Vehicle Information

[Sopp]

Hello,
Is there a place where you can submit your VIN and get information back such as Date of manufacture, orriginal color, orriginal equipment, etc, etc.
I'm restoring a 1955 Austin Healey 100M. This is a dealer converted M, not factory ( well, maybe factory ). It has been repainted several times, and has gone though many owners over the years. There were many changes made to the late BN1s that I need to take into consideration when doing the restoration. Lot of them are specific date changes.
It was partially disassembled when we got it. So I'm not the one who took it all apart, but I'm the one who must re-assemble. One strange thing I need explaned to me at the moment is this: the car is LHD, the foot pedals are on the left side, BUT the master cylinder is on the right side frame rail. WHY??????
Any and all assistance and info will be deeply appreciated.

Sopp ( David Soppeland ) sopp@cvol.net

 

[anthony7777]

sopp, reading from the top of my certificate it was issued by "British motor industry heritage trust" cost about $50.00 u.s. about three years ago, sorry i have no other contact info at this time just search it on your computer, im sure someone else might chime in here. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif

 

[Healeysince59]

Go here:

https://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/archive/certificate_index.html

Current price is 36 BP plus postage (about $70 US?) This will give you everything you are looking for.

Marv J

 

[judow]

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gifMarv J is quite correct. British Heritage Trust is the place to go. They can tell you all you need to know about your Healey. My Agatha was discovered to be a Factory Certified 100-M and was the second off the line at Longbridge. There doesn't seem to be any record of the first one so it might well be that Agatha is the oldest. She, of course, doesn't mind admitting her age.

Good luck with your Healey project.

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banana.gif /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banana.gif

 

[Sopp]

Hello again,
Tried ordering the Certificate but they turned down 2 perfectly good credit cards. Will try again later.

Can anyone explain the master cylinder location as outlined in the first post? This has me totally confused.

Thank you,
Sopp

 

[Healeysince59]

I've had trouble making overseas purchases on VISA. They seem to decline "foreign" charges automatically and may or may not notify you. I had to call VISA and tell them the charges were legit and they approved them. Don't know about the other cards.

Marv J

 

[Sopp]

I'm bumping this to the top in hopes that someone will address my unanswered question about the master cylinder.

This is a lefthand drive car with pedals on the left side of the car. BUT the master cylinder is mounted on the outside of the righthand frame rail. I don't see anything in the catalogs that would operate the right side mounted master cylinder from left side mounted pedals.

What am I missing here? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/confused.gif

 

[GregW]

Hi Sopp,
What you are describing sounds like a brake booster that was installed on later cars. Here is a photo of mine. There would still be a master cylinder attached to the pedal and the booster is hydraulically activated from that.

 

[Keoke]

Well Sopp, there is always the possibility that the car was originally RHD and then converted to LHD where all the changes did not get completed.--Keoke--?


Yeah Greg that makes some good sense too.

 

[Sopp]

Both ideas are possible. Thank you.

I guess I should have also mentioned that there is NO mount for a master cylinder on the left side. Left frame rail is nice and smooth, not even a hint of there ever being a mount there. Are the chassis made with a master cylinder mount on BOTH sides so they can be used for either drive position? It has pedal mounts on both sides. Is that normal? I can post some pictures Monday if that would help. I have searched the internet for pictures of the mount area on both sides to no avail.

 

[Keoke]

Both ideas are possible. Thank you.

I guess I should have also mentioned that there is NO mount for a master cylinder on the left side. Left frame rail is nice and smooth, not even a hint of there ever being a mount there.
Are the chassis made with a master cylinder mount on BOTH sides so they can be used for either drive position?---Yes

It has pedal mounts on both sides. Is that normal---Yes

I can

post some pictures Monday if that would help. I have searched the internet for pictures of the mount area on both sides to no avail.

Good some pictures should help a lot. In the mean time look and see if there isn't a master cylinder located on the firewall on the left hand side. Also check and see if there is an input line to that item located on the RH frame rail if so trace it back to its origin---Keoke

 

[Sopp]

I'm trying to post a couple pictures from the restoration of the first production BN1, chassis number 24, as can be found at: :https://www.acmefluid.com.au/larry/24.html

#24 chassis 1.jpg

In this first picture you can see the master cylinder mount on the outside of the righthand frame rail.

#24 chassis 2.jpg

In the second picture you can see the brake pedals and steering mounted on the left frame rail, BUT there is no mount for the master cylinder on the left frame rail. This is just what my chassis looks like. Well, not quite as pretty yet.

 

[Keoke]

Doggone it the picks did not post====Keoke-?

 

[Sopp]

Keoke,
The icon in the above line "enter an image" calls for a URL. I have the pictures saved on my computer but I don't know how to associate them to a URL.

https://www.acmefluid.com.au/larry/

If you go to the address above, then scroll down to "The Restoration of the First Production 100", and click on "Page 6", then scroll down to picture number 6 and then picture 22 you will see what I'm trying to post.

.......and if someone could show me how to post pictures on this site it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for being tollerent of my ineptness at computerology.

Sopp

 

[Keoke]

OK Sopp, If you go through those page #6 photos scroll down carefully you will see:

1] The brake cylinder reservoir on the left hand side of the car.
2] the brake master cylinder mounted adjacent to the left hand motor mount close to the frame rail.

---Good show---Keoke-- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif

 

[Sopp]

Keoke,
Now I see where the difference comes in. The left side master cylinder mount is located 6" to 8" forward of where the right side mount is located. I would guess the exhaust header is what dictates the left side location. I was looking for the exact same mount on both sides. Duhhhhh :b.
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thankyousign.gif

I owe you one /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif

As I said before, we got the car mostly disassembled, so I will likely have more of these dumb questions as re-assembly continues. Chassis should be ready for paint in a couple weeks. Then the fun begins.

Sopp

 

[Keoke]

My Pleasure

- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif---------- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banana.gif----------------Keoke--------- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

 

[Sopp]

Went and checked my Healey at the body shop, and sure enough, back up inside, behind the inner wheel well, is a mount with 3 broken studs/bolts sticking out. They match the master cylinder perfectly. Mystery solved.

If I can get out to LA sometime between fire season and landslide season I'll buy you several beverages of your choice.

Sopp

 

[GregW]

Just remember when you're buying Keoke those beverages; scheduled between the fires and landslides we have earthquakes.