G'day
You spend a few days away from the Healey list and all sorts of
interesting things come up.
For some time I have found the subject of the streamlined 100/6s very
interesting. I suspect that's because so little has been written about
them and that each seems to have disappeared into thin air.
So last night after I fed the dog, had dinner and checked out what my
wife bought on eBay I did a little research. The emphasis is on little
as there isn't much to be found but it is possible to make a couple of
assumptions.
My first port of call was the publication "Sebring" by Ken Breslauer
that was published by David Bull Publishing in 1995. This contains a
year by year description of the race as well as a list of entries,
entrants and how each fared.
For 1957 the following Austin-Healeys ran at Sebring:-
No. 23 Austin-Healey 100/6 2680cc Driven by Phil Stiles and John
Bentley. Entered by Hambro No. 24 Austin-Healey 100/6 2680cc Driven by
Roy Jackson-Moore and E. Forbes-Robinson. Entered by Hambro. (I take it
that E. Forbes-Robinson is Elliot Forbes-Robinson who is still about)
No. 25 Austin-Healey Special 2680cc Driven by Gill Geitner and Ray
Cuomo. Entered by Hambro.
The same records can be found in "Healeys and Austin-Healeys" by Peter
Browning.
For the sake of completeness 3 cars were also entered for 1958 but each
are shown as Austin-Healey 100s with 2,639cc engines (no mention of
100/6). In 1959 no Big Healeys were entered but Sprites were. Then in
1960 3 Austin-Healey 3000s were entered by the British Motor Company of
New York.
Going back to 1957 the third car No 25 is most interesting as it was
called Austin-Healey Special and not a 100/6. However as the engine
capacity was the same as the others and we can assume that it was
six-cylinder powered.
So we can assume that No 25 was different than the other 2. It makes me
wonder what the difference was and for that I turn my research to the
year before.
This was when the DHMC was experimenting with the new C-series
six-cylinder and they were less than enamoured at its lack of power.
They thought the answer was in the form of a 2 1/2 litre Ferrari Grand
Prix engine. The DHMC bought a Ferrari GP car and fitted the engine and
transaxle gearbox to a 100S chassis. Geoff Healey makes mention of this
in his book The Specials at page 162 and it was called X224.
This car was driven by Formula One driver Peter Collins at Nassau in
December 1956 and it too was fitted with a streamlined body painted BRG.
It was not a success as not only did the engine leak oil everywhere the
Italian horses were only small ones and it lacked power. Geoff comments
that as it was not successful the car was modified to take a C-Series
engine and not only did it handle better but performed better as well.
Nassau was in December and Sebring was in the following March. Putting
one and one together I am willing to bet real cash money that the Nassau
Ferrari engined car ended up being car No 25 at Sebring.
By the way at P90 of Healeys and Austin-Healeys there is mention that
the 100s powered record breaking car was later fitted with a
six-cylinder engine.
What about the endurance cars? Did the DHMC have enough capital behind
them to build the endurance cars as well as separate cars for Sebring? I
doubt it, but it's purely my thoughts.
If you want to see what the endurance car looked like from the front
have a look at:
http://www.acmefluid.com.au/larry/PQBN3.html
It's a photo of DMH next to an endurance car and by the way that's my
car immediately behind.
How do I know it's an endurance car? I received the photo from the late
Ron Yates without caption but look at the cockpit. It's streamlined with
a wrap-around screen while the Sebring cars have open cockpits and aero
screens. Not a problem to fit either of course but it makes you think.
By the way the first rally car was a 100/6 with the English registration
UOC 741 and was a standard bodied car. This car has no connection with
the endurance or Sebring cars.
Does any of this diatribe shed any light on what happened to the 57
Sebring cars? No not one little bit as their whereabouts are still a
complete mystery. However there is a little clue in one of the Geoff's
books when he tells of when Carroll Shelby was trying to find a partner
for his idea of showing an American V8 into an English sports car.
Geoff said that Shelby visited the DHMC (he was a friend of the Healey
family) looking for a Austin-Healey to fit a V8 into. He was shown
around the back to where the record breaking and endurance cars were but
they were all far too rusty to use because of the salt. Later questions
to BMC received a firm no and history tells us the he found friends with
the Sherlock brothers at AC and turned the Ace into the Cobra.
So perhaps the endurance cars and Sebring cars were the same?
I honestly don't know but given time the answer is there in the various
publications and from those who are still around.
Whatever it's all great fun.
Hoo Roo
Patrick Quinn
Sydney, Australia
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