V-8 Sacrilege or Awesomeness: 1955 Austin-Healey 100-4
For more than a few of the stories I have written this month for Barn Finds, the comments sections have been on fire with the age-old debate over keeping a car stock or turning it into a hot rod. While this conversation usually revolves around an American car, today we will stoke the fires of heated debate with something from the land of Churchill and football hooliganism. This 1955 Austin-Healey 100-4 for sale on eBay in Orchard Park, New York has the appearance of a tidy, restored car at first glance. Looking deeper, this pioneer sports car has been radically changed from how it looked when it rolled out of the factory in 1955. From its trick paint to its Chevy V-8 backed with a Ford five-speed transmission and Corvette rear end, this sleek Healey is anything but stock. Was it a sin to modify what was likely a solid Austin-Healey, or did the builder construct the ultimate British sports car? With thirteen bids and two days left to go, the high bid is sitting at $9,850. Does that number give us a clue as to the feelings of the market on the matter of restored vs. hot rod?
The two pictures above explain without words why the Austin-Healey 100 is such a revered automobile. Produced from 1953 until 1956, these sports cars are the epitome of graceful styling. While the same body shell was modified and partially restyled after 1956, the original four-cylinder Healeys were a hit both in the mother country and across the pond. They were able to hit 100 miles per hour, hence the “100” part of their name, and boasted a very stiff for-the-time chassis to make sure the handling was every bit as good as it looks. Collectors hold early Austin-Healy 100s in high regard and have always paid a premium for examples that are original, and rust-free.
So, what is the story of this particular Austin-Healey? The seller tells us that the modifications you see were the handiwork of the previous owner. According to that person’s notes, the car was purchased in 1979. From there, a 350 cubic inch Chevrolet crate motor, a Ford five-speed transmission with a Hurst shifter, and a narrowed 1959 Corvette rear end with Positraction were installed in place of the original drivetrain. Austin-Healey sports cars of this type were notorious for holding heat in the engine bay and transferring that heat into the cockpit. To help cool the engine, a Griffin aluminum radiator and an electric water pump were added. Pictures of the cockpit show that heat insulation was also liberally applied to the firewall.
Other important aspects of this car’s build are that the rear-end ratio was 3.55:1, the brakes have been updated with Dunlop front discs with 280Z calipers, and at the rear is a set of 11″ drums. The Dayton wire wheels you see in the pictures have been painted as well. As for the body, the hood has been louvered and the fenders are slightly flared. Perhaps the most eye-catching feature is the paint. While it looks like a metallic form of British Racing Green in the pictures, it is actually a blue/green “Swix” color-changing paint. Unfortunately, a few minutes of research turned up little useful information on this type of paint. If any of our readers are familiar with this paint and the process for applying it, please share what you know in the comments.
The picture above shows the fuse block for the new wiring harness that was installed in the car. Sadly, there is no information as to its origins or if it was fabricated. We also know that a set of dual exhausts were fabricated for the car. These were bent to go over the axle for a reason. Austin-Healey 100-4s are known for being obnoxiously low to the ground. To prove the point, a few of the cassis pictures reveal that the car has bottomed out a time or two. Also notable is that the car will come with the original side curtains, convertible top frame, and the convertible top in case the new owner ever gets the foolish notion of moving the windshield to its vertical position and driving the car in inclement weather.
Above is a picture of the aforementioned Chevrolet small block V-8 crate motor that was shoehorned under the hood. While you would assume that the firewall would have required some trimming to get the engine into the car, it appears that it was not touched. Even the distributor at the rear of the block has a hair of clearance between it and the firewall. We also see that the air filter housing was fabricated to take in cooler air from ductwork that leads to somewhere outside of the engine bay. It would be curious to know the weight of this engine and that of the four cylinder it replaced to get a better understanding of the weight distribution of the car now.
While we have seen some very rusty Austin-Healeys advertised on Barn Finds, all of the clues in the pictures above point to this being a solid car. It would be nice to know just what modifications have been made to the original structure of the car to make all of the new parts and pieces fit. One of the bragging points of this car when it debuted was that the chassis was very rigid. That may have been true when compared to other cars of this type in the early 1950s. However, how does the chassis behave with a much larger dose of horsepower and torque?
In all, this is a pretty remarkable car. You cannot level any criticisms towards these Austin-Healeys regarding their looks. The questions for this car center around the modifications. Is this too much horsepower for the chassis? Has the car been properly sorted? Do the paint, flares, and louvers add or detract from the car’s looks? Did the modifications add or subtract from the car’s value? Finally, should it have been restored, or was the hot rod approach the correct one?
If you want to take a stab at any of these questions, please leave your thoughts in the comments.
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Comments
Testing,,
Okay then, did the staff ever find their 100-whatever? Because if not, you won’t find a nicer one. Absolutely love it, everything seems extremely well done( where you turning left, driver?, turn signal on horn button in left turn mode) Not sure about the windscreen rake, is that adjustable? 136 viewed. and struggling at $10g’s for this remarkable machine? Draw your own conclusions.
A very nice car, bidding jumped $2k while I was reading the article.
I like it. Engine swaps were common with the early big Healeys. First one I saw and drove was a ’55 with an Oldsmobile engine connected to the stock drive line. That was in 1963 in Traverse City, Michigan but the swaps started earlier than that on the west coast. It was a fun car to drive. The fold back windshield was a 100 only factory unit designed for the weekend racer. I never got to weigh the engines in my two 100s but they were mighty heavy. The Olds engine didn’t seem to upset the car’s balance as when I first saw the car it was at an autocross and he was cooking just fine thank you.
I believe this car is what was called the “Healey Corvette”. Another common swap was the “Healey Cobra”, with a Ford motor. We had gymkanas in Milwaukee on Sundays, in shopping center parking lots, and a guy with an AH 100 with a 302 cleaned up on everybody.
I knew a guy that was doing a conversion on one back in the 70s…he called it a Healy Monster
buy it, drive it, enjoy life. Simple, huh?
It’s lovely, and it’s likely going to be quick and reliable with that motor swap.
I’d have gone with an aluminum Buick/Rover motor, though. That 318-pound unit wouldn’t add any weight to the original car – unlike the 575-pound Chevy – while making all the power a 2000-pound car could use and giving purists much less to whine about.
I am certainly a lover of this car for several reasons. The first being its look , how could you not love it. At that point I wouldn’t give a rats ass what the power train is, just as long as you could drive it. The overall appearance , its iconic a work of art. I would have never suspected the drive train changes and I don’t really care. I think its great because it affordable, if it embarrasses you, I have an idea don’t lift the hood in large crowds! I would just buy it , drive it, and spend my down time with it in the garage trying to make it a little nicer. Great times!
I think this car falls into the “hot rod” segment, and what powers a “hot rod” is entirely up to the builder. A hot rod, or “gow job”, is defined as a car modified for speed, not necessarily brand specific. Some say it’s a car without it’s original engine. I guess my beef with it, is, a vehicle known for its historical mechanics, should remain that way. A ’40 Ford with a GM motor is, to me, unacceptable, a ’55 Healey, meh, not so much. I think in this particular case, the owner would want to open the hood at gatherings. I all but guarantee, this will get more interest than that old British taxi cab motor it replaced.
A good friend bought a 100-4 in 73 when we got out of high school. It was pretty tired but he drove it 60 miles each way to college every day in the sun, rain and snow (with the rotted floors, crappy side curtains and useless heater it couldn’t have been fun). When the engine died he replaced it with a Healey 3000 6 cylinder, but a Chevy small block would have probably been a better choice.
In high school I had a 1914 Model T Ford I was restoring, and at the same time I was doing odd jobs for a one man foreign car shop. He taught me a lot, those Healey’s, Jag’s, SU carbs and Lucas Electrics were a full 180 degrees from what I learned from the T. After replacing an XKE time chain once, I knew why the Chevy small block into XKE’s and XJ6’s became such a popular swap!
A buddies dad had three XK Jags, a parts car, a stock survivor and a 348 tri power four speed hot rod. It was a beautiful car that ran like a raped ape. This car too is beautiful and can be driven anywhere without worry or issues, especially with the Francis/Accel wiring harness.x
Healey, Chevrolet, Ford, Datsun, Dunlop, and what ever else is in the kitchen. Very nice car but I would have stuck with an all Chevrolet dive train or all Ford drive train. Ford 289 or 302 backed with a 5 speed and 9 inch rear end. Alas, I did not do the build. I certainly would not kick it out of my garage.
opinion & 2₵ only but all way too heavy & a bit of “extra” work.
Put the hrd top back on. Their i6, advance the timing, modern cam grind, a lynx triple intake, 3 Keihins, some brake’n suspension mods, (all done in the day but today’s grind)? what I usedta call “LeMans-style winners w/looks”.
No top is for when profilin for ur girl friends~
Nicely done. An extreme amount of time was put into this car to get it to this position. A nice older Healey with and updated drivetrain. A true driver, hot rod and classic all in one. Also the fact that it is a manual trans with an American V8 says it all. Many of these conversions were done with an automatic simply because it is easier to sort than setting up a clutch system. The purist will not bid on a car like this hence the low current bid number (10K). I am all in on its Resto Mod. It’s a car I would bid on it if I was ready for some new wheels. Sorry but there are 3 projects ahead of it. This car deserves much more than the current bid. Somebody is going to get something nice!
Yes, Frankenstein was ugly, but not this “Frankencar”! It’s a beauty. It will take a steady hand, to not abuse this V-8 power.
What a nice job !! Drive it and have fun in the sun. Learn something new everyday. Never saw an electric SBC water pump like that before. I’m for sure on the side of a close the hood engine/Drive train swap like this. Once put a Capri 2.6 and it’s standard transmission in an Opel GT no cutting. Sure beat the 1.1 litre that came out.
I hope one of the painters in the group will tell us how that paint job was applied. It’s gorgeous!
That wiring looks like a nightmare! Why not just use an original AH harness? It would work fine in this car.
The chassis looks very robust, perfect for more power. The builder must have had a reason to go with the Ford tranny, would be interesting to know why. An aluminum small block would have been perfect.
I believe that Shelby first approached Donald Healey about using Healeys and turning them into Cobras.When (Sir) Donald blew him off he struck his deal with AC Cars to use their lovely vehicles as the basis for the Cobra.So this car (If it had Ford power) would be close to what Carrol had planned.I would normally not go for this..but I must admit..I love it…especially as it looks almost stock.I had a lot of fun in Healeys over the years..I think this one would put those experiences over the top!Time to go for a spin in my Porsche Outlaw to get over this
It’s not a 100-4 if it has a V-8. But I hesitate to call it a 100-8 since DMH and crew never called the original a 100-4. They were 100s. When the 100-six came along, it was a 100-six and that was enough to distinguish it from a 100. There’s no need to call the 4 cylinder cars 100-4.
In 1955 I bought a new Austin Healey and it was sold to me as per the invoice as a 1955 Austin Healey 100 Sport. As for the windscreen, it does move from it’s near vertical position to the slanted position very easily via 2 large diameter knurled knobs. Just don’t go over a large hump in the road sideways when in he slanted position as the chassis will twist and the windscreen will break. Ask me how I know!
If I remember correctly, there was an article in an 60’s car magazine, Can’t remember which one, but probably R&T where they did a Chevy engine swap into a 100-4 and it actually weighed less with the Chevrolet engine and 4-speed than with the Austin lump and the blocked first gear transmission.
From an AH-100 forum
https://www.ahexp.com/forum/the-100-forum.4/weight-of-100-engine.191398/
Good luck on having the local mechanic diagnose a malfunction of that fuse block/wiring harness. And it is guaranteed to malfunction sooner or later. What would be the results of such a malfunction of what appears to be a tech nightmare?
Having owned many British cars, the Austin Healy versions are by far my favorite. Only rode in one with a V8 and was quite impressed. Biggest negative I had was the extreme body sway or shake under acceleration.( I thought the windscreen was going to break). I believe the art of English design and the muscle of American engines makes for a consummate combination. I currently own and show my 1950 Austin A-40 with a 302 V8 and auto. Purists hate it but I suggest it would be Carrol Shelby approved, that changes some minds… I’d buy this 100 if I had the means.
Many of the “Classic” cars of the late 20’s and 30’s were “rebodied” over their life, and still win at Pebble Beach. A sedan became a roadster, or convertible, or just an updated body, and still a sedan.
So, why not do this? It makes the car driveable and expendible, which you woud not try with it if in perfect “original” conditon, it would just stay parked in your garage.
As the owner and lover of oil leaking and always a chance of an electrical fire British cars for the last 40 years all I can say is I love it! First, I’d swap in the biggest LS I could wedge in and then figure out where to mount a turbo. Then put some real brakes on the rear and finally put some 2x4s in the boot to get you up driveways with too much incline. Then buckle in…
Auction ended $25,100 reserve not met.
If anyone wonders about the stock versus modified value, that certainly answers the question. A stock restored 100-4 would have fetched bids near $50k.
Many years ago, I had a 100-6 which needed a lot of work…all the time…especially when I wanted to drive it. Over a 2-year period, I fixed all the stuff that needed attention, then sold it back to the original owner for an $800 profit. He was happy, and I had mixed emotions. If that car had been this one, I would have kept it for sure!
Hagerty Price guide estimated a 55 Austin Healey in good condition to be worth $76,900.00, excellent condition $124,000.00, concours $178,000.00, Perhaps a good move would be to buy this one for ??? and restore it back to as close to original condition as possible.
Relisted on EBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/285869036161
So do the collectors actually drive the original cars or just look at them,looks like this one would be very fun to drive,that price is cheap probably have more in the drivetrain than that