What to do with my late father's Healey 100

[chillikid]

Hi,

My father was an avid vintage and classic car restorer & racer. He died 20 years ago, and the only car of my father's we kept was the Healey 100.

It was occasionally used by the family but without my father's skills the car gradually went downhill, and it was last MOT'd and run in 2015 - it's been in my mothers shed ever since.

I want to get the car running again but don't have the garage space or skills to do much myself.

I'd be grateful if anyone could give me some advice on what they think my options are, and how much they think those options may cost.

As a minimum, I'd like to get it running again and made into a reliable "day tripper" - and if there are any areas needing addressing to prevent long-term deterioration - get those sorted as well. I live by the sea in Dorset UK, so want to prevent the salt from doing as much damage as possible.

Here are some photo's showing the cars current state: > PHOTOS - Google Drive <

I'd love to hear what you think might be my options and the approximate costs I might be looking at. Do you think I need to take this to a Healey specialist or is that only necessary for concurs level restoration (which is not really the level I want - or can afford at the moment).

I'm in Dorset so if you know anyone nearby who you would recommend then that would also be greatly appreciated.

 

[BobHaskell]

I'd suggest contacting the Austin-Healey club in the UK.

 

[Hamish Racing]

These guys are along the coast from you and it’s worth a chat.

Rawles Motorsport Ltd
West End Farm,
Upper Froyle,
Alton,
Hampshire,
GU34 4JR

Talk to Brian chant he knows his cars and I am sure could recommend someone locally.
nice guy and a good mate of my late dad David Roscoe they used to race 4.3 alvis’s back in the day.
I bought my TR3a from his auction site.
Dorset Vintage & Classic Auctions
The Old Gas Works,
Station Road,
Stalbridge,
Dorset, DT10 2RH
Brian R Chant MIMI
Tel: +44 (0) 1963 363353
Email: brc@dvca.co.uk

 

[twas_brillig]

You're ahead of the game since it was running when it got tucked away. Vacuum/blow/wash and get the debris off first. Your tyres are probably junk (old age now) but don't worry about that until she's running and movable as you only need to spend the money when you'll actually have her on the highways and byways. Change the fluids: brake, coolant (give the whole system a a bit of a low budget flush (drain it; fill it; drain it again. Refill with antifreeze if you need it, or tap water with something to lube the water pump if you don't); engine; oil filter. Check fluid level for the diff and transmission but don't worry about changing until she's running. Jack it up and spin the wheels and have a listen: brakes and bearings. Buy a shop manual reprint and an after market (I like Haynes, if they're available). Grease the chassis and anything else the manual recommends. Your biggest initial problem will probably be that the gasoline has turned to gum. Drain it out, and disassemble the carbs and soak them in carb cleaner. I've got no idea how to make sure the fuel pump is happy, but presumably pull it apart and clean it. Buy the basic tools that you don't have. We have a BJ7 (wow! Roll up windows) as well as a bugeye Sprite, and a 1962 VW Beetle based dune buggy: nothing has a simpler electrical system than the sprite and the VW, and I suspect that your 100-4 is pretty simple too. Get a 12 volt test light etc., and clean up the connections and look for failed wiring/insulation/etc. Don't get intimidated (I sure was, for years, and wasted a bunch of money on paying someone to do an inadequate job of something that turned out to be straight forward and relativley simple when I sat down with it).
There must be some MGB's etc etc. in your area, and some garages that are familiar with points ignitions and carburetors. You don't need them yet, but it's nice to know that they are there. And I just did a quick search for vintage and Dorset, and found the Dorset Classic Car club. Find a club that is into the 1950s/60s and similar vehicles, and join.
From the looks of the photos, there's enough room around the car to do pretty much everything you need to at least run through the basics I've come up with. Shops need to cover a lot of costs and pay their staff. If you're a lawyer in the City, then no problem. However, you can afford to buy tools and screw up a few times for the cost of an hour or two of shop time. Ideally, connect with a club; ideally find someone near by that can come by and reassure you. Do the basics; come back here for advice (you need zinc in your engine oil; new cars don't, as an example); save your money for anything that you do need some expertise for. Get it running, touch up the paint damage to prevent corrosion, and I understand that the MOT will give your car a thorough review and a list of anything outstanding.....
All you need is man-hours and patience. If your net salary exceeds that of the shop rate, then hire the work out. Otherwise, you and your manual might take two or three times longer than the shop would, but you're still financially way ahead plus you've learned.
I hope that others will add more useful suggestions. And there's always opinions (I figure you should throw a bit of 2-stroke oil into the cylinders before cranking it over, and dribble engine oil over the valve train before trying to fire it up; others maybe not).
Take care of the fluids; the gummed up gasoline; and chase through all the wiring that you need to get it started. Pull the fuses for anything else, and then go through the rest of the wiring after she finally fires up.
Good fortune on the journey! Doug

 

[chillikid]

These guys are along the coast from you and it’s worth a chat.

Rawles Motorsport Ltd
West End Farm,
Upper Froyle,
Alton,
Hampshire,
GU34 4JR

Talk to Brian chant he knows his cars and I am sure could recommend someone locally.
nice guy and a good mate of my late dad David Roscoe they used to race 4.3 alvis’s back in the day.
I bought my TR3a from his auction site.
Dorset Vintage & Classic Auctions
The Old Gas Works,
Station Road,
Stalbridge,
Dorset, DT10 2RH
Brian R Chant MIMI
Tel: +44 (0) 1963 363353
Email: brc@dvca.co.uk

Thanks for the contact I will definitely contact Brian. This seems like a staggering coincidence, but your late father (and Brian) also used to race with my late father! I found this Alvis owner bulleting from 1985 - your father and mine (Richard Baddiley Alvis Speed 25) in the same race. My father was also very close friends with John Brydon (4.3 Alvis) and Graham Burrows (Speed 25 Special) who were also in the same race.

Small world!

https://alvisarchive.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/bulletin-342-september-1985.pdf

 

[chillikid]

You're ahead of the game since it was running when it got tucked away. Vacuum/blow/wash and get the debris off first. Your tyres are probably junk (old age now) but don't worry about that until she's running and movable as you only need to spend the money when you'll actually have her on the highways and byways. Change the fluids: brake, coolant (give the whole system a a bit of a low budget flush (drain it; fill it; drain it again. Refill with antifreeze if you need it, or tap water with something to lube the water pump if you don't); engine; oil filter. Check fluid level for the diff and transmission but don't worry about changing until she's running. Jack it up and spin the wheels and have a listen: brakes and bearings. Buy a shop manual reprint and an after market (I like Haynes, if they're available). Grease the chassis and anything else the manual recommends. Your biggest initial problem will probably be that the gasoline has turned to gum. Drain it out, and disassemble the carbs and soak them in carb cleaner. I've got no idea how to make sure the fuel pump is happy, but presumably pull it apart and clean it. Buy the basic tools that you don't have. We have a BJ7 (wow! Roll up windows) as well as a bugeye Sprite, and a 1962 VW Beetle based dune buggy: nothing has a simpler electrical system than the sprite and the VW, and I suspect that your 100-4 is pretty simple too. Get a 12 volt test light etc., and clean up the connections and look for failed wiring/insulation/etc. Don't get intimidated (I sure was, for years, and wasted a bunch of money on paying someone to do an inadequate job of something that turned out to be straight forward and relativley simple when I sat down with it).
There must be some MGB's etc etc. in your area, and some garages that are familiar with points ignitions and carburetors. You don't need them yet, but it's nice to know that they are there. And I just did a quick search for vintage and Dorset, and found the Dorset Classic Car club. Find a club that is into the 1950s/60s and similar vehicles, and join.
From the looks of the photos, there's enough room around the car to do pretty much everything you need to at least run through the basics I've come up with. Shops need to cover a lot of costs and pay their staff. If you're a lawyer in the City, then no problem. However, you can afford to buy tools and screw up a few times for the cost of an hour or two of shop time. Ideally, connect with a club; ideally find someone near by that can come by and reassure you. Do the basics; come back here for advice (you need zinc in your engine oil; new cars don't, as an example); save your money for anything that you do need some expertise for. Get it running, touch up the paint damage to prevent corrosion, and I understand that the MOT will give your car a thorough review and a list of anything outstanding.....
All you need is man-hours and patience. If your net salary exceeds that of the shop rate, then hire the work out. Otherwise, you and your manual might take two or three times longer than the shop would, but you're still financially way ahead plus you've learned.
I hope that others will add more useful suggestions. And there's always opinions (I figure you should throw a bit of 2-stroke oil into the cylinders before cranking it over, and dribble engine oil over the valve train before trying to fire it up; others maybe not).
Take care of the fluids; the gummed up gasoline; and chase through all the wiring that you need to get it started. Pull the fuses for anything else, and then go through the rest of the wiring after she finally fires up.
Good fortune on the journey! Doug

Thanks Doug - that is brilliant advice and really appreciated.