Josef
Let me wade in here but before I do you need to know that I have a BN1
Le Mans that has almost everything that was available from the Donald
Healey Motor Company very early on. My provenance is estimated at around
90% due to both Donald and Bic confirming that they knew the original
owner well but on the other hand I do not have a receipt for the
original work because there might not have been one. It does however
have a Healey badge on the boot not Austin-Healey or Austin of England.
This was claimed to have been fitted at Donald Healey Motor Company.
Regarding Warwick kits there were not I understand any such things. Most
kits were marketed by BMC under a BMC part number. The Warwick parts
were not numbered using BMC notation but Healey's own starting with 'H'.
'H' parts could be bought as required and maybe some came naturally
together and therefore could I suppose be considered a kit.
However I can agree with you up to point that a BN2M or cars modified to
this level are a bit of a hype because all we are talking about is the
engine modifications that were just a subset of what was originally
available for the BN1.
The point that is being missed here is that early owners were keen to
bring their cars up to the same specification as those that did so well
in the Le Mans race. Donald saw a marketing opportunity here and offered
all and perhaps more items to early BN1 owners. These were much more
than just the engine modifications and included such things as different
rear axle and overdrive ratios, larger fuel tanks, modified suspension
etc.
Owners often sent their car to Warwick to have these changes carried and
a strong racing group resulted.
Incidentally a louvered bonnet was not offered in the early days. The Le
Mans race cars did not have these. All they had as Roger told me, was a
block of wood to keep the bonnet a bit open at the rear.
Obviously I have to disagree with your view. A car that had received the
personal attention of Donald must be of more interest than a BN2 that
has been modified in recent years.
Regards
>Btw. I never understood/understand the hype about these Warwick kit
>modified Healey 100s.
--
John Harper
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