Cleaned a barn this weekend, Austin-Healy sees daylight after 8 years.

[SpiderGearsMan]

IDA has such a sense of style ..even to this day
he has his own chassis dyno too

[Brian Lohnes]

I met him down at Maxton when he was running his insane Lightning truck. Cool freaking guy.

Brian

[BKBridges]

Body work by the Jensen Bros I believe. They never really recovered after the loss of the Austin contracts.
Sweet barn find, even if it was your own barn. Bad news... I think the non racing versions were all steel. The 100S race cars had the aluminum panels...
Moss motors sells a new all aluminum head for the A90 motor to help the heating/weight issues out. Hot rod did a nice article on a modifed big Healey a while back? Very road race oriented as I vaguely remember. Your find looks a lot better than mine...
BKB

[yellomalibu]

You need to PM Keith Turk if he doesn't see this thread. He has one that he's owned since he was a teenager and it still looks darn good. There are pieces available. PLEASE - if you decide to repower it either use a modern 4 banger (like an Ecotech) or an aluminum Buick. No sense screwing up the car and the little Buick is narrow and light.

Dan

x2 Of course, it's your car... but I guess I'm getting to the age that I would feel bad altering something that's been around so long, and replacement parts and good metal workers are getting harder and harder to find.

At car shows, I find myself gravitating toward cars with non V8 powerplants... because they are more uncommon.

[Aircooled]

Bob Ida's Hemi Healey could be one of the craziest ####ing cars of all time.

So, What is Ida up to here? Quarter panel says BB/Gas but in the first pic he is wearing a nitro mask....

[Brian Lohnes]

The car ran in comp (then called Super Eliminator) I believe. Lots of guys wore the masks, especially when the headers were spewing the exhaust right into the car. Look at where those pipes end up. Fires and blower explosions weren't just limited to the nitro fellas!

Brian

[Mater]

that looks like a hemi with wheels slapped to it lol

[STINEY]

Bad news... I think the non racing versions were all steel. The 100S race cars had the aluminum panels...
Moss motors sells a new all aluminum head for the A90 motor to help the heating/weight issues out.

I know about the 100S & M models. I've done a lot of research on these little buggers, and nowhere can I find an explanation for my hood. I guarantee you beyond a shadow of a doubt that the hood is original, yet it has an aluminum skin over a steel inner structure. I'd love to know what the deal was? The rear bonnet is the standard steel over steel, and the wings are steel.

Those heads are just the ticket, too bad they cost around $2-3000 for a bare casting. (last time I checked, was a few years ago...)

Parts are definitely available. I love the description for new fenders......guaranteed to need work in order to make them fit. These cars were basically hand-built on a goofy "assembly-line" by complete union types. Bang to fit, paint to match, roll it out the door.

Buickguy, I can't believe your dad hacked a 100S!!! He has to laugh about it, crying is too easy!!

[SuperBuickGuy]

I don't think he has a bit of regret about the hacking.... keep in mind that his race car was a 37 Chev coupe with a Buick motor in it... his friend hacked up and drag raced a 1960 Corvette (it's where the motor came from that went into the austin).. and the motor that went into the vette was a 409 out of an Impala that another friend had wrapped around a telephone pole.... so it's all kind of relative.

okay, with all that said this is the guy who's working to owning every car he's ever owned from 1956 to 1965 (he's close)

so... wanna make a deal for a Buick?

[STINEY]

so... wanna make a deal for a Buick?

I love it, musical motors, when the music stops that's the motor you have to swap in!

You know, just last night I was telling my wife that you would be offering to trade for the Buick........ now I get to see "that look" once again. Thank you, seriously, I looove to keep her on her toes.

Hmmmm. That idea definitely has a good vibe to it........ must resist.... feeling weak....

[SuperBuickGuy]

I love it, musical motors, when the music stops that's the motor you have to swap in!

You know, just last night I was telling my wife that you would be offering to trade for the Buick........ now I get to see "that look" once again. Thank you, seriously, I looove to keep her on her toes.

Hmmmm. That idea definitely has a good vibe to it........ must resist.... feeling weak....

I get that... "so honey, look what I got" her response, I predict would be "why do you need another 2 seat sports car?" lol