BN4 2-Port Head Longbridge Registry

[healey106]

The 50th anniversary of the introduction of the First 6 cylinder Big Healey is a little other one year away - 9/28/06. I have a 57 - 2 porthead BN4 and I would like to know if there is anyone else out there in Healeyland that also has this version of the first 6 cylinder Big Healey. I would like to start to compile a listing for the owners of this first 6 cylinder version of the Big Healey. This listing would be solely for the use of those owners of this truly unique automobile.

I am willing to maintain the listing and distribute to the other owners on a quarterly basis any new additions that have taken place to the list, with the permission of the owners.

If interested, please provide:
name
address
telephone
cell
home
work
car/chassis number
engine number
body number
specification - ex LHD, North American export
color, - exterior
color, - trim
color, - hood(top)
date of manufacture - if available from Heritage certificate
options

date purchased

please send your response to bn4_2porthead@hotmail.com

thank you for participating

Jim Lesher
healey106 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif
aka "Longbridge Larry"

 

[GregW]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Hi Jim,
Just curious, is Rudy not doing the 100-6 registry anymore?

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

That is a good point. I assume he is still maintaining the 100-6 Registry. I wrote to him several months ago, and he never got back to me. I understand he is retired, so that means he is now busier than when he was working. I also did ask him about getting this information about the other Longbridge owners that he has in the 100-6 registry, but the response was that the Registry is solely to maintain the list and not pass out privileged info on various cars. I can appreciate that position. So I have decided to create a "Niche List" similar to the "Tri'Carb" Registry which is solely for the use of the owners of type of Healey. If anyone out there wants to share info about their car to other owners of the Longbridge 2portheads, so be it. If not then the list will be quite short. I do know that the intro was almost 50 years ago. My car was built in March 57, I am just interested in knowing what other 57's still exist and where they are located
jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif
aka "Longbridge Larry"

 

[DerekJ]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gifWay to go Jim!!!

Good luck on this one. People don't realise how rare these cars are. They are a big part of Healey history.

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Derek - Thanks for the encouragement. Perhaps there may be fewer than the 50 or so S's out there.

I would make my job a lot easier to maintain the registry, as well as, possibly increase the value of the Longbridge 2porthead cars on the street around the world
Jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

A Rudy update, I sent a followup to him on Sunday morning, I received a prompt reply noting that he was on the way out to Church, but would be getting back to me shortly. Upon his return from Church, I will bring everyone up to date with the 100-6 Registry information that he has shared with me.
Jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Rudy - Update - I just got an email from Rudy stating that his 100-6 Registry has slightly over 150 Austin Healeys listed within the Longbridge production run # 22598 and 54285(approx.)
Actually he has a 100-6 within this run. I hope he would be willing to participate in my project. I asked him if he would provide me with a worldwide distribution of this range. Since a number of the cars to South Africa and Cuba, per Clausager's book, "The Original Austin healey".
Jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Just an update - I talked to Geoff Rossi, in Minn, the keeper of the Original Owners Registry to see if there is an original owner out there in Healey land with this Longbridge model. He promised to check the listing and get back to me. He actually did provide a lead to a local club member who owns a 2Porthead Longbridge and who, I contacted.
If anyone out there knows a friend who has this type of the First 6 cylinder Big Healey please contact me directly at
BN4_2porthead@hotmail.com
thanks - Jim Lesher /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[DerekJ]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Jim

Try the UK Club as well. They have a 100-Six register, I think its run by a person called Mel Ward.

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Derek - Thanks, it was on my list to start checking with all the other Healey Clubs around the World. I will keep everyone posted as things develop. -
Jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

"Update" - we are quickly closing in on 10% of Rudy Streng's 100-6 Registry total of those Longbridge BN4 2Porthead Models. The first of the "6 cylinder Big Healey" introduced almost 50 years ago - September 28, 1956.
Currently the registry includes - 2 Canada cars, 2 PA cars and those from TX and NC.
I have emailed the keepers of the UK 100-6 registry and I will let you know of their response and support.
Jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Registry Update
We are going International - current registry membership
2 - Canadian
2 - PA
1- NC
1 - Tx
1 - France (Honorary)
We have a long way to go since Rudy has over 150 cars within the production records for Longbridge.
Progress in other areas:
1 - I have been in contact with the UK 100-6/3000 registry for their input
2 - Rudy has replied with the statement that currently he is working (I mistakenly thought he was retired), he is the current president of his local club for a couple of more months, and he has other priorities. He hopes to get back to me as soon as possible
3 - I contacted by email Don Lenschow and Reid Trummel about the membership database of the Austin Healey Club USA - to obtain a possible sort of BN4 members with email addresses - so I could contact them directly . I am waiting for their response to my request.
Jim Lesher /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Quick Note - I have been informed that email postings to BN4_2porthead@hotmail.com are not working currently - so please send emails, until further notice, to cleona44@hotmail.com that address appears to be working properly. Regrets - jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

"Registry Update"
Now Truly International
1 - Hong Kong - car shipped from factory 9/05/57 to Singapore
1 - Mexico City
in addition to Canada and the UK
as well as spread across the US
1 - Seattle, Washington
1 - Bangor, Maine
1 - Pasdedena, california
also a Primrose Yellow car from the factory - but no longer yellow

keep the additions coming - Jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

"Registry Update" - Rudy's in, he has become registry #BN4_2PH00018. He is working on the worldwide summary distribution of the Longbridge 2porthead 100-SIX's from his 100-SIX registry and he is sending me his own car info shortly.
Thanks Rudy - Jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[DerekJ]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Jim

From the number it looks like he must have one of the first cars ever made

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Derek - Someone is actually reading this stuff, that is great!!! Sorry for the confusion, the actual Healey Car/Vin ID is BN4 L O/xxxxx
if the car is a left hand drive - this accounts for the L, I believe.
if the car has overdrive - this accounts for the O
if the car is w/o overdrive - there would be S for standard in place of the O
and in the case of the Longbridge cars the 5 digits would be starting at 22598 to around 32000, for those cars built in 1956 and then for those cars built in 1957 the numbers should be from around 32000 to approx 54285
The # that I showed for Rudy's car is simply only the 18th member for the Registry. Again, I regret any confusion - /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif Jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Registry Update -
1 - Newest member - Dave Wallerstein - with a great looking BN4
2 - Received a great pic from Rudy Streng of his BN4, but still no engine # and other good details.
3 - With the sending of pics, I think I could develop a web photo page. Similar to Bill Meade's www.100mregistry.com - a great site - or make them available to Derek Job who has another great site - www.healeysix.net
4 - I am also interested in earlier period pics of the the BN4's . I have some of my BN4 from the late 70's, when I was using it as a driver with it's black factory hardtop.
5 - I talked to Don Lenschow, Pres of Austin-Healey Club USA, to request a sort from their database of the possible BN4 members, so I could possibly contact them to see if they would be interested in participating in this niche registry. He said he would follow up in a couple of weeks. We agreed that if I had not heard back from him by Thanksgiving, I could call and tell him " he was a Turkey" - I will keep you all posted.
So goes the news for the week -
Jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Rudy Update - I just received the geographic distribution of Rudy's 100-SIX Registry - total registered - 272
total estimated Longbridge BN4's in Rudy's registry which should be those cars #22598 and #54285 - is 161 cars with 12 in canada, 1 France, and 1 Guam. I thought the cars would be centered around California, but that is not the case. The states with the largest number of BN4's included in the registry are:
Ohio - 14
Texas - 11
Michigan - 10
Pennsylvania - 9
California - 9
Illinois - 8
Does anyone have any ideas why Ohio would have the largest number of these cars currently registered?
thanks for any assistance -
Jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[healey106]

Re: BN4_2Porthead Longbridge Registry

Registry Update - I just pulled off the web a great piece done by Patrick Quinn
www.austinhealeyclubnsw.org.au/ahoc_news.html
He has accounted for at least 74 BN4's known to currently exist in Australia within the Longbridge known production run between #22880 built in June of 1956 and the last 52602 built in December 1957. None of these cars were noted as left hand drive. The earliest AU car #'s are BN4-O-28358 and BN4-O-31157. Does anyone out there know these cars? They predate the earliest car on my list which is Patton Dickson's #BN4L-O-33718 built on 4/1/57.
Jim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif