'57 Healey Jamaican 327...

[stuntflyr]

It's been a while,
I've gotten a bunch of stuff done on the Jamaican, but it's just still barely operable after these few years now. The old double hump engine is running well, shifts well, clutch seems fine, brakes are shaping up, front shocks aren't much, but still just riding around at the airport.
New location, moved to Tucson so much driving of the MGB has taken place while other projects molder, like this one. Remodeling the house is top priority though!
Anyway, I put a choke cable on the carb, gas pedal and cable run, replaced some fuel lines, bypassed the regulator, replaced the oil pressure line, scraped the crud off of the temperature bulb to make the thermocouple sense for temp, replaced a rear tire with another ancient F78, and found the speedo works pretty accurately, used some gooey rope to mount the windows temporarily (better than duct tape), changed the oil and filter, and installed some seats. They aren't really mounted yet and I don't think there will be room for sliders, but they look good.
I'm looking for an app to convert my videos, but for now some stills.
Happy New Year
Chris...

 

[vette]

You've got a lot going on but I do believe you are enjoying yourself. I'll bet when you grab a hold of that big ole American shifter you know you got a hold of something. Just what on that car is Healey? Enjoy.

 

[stuntflyr]

Hey, man. That's Austin Healey 100-Six BN4L O 28007, dontcha' know! Yeah, a lot of fun.
This is a follow on to a thread called, "The Accidental Healey" started a couple of years ago when I bought two Healey Jamaican's in a few months with the first thought to be a TR... Healey Rick features prominently.
Chris...

 

[blueskies]

The tunnel, hand brake, and steering column do look like Healey parts.

 

[HealeyRick]

Hey, man. That's Austin Healey 100-Six BN4L O 28007, dontcha' know! Yeah, a lot of fun.
This is a follow on to a thread called, "The Accidental Healey" started a couple of years ago when I bought two Healey Jamaican's in a few months with the first thought to be a TR... Healey Rick features prominently.
Chris...

Don't rope me into this! I'd start looking at some of those Vintage Air ACs if you're planning on driving in AZ. Those new seats are really cool, very GT40ish. All the best to you in the new year!

 

[stuntflyr]

I have a whole AC system from another car for it, that's for sure. The seats are allegedly RSR replicas but just cheap eBay stuff.
Thanks Mr. Neville and to you and yours as well.
Chris...
P.S. I bought another little midget biplane...

 

[Keoke]

That little Bipe is a cute one reminds me of the early Pitts home bilt kit.:adoration:

 

[stuntflyr]

Close, Keoke. A Knight Twister, well before Curtis's Pitts, there was the Knight Twister. It's another home built, like my car! Vernon Payne designed it in 1929 and never stopped it's evolution until he passed in the 80's. Most were built in the 40's-60's and mine is a late comer from 1985. It's got all wood cantilever wings and tail, and no wires with a steel tube fuselage. A fun ship I'm sure as it weighs a 100 lbs less than my Pitts Special and will have so much less drag and it flew on much less power. Of course I want more, and plan a Lyc 360 with constant speed prop trying to make 250 mph top speed. There is another Lyc powered KT, a 320 with constant speed, it goes 200 mph at cruise and alleged to go 240 slightly downhill. It has a smaller wing but not as clean as mine will be. Here's my last Pitts Special, I'm thinking of a cowling and gear very similar to it for the KT.
Chris...

 

[stuntflyr]

Hi Healey Friends,
I've got a few videos of the Jamaican. I can't figure out how to upload them with any clarity, it dumbs them down too far to be fun to view. There was a fella that wanted to buy it but he had a family event that kept him from following through late last year. The little airplane would've benefitted from that cash, but it keeps the Jamaican around. I just drive it around the airport, keep the tires pumped up and battery charged but haven't done anything else since last year, really.
I've driven the MGB a bunch, the Tucson British Car Register is very active. My wife went on a couple of outings, drove her Jag on the Catalina Highway up to Mt. Lemmon and accompanied me to the Tucson Classic Car Show.
The Knight Twister is coming along with new sheeting on it's wings, tail to come. I've got lots of catalogue parts circled for it, along with an engine and prop picked out.
Happy Holidays everyone, hope all are enjoying their activities with cars, extra vehicles and families.
Chris...

 

[John Turney]

Happy Holidays to you also!

 

[Keoke]

Chris.?..:

U didn't put nuttin Healey in it!---

Happy holidays to U ALL 2

 

[Randy Forbes]

Gorgeous MGB! Can't make out the door handle to see if it's a pull-handle or push-button, but I see by the lack of reverse lamps that it's 1966 (or very early '67) or earlier.

My first-ever sportscar was a '73 MGB that I bought new at age eighteen. Between then and October of 2000, I'd have owned some sixteen (16) MGBs & MGBGTs; I'll always have a soft spot for the sportscar I loved first!

 

[HealeyRick]

Hey Chris,

Happy Healeydays! Send me your videos and I'll put them on my YouTube channel and share them here. PM me if you've lost my email.

 

[stuntflyr]

Hi guys,
The Jamaican is actually carefully on the road. Smooth and easy, but it has all systems operational. New tires, tubes, liners, balanced after I sandblasted and powder coated the old wheels as an economical stop-gap and tried to get a new exhaust with at least some success, brakes bled, new clutch, throw out bearing, rebuilt slave cylinder, new fork, and it actually has a T-10 aluminum trans, the 327 is a "generic" 1966 double hump head with 4V manifold 300 hp according to my Chevy guru. The car has been fun to drive within reason and I can now hear the engine, assess the car a little and it was a fun exercise and I still drive it from the airport to Tucson British Car Register weekly get together at Starbucks. Now the project is static while I complete some other stuff, like finish home remodel, finish airplane, finish the last MGB project since my guy is retiring (OD 3 sync trans transplant) and after some time I'll start on the Jamaican again.
That plan is to use a good unrusted Healey frame to build up a clean, well constructed car with tube shocks, anti tramp bars, Panhard bar, new floors, new heat shields on both sides, 15x6 wire Cobra style wire wheels, disc brakes, etc.
The car will have AC which is all custom as far as plenums and ducts that I'll have to make but based off of an MGB system.
All of the exterior motif stuff I've already bought, color chosen, headlights and tail lights, etc.
So, there it is for anyone interested in '60's hybrid custom cars with Healey chassis' projects, a little update.
Chris...

 

[HealeyRick]

Wonder where you'd get a good, unrusted Healey frame? Never thought it would have fit in the back of that minivan. Good hearing from you Chris. Seeing that second picture, I bet it would look good in Aston Martin California Sage Metallic.

 

[stuntflyr]

Happy New Year, Rick. Yeah, find those frames all the time in the Northeast! A friend chopped the bumper mounts off and welded that center seam back up and it pulled the low out at the same time just like he said it would. Looks really nice now.
Chris...

 

[stuntflyr]

Fred Crowley joined our Tucson British Car Register and brought his Healey racer out from Texas because they winter in Tucson. We drove together on a trip from Tucson to Picacho Peak and picnic. We didn't meet until we got to the park but he greeted me with, "Nice Jamaican, is it a Healey?". Everyone left us after the picnic and we talked and compared notes he knowing everything about Healeys. I hadn't had my car out but a couple hundred miles and Fred's car doesn't like running under 2500 rpm so he suggested the freeway home and we took off. On I-10 we ran 75 to 80 mph and were passed like we were standing still, but the cars ran great and it was a fun drive.
Here are some pics of his 3000 racer and the green Jamaican.
Chris...

 

[healeyneil]

Nice to see a Jamaican on the road. I imported mine from Oklahoma to Scotland a few years ago, and Im about to start its rebuild now.
Neil

 

[HealeyRick]

Good to see the Jamaican out on a run, Chris. Fred Crowley set up the 3.45 rear in my car when he was offering a mail-in service.

 

[stuntflyr]

Nice to see a Jamaican on the road. I imported mine from Oklahoma to Scotland a few years ago, and Im about to start its rebuild now.
Neil

Neil,
Very interesting. After buying my two projects I contacted a person in Rosebud, Illinois about one painted green that was a three carb Healey. I wonder is this yours because I saw an ad for it painted blue in the UK on the internet lately. Would like to see details as you proceed.
Chris...