Winter Blues? Not in this 1954 Austin-Healey 100-4
I wouldn’t normally start a story this way, but: I’m writing this from the blessed warmth of a house that’s currently sitting under roughly 30 inches of snow. Winter showed up and kicked the door off the hinges this year. I love the snow, but a small part of me also starts yearning for northern Michigan’s idyllic summers the minute the first flake hits the ground.
Especially when I go window shopping. Today’s object of desire? This 1954 Austin-Healey 100-4, available right now on Hagerty Marketplace.
One of the quintessential British roadsters that made the middle of the 20th century so exciting as a car enthusiast, the Austin-Healey 100 is instantly recognizable. “A perfect example of fairly ‘ordinary’ components assembled together in such an ingenious manner that the results are almost unbelievable,” wrote Road & Track after a test of the car in 1953.
In the mid-fifties, Austin-Healey took to the crucible of motorsport to drum up interest for its products, a common move at the time. In that year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, two Austin-Healey 100s, new at the time, managed to finish 12th and 14th overall, clinching second and third in class. Predictably, demand surged for the little roadster following that race and another competitive finish at the 1953 Mille Miglia.
The gorgeous, swooping body was almost Italian in nature, though Brits Donald Healey and Geoff Coker penned it. Power came from an Austin A-90 four-cylinder with twin SU carburetors that mated to a three-speed manual transmission with a Laycock de Normanville electric overdrive. It quickly became the new poster child for a modern and affordable sports car, costing just $2985 in period.
The car seen here, listed by Wayne Carini’s shop, F40 Motorsports in Portland, Connecticut, was recently restored by a California marque specialist. As part of the restoration, the 100-4 was returned to its original Healey Ice blue (a fitting paint color as I look out my window) over a matching Navy Blue leather and vinyl interior. Thanks to a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate, both colors are verified as original.
The numbers-matching 2.6-liter inline four-cylinder engine retains its twin SU carbs here and was rated for 90 horsepower when new. This early “Big Healey” retains the standard three-speed manual with an electronic overdrive. The odometer shows 66,875 miles, believed to be original, though total mileage is unknown.
Though it currently wears a louvered “M” style hood, the original hood will be included with the sale. This one also has late-style side curtains with signaling windows. Other features include the famous fold-down windshield, painted wire wheels, chrome bumpers, a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, Smith’s instrumentation, and more. The listing notes a slight tear in the driver’s seat and mentions that the windshield wipers are not currently installed, though we reckon that would be an easy fix.
While I’m outside pulling down literal feet of snow off my roof (the next item on today’s to-do list), I’ll be dreaming about a distinctly British cure for my winter blues. This Healey would do the trick—and then some.
or…somewhere out there is a 54 Flexible Flyer ‘ Airline Racer ‘ in need of some restoration. More suitable than a Healy this time of year and at a fraction of the cost.
The color is nice. I do wonder about that very short window is enough to keep the bugs out of your hair.
Nope, when the windscreen is folded down the wind hits about mid-forehead. Do not wear a hat, I wore motorcycle goggles in my 100. Also makes communicating with your co-driver very difficult as it feels like you are going 150 MPH at anything above 20 MPH.
Great fun! Marvelous car and quite capable in modern traffic – but pay attention!!
I assume you mean the windshield. It adjusts. The base of the windshield can be moved back, putting it at a much steeper angle and making it about twice as tall.
You Care? My TR3B with Brooklands does keep the bugs out btw.
Or your teeth. Ask me how I know. But it isn’t just part of the fun, it adds to it.
hair what hair
The reason it had a 3 speed with overdrive: the transmission was lifted from, IIRC, a truck, so the original 1st gear was suitable for pulling stumps. It’s still inside the gearbox, just physically blocked off so it can’t be selected.