My all time favorite car was the Austin Healey from back in the 60's. While in Italy recently I came across nine restored Healey's that drove into the plaza at Lucca. What a treat this was for me. I will post my favorite one but there are more on my Italy Gallery #2 on my Pbase website. {}
One thing for sure Gordon when one of those car drive by your house, just by the sound you know it's a Austin Healy, you don't even have to look.
Ahh, Gordon what a beauty that is! One of my all-time faves also. The lines and personality of the Healey are timeless. Your photo captures it very well. Even though the Healey is well out of reach for me, I have managed to link up with one of its distant descendants - a MINI Cooper. catalyst
That's a fine ride!!! My dad drove an Austin Healey in college. Guess the love of sports cars runs in the genes...I drove a Porsche in college (not a high end one...it was a 924S), but it was a fun drive nonetheless! Anyway, my dad still talks about his "glory days" and his fun car. I'll have to show him your shot when he comes to lunch tomorrow!
Leigh, your dad is a lucky man. I have never owned an Austin Healy but always wanted one. Too many responsibilities and not enough money.
That's fantastic! This car was my "dream car" in the 60's. It was the first one with a synchronized 1st gear. In 1972 I had an Alfa Romeo Spyder Veloce, but as wonderful as that was I would love to have had a Healey!
That's one beautiful car. A regret to say my brother owned one about 15 years ago - a fixer upper that he stripped down and spread the parts around his friends houses (ran out of space in his). Then he left the country - one very nice car in bits, never to be restored - wot a waste.
The Healy is a fine car! There is something about Englich car exhausts that no one (except perhaps Ferrarri) has ever matched. It's correct, that you could always tell a Helay was coming by the sound. My first love/hate relationship was with a (then) Datsun Fairlady/2000. It was the last sports (convertible) model before the 240Z. The car had a forklift engine converted to an overhead cammer. This was post WWII and they had to use what they had. This involved two timing chains and a confusing procedure for setting it up. The sheet metal was paper thin and the exhaust header surrounded the starter which "melted" every 9 months. But boy howdy when you put your foot into it it lept and screamed! Actually I think they called it the Japanese MG. My second foray was a 1993 3rd generation Mazda RX-7, possibly the worst car Mazda ever made. I negotiated my way into a Miata (MX-5 for you folks on the other side of the Atlantic) because of all the mechanicial failures and the fact that I originally bought an extended service warranty for 80,000 miles. I kept the Miata for 9 years...I loved that little beast. Rich
I wanted an Austin Healey ever since a friend of mine had one when I was in high school. If I recall it was the model 3000 I wanted. I got to ride in his often. I remember the floorboard was always hot. Great image. Brings back a lot of memories for a refugee from the 60s. Russ
Gee and I thought this was my private lust to want a Healey. Thanks for your comments and your sharing in my dream.
