David,
I have mixed emotions. I've been fortunate enough to have owned two
brand-new Healeys - I remember that feeling, VERY fondly, particularly the
first one, a red BN7, one of the earliest 3000s on the West coast - no 3000
decklid flash as I recall. And, I think that nostalgia for the classic
shapes of the past, is, in one form or another, what keeps us in our cars.
If we JUST wanted reliable transportation, none of us would own a Healey.
How many people STILL have a Healey as their ONLY car? I did, for six years
(1959-1965) but not now. They have become "toys".
And, I'm approaching 70 - SOME of the LBC "mystique" (read, in SOME cases,
poorly-designed b - - - - - - t) just isn't as much fun as it used to be!
Do I want a Miata - hell no. Would a like a slightly better-built and more
reliable Healey - yes. You still could have a LOT of the bugs-in-your-teeth
fun, without looking like every other small car without a top. Remember I
said, don't change the body.
Question - are the Healey "name-holders" sitting in a corner sucking their
thumbs, or, would they welcome the RIGHT opportunity to re-enter the
manufacturing world, if it came along. If the former, we're screwed - if the
latter, who knows. And, if the latter, do they want to build a "replica" or
a whole new car (which just might look pretty much like a Miata?)
Sincerely,
Dick Hosmer
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