Austin Healey The Story of the Big Healeys

Of all the sports cars produced, few have generated such enthusiasm as the Austin Healey. If anything, the cult of the Big Healey has snowballed since production ceased in 1967: with official clubs spanning the world, few marques can claim such a fervent following. In the past, both Geoffrey and his father Donald Healey have been exasperated by the spate of misinformation that has been published about the history and development of the cars. Now free to speak his mind, Geoffrey Healey sets the record straight for the first time in this book. He describes the origins of the marque and the development of the first Big Healey, the Healey Hundred, which was snapped up by Austin at the 1952 Motor Show, to be produced as the Austin Healey 100. He describes in detail the car's development through the 100 S, 100 M, 100 Six and 3000. Also included are sales records for the 100s, which detail customer, chassis number, engine, body and dispatch date. The little Sprite also gets a mention, as do special cars used in competition, such as Dalton-Colgate Sprite, with a Falcon shell used for Le Mans in 1960, and the Big Healey works cars used in rallying. From its birth in 1952 to its final demise in 1967, the Austin Healey was to suffer the vicissitudes of the changing fortunes of the giants of the motor industry, but its own distinct character developed a quite extraordinary bond of affection and respect with those fortunate enough to own or drive one. Great drivers such as Stirling Moss, Peter Collins, Tommy Wisdom, Paddy Hopkirk and Timo Makinen were to drive the car to victory in international events such as the Sebring Grand Prix of Endurance, the Mille Miglia, the Nassau races, Le Mans, the Targa Florio and in particular, the famous Alpine and RAC rallies, in which the marque was a star performer for over a decade. And on the bleak Salt Flats of Utah, Donald Healey himself was to break the magic 200-mph figure in a streamlined 100 Six. In this candid and lively account, Geoffrey Healey, chief engineer of the small team directed by his father, reveals the background to the cars' development. From the family archives, he has produced a wealth of illustrations and detailed information never published before: full specifications for each model produced, power curves for the production and competition engines, and a remarkable collection of photographs spanning the entire history of the marque.