Produced between 1953 and 1956, the Austin-Healey 100 takes its name from 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour) although the four-cylinder sports car is much obliged to surpass that speed. Chassis number BN2L228002 isn’t your typical Healey, though, because the open-top British interloper features Viper Red paint and a 6.4-liter American V8.
Purchased two years ago by the current owner for $35,000 on Bring a Trailer, the Shelby Cobra wannabe is offered for sale at no reserve. The highest bid currently stands at $9,500 with six days left, which is pretty good value considering how much a brand-new 392 long block costs today.
Offered with a clean New Jersey title on dealer consignment, the V8-swapped Healey boasts two four-barrel Carter carburetors, an aluminum intake manifold, aluminum radiator, aluminum fuel cell, and a dual-piped exhaust with glass-pack mufflers. Serviced with fresh oil and new filters in January 2021, the car further boasts an electric fan to keep things cool in hot weather and stop-and-go traffic as well as a four-speed manual tranny.
The stick shift sends power to a Chevy 12-bolt rear axle. One advantage over the 9.0-inch axle is the pinion gear, which is positioned a little higher on the ring gear to reduce the load on the pinion, resulting in less parasitic loss.
Hop inside, and the first element of design that captures one’s attention is the Grant wood-rimmed steering wheel mounted on a quick-release hub. The very tight cabin includes a body-color dashboard, fixed-back seats wrapped in tan leather, a driver-side chrome roll hoop, and Stewart Warner instrumentation that includes a 160-mph (257-kph) speedometer. The five-digit odometer shows in the ballpark of 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers), of which around 40 miles (64 kilometers) were added under current ownership.
As expected of a HEMI-engined roadster with a similar curb weight to the Mazda MX-5 Miata, this fellow is gifted with power disc brakes up front and 295/50 by 16-inch BFGoodrich T/A rubber shoes out back. The finishing touch comes in the guise of engulfing fender flares that give the Healey a stance that would make even a 427 Cobra blush with admiration.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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