1956 Austin-Healey 100

This 1956 Austin-Healey BN2 roadster is one of 640 100M examples produced over a 10-month span and was completed on May 10, 1956 in North American specification for dispatch to the USA. The car was competitively driven in the 1950s by Austin’s North American Competition Manager, Roy Jackson-Moore, and following the seller’s acquisition in 1994, it underwent a refurbishment which included a repaint as well as a reported rebuild of the 2,660cc inline-four. In 2002 the car received multiple concours awards in addition to recognition from the car’s body designer, Gerry Coker, and has been featured in Austin-Healey magazines and literature. Additional refurbishment work completed in 2023 included servicing of the brakes, a rebuild of the dual SU carburetors, and replacing the shocks, tires, batteries, and water and fuel pumps. This 100M is now offered with a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate, a 100M Le Mans Registry certificate of membership, manufacturer’s literature, a service manual, correspondence, service records, refurbishment photos, and a clean California title in the seller’s name. Finished from the factory in Healey Blue and Ivory White, the car underwent a period of refurbishment completed in 2002 that consisted of the removal of the body from the frame and a repaint following reported body repairs. The body features red pinstriping and 100M Le Mans Registry badging and additional exterior details include a louvered hood with a leather tie-down strap, chrome bumpers with overriders, driving lights, and an adjustable-rake windshield as well as a blue soft top with removable side curtains and a blue tonneau cover. Body stamps and tags are presented in the gallery below. The left-rear fender was partially repainted in 2023 to correct a scratch. White-finished 15” wire wheels are secured by two-eared knock-off hubs and mounted with 165-series Michelin XZX tires that were fitted in May 2023. A full-size spare is housed in the trunk. Stopping power is provided by four-wheel drum brakes, and the car was equipped from the factory with independent front suspension. The shocks were replaced and the brakes were serviced in August 2023. The cockpit features bucket seats upholstered in blue leather with white piping along with 100M Le Mans Registry patches on the door panels and a plaque affixed to the leather-covered dashboard. Equipment includes a leather central armrest, a heater, a dash-mounted rear-view mirror, Austin-branded floormats, and a wood gearshift knob. The wood-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel fronts Smiths instrumentation includes a 140-mph speedometer, a tachometer, and supplemental gauges. The five-digit odometer shows 13k miles, which is said to represent the mileage accumulated since the refurbishment. Total mileage is unknown. The steering column was repaired and the speedometer and tachometer cables were lubricated in 2023. The 2,660cc inline-four features dual SU carburetors, a finned aluminum valve cover, and a Darrington Steel split exhaust header. The seller states that the engine was rebuilt in 2002 and that components were Magnaflux-tested, nitrided, and balanced. Service in 2023 included adjusting the valves, rebuilding the carburetors, repairing a leak in the header gasket, and replacing the water pump, fuel pump, and batteries. The engine number tag is depicted above. The car is equipped with a four-speed manual transmission, an overdrive unit, a lightened flywheel, and a stainless-steel exhaust system. The BMIHT certificate lists the factory colors, options, and identification numbers. A 100M Registry Certificate of Membership will also accompany the car. Manufacturer’s literature, workshop manuals, and service records are included in the sale, along with correspondence on the car with Gerry Coker, Roy Jackson-Moore, Brian Healey, and Roger Menadue. Photos taken during refurbishment can be seen in the gallery.