Identify the Racer

[HealeyRick]

Nice period picture of Colin Vandervell and his Brabham BT35 in the paddock at Castle Combe during the 1971 F3 championship from this site, which has some other nice period racing shots: https://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-34898905

Note the Healey in the background. Any of you racers know it? (I found some, it's still around)

 

[DerekJ]

The car registration is 422 CPB I think. It is a 100-Six. Its history is spelled out 'Big Healeys in Competition' however it is not mentioned who the owner was during the period the above photo was taken, but in 1974 it was sold to Eric Price for £350!

 

[HealeyRick]

From a 2008 Coys auction:

" In September 1956 the Austin. Healey 100/6 was introduced using the s cylinder, 2,638cc BMC engine from the new Austin Westminster, which produced 102bhp at 4,600rpm and was a great deal more flexible and smooth, whilst the BN2 gearbox now featured overdrive. The 100/6 was phenomenally successful on the road and especially in the international rally world, being campaigned by many of the best known drivers of the day. In 1960 Rootes chassis engineer John Harris started racing Minis and in the search for more power he acquired 422 CPB for the 1962 season. At the 1963 season opener at Silverstone John Harris had reduced his lap times by over a second and took the three litre class lap record; the car also competed at Goodwood, Mallory Park and Oulton Park. During the '63 season Tony and Corrine Charnell purchased the car using it in various trials and local races, before it was purchased the following year by Derek Mackay; with a competitive season under his belt the car was then acquired by Eric Price and with it he enjoyed a class win in 1979 at Silverstone in the AMOC Thoroughbred Sports Car Championship among, one of several notable class wins. 422 CPB has been a competition car for the majority of its life and latterly a thoroughbred lightweight race car to Austin Healey 3000 specification, the restoration of which started in September 2007 and finished in August 2008. The work was carried out by the owner, a former classic car restorer, and a photographic record of this is supplied with the car together with a MoT test certificate valid until March 2009 and a V5 document registration number. The engine is a balanced race specification, 3,000cc unit with polished and gas flowed aluminium cylinder head, triple Weber 45DCOE carburettors and competition exhaust manifold and silencer, while the gearbox has close ratio, straight cut gears and an overdrive, and servo-assisted disc brakes are fitted all round with up-rated front calipers. Finished in the works colours of red with a white roof and black interior, the trim of which is new, including the leather on the bucket seats. the owner reports that this Big Healey makes for a very fast and fine handling car. In excellent condition all round and with an almost continuous competition history from new. It represents a very exciting ownership proposition."

 

[joe cott]

Nice period picture of Colin Vandervell and his Brabham BT35 in the paddock at Castle Combe during the 1971 F3 championship from this site, which has some other nice period racing shots:

Amateur photographers capture golden age of motor racing

Amateur photographs of the stars and cars in action and in the pits during Grand Prix of the past.

www.bbc.com

Note the Healey in the background. Any of you racers know it? (I found some, it's still around)

I

From a 2008 Coys auction:

" In September 1956 the Austin. Healey 100/6 was introduced using the s cylinder, 2,638cc BMC engine from the new Austin Westminster, which produced 102bhp at 4,600rpm and was a great deal more flexible and smooth, whilst the BN2 gearbox now featured overdrive. The 100/6 was phenomenally successful on the road and especially in the international rally world, being campaigned by many of the best known drivers of the day. In 1960 Rootes chassis engineer John Harris started racing Minis and in the search for more power he acquired 422 CPB for the 1962 season. At the 1963 season opener at Silverstone John Harris had reduced his lap times by over a second and took the three litre class lap record; the car also competed at Goodwood, Mallory Park and Oulton Park. During the '63 season Tony and Corrine Charnell purchased the car using it in various trials and local races, before it was purchased the following year by Derek Mackay; with a competitive season under his belt the car was then acquired by Eric Price and with it he enjoyed a class win in 1979 at Silverstone in the AMOC Thoroughbred Sports Car Championship among, one of several notable class wins. 422 CPB has been a competition car for the majority of its life and latterly a thoroughbred lightweight race car to Austin Healey 3000 specification, the restoration of which started in September 2007 and finished in August 2008. The work was carried out by the owner, a former classic car restorer, and a photographic record of this is supplied with the car together with a MoT test certificate valid until March 2009 and a V5 document registration number. The engine is a balanced race specification, 3,000cc unit with polished and gas flowed aluminium cylinder head, triple Weber 45DCOE carburettors and competition exhaust manifold and silencer, while the gearbox has close ratio, straight cut gears and an overdrive, and servo-assisted disc brakes are fitted all round with up-rated front calipers. Finished in the works colours of red with a white roof and black interior, the trim of which is new, including the leather on the bucket seats. the owner reports that this Big Healey makes for a very fast and fine handling car. In excellent condition all round and with an almost continuous competition history from new. It represents a very exciting ownership proposition."

I was told it was run in rally form by Pat Moss. The owner at the time of this pic was Robert Ward from Kidderminster.