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Meeting Donald Healey

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G'day all from sunny South-East Queensland, where the temperature is today headed for 40 degrees Celsius.
Happy New Year!
I was reminded by reading another post that some of us have had the pleasure of meeting Donald Healey.
How many of us can say that?
I am fortunate enough to have had that honour on several occasions. The first time was in January 1977 when 'the Skipper' visited Australia. He first went to Melbourne then travelled north to Sydney for the Historic Races at Amaroo Park. DMH was the Patron of the meeting. Several Austin-Healey enthusiasts from Queensland made the 600 mile trip down there for the Australia Day weekend.
The AHOC of NSW put on an evening barbie that Mr. Healey attended and I enjoyed a short conversion with him about Cornwall. At the time I thought that I had ancestral ties to the region (more family research revealed my ancestors are from the English Midlands).
In 1978 I travelled to Britain and made friends with several Austin-Healey enthusiasts, members of the AH Club Midlands Centre, in particular Carolyn & Jack Waters. Donald Healey came up from Cornwall for the International Healey Day and as an international visitor I was invited to have lunch with 'the Skipper'. Several other celebrities who had connections to our cars when they were in development & production were also there. That event stands out among many happy memories of that trip.
Later in '78, Mr. Healey visited London for the first Classic Car Show at Alexander Palace. With Mrs Waters, I visited him at his accomodation.
During the same trip to the U.K. I also met Geoff & Margot Healey and their daughters. On one occasion, I even went to Geoff & Margot's home in Barford.
In 1988 Bic & Mary Healey visited Queensland and my wife and I had the pleasure of meeting them, too.
And finally, in 1990, when Geoff & Margot came to Ballarat, Victoria for the Austin-Healey Clubs' National Rally, we met again.
I'd be interested to hear of other who have had similar experiences.
Now for another cold beer to keep cool!
Cheers,
Alwyn
 
Met DMH briefly at the 1982 International Healey event in Snowmass, CO. He was quite accessible throughout the event. He milled around making sure to talk with just about everyone who wanted to meet him. I wish I had talked to him more. I think of him as a celebrity, and always get completely tongue-tied when I meet someone like that. Although he appeared very healthy and vigorous at the time, I think he died not long after that.

I don't recall Geoff being at Snowmass, but he was definitely at the Breckenridge meeting in 1992. Like his father, he was very appreciative and humble about the strength of enthusiasm for Healey history.
 
Mr. Donald Mitchell Healey passed away at age 89.5 years on January 13, 1988.

I had the pleasure of standing next to my father while he spoke with him at the 1980 and 1981 Conclaves. More importantly, I had the honor of getting his autograph and speaking with him at the 1985 Encounter. I was 10 yrs old and I still remember that moment as if it were yesterday.
 
I met him at a meet in Massachusetts in about 1986. It was a warm day and he spent much of the time in a Caddy with the A/C blowing.
 
The first time for me, was back in 76 when he was the guest of Honor at the First national gathering in Cherry Hill, NJ when he was on the way to the West Coast gathering

jim
 
Encounter in Seven Springs in 1985?


Pete
 
I never had the pleasure of meeting with Donald Healey, but I did have the rare opportunity of seeing his Rolls Healey being worked on, getting a lot of information on it and having the pleasure of setting in it. Her's some photos. PJ













 
healey106 said:
The first time for me, was back in 76 when he was the guest of Honor at the First national gathering in Cherry Hill, NJ when he was on the way to the West Coast gathering

jim
Click to expand...
I was there for that one too. I received the "Longest Drive Award" at 950 miles from Jacksoneville, FL.
 
HEALEYJAG said:
Just found my encounter photos of my red bugeye that finished third behind Jay Fishbein (very nice car) was 1985 ..I was 28 yrs old at the time.
Click to expand...

I recall a gentleman from the Pittsburgh area (I think) who had a red Bugeye (I think) that wound up snapping his rear axle in half during the gymkhana. I believe he had it repaired and was driving again within 24 hours or so. Any chance that was you...?
 
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