An oddity

[zblu]

This might be of interest to some

 

[Editor_Reid]

This car was the subject of a major feature in HEALEY MARQUE several months ago, including a very similar cover photo. Additionally, there is more to the story that we will be posting to the club website soon.

An interesting car, but perhaps a case of, "There's less here than meets the eye."

 

[zblu]

Hi Reid,
Just came across it while I was trawling waiting for this site to come back online, ever seen it before

 

[vagt6]

So, what is it, Reid??

 

[HEALEYJAG]

It is a four-headlamp prototype Healey-X230. Itwas built at the factory in early 1960 as a "styling excercise" for a potential four headlamp model. It was deemed not a good idea and shelved until 1971 when it was sold during "house cleaning".

This is the alleged story.


Pete

It is now in the U.S. after being brought from Italy..it was listed on E_BAY.

 

[Editor_Reid]

So, what is it, Reid??

Well, it's a bit difficult to summarize, but it appears to be a re-creation of the four-headlamp prototype, with many original parts that were supposed to have been destroyed, but weren't. So it is not a fake exactly, but it's also not "the" original four-headlamp prototype. It's historic in the sense of being old and not recently cobbled together, but it wasn't completed by the factory the way it appears today.

It's more like a collection of interesting old parts in the form of a long-lost prototype. Not a fake. Not an actual historic car. I'm not sure what you might call it to do it justice.

Let's call it, "interesting."

 

[Sparkie93]

A little more detail and several photos can be found at:

https://quattrofino.com/

It's not very attractive to me. Notice the wheelbase has also been increased.

Robert

 

[HEALEYJAG]

"Very Interesting"

 

[nevets]

falls into the category called "just because you CAN do something, it doesn't mean you should" ...but somethimes you have to try, just to be sure.

 

[zblu]

Actually reminded me of a triumph herald with the twin lights

 

[bob hughes]

Sorry to resurect this one, just a little more info. - Looked the old girl up on the web, it would appear that she is on your side of the pond having been sold by an Italian in 2006, did not get the URL but just type in - 4 head lamp Healey and paged down a bit and you will find it.

Bob

 

[Ernst Blofeld]

Oddly enough someone at BMC must have like the four-headlamp arrangement because the ungainly Austin 3-litre saloon shared it.

The 3-litre was an interesing old bus, though, being a RWD, hydrolastically sprung, RWD saloon derived from Issigonis' FWD 1800. It featured self-levelling rear suspension and its ride/handling was reputedly excellent. The 3-litre's engine was a seven-main bearing variant of the Healey's C-series which was also used to little effect in the MGC.

You've probably guessed that I'm a Brit (because I've written 'saloon' and not 'sedan') and in my younger years (I'm 38, BTW) it always filled me with patriotic pride watching US films and TV programmes set in New York because taxi drivers there drove Austin 3-litres. It was only much later that I learned the truth. Only BMC could have managed to build a luxury saloon that looked like the Checker taxi, and what's even stranger is that the big Austin was meant to form the basis for a junior Rolls-Royce, or Bentley...

 

[Legal Bill]

When i was in Colorado I stopped by a saloon. does this make me British?

 

[GregW]

Maybe an alcoholic. :wink:

 

[Legal Bill]

I can stop whenever I want. Not right now, but whenever.

 

[GregW]

Speaking of not right now, I think I'll have a beer.

 

[Michael Oritt]

Reid said "Let's call it interesting."
Interesting perhaps, ugly for sure!