1958 Austin Healey

Convertible

6 cylinder

Manual

1CH42288

Clear

Up for auction is this handsome 1958 Austin Healey 100-6 BN-4, one of the world’s most desirable sports cars. I am proud to represent this big Healey for a friend of mine, who after 37 years of faithful stewardship, has decided it is time for both car and owner to start a new chapter in life. There seems to be two types of big Healeys on the market today: the type that are restored to a very high level, and therefore priced out of reach, and the kind that are very rough, and will take years and large sums of money before you can enjoy driving it. This particular Healey is nicely positioned in the middle. You can be proud to drive it as she sits, decide to have paintwork done in a year or two, or she is a great candidate for a high-level restoration. Your choice. In the following paragraphs, I will do my best to convey the condition of this Healey as accurately as possible. It is my goal is to have a happy buyer, and seller, when it is all said and done. I have been in this hobby for nearly forty years, and I truly believe it should be fun for all. The “Golden Rule” and good communication is the best way to ensure such an outcome. The condition of this 100-6 is that of a good daily driver. It has an overall look that I love. There is plenty of patina, with most work having been done over 37 years ago, before the current owner purchased the car. The look is one of years of taking the Healey to the lake on weekends. It is a look of watching the kids go from fitting easily in the very small back seats, to them wanting to take the Healey to the prom. This Healey has the look of a good old road warrior, a look that can’t be faked. If you saw it at a show, or in the parking lot of the local grocery store, you would say that it s just the condition car you would like to own: nice enough to make you smile while driving it, but not so perfect that you would leave it home if there was a chance of rain. In the seventeen years before the current owner took possession, this Healey was allowed to get a little rough around the edges. In 1971, according to documents conveyed by the previous owner, the car underwent a rather amateurish restoration. There is bondo and patch-panels in the lower front fenders, and in the doglegs. Additionally, the lower fenders and doglegs are attached to the inner sills / floor with pop rivets. The rocker panels appear to have been home made. They do not attach to the inner sill / floor properly. The rear shroud, where it attaches to the boot floor has had a repair from a mild dent, as if someone backed over a curb. All the aforementioned are difficult to see, unless you are down on one knee with your head almost on the pavement. It also appears that the paint preparation was not up to par, as paint is flaking off in several areas. Of course, this may be due to the likelihood that lacquer was used in 1971, and now it is just tired. That said, as you can see by the pictures, this 100-6 still has a great overall look. The panel fit / door closure is quite nice, and the outriggers appear to be solid and strong. There is some “lace” in the front right frame rail, and the front cross member tube is split on the factory weld, most likely from jacking under it. As far as drivability goes, the running gear in this Healey has never let the owner down. It starts right up, smokes a bit, as if it needs valve seals, but clears up and sounds great. I have driven the car, and it has that great Healey six cylinder pull, and that unmistakable Healey six exhaust note. I had no shifting problems, and the overdrive option kicks-in right on queue. There is a bit of a “clunk” when first start out in either reverse or forward. I suspect drive shaft universal joints, or rear wheel spline issues. I drove the car in a city environment, so did not get to test the brakes / steering / wheel balance at speed. It was fun to drive, and turned heads everywhere we went. The interior is respectable, with the driver seat being the low point. Carpets are showing some fading, and I do not know Healeys well enough to say there are rear upholstery side panels missing, but I think there are. Look at the pictures, and I’m sure you will be able to tell. The dash looks nice, and seems to function well also. The brightwork on this Healey is quite nice; also in what I would call good “driver” condition. This car has a VERY desirable factory hardtop, which is in very nice un-restored condition. I put it on the car for the photos, and it fits very well. If you think the lines of a 100-6 just can’t get any better, put the hardtop on, and WOW! This hardtop alone must be worth $2K. The convertible top is excellent also. There is a very good tonneau cover, and the side curtains are nice as well. This description is already quite lengthy, so if there is anything I have not covered to your satisfaction, I ask that look at the pictures carefully, and write or call for more information. I am happy to provide additional photos of specific areas, as required. Better yet, as the weather here in Binghamton, NY has been quite mild, the roads are still clean and salt-free, I encourage you to come look for yourself and go for a drive. The car is licensed, inspected, and ready for your road test. As mentioned earlier, I believe in treating others as I would like to be treated. Please agree to do the same. If we can’t agree to that, let’s not engage to begin with. The next key to a happy transaction is communication. As I have a responsibility to provide accurate information, you, as a buyer, have a responsibility to ask pertinent questions before bidding. Please email or call. My phone number is 607.648.3691. Please call before 9:00 PM eastern time. Car is sold “AS IS” with no warranty expressed or implied. Car is sold on a valid New York state transferable registration. New York does not tile cars this old. Conditions of sale are $500.00 paypal deposit within 24 hours of auction’s end. Balance can be paid by certified bank check, wire transfer, cash, or even personnel check. Please understand that the car will not be released until all checks are cleared, even certified bank checks. Full payment is expected within 7 days of auction’s end. Shipping / Transportation of the car is the buyer’s responsibility. I can recommend a shipper I have had good luck with in the past, if it is a help to you. The car must be removed within a reasonable amount of time after checks clear. Use ten days as a guideline. If you need longer, it may be possible to work this out, but we should talk about it up front. This car is also for sale locally, so I reserve the right to end the auction early. Thanks for taking the time to read this in its entirety. Good luck with your bidding.