High Performance Healey - a photo on Flickriver

            
As seen at the KC Auto Museum Oddballs and Obscurities Car Show in Olathe Kansas.

The Austin-Healey 100 is a sports car that was built by Austin-Healey from 1953 until 1956.

Based on Austin A90 Atlantic mechanicals, it was developed by Donald Healey to be produced in-house by his small Healey car company in Warwick.

Healey had Tickford build a single Healey Hundred for the 1952 London Motor Show, and the design impressed Leonard Lord, managing director of Austin, who was looking for a replacement for the unsuccessful A90.

Body styling was by Gerry Coker, the chassis was designed by Barry Bilbie with longitudinal members and cross bracing producing a comparatively stiff structure upon which to mount the body, innovatively welding the front bulkhead to the frame for additional strength. In order to keep the overall vehicle height low the rear axle was underslung, the chassis frame passing under the rear axle assembly.

Lord struck a deal with Healey to build it in quantity; bodies made by Jensen Motors were given Austin mechanical components at Austin's Longbridge plant. The car was renamed the Austin-Healey 100.

The "100" was named by Healey for the car's ability to reach 100 mph (160 km/h); its successor, the better known Austin-Healey 3000, was named for the almost 3000 cc displacement of its engine.

Apart from the first twenty cars, production Austin-Healey 100s were finished at Austin's Longbridge plant alongside the A90 and based on fully trimmed and painted body/chassis units produced by Jensen in West Bromwich—in an arrangement the two companies previously had explored with the Austin A40 Sports. 14,634 Austin-Healey 100s were produced.

The 100 was the first of three models later called the Big Healeys to distinguish them from the much smaller Austin-Healey Sprite. The Big Healeys are often referred to by their three-character model designators rather than by their models, as the model names do not reflect the mechanical differences and similarities well.

A high-performance 100M model was introduced in 1955 with larger carburettors, a cold air box to increase engine air flow, high-lift camshaft and 8.1:1 compression pistons. It produced 110 bhp (82 kW) at 4500 rpm. The front suspension was stiffened and the bonnet gained louvres, along with a bonnet belt. Approximately 70% of 100Ms were finished with a two-tone paint scheme, including one White over Red and another in Black over Pink for display at the 1955 London Motor Show. In all, 640 100Ms were built by the factory.

The 100M components (including the high compression pistons) were also available as the Le Mans Engine Modification Kit, which could be installed in either a BN1 or BN2 with the engine in situ, improving the power output to approximately 100 bhp (75 kW) at 4500 rpm. The kit could be ordered from BMC, allowing private owners to make their own modifications.

There are several categories of cars to distinguish between the factory produced cars and others: The early 100's retrofitted with the "Le Mans" kit, either by Donald Healey, an Austin Healey dealer, or owners; The 640 factory-built "Le Mans" cars which were named 100 M; and Cars that have been converted to "Le Mans" specifications in more recent years. 

Only the factory-registered chassis identification numbers distinguish the actual factory built originals from others.

Taken on: June 24, 2023

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Austin Healey

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Camera: Nikon D7100, f/7.1, 1/80 sec, 38mm (=57mm), ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D7100
Lens:	18.0-55.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Aperture:	f/7.1
Exposure Time:	0.013 sec (1/80)
Focal Length:	38mm (35mm equivalent: 57mm)
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Scene Capture Type:	Landscape
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop 24.6 (Macintosh)
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