What is an Austin Healey 100-6 MM kit.

[vette]

Firstly I must say that I no expertise on the variants of Austin Healey history. And such a thing as a 100-6 MM Kit is brand new to me. But if this is new light on a revelation of history then I suppose you can blame me when we start to see 6 cylinder Austin Healeys offered for Sale on E-Bay as MM Kits installed, offered at $500,000 or more.
Yesterday an old friend stopped to see me and delivered two old magazines that he said I gave him when we were in high school together. Now I can assure you that these magazines predate even my high school years but evidently I had them. See attached two pages copied from this magazine, "Sports Cars Illustrated" dated January 1958. On the 1st picture you will see a short couple of paragraphs titled "Austin Healey 100-6 MM Kit."
In this short note, written as a technical note in the magazine, Mr. G. O. Ehrman of the Hambro Automotive Corp. makes note of notice of modifications for the 1958 Austin Healey referred to as the MM Kit. In the 2nd picture, the last part of his note, he states that as of his date, he has had no official notification of these alluded to changes.
I thought the whole thing was interesting, considering the source it seems a factual look back at Healey history. Dave.

 

[HealeyRick]

Hey Dave,

Take a look at this: https://www.healeysix.net/100sixmm.htm

 

[vette]

Hmm, very interesting. But it does leave alot of questions doesn't it. Firstly, even though it was referred to, did it really exist. Even if said racers referred to it doesn't mean it was real. You know how bravado goes. Secondly, as said they may still exist, but how do you know a particular car is an "MM". And even if tearing into an engine today, what specification would you be looking for?

 

[Editor_Reid]

Funny, I'd never heard/noticed it referred to as a "kit."

The MM designation - Mille Miglia - was a short-lived, half-hearted marketing ploy to attach some cache to what was the new standard spec of the 100-Six when they redesigned the cylinder head.

There was no "kit" in the sense that you could buy some parts and install them to upgun your 100-Six. Once the cylinder head was redesigned, all 100-Sixes had the new spec; it wasn't a special model - it was just the improved spec of the standard 100-Six beginning in 1957.

I've never seen a reference to it in any BMC/Austin publications. I've seen it only in a couple of contemporary magazine road tests, and the Donald Healey Motor Company price list. I believe that the new and improved 100-Six spec was also promoted to US service members in the UK as the MM.

It is in no way equivalent to the 100M or Le Mans kit; it's more like giving all BN2s - merely an improved BN1 - a special name when really it was just the new standard spec.

 

[dcarlg]

Where is Dougie?
He races a 100-6 MM.

 

[dougie]

Where is Dougie?
He races a 100-6 MM.

He's vacationing in Brooklyn, NY but more on that later. I believe this period article explains the 100-6 MM "kit" clearer.


https://www.healeysix.net/roadtestSCI.htm

 

[dougie]

My wife and I were in NY last week visiting our daughter while she interns at an art and fashion publication in Manhattan. While the girls were shopping, I took in some sites of my own. Early amateur sports car racer and famous NY restauranteur Vincent Sardi was well known to drive his 100-S to work through the theater district, before he "traded-up" to a '57 100-6. That's what I'm talking about.....

 

[HealeyRick]

Great pictures, Dougie. You probably know Sardi's is still the home of the Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving and Chowder Society:

Vin Sardi was a real fixture in the early days of Lime Rock.

 

[Oldyeloperil]

As a newcomer to this excellent forum I was fascinated and excited to read this thread and reference to the 100-6 MM 'Kit' I too had not come across this description before nor the Hambro Automotive Corp reference to the 'Kit'
We own a UK registered RHD 100-6 BN6 'Homologation' car as they seem to be referred to here in England / Europe. She was built in June 1958 as one of 50 mostly LHD BN4 cars which were transferred to the Healey Works at Warwick for a brakes upgrade to 4 wheel Dunlop disc brakes plus power upgrade via a hotter cam. I have not put our engine on a dyno to establish its output but I noted during a recent engine refresh the cam has two concentric cast rings (perhaps Stage 2?) located between the bevel gear and adjacent cam lobe, no other markings were found. Has anyone come across this marking, if so what is it?
To date this is the first written evidence I have seen of an official Healey 100-6 performance upgrade, other references made in books seem to follow the same theme of being only word of mouth, hand me down anecdotal evidence. Chris

 

[CLEAH]

Hello Chris, welcome to the forum and thanks for chiming in on Independence Day! Your car sounds interesting. Pictures please?

 

[DerekJ]

Chris,

The 50 cars that were homologated with Dunlop disc brakes were BN4's not BN6's. The homologation began in late 1957 and cars with disc brakes ran in the 1958 Alpine Rally and at Sebring in March 1958. The MM 'kit' was in fact simply the the new head and the 1 3/4 inch carbs which was the production upgrade that first appeared in late 1957. Many owners retro-fitted this conversion. The same engine configuration was then used in the BN6s which appeared in April 1958. From introduction in late 1957 through to late January/ early February the engines of these cars were painted Morris Green, the cars then reverted to metallic green engines although no-one knows why. Dunlop disc brakes were an option on 100-Sixes and were available from the DHMC (but not BMC). Cars that have them are not necessarily part of the original homologation process.