I know there are a few fans of V8 Austin-Healeys here. I've just completed a feature article for the Austin-Healey Magazine on what are known in Healey circles as "Nasty Boys". The article traces the history of these modifieds going back to the '50s with a bunch of period pictures. Some cool stuff on modifieds in drag racing, Bonneville and sports car racing are in there as well. The article has been reprinted here: http://bighealey.org/NastyBoy/Issue_8_2016.pdf Hope you enjoy.
I remember a thread that was called something like "hot rod sports cars". It had seems there was a Healy there as well as other brands.
This is a local build Healey (Ontario, Canada). The owner drives it on regular bases. This is a real Healey and not a reproduction. I really like the chopped and leaned windshield on it.
In 1968, I was working at a Goodyear Store in Dallas. One of the salesman there had a 327 Chevy powered Austin Healey 3000. It was his only vehicle. I remember a couple of trips to lunch in the car. It was scary fast.
What about this one. http://www.hotrod.com/features/1602-bob-idas-famous-hemi-healy-g***er-is-back-terrorizing-the-track/
Not an Austin-Healey but I enjoyed watching the English Brothers MG and Jag. go down the track a few times.
When I was in high school, back in the 60s, a guy used to come into the Mobile station I worked at, you know, back when we used to check the oil, wash the windshield, check tire pressure as well as pump the gas, that had a Bug Eyed Sprite with a 289 with side pipes. Man always wanted one of those, unfortunately there is no way, now days, I could fit comfortably in a car this small, but damn that thing sounded wicked.
I had a 1954 Healey that I wish I had kept. It had a 289 Ford with 2 fours, rock crusher 4 spd and narrowed 12 bolt chevelle rear end. A telling identifier is the flared wheel wells and chrome wire wheels purchased in late 60s from Carroll Shelby. Also side pipes. A friend built it and we've both been looking for it for probably 15 years. Anybody seen anything like it? I "heard" it went to Florida but can't find it. A later owner was rumored to have somehow tried to graft a fibergl*** look a like Cobra nose on it but not sure. Sure would appreciate any leads. Thanks, Al PS The vin number ends in 88 I believe.
Not the vein of the thread ... but Dallas' Texas own retired legal eagle Jim Hockert's Healey isn't afraid to thrash on his wild, injected, fabricated intake, aluminum head Healey. This being from the 2010 Pike's Peak course. You can see the velocity pressure shoving the top down into his roll bar. Yeah I know, not a V8 ... but this car has been put together to kick ***. Rallyes, road races, slaloms, whatever. Jim ain't afraid, and hell ... now I get to tell him he's on the HAMB. It's a killer car. Proud of him. Now maybe he can put a injected 283 in it ? Paint by Zig Ebel ! Love ya' Zig !
Nice car. I like the way the motor is painted with the original green color that came on the six-cylinder Healeys Check out this vette powered bugeye with dual quads and a stock rear end: http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?4,53850 Great looking car and I bet it screamed. Keeping a V8 Healey cool is always a problem and more than a few ended up with Cobraized front ends with a bigger grille opening. Too bad you didn't have the full ch***is number as there is a registry for all the Healeys and some have had luck tracking their old cars down. Jim's car is a beauty with unbelievable attention to detail. More of the spes are listed here along with some build pictures: http://modifiedhealeys.org/Photos/9Hockert/Hockert.htm
^^^I have the full ch***is number and have researched it in every registry I have found with no success. I'll send a PM for more leads in case I've missed something. Thanks for the help, Al
Yes sir that's it. Great guy. Paint by Zig Ebel, until it burned down in his driveway, him and Zig's partner, Blaze put it back in less than a year to make the Hill Climb. Fantastic car. Built with bucks, and lots of Jim's brains. My O/T vehicle was parked behind his car during the entire rebuild. Fun, fun, fun stuff. Love that Healey. Hell Jim too ! Wicked car.
I used to have a guy who lived behind me that had a Healey with a 454 in it, dedicated drag car. He moved (locally) and I haven't seen it in probably 10-12 years, but I'm sure he still has it. It was a consistent runner, low 10's if I remember right. I think he just got too caught up in running his buisness. Devin
The Jalopy Journal
