Just checking to see if anyone has installed power windows in their Healey.
I've heard of one being done by a custom company that built up a BJ8 that included power windows but I never saw it. I understand it went to Calif. after it was finished. A guy in our club bought the left over parts which included two winder assemblies with the ends cut off that attach to the window frame. Maybe I can find out more info.Just checking to see if anyone has installed power windows in their Healey.
Just checking to see if anyone has installed power windows in their Healey.
My Healey had a Factory AC unit in it that I installed and I sold the unit after I installed a custom unit. I visited with Donald Healey at one of the National Healey Meets in the Northeast many years ago and asked him about the Factory AC's and in his words "it made the car quite comfortable". The Factory AC was made by Coolaire in Miami, FL. who has long ago been out of business.I knew I would get some comments when I posted this request. When you get in your 70's and have bad shoulders, you tend to make driving the Healey just a little more pleasurable. The first Healey owned was a 64 BJ8 in our younger years and it was fine as a stock car. I guess it was wrong to install A/C to keep me cool and a better radiator to keep the engine cool. I love what I have and it is really a pleasure to drive and I'm not concerned with any negative comments.
Thanks,
Jim
For BJ8's it was an optional accessory but installed by the Dealers, Part No. HAC 1002. It's shown in the little white book that was used for tracking your Service schedules. Coolaire made all the AC's for the British cars(I'm told). Donald told me that one was fitted at the Factory. Technically, it was a Factory Approved Option.Are you sure A/c was a factory option or was it just provided as an option by some US dealers. It wasn't a factory option up to the 3000 but after that i don't know.
For BJ8's it was an optional accessory but installed by the Dealers, Part No. HAC 1002. It's shown in the little white book that was used for tracking your Service schedules. Coolaire made all the AC's for the British cars(I'm told). Donald told me that one was fitted at the Factory. Technically, it was a Factory Approved Option.
It's a fact because I got it straight from "The Man" himself! However, the one Factory installed unit would look exactly like the Dealer installed units. Most likely it was probably shipped to the Factory for them to see it and approve it before being added to the list of "BMC Approved Accessories". The AC doesn't have the following that the "M" does, but why would it? I was tracking the AC units for several years and handed the Registry over to Ken Fleming. Maybe a 100 units were bulit.So there's one 3000 with a Factory installed option and a bunch more with a relatively rare dealer installed option. Where have I heard this scenario before?![]()
I have no idea where it could have been installed, but there was only one installed by the Factory per Donald. I would assume(I hate that word), that they just grabbed a car off the line and did one. Possibly for a promotional picture or one for a customer? A clue might be the photo of the dash on the original Installation Instructions(which I have). The Healey in the picture with AC hasn't surfaced yet. My unit was wrapped in 1965 Miami Herald newspaper. A Dealer in Savanna, GA had 4 brand new never opened units in his warehouse and sold them to a friend of mine who kept one and sold the rest.Patrick.
Do you know if the original AC was installed at the Cape or at Abingdon? Wonder if there was ever any notation kept of the chassis number of the car in which it was fitted? Don't know if there would be any monetary value in it, but it sure would be a conversation piece.
I knew I would get some comments when I posted this request. When you get in your 70's and have bad shoulders, you tend to make driving the Healey just a little more pleasurable. The first Healey owned was a 64 BJ8 in our younger years and it was fine as a stock car. I guess it was wrong to install A/C to keep me cool and a better radiator to keep the engine cool. I love what I have and it is really a pleasure to drive and I'm not concerned with any negative comments.
Thanks,
.
Jim
The AC unit is not the one for the BJ8 series and I doubt there was one for the early Roadsters so what could it be...an adaption of another Coolaire unit?? Coolaire made AC's for British cars and this could be an adaption from another British car. Coolaire compressors on BJ8's were on the left side of the engine. They were piston type York units and the brake canister had to be moved back towards the carbs(as if it wasn't already hard to get the front carb off!), the support brace was removed and a smaller unit substituted in it's place The fender wheel well was "smashed outwards to accommodate the larger compressor. The original generator remained it its Factory location. It does look like a very nice installation! I can only explain and provide details for the Coolaire AC units manufactured for the BJ8 series Healeys. It would be good to have a "question and answer" exchange with the Healey's owner or restoration service to see if supporting documentation can be provided.There's some pics of a Coolaire installed in a Healey here: https://firsttraderegistry.com/forsale/9_09/58healey/usa.htm
.
Might as well get one of em cruise controls too. Leg can cramp up bad on a long cross country drive.-![]()
The AC unit is not the one for the BJ8 series and I doubt there was one for the early Roadsters so what could it be...an adaption of another Coolaire unit?? Coolaire made AC's for British cars and this could be an adaption from another British car. Coolaire compressors on BJ8's were on the left side of the engine. They were piston type York units and the brake canister had to be moved back towards the carbs(as if it wasn't already hard to get the front carb off!), the support brace was removed and a smaller unit substituted in it's place The fender wheel well was "smashed outwards to accommodate the larger compressor. The original generator remained it its Factory location. It does look like a very nice installation! I can only explain and provide details for the Coolaire AC units manufactured for the BJ8 series Healeys. It would be good to have a "question and answer" exchange with the Healey's owner or restoration service to see if supporting documentation can be provided.
There was a company in Ft Worth, TX that manufactured AC units for Healeys. I do not know what series Healeys they were made for and doubt they would have used a rotary compressor because I believe they weren't invented at the time(??). The company was Lone Star Air conditioning(I think) and I have never seen any of their systems.