Ned, I did the same thing you're describing below, with no Healey
experience. It can be done.
The difficulty you'll run into is trying to figure out what's missing. If
it comes home in boxes, it's almost guaranteed that parts will be missing,
and they're not cheap to replace with new. Also, reproduction parts are
rarely as good as the originals. On at least a dozen occasions, I thought
that I had identified and ordered every missing part, only to once again
discover another missing piece that I never knew existed. In one case, it
resulted in a huge puddle of oil on the garage floor. There's just no way
of knowing what you're getting or it's condition. In some cases you'll be
pleasantly surprised, and in other cases you'll wonder why you ever brought
the car home in the first place.
It's challenging, fun, frustrating, expensive, and rewarding when you're
finished. Good luck.
Mick Vander Ploeg
'57 BN4
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ned Smith" <smithn00@kitepilot.net>
To: "Austin-Healey List" <healeys@autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2005 2:17 PM
Subject: AH in Pieces
>I am interested in restoring an AH. I have no experience with AH but I was
> able to keep an MG TD running when I was a teenager in 1958. I am looking
> at
> an item on eBay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem
> <http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=457589
> 5765&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT>
> &rd=1,1&item=4575895765&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT) that was pretty well
> stripped down when the professional restoration ended due to the health
> of
> the owner. Is reasonable to expect that a person with the above
> qualifications could reassemble this car properly from the parts and a tub
> of nuts and bolts. I can read and understand and I take instruction well.
>
>
>
> Ned Smith
>
> Creek Hill Vineyard
>
> Chattanooga, TN
>
> N34.98 W85.5
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