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12cls63
12cls63
2/28/21 10:28 p.m.

I stumbled across this little guy rusting in a field and have no idea what it is. I've asked a few friends and have gotten a couple of guesses but nothing that seems to stick. Opel GT with a body kit seems to be the closest, but the running gear doesn't match up to it at all. Does anyone know what it is? The only markings on it that I can find are part numbers on the control arms and the boxes they are mounted to and the front brakes, which are Girling. It's disc in the front with drums in the rear. Rear window is glass, the sides are plastic. It's basically an aluminum top riveted to a steel lower for the body. The lower front control arms are I-beam style. The rear suspension is leaf with a live axle. Front control arms are a weird curved number down to a very small spindle assembly. I've got no history with small british cars so maybe this is normal? It's got very distinctive upswept taillights. I don't know how they gas up the car either. The fill port is inside the rear hatch, except there is no access to it or seams to open the back of the car. The track of the car is about 92" and the width of the body is about 59". I linked to my FB where I took a quick video of it and the google link is to about 50 pictures of the car. Here a couple so you get an idea of the basic shape which may be enough for some of you internet sloops. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/1036569562/videos/10221946131535851/

https://photos.app.goo.gl/JaZtwk7Li9jWcRGE7

BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter)
BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
2/28/21 10:35 p.m.

I can't quite remember the name of it, but that looks like a US made kit car from the 50s or 60s. Probably used Corvette running gear, at least that's  what my hazy memory says. 

TurnerX19
TurnerX19 UltraDork
2/28/21 10:36 p.m.

In reply to 12cls63 :

That is a seriously customized Austin Healey. It is a 100-6 or 3000 Mk 1 Or rather it was..... Probably got a V8 swap too. Looks like the rear window is from a Porsche 356. Someone put an awful lot of effort into that. I wonder if it was ever completed?

BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter)
BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
2/28/21 10:38 p.m.

After racking my brain a bit more and consulting the Googles, it looks a bit like a Kellison so me.

Edit: Nevermind, I think TurnerX1/9 has nailed it.

12cls63
12cls63 New Reader
2/28/21 10:54 p.m.

The front suspension definitely matches exactly and is very unique looking to me. How would I determine if it is a 3000 mk1 or the 100-6? Also, the front edge of the door openings are quite a ways in front of the A-pillars. On the unmodified Healeys they are inline. Think that was just another modification for the roof they put on it? The most important question, there is no paperwork on it anywhere, apparently. Is it worth pursuing? Obviously a fairly ambiguous question, but looking at it from fairly straightforward viewpoints, would any of you bother with it? 

dougie
dougie HalfDork
3/1/21 12:08 a.m.

Yup....this car started out as an Austin Healey. From the looks of the build quality of this disaster the auto abuser should have got jail time....

 

stuart in mn
stuart in mn MegaDork
3/1/21 6:43 a.m.

That's a bitchin' steering wheel.  smiley

The vintage Stewart-Warner instruments in the dashboard would be worth salvaging.

Trent
Trent PowerDork
3/1/21 7:47 a.m.
12cls63 said:

 How would I determine if it is a 3000 mk1 or the 100-6? 

That car in the pics started life as a 3000. The fact that it has door handles and the style line that follows the front wheel arch confirm it. 

mtn (Forum Supporter)
mtn (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
3/1/21 8:35 a.m.

No, it could be a 100-6. You're thinking of the earlier 100, or 100-4. 

 

Turner can correct me, but I think that the 100-6 was cosmetically identical to the 3000, with the only differences being badging and horizontal vs vertical grill slats. There were obviously mechanical differences, arguably the easiest to recognize would be the disc brakes in the 3000, but I wouldn't look for those/trust that to be the determining factor on this abomination. 

 

Congratulations, you figured out how to make a Big Healey ugly. You deserve to eat moldy burger king. 

AxeHealey
AxeHealey GRM+ Memberand Dork
3/1/21 8:49 a.m.

I'll just echo that it's 100% based on a Big Healey.

79rex
79rex Reader
3/1/21 9:22 a.m.

looks almost like a cheetah?

79rex
79rex Reader
3/1/21 9:23 a.m.
TurnerX19
TurnerX19 UltraDork
3/1/21 9:41 a.m.

Even the grille bars are identical between a 3000Mk 1 and a 100-6, they changed for the Mk 2.  The way to tell between 100-6 and 3000 is really only the serial number, as many 100-6 cars were upgraded to disc brakes. 100-6 serial # starts with BN4, or BN6, 3000 Mk1 serial # starts with BN7 or BT7.

californiamilleghia
californiamilleghia SuperDork
3/1/21 10:48 a.m.

Interesting Build , if it was close I  probably would buy it , 

the front is like a Devin , the tail is like a l Marcos GT

and the base car looks like a Big Healey

How the built the top is interesting  , plus the 100s of rivets , 

a six back of bondo would help it now .......hahaha

cdowd (Forum Supporter)
cdowd (Forum Supporter) Dork
3/1/21 12:59 p.m.

Someone looks like they did a poor job of trying to make a Healey into a Daytona.

APEowner
APEowner GRM+ Memberand Dork
3/1/21 1:15 p.m.

That's really cool but between the deterioration and the questionable original build quality it would have to have some kind of historical or personal significance for me to tackle it.

wlkelley3
wlkelley3 UberDork
3/1/21 8:37 p.m.

Initially thought the front looked kinda like a Diamler SP250 but too many other differences. Then looked up Kellison that was mentioned and found it except the posted one has a different tail end, maybe done for aerodynamics.

MotorsportsGordon
MotorsportsGordon Dork
3/1/21 10:55 p.m.

I was also thinking fiberfab but it is definitely not a Jamaican. So it's probably another one of those companies from the 60s that made fibreglass bodies that could go on a another manufacturers chassis or have a custom built one.

TurnerX19
TurnerX19 UltraDork
3/2/21 8:25 a.m.

In reply to MotorsportsGordon :

Except it isn't fiberglass. Look at all the rivets and bondo peeling off the aluminum.

wspohn
wspohn SuperDork
3/2/21 11:04 a.m.
MotorsportsGordon said:

I was also thinking fiberfab but it is definitely not a Jamaican. 

I can't think of any Fiberfab body that used alloy.

And yes, definitely nowhere near a Jamaican (mine below). That Healey conversion is fugly.

 

keithedwards
keithedwards Reader
3/2/21 11:38 a.m.
TurnerX19 said:

Even the grille bars are identical between a 3000Mk 1 and a 100-6, they changed for the Mk 2.  The way to tell between 100-6 and 3000 is really only the serial number, as many 100-6 cars were upgraded to disc brakes. 100-6 serial # starts with BN4, or BN6, 3000 Mk1 serial # starts with BN7 or BT7.

You can tell an early 100-6 from a Mk 1 if there is a longitudinal crease in the middle of the bonnet. Those made in Longbridge had those. That is not definative, and probably doesn't help in this particular instance. I had a 100-6 2-seater parts car for too many years, that had the creased (or ribbed) bonnet. It was unique looking.

TurnerX19
TurnerX19 UltraDork
3/2/21 8:07 p.m.

In reply to keithedwards :

The crease disappeared during 100-6 production. I don't have the serial number for the change point, but I think it happened before the move to Abingdon. It is very rare, although now available in reproduction aluminium. This thing looks like it is set up for a 100-4 bonnet, or something else .

Stampie (FS)
Stampie (FS) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
3/2/21 8:55 p.m.

For you experts looking at it why are the rear tires so far out?  Swapped rear axle?

stuart in mn
stuart in mn MegaDork
3/2/21 9:15 p.m.
Stampie (FS) said:

For you experts looking at it why are the rear tires so far out?  Swapped rear axle?

Most likely, plus the wheels are wide with a big offset so they stick out even further.

Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter)
Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter) Dork
3/2/21 9:38 p.m.
stuart in mn said:

That's a bitchin' steering wheel.  smiley

It's been done before. This one was built by Alan Mann Racing for the British TV series UFO.

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