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another odd question

joeq

Jedi Hopeful
Offline
has anyone ever heard of – or would you be able to direct me towards – a healey that's been converted to automatic transmission?

long-ish story but lets just say that i really want my first healey and i can't – legally or physically – drive a standard.

thanks!!
 
Wow, this is a "strange" request.

Oddly enough there is a possibility of converting to an auto transmission. Several other cars used the BMC C series engine & some had the Borg Warner type 35 three speed auto transmission. A transmission from an Austin A99 or A110 would likely adapt as would one from the Wolsley 6/90 & 6/110. These models are still around in Canada & Europe but few in the USA. Also a few of the the Triumph Stags used this transmission but I doubt if it would adapt as easily as the Austin or Wolsley unit. Someone more knowledgeable than I will have to advise of the details. I doubt if many have put an auto behind the standard Healey engine, but you never know.
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Here is a partial quote from another web site regarding the BW Type 35 auto.

"On all Mark II Super Minxes a new Borg Warner type 35 automatic replaced the Smith’s Easidrive of the Mark I. A little history of the Borg Warner type 35 transmission is in order here. Borg Warner was a major supplier of gears and manual transmissions to the American automobile companies. However, their biggest customers were the “independents”- Studebaker and American Motors; GM, Ford and Chrysler generally used their own transmissions. In the early 1950’s Studebaker approached Borg Warner and asked them to develop an automatic transmission that was more efficient then the units available from the “big three”. The reason for this was that Studebaker’s strongest selling point was good fuel economy, and this was achieved by using small engines- a 169 cubic inch six producing 85 horsepower. This engine did not have any power to spare for a transmission. American Motors Rambler engine was only slightly larger and also produced only 85 horsepower. Both Chevy and Ford’s smallest engines developed well over 100 horsepower (Ford’s six reached 145 horsepower by 1957). Borg Warner developed the Type 35 (the three indicates 3 speed-there was a later Type 45 transmission that had 4 speeds) for Studebaker and American motors."

All of the auto conversions that I have seen in the USA were behind a V8 engine transplant.
D
 
Welcome Joe.

I see this question asked more often on Miata.net. If you need an automatic trans in the your dream car, I'd say "Go for it!"
As Dave says, the Borg type 35 looks like it could be fitted to the big Healey engines. The MGC (which used a 6 cylinder related to the AH big six) was available with the Borg 35 auto trans (in fact, you might want to consider looking for an MGC automatic instead of a big Healey).The other obvious choice is a total engine swap: I saw an amazingly nice big AH with a Buick V6 and auto trans (but I've also seen swaps that were hack jobs).
One choice that purists may object to are AH replicas with an auto trans...some of them seem pretty good to me. Here's some:

https://www.checkeffect.net/personal/sebringMx.html

https://www.hmcsportscars.com/
 
thanks – heard about the mgc but really got my heart set on a big healey.

engine swaps was going to be my next question. clearly it would be a lot easier if i found one for sale rather than having to go through the trial and error of having it done my self... besides from the usual sources (ebaymotors, hemmings, etc.) any ideas where i might look?
 
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by joeq:
thanks – heard about the mgc but really got my heart set on a big healey.

engine swaps was going to be my next question. clearly it would be a lot easier if i found one for sale rather than having to go through the trial and error of having it done my self... besides from the usual sources (ebaymotors, hemmings, etc.) any ideas where i might look?
<hr></blockquote>
There is a fellow in the North Texas chapter of the Austin Healey Club of America that swapped a Datsun 240Z, I think, which is an inline six comparable to the Healey six, that had an automatic in it. Might be a good ideal for you to join one of the AH clubs and start receiving there magazines, both offer many cars for sale in various stages of competion.


wink.gif
 
thanks, dave – i've been posting questions there as well. (good invention, this internet thing)
 
joeq

I am the web master for both the North Texas AHC and the Modified Austin Healey Registry (I do NOT call us "Nasty Boys")

I have a 302 Ford V8 and a 4 speed Auto-OD in mine. You can view my car at www.ntahc.org/modifiedhealeys (Car # 1) and if you want to take this discussion off line I may be able to get you some information about an Auto-Trans in a Healey.

The car with the Datsun engine is # 49. The engine is actually a 260-Z inline 6 with a 5-speed.

My Email address is at the bottom of the web site home page.

Tim
 
The block currently in my BJ8 had a Ford cast iron automatic from the early 60's attatched to it. The engine also came had a modified pedal box with no clutch pedal. So it has been done before. That automatic was extrememly hard to lift into the dumpster in 1984.
 
Just noticed - there's a 56 Healey with a V-8 and automatic transmission on ebay - #247753324, expires May 10.

Sharon
BN1

[ 05-06-2004: Message edited by: healeygal ]</p>
 
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