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[Healeys] Trip to Belgium

Subject: [Healeys] Trip to Belgium
From: bspidell at comcast.net (Bob Spidell)
Date: Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:10:18 +0000 (UTC)
I believe Denis Welch sells a frame now, so there's at least four suppliers 
(DW, Kilmartin, this guy and Jule). 

Does he sell parts alone, or just build for his own restos? 

Bob 

-------------------------------- 
Bob Spidell - San Jose, CA 



I am back from a trip to Belgium, visiting family and friends, some of which I 
had not seen for 8+ years. What a fun time! 

I managed to squeeze in a couple AH activities. First one was a car show in 
Ciney in "Les Ardennes". http://www.cineyexpo.be/agenda/evenement.php?id=177 I 
talked with the president of the Belgium AH club, which had a booth there with 
a couple big Healeys and a sprite. I missed Derek who was there the day before. 

There was a huge swap meet partially inside a covered cattle market. Since I 
was traveling with carry-on only I needed to refrain to buy hardware. The car 
show had a couple nice but not exceptional Big Healey 6 cyls for sale in the 
45,000 Euro range (about $65,000) 

A bn4 body in restoration on a cart caught my attention. I talked with the 
gentleman restoring this car. He recreates a lot of panels as well as the frame 
to original spec in a jig. As his shop was in the Flemish part of Belgium, 
close to where I stayed, I visited his shop the next day. 

Next to the 6 cyl he had a BN1 getting closer to final bodywork and there was 
another BN1 sitting there ready to be restored. So there's at least one more 
shop in the world recreating panels and frame parts. No marketing for this one, 
just word of mouth. One interesting tidbit is that the restored panels 
(fenders, doors) are completely electro-zinc plated after welding and rust 
repair is done, probably helpful with the moist climate. 

Strangely enough the weather was nicer in Belgium than here in LA where we have 
the typical "june gloom" morning fog. But at least the temperatures in the 
garage are nice this way and I have the next couple weeks off for some serious 
restoration work to get my 56 BN2 to rolling chassis this summer. 

cheers, 

Bert 

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