Concours Reference Material

[LAW75]

Hello all. In my quest for concours I have been looking for good reference materials beyond what I presently have: Concours Guidelines, Driver's Handbook, Workshop Manual and Piggott's Original AH. I see on eBay Original AH Restorers Guide by Clausager, Essential AH and AH Road Test, History and Restoration, but I have no idea if any of these publications are worth the purchase and wether there are others that would be helpful. Also, I wonder where to obtain original factory pictures, marketing pictures and others. Does anyone have any references they felt worthy?

 

[Editor_Reid]

Between the Concours Registry's "Originality Guide for Restorations and Registry Inspections" and this forum, I'd say you've already got the most important references.

In the restoration of the BN2 Le Mans that is now nearing completion, we mostly used the Originality Guide. I'm trying to remember if we ever referenced anything else, and I'd say maybe the factory Parts List a time or two, but that's about it. Of course, starting with an unrestored car and using it as a reference is also a huge plus, and having Concours Gold reference cars handy is also helpful.

Extracting the BN2 from the garage where it rested on jack stands for over 30 years. That's a friend, Scott Marquis, standing next to the car. He lives only a very short distance from where we found this Healey in Tacoma, Washington, and he's the guy from whom we found out about it. (The aftermarket hardtop was sold separately and is long gone. I know nothing about it, except that because of it being installed shortly after the car came to the USA in 1962, the top and tonneau basically never got any use and they are in pristine condition.)

 

[LAW75]

Reid, what a great find. Enjoy the restoration process.

 

[BobHaskell]

I find Clausager's book useful. It has a nice tabulation of the production changes. The pictures do not always show concours correct cars. Another resource is the healey mailing list on team.net.

 

[twas_brillig]

I would assume that copies of the original factory shop and parts manuals would be useful. Doiug

 

[LAW75]

FYI, if you want to turn a perfect paint job to a speechless amazing experience, I highly recommend a ceramic coating. It is guaranteed (3-5 years, depending on product and application) to not color, stain (usual tree sap, road slush, dirt build up, bugs, etc). Attached is an example of the finished product.

 

[Editor_Reid]

LAW75, is that a professionally applied ceramic coating, or a DIY job?

I used a DIY ceramic (two, actually), and they do seem to help keep the car clean, but nothing "amazing" or miraculous happened that I could see.

 

[Guido36]

Did I miss it or is the ‘Authentic Restoration Guide - Austin Healey 100, 100/6, 3000 by Anderson & Moment not mentioned?

 

[Editor_Reid]

The Anderson-Moment book is basically a 20-years out-of-date version of the Concours Registry's "Originality Guide." The people who pay big bucks for copies of it are apparently not aware of that, and for much less money they get a much bigger, much more comprehensive, and much more heavily illustrated reference when they buy the "Originality Guide." You're also running the risk of doing things wrong if you use the Anderson-Moment book because much has been changed/updated since it was published.

I have the January 2021 edition of the Guide, and it has 365 pages and numerous detail photos. Then there is also the Photos supplement with 76 pages and tons of captioned photos. So that's 441 pages, I don't know how many photos, and it's all up to date and available via download for a measly $25. And of course you can search the PDF version that you'll receive, making it so much more easy to use. If you want a printed version, that's only $35 in the USA, $50 for Canadian addressees, and $60 for all other locations.

https://austinhealeyconcoursregistry.org/guidelines-online-order-form/

 

[LAW75]

Reid, I also have the '21 edition. It is good but the problem I am encountering is less pictures and detail regarding the BJ8. It sort of drops off after talking about the earlier models at times. Are you going for a Concours? What car do you have. I would love to see some pictures.

 

[LAW75]

The ceramic application is professionally done. It is amazing. They first buffed out any imperfections before application, which I understand to be the key to this look.

 

[Editor_Reid]

Are you going for a Concours? What car do you have. I would love to see some pictures.

It's a RHD BN2 built in November 1955 and titled as 1956. The Le Mans Kit was installed at the Donald Healey Motor Company in 1962, just after it sold to a US serviceman who was then stationed in France. We're 98+ percent done with the restoration, and we plan to have it concours inspected at the Rendezvous in Arcata CA in October. After that it will be for sale.

I've started building a website to tell about it. The website probably isn't even 25 percent done yet, and I haven't yet added any photos of the restoration. I also haven't gotten around to taking any beauty shots of the car yet, but here's a website preview:

BN2-229182.com

Here's a photo of the car as we loaded it up after the chassis was repaired and painted, just about one year ago. After we put it all back together except for the outer body, we took it back to the paint shop again for fitting of the body and final paint. It's Carmine Red with a black interior, and the panel fit and gaps are as near perfect as a human being can make them.

We are using the original seats (with new seat cushion foam installed by Geoff Chrysler, reusing the original nails!) and original center armrest cover, plus the original tonneau and top, both of which are in pristine condition.

In fact I'm headed to Hood River tomorrow for another three-day visit where we - that's Kent Lambert and I - work on the car. Since it is quite rare as a RHD BN2 with a Donald Healey Motor Company-installed Le Mans Kit, we plan to first market it to England, Australia, New Zealand and Japan - all of them RHD counties - and if it doesn't sell that way, then possibly via some auction TBD.

We're thinking $100,000 and believe it would sell for much more if presented at an auction in Europe. We also have the tool kit and jack, the original Owner's Handbook and a file of documentation like we've never seen before (the documents on the website will give you just a taste). We bought it from the estate of that US serviceman I mentioned, a few months after he passed. He owned the car from 1962 to 2019!

 

[LAW75]

It's a RHD BN2 built in November 1955 and titled as 1956. The Le Mans Kit was installed at the Donald Healey Motor Company in 1962, just after it sold to a US serviceman who was then stationed in France. We're 98+ percent done with the restoration, and we plan to have it concours inspected at the Rendezvous in Arcata CA in October. After that it will be for sale.

I've started building a website to tell about it. The website probably isn't even 25 percent done yet, and I haven't yet added any photos of the restoration. I also haven't gotten around to taking any beauty shots of the car yet, but here's a website preview:

BN2-229182.com

Here's a photo of the car as we loaded it up after the chassis was repaired and painted, just about one year ago. After we put it all back together except for the outer body, we took it back to the paint shop again for fitting of the body and final paint. It's Carmine Red with a black interior, and the panel fit and gaps are as near perfect as a human being can make them.

View attachment 77353

We are using the original seats (with new seat cushion foam installed by Geoff Chrysler, reusing the original nails!) and original center armrest cover, plus the original tonneau and top, both of which are in pristine condition.

In fact I'm headed to Hood River tomorrow for another three-day visit where we - that's Kent Lambert and I - work on the car. Since it is quite rare as a RHD BN2 with a Donald Healey Motor Company-installed Le Mans Kit, we plan to first market it to England, Australia, New Zealand and Japan - all of them RHD counties - and if it doesn't sell that way, then possibly via some auction TBD.

We're thinking $100,000 and believe it would sell for much more if presented at an auction in Europe. We also have the tool kit and jack, the original Owner's Handbook and a file of documentation like we've never seen before (the documents on the website will give you just a taste). We bought it from the estate of that US serviceman I mentioned, a few months after he passed. He owned the car from 1962 to 2019!

Reid. This is truly amazing documentation and what a professional present! Shell looks like cream caramel on top of chocolate. PLEASE send me pictures as you travel along the path...this is exciting and thank you much for sharing.