Healey 100-Lemans-100M

[Genos2]

Thought I'd throw in my 2cents.(just a personal viewpoint)My '53 100(Baby) had a corvette engine when I bought it back in 1972, It's chassis#143703,very early car-2-piece dash, adj steering column,1-piece sidescreens&aluminum boot&bonnet. I found a 55 100M engine(#1B213811)in Seattle in '72.Put it back to semi-stock(Healey powered)?& have enjoyed it ever since,But I would never, nor want to call it a 100M.It does have a large # of orginal Le-Mans options.See my attached photo of orginal brochure.I consider Baby- Le Mans modified or optioned. Heres an except." After Healey raced the 100 at the 24 hours of Lemans the Healey company put out a kit to upgrade the performance of the Hundred. It included a better cam, high compression pistons, larger carbs and inlet manifold, a new distributor, a larger front roll bar, and a vented engine cover with leather strap. In 1955 you could buy the kit install it yourself or have the dealer install it. This made your car Lemans modified. In 1956 the Healey factory pre-made cars with the kit already installed and called them 100-M’s. After this many folks started calling any car with the lemans upgrade an M. But technically only Factory built cars could carry the M name. All other upgraded Hundreds are technically called “Lemans”." This upgrade can be made anytime in the cars life. Of course, this is just another viewpoint,cheers Genos2 P.S I've got pic of my orginal brochere on my photos

 

[zblu]

Like genos2, I've got a '53 also, and before I got it it in 1970 had all the "M" bits fitted except the louvered bonnet and strap which were not campaigned in '53, (still trying to track its history down.)
The excerpt below kind of describes my thoughts on what/when the "M's started
So is the following a "true M" as its based on the early BN1 as raced at Le Mans
rather than the marketing kit used on later BN2's?

"Information on this Austin Healey 100/M

Austin Healey 100/M, year 1953, RHD. Color Coronet cream
(seldom seen original color), bleu leather interior.

This Austin Healey 100/M was bought in the year 1953 by the Englishman Mr. John Deeley as a standard Austin Healey 100.
Mr. John Deeley raced the car in many events. In the year 1954 the car was factory converted, by the Healey Motor Corporation, to Le Mans specifications. (This was before the 100/M came onto the market in 1955) Certain steel body panels were exchanged by aluminum panels, the suspension was modified and the engine was tuned to give an extra 20 bhp capacity. From that moment on this car was one of the first pre production, factory converted, Austin Healey 100/M racing cars.

Mr. John Deeley successfully competed in many racing event with this Austin Healey 100/M: "

 

[Genos2]

Hi Zulu, to me, yours sounds as a , 100-Le-Mans,being like my brochure- having the Le-Mans Options or a portion thereof fitted.Being production didn't really start till mid-53,I think it's quite unusual to have a early survivor. Just curious, what #'s yours& does it have additional aluminum pieces, two piece dash& adjustable column? Also as to my knowledge, all 100M's were BN2's. I could be wrong.Also mine was & will be Healey Icy Blue(cool colour for '53)I don't have louvered hood either,Put do have a spare aluminum one I'm thinking of having louvered.Do have finned valve/cover with porcelain Austin Healey emblem in middle,is this factory option or just period piece? cheers Geno

 

[zblu]

Hi Genos2,
Mine had all the stuff on, including having one arm of the X cut out totally to enable cam changes, no louvered bonnet or strap, as that wasnt what they originally ran in '53, its body 860 nov 53 build, its an original Oz import, so methinks it was imported by someone with $ and intent back then, like all racers the gossip about engine mods would have been freely available around the traps a after few months if it wasnt done on arrival in Oz (This is where I'm still researching) I think the additional ali pieces are the hood/bonnet, 2 piece dash and adj column are stock on mine, and unusually when I refurbished all afew years ago there was no sign of matching color paint under the black wrinkle finish on the dash and just to please you it was originally healey ice blue with blue interior according to the bhmit cert, and delivered with 16" wheels!
Ever thought how much oil/gunk/etc is going to come out of those louvres and onto your screen/face
Think the rocker cover is a retro thing, "think they were selling these as a showroon to track car rather than the money making list of options" still you never know!

 

[richch]

Very strange but interesting how a number of the BMIHT certificates people have forwarded to me for the Hundred Registry for BN1's built about that time (Nov/Dec. '53) specifying 16" wheels. I have seen a number of these cars, including one owner who has has had his from new, and the wheels were the early flat pressed centre hub Dunlop 4Jx15" as per usual.
I know BMIHT has been known to record mistakes onto the certificates, but this is now about 10 identical recorded "mistakes".

Rich Chrysler
AHCA Hundred Registrar

 

[zblu]

Rich,
I know my cert is one of them, was it around this time that Healey was experimenting with 16" wheels as per the excerpt below?

"Photos of NOJ 391 at Sebring in 1954 revealed that the factory had run 16" C Type Jaguar disc wheels. Geoff Healey told Tom that they used those wheels to compensate for the lack of gear ratios, but they gave the car poor handling characteristics. He recommended 15" wire wheels that were used on the later 100 S cars."

 

[zblu]

or did they just run out of 15" wheels, and decided to put 16" on in the interim?