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One of the best of us passed away Tuesday. Kent Lambert of Hood River, Oregon, collapsed at home, apparently passing away quickly. He was in his mid-80s.
Kent and I were "co-conspirators" in Healey projects and in fact we had just done a 100-mile shakedown run on our RHD BN2 last week. The fuel pump had cut out during one phase of the trip, and Kent was apparently working on it at the time of his death. It was dismantled and spread out on his workbench. I spent many two- and three-day visits at his farmhouse south of town when we would work on Healeys and watch reruns of Gunsmoke in the evenings.
The RHD BN2 was just the last of our several joint projects, and you could not have a better partner in the hobby. Kent had voluminous knowledge of the cars and originality and was a virtual walking concours guidelines. He also had a large stock of NOS and some used Healey parts, and he was a bit of a best-kept secret as a source for parts. He never advertised and sold parts more as a service to the community than as a business.
Kent owned eight Healeys: a 100M, a 100 with the Le Mans Kit, a plain BN2, no less than three BN7 tri-carbs, and two BJ8s. All but one of the BJ8s were Concours Gold, and the one that wasn't was an unrestored car.
Kent was just putting the finishing touches on one of those two-seat tri-carbs and we had planned to drive it and the RHD BN2 to the Vancouver (BC) All British Field Meet and the Healey Rendezvous in Sooke, BC next month, where they were scheduled for concours judging. Both were easily Gold-level cars.
I've lost a very dear friend, and the community has lost one of the best of us.
MEMORIAL INFORMATION ADDED 4/15:
Brad Lambert, one of Kent's sons, has asked me to announce the details of the memorial for Kent:
Sunday, May 5.
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
At the Mt. Hood Winery,
2882 Van Horn Drive, Hood River OR 97031.
Please drive Healeys if possible.
https://www.andersonstributecenter.com/memorials/kent-lambert/5410683/index.php
Please spread the word to anyone who may be interested.
Thank you.
Reid Trummel
Kent and I were "co-conspirators" in Healey projects and in fact we had just done a 100-mile shakedown run on our RHD BN2 last week. The fuel pump had cut out during one phase of the trip, and Kent was apparently working on it at the time of his death. It was dismantled and spread out on his workbench. I spent many two- and three-day visits at his farmhouse south of town when we would work on Healeys and watch reruns of Gunsmoke in the evenings.
The RHD BN2 was just the last of our several joint projects, and you could not have a better partner in the hobby. Kent had voluminous knowledge of the cars and originality and was a virtual walking concours guidelines. He also had a large stock of NOS and some used Healey parts, and he was a bit of a best-kept secret as a source for parts. He never advertised and sold parts more as a service to the community than as a business.
Kent owned eight Healeys: a 100M, a 100 with the Le Mans Kit, a plain BN2, no less than three BN7 tri-carbs, and two BJ8s. All but one of the BJ8s were Concours Gold, and the one that wasn't was an unrestored car.
Kent was just putting the finishing touches on one of those two-seat tri-carbs and we had planned to drive it and the RHD BN2 to the Vancouver (BC) All British Field Meet and the Healey Rendezvous in Sooke, BC next month, where they were scheduled for concours judging. Both were easily Gold-level cars.
I've lost a very dear friend, and the community has lost one of the best of us.
MEMORIAL INFORMATION ADDED 4/15:
Brad Lambert, one of Kent's sons, has asked me to announce the details of the memorial for Kent:
Sunday, May 5.
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
At the Mt. Hood Winery,
2882 Van Horn Drive, Hood River OR 97031.
Please drive Healeys if possible.
https://www.andersonstributecenter.com/memorials/kent-lambert/5410683/index.php
Please spread the word to anyone who may be interested.
Thank you.
Reid Trummel