Donald Healey partnered with son Geoffrey to build a sports car based on Austin components, having experience building such cars with components from Riley, Nash and
Alvis. Austin agreed to provide components from the A90 Atlantic, however the Healey design could not have looked more different. The Big Healeys may have been cheaper than the E-Type, but gave little away in performance or sports car feel. Geoffrey Healey then partnered with Gerry Coker to design the Sprite, hugely successful no doubt due to its affordability. The Sprite was eventually dropped in favour of the mechanically identical MG Midget, and the Austin-Healey marque was allowed to pass into Unique Car (and parts) legend.
Collector Notes: Introduced to Australia in
1953, the Austin Healey was the brainchild of Austin's Sir Lenard Lord who saw a prototype Healey at the
1952 London Motor Show and immediately proposed a joint venture. The first car, the
Austin Healey 100, came here in February
1954, had a rather agricultural 2.6-litre Austin engine and a three-speed gearbox. The 100S followed a year later with a four-speed box; the Le Mans version arrived in
1956.
Donald Healey had worked for
Riley,
Triumph and
Humber and the car which eventually became the first Healey was intended to be a Triumph. He followed with the 1949 Healey Silverstone and was ready to launch his Healey 100 in
1952. The prototype stole the London Motor Show - convincing Len Lord that he must do a deal.
A year later the
Austin Healey 100 was launched, with an
A90 engine. It sold in Australia from
1954 to
1957. The
100-6 followed in
1957 and ran until
1960. The quick-and-lively
3000 Mark I arrived in August
1961, in two- and four-seater form, with front disc brakes. The 3000 Mark II ran from
1962 to
1967. That was really the last of the true Austin-Healeys as the Sprite (
1958 to
1967) is regarded as a BMC car, rather than a Healey. It was however one of the most successful sports cars of all time in terms of sales, and an appreciating asset in hundreds of garages around Australia.
The big Healey 3000 stayed in production until
1968 and Healey's agreement with Austin ran out in
1970. His next venture, the production of the
Jensen-Healey (
1972), didn't live up to its potential. The
Austin Healey Sprite was launched here in
1958 with a 950cm3 Austin "A-series" engine and quickly became known as the Bug Eye. The more conventional looking Mkll appeared in mid-
1962. By that time local assembly had started. It ceased in November
1967. These days, anything wearing the Austin-Healey badge is highly collectable, and rapidly growing in value. Still relatively affordable for the astute buyer - no matter what the condition, they appreciate in value.
Also see: Austin-Healey History 
