Don't hate me...

[Lukens]

ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtCYOHz-7b0&feature=player_embedded
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/austin-healey/100-4/1760349.html

Hello Healey guys. I'd never part with my TR3, but I've been drooling over Healeys. Can't afford a "proper restoration", but this has piqued my interest. Not a kit car but a real steel bodied 100 BN2. Certainly an abomination to the purists, but hey...
What do you guys think?
Russ

 

[HealeyRick]

Nasty Boys are built to the wishes of their owner. Ask for opinions on one of them and you'll likely get a bunch of different ones from folks who hate any modification from original to those that don't like the particular build. Question to ask yourself is if you like the look of the car, investigate the quality of the build. Was it done well? Does it run good, handle and stop ok and does it overheat in traffic? Sounds like they did this build right, but you'll need to drive it to find out. Personally, I'm not a fan of the hood scoop, wheels, side view mirrors, seats and side pipes. I prefer a more stock look to my Nasty Boys. but that's just me. But I bet it would be a heck of a drive. Before you commit to a Nasty Healey, take a look at some used Factory Five Cobras that can be found in the same price league. They're designed from the beginning to handle the extra hp and to me, have the same sexiness of a Healey.

 

[Keoke]

What do you guys think?

Man that is one bad --- Machine

 

[Healey Nut]

The hood( bonnet) scoop is ridiculous , looks like a 5 year old did it in paper mâché class . The wing extensions are way overdone and the wheels and tires don't fit the cars image . Frankly it's a total abomination and probably handles like a bag of doggie doo !!!! But that's just my honest and humble opinion .

 

[turtle]

A quality built V8 Healey 100 is a ton of fun. The extra power gives the car a very different “personality”. My V8 100 can be an effortless cruiser or a beast at the tap of the throttle. It starts right up and the drivetrain (SBC400) is bullet proof and easy to maintain.

I give the 100 in the video points for being based on a BN2 (folding windscreen, roadster). Like Rick, I also prefer the stock look. That’s the nice thing about modified 100s, you can make them what you want and not feel bad about “ruining it”. The Nasty Boys newsletter is a hoot to read and the mods people make are incredible.


I also love the Factory Five cars and seriously considered the Type 65 Coupe but when I saw my 1956 BN2 V8 I was in love. Lucky for me it was built professionally long ago and had been safely stored. A heavy service and the 100 growled back to life. I didn't build it but my car has its own history and now I can build on that. So back to this car, if it is a well-built, that is a lot of fun for the money.

 

[John Turney]

The hood( bonnet) scoop is ridiculous , looks like a 5 year old did it in paper mâché class . The wing extensions are way overdone and the wheels and tires don't fit the cars image . Frankly it's a total abomination and probably handles like a bag of doggie doo !!!! But that's just my honest and humble opinion .

Couldn't have said it better myself. I prefer a look more in keeping with original.

 

[TomFromStLouis]

Even with an open mind about modifications I cannot bring myself to tolerate the hood scoop. Surely somebody could make an improved version if required. The rest of it meets nasty Healey standards in my mind.

 

[turtle]

Yeah that bonnet is horrible but can be done right... I give you Pete Farmer's V8 from the UK...

 

[HealeyRick]

I think the 55 T-bird scoop on the conversion done by Max Balchowsky looks pretty nice:

 

[nevets]

that thing is fugly

 

[Healey Nut]

that thing is fugly

Now that you mention it its freakin fugly !!!!

 

[DerekJ]

I've absolutely nothing against Nasty Boys and quite fancy owning a very stock looking 100 with a V8. The one in question however just looks silly, its way overdone. Looks like a boy racer went into a speed shop,bought everything he could lay his hands on, then threw the parts at the car.

Maybe it could be pared back a bit. Remove the bonnet scoop, it has to go, alter the flairs, change the wheels etc, etc...but then it starts to become more expensive than its worth. I'd carry on searching for another nasty boy, they come up for sale quite often.

 

[LarryK]

I think (loosely to some) that if you like it and cannot afford a concours or driver Healey you still, to me, be up one from a fiberglass kit. We have some guys with kits come to the track days and sure the have V6s or Sb Chevys. OK cars for plastic. But, here is a real Healey, modified, seems proper, with a SB Ford 260 , of all engines, just like Tiger or original slab side Cobra. Easy to fix, and can be thrown around with reliability. Go for it!

 

[Lukens]

I tend to agree with the negative comments. I've either got to stop surfing the net or have an automotive exorcism. So many neat toys out there...

 

[HealeyRick]

I tend to agree with the negative comments. I've either got to stop surfing the net or have an automotive exorcism. So many neat toys out there...

Just for sake of argument: there's a lot of good stuff in this build: IRS rear, 4 wheel disc brakes, healthy motor, 5 speed tranny, coilovers, etc. Say you bought it for about $20k. If I were to build it to my taste I'd remove the hood and replace it with a louvered one if it would fit, or with a more harmonious scoop if not. Going off to the swap meet would be the seats, side mirrors, rubber radio antenna, bumpers, side pipes, steering wheel, wheels and tires and probably the dash and door panels and the roll bar. A big change could be made with a set of minilites and narrower tires, while leaving the flares intact. Take a loot at Ian Osborne's "Frankenhealey" at BritishV8.org to see how good a100 Nasty Boy can look:

Here's a link to the build: https://www.britishv8.org/Other/IanOsborne.htm

All the hard work on the car you've linked to appears to be done and now it's just changing the cosmetics to your liking. Since it's a solid color, you may be able to blend in any paint repairs needed without a full paint job. I'm guessing you could get everything done and spend $30-$35k on the whole package and have a really fun Healey.

 

[Lukens]

I'm guessing you could get everything done and spend $30-$35k on the whole package and have a really fun Healey.

Just when I had myself talked out of it.

 

[turtle]

I agree with Rick. If the car is solid and purchased well, it can be rescued from the Hot Wheels look. The fenders are alarming but if I imagine the car as Rick suggested (new tires, ditching the mirrors, bonnet, and seats) I think that car would come around nicely.

My car is a 1956 BN2 (pictured below) it has beefy tires (185/70) on 15x6 rims and side pipes. I know my bonnet doesn't fit well (I'm planning on going louvered), my spears are backward and I'm missing my turn light; it's a work in progress.

 

[Marvin Gruber]

I like a nasty boy, looked at a solid BN7 last year that someone cobbled up. Camero rear end with 6 " flares of each side. I thought if I could buy it right I would tone it down some. PO cut the frame to install the Camero diff. A huge gasser hood scoop. I didn't even make an offer. A nice car ruined. I too would tone the one on Youtude down some

marv

 

[maxwedge5281]

i bought my v8 conversion a couple of years ago...a very nice stock appearing 63 bj7. after much more than several thousand dollars i have the car almost to my taste. expenditures with me doing most of the workl included...new dash and custom gauges, four speed AOL transmission, new bolt on minilites to replace spline drives, almost complete new interior,replace cut up transmission cover with correct healey cover, reinstalling rear seats, safety belts, and squab, all new gaskets , rebuilt window mechanisms and guides, new top and professional installation, etc. etc. and still a few more things to do! so as you can see in the first picture the car looked really good to me...and very stock appearing....but changing to individual taste can be very expensive! the first pic is when i bought the car and the second is a year or so later....lots of dollars but not much difference in appearance!

 

[healeyblue]

Max,
How does the 2004r trans fit? Did the stock trans cover fit or did you have to modify the width? How is it around the pedals? Are you using the stock OD switch to activate the lockup converter. I had a 2004r in a 1938 Plymouth streetrod and used a toggle to lockup the converter for highway cruising. I have seen many nastyboys with auto transmissions that take up a lot of the footwell room. I also have a derelict BJ7 that some day will turn nasty!