Lot details
Registration No: 6200 NO
Chassis No: BN6544
Mot Expiry: None

Donald Healey's eponymous company built a prototype two-seater sports car for display at the 1952 London Motor Show. It was based on Austin A90 Atlantic mechanicals and sported a sleek body designed by Gerry Coker and built by Tickford. It was dubbed the 'Healey Hundred' (a moniker chosen to reflect the car's ability to reach 100mph), and, subject to a suitably encouraging response, Healey planned to build production versions in-house at his factory in Warwick. As things transpired, not only did the Ice Blue prototype more than impress the public, but also so excited Austin's Managing Director, Leonard Lord, that he struck a deal to build the car in volume at Longbridge. The newcomer was renamed the Austin Healey 100. The rest, as they say, is history.

These early production bodyshells were made by Jensen and then transported to Longbridge where the cars were assembled alongside the A90. The early cars (code named BN1s) were equipped with the same 90bhp 2660 cc engines and manual four-speed transmissions as the A90 though, in an unusual move, Austin modified the gearbox so it operated as a three-speed unit with overdrive on the top two ratios. The car had 11in drum brakes all round. The front suspension was independent by coil springs while the rear featured a traditional live axle supported by semi-elliptic leaf springs. The steering was by cam and lever. A BN1 tested by Motor magazine in 1953 returned a top speed of 106 mph and achieved the 0-60 mph dash in 11.2 seconds.

The 'Big' Healey enjoyed steady development, with the four cylinder cars giving way to the 100-Six in 1956, which in turn was replaced by the first of the 3000s in 1959. By now the engine capacity had risen to 2912 cc and the power output to 124 bhp - sufficient to grace the standard car with a 0-60 mph time of 11.4 seconds and a top speed of 114 mph. There was the option of Laycock de Normanville overdrive for the four-speed gearbox and braking had been improved by the adoption of discs at the front. There were two body options - a two-seater (BN7) or occasional four-seater (BT7). By the time the MKI 3000 was superseded by the MKII in 1961, a total of 2,825 BN7s and 10,825 BT7s had been produced.

Works Healeys scored some memorable results in international rallying and both factory and privately-entered examples raced with honour at the likes of Sebring, Le Mans, and the Nurburgring; also in such marathon road events as the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio. Replicas of these charismatic cars are a popular choice for today's historic events the world over.

Arguably the daddy of them all is the red and white 1959 example that carries the registration number 6200 NO. It's been the personal possession of Denis Welch for the last 32 years and is generally considered to be the most successful racing Healey of all time. Affectionately known as 'The Bulldog' (in memory of a record-breaking boat belonging to Welch's grandfather), the Healey was purchased from a former ballerina and has seen constant action since 1982. In that time it's won just about everything it was eligible for, from UK championships with the Healey Club, HSCC and TR register, to the hotly contested FIA series. It boasts one of the finest records on the fearsome Nordschleife (three wins, plus a 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th) and has twice been victorious on the dips and dives of Bathurst, Australia.

Having sold Denis Welch Motorsport to his son Jeremy in 2007, Welch is now finally ready to part with 6200 NO. On the button, it is equipped to the latest specification, including: straight-cut gearbox with high-performance overdrive; disc brakes all round with dual circuit balance bar system; a long range fuel tank and twin fuel pumps; a 2992 cc competition engine, the performance of which is simply described as 'sufficient'! One imagines the opportunity to purchase 'The Bulldog' will be of interest to competitors the world over, not least those who have been stuck behind it for the last 29 years!

The car's unique roll of honour includes: 1984 Austin Healey /TR register Champion; 1985 HSCC Nostalgia Award; 1986 HSCC pre-1960 Champion & FIA European GTS Class Champion; 1987 HSCC pre-1960 Class Champion; 1988 HSCC Classic GTS Champion & FIA European Class 5 Champion; 1989 HSCC Classic GTS Champion & Austin Healey Club Champion; 1991 HSCC Classic GTS Champion; 1992 HSCC Classic GTS Champion; 1994 HSCC Classic Sportscar Champion.

Individual successes between 1989 and 1995 include:

1989
Cadwell Park, May 7, 1st in class
Brands Hatch, Jun 4, 1st in class
Oulton Park, Jul 29, 1st in class
Zolder, Aug 13, 1st Overall
Donington Park, Sep 10, 1st in class
Snetterton, Oct 22, 1st Overall

1990
Cadwell Park, May 7, 1st in class
Spa Francorchamps, May 20, 1st Overall
Brands Hatch, Jun 3, 1st in class
Donington Park, Jul 8, 1st in class
Donington Park, Jul 22, 1st in class
Zolder Aug 19, 1st in class
Silverstone, Jul 28, 1st in class
Brands Hatch, Aug 27, 1st in class

1991
Donington Park, May 6, 1st in class
Monza May 19, 1st in class
Oulton Park, Jul 6, 1st in class
Donington Park, Jul 20, 1st in class
Mallory Park, Aug 26, 1st in class
Thruxton, Sep 8, 1st in class
Silverstone, Sep 28, 1st in class
Eiffel Klassik Oct 6, 7th Overall
Snetterton, Oct 27, 1st in class
Castle Combe Oct 12, 1st Overall

1992
Cadwell Park, Apr 17, 1st in class
Spa Francorchamps May 17, 1st in class
Brands Hatch, May 30, 1st in class
Montlhery, Jun 27, 1st in class
Oulton Park, Jul 4, 1st in class
Brands Hatch, Aug 31, 1st in class
Donington Park, Sep 13, 1st in class
Silverstone, Sep 19, 1st in class
Eiffel Klassik, Oct 4, 2nd Overall

1993
Spa Francorchamps, May 16, 1st Overall
Brands Hatch, Jun 6, 1st Overall
Brands Hatch, Jun 6, 1st in class
Montlhery, Jun 26, 1st Overall
Montlhery, Jun 26, 1st Overall
Nüburgring, Aug 8, 1st in class
Zolder, Aug 22, 1st in class
Zandvoort, Aug 29, 1st Overall
Donington Park, Sep 4, 1st in class
Oulton Park, Sep 18, 1st in class
Eiffel Klassik, Oct 3, 1st Overall

1994
Castle Combe, May 2, 1st Overall
Donington Park, May 15, 1st Overall
Donington Park, May 15, 1st in class
Brands Hatch, Jun 4, 1st Overall
Brands Hatch, Jun 5, 1st Overall
CadwellPark, Jun 12, 1st Overall
Oulton Park, Jul 2, 1st in class
Oulton Park, Jul 2, 1st in class
Zolder, Aug 7, 1st Overall
Nürburgring Aug 14, 1st in class
Thruxton, Aug 29, 1st in class
Donington Park, Sep 3, 1st Overall
Silverstone, Sep 17, 1st in class
Silverstone, Oct 8, 1st in class

1995
Brands Hatch, Jul 1, 1st Overall
Brands Hatch, Jul 2, 1st in class
Oulton Park, Jul 15, 1st in class
Silverstone, Jul 30, 1st Overall
Eiffel Klassik, Sep 10, 3rd Overall
Dijon, Sep 24, 1st Overall

PLEASE NOTE: The BRDC badges on this vehicle are not included in the sale and will be removed by the vendor after the auction.