stripped, chemically cleaned and rebuilt. Crankshaft only required a polish so still running standard main bearings. Cylinders rebored to +0.020” with new high-quality pistons from FW Thornton. Oil pump inspected and refitted. Timing chain replaced. Cylinder head crack tested, rebuilt with new valve springs, followers and pushrods. Block has been decked.
• Front timing cover crank pulley seal O ring conversion.
• Distributor rebuilt and fitted with electronic ignition kit.
• Alternator conversion with WOSP regulator junction box.
• Carburettors completely rebuilt with all new throttle rods and joints throughout.
• Stainless steel fuel tank made to original design, with new fuel lines throughout. New electronic SU pump fitted with in-line filter.
• Original radiator flushed, pressure tested and checked – keeps the car cool with ease! Very rare 100degC capillary gauge is still present, and has been rebuilt with new capillary tube, and re-calibrated.
• Uprated (and lighter!) plastic engine fan fitted. Heater rebuilt, matrix pressure tested, with NOS rheostat switch sourced and fitted along with replacement fan motor.
• New stainless-steel exhaust fitted.
• Alloy rocker cover fitted.

Gearbox

• Original 3-speed gearbox stripped, inspected and rebuilt by Cape International at great expense (£6000+!). Layshaft was noted to have some pitting, so a NOS item was sourced (again, at great cost!). New bearings throughout. All other gears inspected for wear. Bellhousing fitted with modern lip seal conversion to stop leaks which were a common issue with these early boxes. Gears now select nicely and there are no nasty whines which most of these cars have!
• Overdrive stripped and rebuilt, tested before being refitted to car. All new seals, oil pump and solenoid fitted.
• Replacement (NOS) clutch fitted, along with uprated clutch mechanism – a common failure on standard cars.
• Prop shaft rebuilt and rebalanced, new UJs fitted. Rear axle bearings replaced.

Brakes

• Denis Welch front disc conversion fitted. Master cylinder rebuilt, new pipework throughout. Rear brakes are standard (original 4 stud axle) and have been rebuilt with new cylinders. Brake proportioning valve fitted to correct the balance having fitted the disc conversion – the front wheels lock before the rears, which is often an overseen issue on these early cars! New handbrake cable, with handbrake rod mechanism restored and adjusted.
• Suspension and Steering
• New CNC-designed steering box from Denis Welch – car converted to RHD.
• All suspension rebuilt or renewed, front and rear. New kingpins, springs, shock absorbers all round and fitted with road spec poly-bushes throughout. New wheel bearings, steering arms – the lot!

Electrics

• Completely new wiring loom fitted.
• 12v battery conversion mounted on custom made battery tray.
• Period upgrade Cibie H4 headlight units fitted, along with plastic bowls.

Interior

• Interior has been completely retrimmed. Carpet set sourced at great expense from concours specialist John Skinner, complete with underlay.
• Leather seat covers with new foams, bases and backs, professionally trimmed.
• Dashboard covered in matching vinyl (a factory option).
• Door cards and pull-handles replaced.
• Gauges and switches have been rebuilt, cleaned and refitted – note that the silvering on the gauge faces is original and has not faded, like nearly every other car – more proof that the car sat for such a long time before being unearthed!
• Boot has been trimmed, again with a John Skinner supplied Karvel carpet set as per original.
• Original steering wheel restored by specialist with new Bakelite. Horn push assembly rebuilt and rewired.
• Full tonneau from Don Hoods of Birmingham

Exterior trim

• MWS wire wheels in excellent condition – powder coated in the correct shade of grey/silver. Tyres are all new Michelin XZX – the best tyres currently available for a Healey!
• Brightwork is all in very good order – front and rear bumpers. Rear overriders left off as it looks far cleaner!
• Windscreen stanchions polished and refitted – new windscreen base rubber. The screen folds just as it should and looks absolutely fantastic! New windscreen retaining springs and associated hardware, correct windscreen wipers fitted.

Along with a current V5, also included is a Heritage Certificate, details of previous Californian owners and an absolute raft of bills and receipts from the restoration.