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100/4 frame

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sunbeam74

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Is there an easy way to tell the difference between a 100/4 frame and a 100/6 frame? (keep in mind, I don't have both to use as a side by side comparison - just the one frame)

The 100/6 is longer, I assume, but is there a dimension I could quickly take a tape measure and verify.


Thanks,

Steve
 
These two frames are easily identified. Apart from the length (2" longer door opening on the 6) the structure of the front scuttle is quite different. On the four the braces from the suspension tower to the firewall are simple box sections. The six is more complex although a bit hard to describe. Look for bracketry to accomodate the pendant style pedals. The four cylinder engine has angled mounts, located adjacent to the front tower while the six has box shaped mounts sprouting from the chassis rail some way back from the tower.
 
Thank you for the reply. I believe this is a 100/4 chassis based on the box sections coming back to the firewall. Also the door opening would have been 28.5" at the bottom of the door.

This is an odd car. It is a Healey-Chevy with a very unique body. It is a pretty car and the body was fabricated completely from steel. It is very impressive the complexity of the panels and the method of assembling them.

As you can imaging the chassis itself has been modified exstensively. The SN ID identifies it as a 100/4 BN2L but there was a possibility that plate wasn't original (I am pretty sure it is but you never know)

Thanks again,

Steve
 
sunbeam74 said:
Thank you for the reply. I believe this is a 100/4 chassis based on the box sections coming back to the firewall. Also the door opening would have been 28.5" at the bottom of the door.

This is an odd car. It is a Healey-Chevy with a very unique body. It is a pretty car and the body was fabricated completely from steel. It is very impressive the complexity of the panels and the method of assembling them.

As you can imaging the chassis itself has been modified exstensively. The SN ID identifies it as a 100/4 BN2L but there was a possibility that plate wasn't original (I am pretty sure it is but you never know)

Thanks again,

Steve
Click to expand...

Welcome!

pics, pics, pics, please!
 
Here's a link with some images. https://picasaweb.google.com/corr0864/Healey

The Healey apparently was found in a warehouse in the 70s. It was restored in the early 80's (I think some of the early pictures of it in the garage are from the 80's restoration). It was painted red, then.

In the early 90's it was restored again but painted silver and the Halibrand (fake) wheels were added.

The engine is a early 283 with fuelie heads. The body is steel and pretty well done. The frame has been strengthened. The brakes are Corvette drums - spindles modified to accept the Corvette hubs.

Unfortunately, it has some nose damag, currently. (must have been damaged in the past too, since you can see the nose was a bit dodgy as far as repairs go)

The car drives fairly well, however, I think a bushing may be shot in the leaf spring end or it could be a bushing on the shock end. Also, a sway-bar link in the front is broken.

I think this car may have been Ernie Robinson's Healey in the early 60's. I am currently trying to figure out who built the body. It must have been somebody with a degree of skill.

Steve
 
My plans are to run it in vintage events. I have run smaller displacement cars and some prewar cars but not a C-Modified. Clearly, the car needs work to really be used on the track but I think it is a great starting point.

Also... what do you think.... leave it silver with red or put it back to red with white?
 
Mike,

Thanks for the link to the photos. I am pretty sure the car is a 100/4. The frame is very similar to yours.

I am still amazed at the body construction. I can't figure out why they would have used steel versus aluminum.

... with that note... I am just hoping I can straighten out that nose without too much trouble.

Steve
 
My 2 cents worth...

I like the "original" dash layout to the current configuration. That line of guages seems more impressive to me!

If you are just going to repair the nose, then leaving the silver and red combo works for me. If you have bigger plans in the bodywork etc. arena, you could pay homage to the original red/white and the silver/red by going white/red?

No matter which way you go, you will have a very interesting car!

Keep us posted! :smile:
 
Thanks Peter. I agree, I like the original dash. Unfortuantely, I suspect that was "toss" in the restoration in the 80's.

I am trying to figure out, in the image of the orignal dash, if they took a Healey dash and modified it OR built a completely new dash.

What ever it was, for the period, the car was pretty well done.

Steve
 
Hello sunbeam74,

I couldn't see the pics but the body was probably done in steel rather than aluminum because aluminum requires a lot more skill.

There were a lot of Healey specials built in those days that even today look very nice.

bundyrum.
 
Bundyrum,

Here is another link with some photos. It is the second to last car listed - silver and red.

https://www.acmefluid.com.au/larry/specials.html

There are some other interesting details regarding the car. According to notes with the car it was raced in Southern Florida by Ernie Robinson. I am trying to investigate that further.

BTW< some of the other Healey specials listed on this page are pretty nice. I like the 1962 Pininfarina show car.

Steve
 
Just an observation.....is there anything that can be done about that roll bar? It just doesn't fit the rest of the stylings of the car. imho. Maybe one along the lines of the style used for AC Cobras?? It just seems like an after thought - like Oops, we forgot the roll bar..[censored]
 
It would be nice if it were a single hoop behind the driver. The original bar from the 60's was a single "square" like hoop that was centered - not running the full width of the cockpit. It was somewhat odd. It reminded me of Jim Ladd's 100/6 rollbar (drove Healey's in the SCCA in the early 60's.)

There is going to be some additional roll bar work since I plan on running some vintage events. I had planned on adding a petty bar and some additional height for the driver's side. Also a headrest on a diagonal. Perhaps there is something that could be done visually. Of course, safety will be important.

What I like about the roll bar is just below the rear deck it is connected left to right. Then traveling back to the trunk there are supports that pick up the frame on both sides - just behind the fuel tank.
 
Hello sunbeam74,

Thanks for that link, now I can see what your talking about.

Personally I wouldn't change anything excepting of course the roll bar. You don't really have much choice but to contact the groups you plan racing the car with to find out what their requirements are regarding roll bars.

At the end of the day they are only trying to protect your neck and their insurance policy.

Just a thought, maybe the groups you plan on racing the car with would have contacts for getting a bar made up to specs.

As far as the 1962 Pininfarina car that's just too angular for me, I like curved bodies myself. i e the two 3000 coupes for example.

bundyrum.
 
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