When my Father was stationed in England at the R.A.F station in
Upper Hayford he frequently tuned the carbs on a 60 3000 that another
serviceman owned which he had purchased new. Didn't take long for Dad
to under the Healey's spell...after some persistent " when ya gonna
sell me this car " questions...the original owner let Dad buy it
before he shipped out to his next post. Dad shipped it back to the
states in 66, to Selma Alabama where he was stationed at Craid A.F.B.
Dad did some rallying with it and since the interior had been strip
searched when it arrived at the dock in the U.S. he decided to change
its colors from red interior to black ( never actually completed the
change ) I have fond lasting memories of growing up and riding in that
car as a young boy....mostly holding onto the handle in the dash which
I will always refer to as the " Oh Sh*@ handle. Dad owned another 2
seat 100-6 which we never could get running correctly before we moved
to Idaho in 1970..both cars ended up in South Bend Indiana at Uncle
Dons till we got settled in Idaho...the 3000 was towed up behind
Grandpas motorhome in 74 and sadly the 2 seat 100-6 was badly damaged
in a fire which consumed Uncle Don's garage, we never retrieved it and
it's final fate has been unknown to me since then...I have a few
pictures of it after the fire and looking at them now always makes me
wonder if we could have dragged it up here and repaired it. So, fast
forward a few years as I became a driver myself...dad always had some
type of running driving sports car as I grew up...several MGB's...2
MGA's...2 Sunbeam Alpines...a BJ7...and a modified V-8 powered 3000.
( never owned a Triumph and I don't know why ) my interests were
different...4X4's and hot rods were what interested me and my
friends...I have to admit I actually became quite fond of the V-8
Healey...what a blast!!! After I got married Mom and Dad divorced and
both Healeys found a new home...my focus then was going to other
things but I always had memories of those Healeys...since the person
who had purchased both of them from Dad was local I always wondered
why I never saw either one anywhere in all the years that passed.
Years later in a conversation with Dad I asked if he knew what ever
became of them...he had no idea either ..BUT he did remember the name
of the guy who he sold then to. I guess my curiosity got the best of
me and I tried to contact the guy...and succeeded. He still had both
cars and one he owned prior to buying them, seems he didn't care for
the V-8 car...said it scared him to drive it so it became a parts car
for his. Luckily for me he had never messed with the original 3000 we
had brought from England...he had owned it for well over 10yrs and
never even started it. I went to his home to look both cars
over...probably more for sentimental memory reasons than anything
else...but after seeing them I had to ask if he would ever consider
selling me the original one...that started a regular monthly call to
him for a little over two years until I finally purchased it back for
him, along with it he let me have the hardtop and most all the other
original pieces that had been removed..I never told him that the 35414
miles on the odometer were all original..My Dad and the first owner
are the only people who have driven it since he never did while he
owned it...I am patiently and slowly trying to restore it, a process
slowed down by raising children and a divorce of my own, so I can have
my turn behind the wheel and relive some of those old memories once
again.
And I guess the Healey bug has bitten me firmly...since I
started to regain my footing after a divorce, I have also acquired a
restored 59 BN4 100-6 to enjoy while the 3000 is slowly restored...it
is an absolute blast to drive and I do so and enjoy it whenever
possible. And that hot rod bug is still alive in me...I spotted a V-8
powered 60 3000 on E-bay and drove to California to look it
over...what can I say...I just had to have it ! the seller informed
me that if I did buy it I had to take BOTH cars...so I also ended up
with an early galley head engine 100-6...she's rough but very complete
and definitely restorable...and some how I have picked up the remains
of another BN4..with Healey parts becoming harder to find I figure
it's a good thing.....
Now...if I could just find a beautiful, rich, single Woman who
just loves Healeys and cars in general...............
Here's to wind in your hair and the sweet sound of a Healey's
exhaust !
R.L. Huston
BT7's & BN4's
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