Lot details
Registration No: TAC 620
Chassis No: BN2/228897
Mot Expiry: None

Here is an historically very important Austin-Healey, a 1955-built, original righthand drive, factory-produced and therefore utterly genuine 100M. What's more, this two-seater was not only the actual works demonstrator at the 1955 Earls Court Motor Show, but was driven and used by the great Donald Healey's son Brian himself on many occasions and whilst performing many of the demonstrations.
All the sportscar's vital statistics are authenticated in a Production Record Trace 90/8439 issued 3 September 1990 by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and signed by their then Archivist Anders Ditlev Clausager. This certificate, which is included among the paperwork that may be inspected during viewing at our documents office at Buxton, confirms that this Home Market two-seater was built 12 October 1955, being finished in Florida Green with White coves, having special Green trim and being fitted ex-factory with a laminated screen and a heater.
According to the BMIHT, BN2/228897 was also employed as a demonstrator at the 1955 Earls Court Motor Show and gained the current TAC 620 Warwickshire registration in period. Subsequently, we are told, this car also illustrated company publicity posters and, whilst in DMH hands, appeared in a photograph of the Donald Healey showroom in the Bill Piggott book.
As a genuine 100M, the car also has the four-speed manual gearbox, although the 2660cc four with its twin SU HS4 carbs is famous for providing sufficient flexibility for second gear starts. For its Motor Show demo runs and press road tests, a standard bonnet panel was fitted to give the standard model's reputation a lift, this 100M only receiving the current bonnet with the model-correct louvers and transverse leather bonnet strap when the promo work was done and the car was sold off.
Many years later, during Bill Ferris ownership, the 100M was fully restored and became a regular award winner at Austin-Healey Club concours events. More recently, further cosmetic and mechanical work was carried out by marque specialists MPH of Blockley, near Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. Very well presented today in the very period and as per original colour scheme of green over white with green leather, body panels, paintwork, chrome and leather are all currently described as being in pristine condition.
As readers of Classic and Sports Car may have already spotted, TAC 620 certainly looks stunning in the pages of the October issue. With the wire wheels shod with Dunlop Road Speed 5.60 by 15 crossplies, narrower than the 5.90s rubber with which the later 100s were shod, the magazine confirms that the 100M will "display delicious and easily-controllable oversteer even on a moderate throttle at low speeds, just as Donald Healey planned when he set out his parameters for the ideal sports car in 1945. Thanks to engineers who combined vision with expediency, the Healey 100 made it through translation unscathed," opines the monthly authority on the collector vehicle market.
Opportunities to acquire a genuine 100M, particularly a righthand drive one in this condition, are few and far between - the chance to add a genuine ex-works demonstrator with Donald Healey provenance to your collection very rare indeed.