1956 Austin Healey 100M

Convertible

4 - Cyl.

Manual

BN2-L/231411

Gasoline

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AUSTIN HEALEY'S PRODUCED, AN AUTHENTIC 1956 100M, CERTIFIED AS ONE OF THE 640 FACTORY CARS MANUFACTURED IN 1955 AND 1956. THIS IS 100M CAR # BN2-L/231411, BUILD DATE 26 MARCH 1956. THE BRITISH MOTOR INDUSTRY HERITAGE TRUST CERTIFICATE CONTAINS THE MOST CRITICAL WORDS "AS THIS CAR WAS FITTED WITH A LOUVRED BONNET, IT IS A GENUINE AUSTIN-HEALEY 100 'M' ( OR 'LeMANS') MODEL". COPY OF THE BMIHT CERTIFICATE SHOWN IN AUCTION PICTURES AND IS A MORE RECENT VERSION ISSUED IN 2000 WHEN THE TOTAL RESTORATION WAS STARTED. CAR # 231411 IS A RED OVER BLACK BEAUTY THAT HAS A VERY INTERESTING RACING PROVENANCE AS IT WAS CAMPAIGNED IN THE LATE 1950'S AND EARLY 1960'S AT THE FAMOUS CONTINENTAL DIVIDE RACEWAY IN COLORADO. UNFORTUNATELY NO RECORDS STILL EXIST TO FIND OUT HOW SUCCESSFUL IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN. THE IDENTITY OF THIS FORMER OWNER IS NOT KNOW BUT LIKE MANY OLD RACE CARS, THIS 100M SEEMED DESTINED TO FADE AWAY UNTIL DISCOVERED BY A COLORADO AUSTIN HEALEY ENTHUSIAST IN 1978 WHO BOUGHT SEVERAL 100-4'S WHICH INCLUDED #231411. SET FOR MANY YEARS BUT THIS BN2 HAVING BEEN RACED LED HIM TO QUESTION IF THIS COULD BE A 100M ( THE LOUVRED BONNET WAS LONG GONE BY THIS TIME). SO IN 1986 HE SUBMITTED THE CAR AND BODY NUMBER TO THE BRITISH MOTOR INDUSTRY ARCHIVIST, ANDERS CLAUSAGER, WHO GOT BACK WITH THE FANTASTIC NEWS THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THE EXTREMELY RARE FACTORY 100M'S, AT THE TIME ONLY ABOUT 135 WERE THOUGHT TO STILL EXIST & BELIEVE THAT TODAY LESS THAN 200 OUT OF 640 ARE KNOWN TO EXIST. COPY OF THE BMIHT CERTIFICATE ISSUED AT THIS TIME IS ON THE WEBSITE LINK. THIS 100M IS ALSO REGISTERED ON THE "100M REGISTRY"AND IS CAR #F45, FOR THE 45TH FACTORY 100M TO BE SO REGISTERED. THIS OWNER WAS EXTREMELY ACTIVE IN THE LOCAL AUSTIN HEALEY COMMUNITY WITH MANY HEALEY PROJECTS GOING ON AND THE RESTORATION NEVER REALLY GOT STARTED SO EVENTUALLY CAR #231411 WAS SOLD AND SHIPPED TO NEW ENGLAND IN 2000. THAT OWNER THEN SOLD THE 100M ON EBAY AS AN UNRESTORED CAR TO A HEALEY ENTHUSIAST IN CONNECTICUT. THE OWNER IN CONNECTICUT THEN BEGAN A COMPLETE ROTISSERI RESTORATION OF CAR # 231411, ORIGINALLY PLANNING TO PRODUCE A CONCOURS RESTORATION BUT THEN DECIDING THAT ROUTE WAS NOT HIS TRUE INTEREST. INSTEAD HE SAW AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE "GREAT RACE", IN 2000 A TIME AND DISTANCE RACE WITH A $250,000 PURSE. HE DECIDED TO PREPARE THIS 100M TO PARTICIPATE AND SEE IF IT COULD BE THE FIRST AUSTIN HEALEY TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THIS 3000 MILE EVENT FROM SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS TO ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA IN 2002. SO A TWO YEAR RESTORATION BEGAN AND HE DID A GREAT JOB AS THIS WAS THE FIRST AUSTIN HEALEY TO COMPLETE THIS LONG DISTANCE RACE AND IN FACT PLACED FIRST IN ITS CLASS ! QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT AND RECEIVED AN EXTENSIVE WRITE UP IN THE DECEMBER 2002 ISSUE OF "THE AUSTIN HEALEY MARQUE" MAGAZINE OF THE AUSTIN HEALEY CLUB OF AMERICA (HAVE A COPY TO GO WITH THE CAR). EVERYTHING WAS EITHER REBUILT OR REPLACED DURING THIS EXTENSIVE RESORATION AND THE BEST TESTAMENT TO THE QUALITY OF THE JOB IS COMPLETING AND WINNING ITS CLASS AT THE GREAT RACE. ALL MECHANICAL PARTS WERE REBUILT OR REPLACED, NEW SHEET METAL REQUIRED REPLACED, ANY DAMAGE FROM ITS RACING DAYS REPAIRED, NEW CORRECT RED LEATHER INTERIOR AS PER THE BMIHT CERTIFICATE WAS INSTALLED, AND A STUNNING RENO RED OVER BLACK COVES FINISH WAS APPLIED, AGAIN DONE TO THE EXACT ORIGINAL COLOR SCHEME AS WHEN BUILT IN MARCH 1956. A TRUE TESTAMENT TO THE QUALITY OF THIS GENTLEMAN'S WORK IS HOW GREAT THIS 100M LOOKS ALMOST 10 YEARS AFTER COMPLETION OF THE RESTORATION. THIS IS NOT A TRAILER QUEEN BUT A CAR THAT WAS DRIVEN ON A REGULAR BASIS. NOT TOO MANY MILES SINCE THE RESTORATION, EXCEPT ABOUT 3000 OF THEM DURING A RACE CROSS COUNTRY !!! MODERN UPGRADES WERE DONE AT THIS TIME TO INCLUDE SPIN ON OIL FILTER, GEAR REDUCTION STARTER, LARGER CORE RADIATOR, PUSHER FAN AND TEXAS COOLER FAN TO AID IN THAT TRIP ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST, MODERN ELECTRONIC FUEL PUMP( SORRY SU),ELECTRONIC IGNITION MODULE, CONVERTED TO NEGATIVE EARTH, INSTALLATION OF A MORE EFFICIENT TUBULAR STYLE EXHAUST HEADER ALONG WITH A BIG BORE EXHAUST SYSTEM, AND A 100M OPTIONAL 15 GALLON FUEL TANK. MODIFIED TOP REAR WINDOW TO ONE THAT COULD BE OPENED OR CLOSED WITH A ZIPPER SIMILAR TO THE HEALEY CONVERTIBLES. TOP IS IN CORRECT BLACK VINYL WITH GRAY LINER, NEW GRAY WEBBING, AND IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. AN EXTENSIVE RESTORATION BINDER WILL GO WITH THE 100M. SINCE CURRENT OWNER ACQUIRED THIS 100M HE HAS UPGRADED THE BOOT AND REAR TONNEAU AREA (BEHIND SEATS) TO THE CORRECT RED ARMACORD MATERIAL, CORRECT SPARE TIRE SLEEVE, UPGRADED HEAT SHIELDING WITH INSTALLATION OF MODERN THERMOCOUSTIC BARRIER BY EASTWOOD, NEW SEAT TRACKS FOR BOTH SIDES AND PERIOD CORRECT COCO MATS. INSTALLATION OF CHROME DAYTON WIRE WHEELS WITH CORRECT 48 SPOKE PATTERN. DETAILED ENGINE COMPARTMENT SUCH AS THE CORRECT STYLE HOSE CLAMPS AND COLD AIR BOX TRUNKING CLAMP. ORIGINAL PAINTED 48 SPOKE WHEELS TO GO WITH THE CAR BUT YOU CANNOT BEAT THE LOOKS OF A SET OF CHROME WIRE WHEELS ON THIS RED OVER BLACK STUNNER. ALSO INCLUDED IS AN EXCELLENT ORIGINAL STYLE TOOL KIT COMPRISED OF A MODERN TOOL ROLL AND THE MAJORITY OF ORIGINALLY SUPPLIED TOOLS FROM THE UK. THIS 100M HAS A FULL TONNEAU AND NEW SIDE CURTAINS WITH SIDE CURTAIN STORAGE BAG, NEVER EVEN MOUNTED. THIS 100M WILL BRING TO LIFE WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO DRIVE A HIGH PERFORMACE BRITISH SPORTS CAR BACK IN THE MID 1950'S. PUT THAT FAMOUS FOLD DOWN WINDSHIELD IN THE DOWN POSITION AND YOU ARE TRANSPORTED BACK 55 YEARS. THE 100M WAS INSPIRED BY THE AUSTIN HEALEY'S THAT RAN AND FINISHED THE 1953 "24 HOURS OF LEMANS" JUST AS THE HEALEY WORKS WAS STARTING UP SERIES PRODUCTION OF THE FIRST AUSTIN HEALEY, THE BN1. INSPECTION WELCOMED BUT THIS 100M IS SOLD WITH NO WARRANTIES EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. FOR SALE THROUGH OTHER VENUES SO AUCTION MAY BE CANCELED AT ANY TIME. PLEASE E-MAIL ANY QUESTIONS AND I WILL RESPOND PROMPTLY. SEND ME YOUR PHONE NUMBER OR E-MAIL ADDRESS THROUGH EBAY AND WILL GET RIGHT BACK THAT WAY VERSUS USING EBAY'S MESSAGE SYSTEM TO SAVE TIME. KNOW THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT AND WILL BE AS HELPFUL AS POSSIBLE WITH ANY INSPECTION YOU MAY WISH TO ARRANGE. MANY MORE PICTURES INCLUDING FRAME DETAILS, GREAT RACE INFO, ETC, AVAILABLE ON FOLLOWING WEBSITE: 1956austinhealey100M.shutterfly.com On Jun-18-11 at 12:27:19 PDT, seller added the following information: SEVERAL POTENTIAL BIDDERS HAVE REQUESTED I POST ADDITIONAL PICTURES SHOWING MORE FRAME PICTURES, SUSPENSION AND DOOR/HOOD FIT. THE PASSENGER DOORS FITS ABOUT PERFECT WITH GREAT GAPS AND SWAGE LINE MATCH UP. THE DRIVER'S DOOR IS A BIT OUT AT THE LATCH SIDE BUT THE SWAGE LINE AND GAPS ARE GOOD. IT SIMPLY NEEDS ADJUSTING AND ANYONE WHO HAS EVER DONE A HEALEY DOOR KNOWS IT IS BETTER AS A TWO MAN JOB AND I HAVE NOT HAVE A SECOND PERSON TO HELP ME. SIMPLY PRESSING ON THE DOOR AT THE LATCH SIDE REDUCES THE AMOUNT OUT BY 50% SO SHOULD ADJUST GOOD WHEN DONE. THE HOOD FITS PERFECT.SOME OF THE PICTURES ON THE WEBSITE SHOW IT "NOT FULLY LATCHED" SO IT WOULD NOT BE FLUSH. THE BOTTOM OF THE MAIN FRAME RAILS DO HAVE DENTS, ASSUMING FROM ITS RACING LIFE, BUT DOES NOT EFFECT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE FRAME, ONLY COSMETICS. THIS CAR FINISHED FIRST IN THE ENTIRE ROOKIE CLASS OF THE 2002 GREAT RACE, IT DOES NOT HAVE A WEAK FRAME. On Jun-18-11 at 16:39:20 PDT, seller added the following information: I ADDED TWO PICTURES TO MY SHUTTERFLY WEBSITE. ONE IS OF THE CORRECT 100M DISTRIBUTOR WITH THE VERY CLEAR 40520A MARKING ON IT WHICH SIGNIFY IT AS A 100M DIZZY - REPRODUCTIONS DID NOT AND DO NOT COME WITH THIS MARKING ON THEM. THE SECOND IS A PICTURE OF ONE OF THE CARBS WHICH HAS THE CORRECT STAMPED NUMBER ON IT AND THE HAND ETCHED 6053 NUMBERS FOR THE FRONT 100M CARB. LITTLE HARD TO SEE AND ONLY ONE, COULD NOT GET A DECENT PICTURE OF THE REAR CARB.