My Austin Healey is for sale

[DerekJ]

Well I've just made a big decision....my Healey is for sale.

I am in the process of relocating to Malta and the fact of the matter is that I do not think its a place where I can justify the ownership and importation of my car. Neither do I want to keep it in storage for an indefinite period - not fair on the car - she needs to be driven.

The car is a 1958 100-Six (6 port head, Longbridge interior etc). The car had a nut and bolt rebuild in 1996 on a new JULE chassis and is as solid as a rock with absolutely no rust.

Its Healey Blue and white, with blue and white piped leather interior. Ive owned her since 1998 and she's still in absolutely excellant condition. Other points to note are:

- Rebored and new pistons fitted during the rebuild
- aluminium fuel tank
- new clutch and synchros fitted in 2001
- new rear springs in 2004
- Dennis Welch headers and side exhaust 2005
- High Torque starter 2006
- 4 new Vredestein Classic tyres fitted in 2005 (still almost like new)
- Excellant soft top, tonneau and sidescreens
- Moto-Lita "Derrington" style wheel.

Overall the car is in excellant condition and has served me well on various long journeys including:

- Toronto to Indianapolis
- Paris to St Moritz
- Paris to Warwick UK


Pictures of the car can be seen at various pages on my website, including under "My 100-Six", "European Healey meeting St Moritz" and "Le Mans Classic".

The site homepage is

https://www.healeysix.net

The car is in Paris and I believe will be of most interest to those living in Europe, in particular the UK, France , Netherlands , Belgium, Switzerland etc.

I know most forum members are in the US but there are some european members who might be interested and if not might be kind enough to pass on details to their clubs and friends.

Interested persons can contact me by e mail at

derek.c.job@gmail.com

or by phone at

356 99 43 14 08 cell
356 213 76 442 apartment

cheers

 

[Dave Richards]

Tough choice, good luck with the sale. Stay on the forum form Malta.

 

[jstmorris]

Derek; I am sorry that you have to pass on stewardship of your 100-6. I well remember the run to Indy Conclave with you and Rich Chrysler; a good time was had by all. I have a picture of you somewhere around here while we were on the road.

This Saturday we are gathering at Rich's for a AHCSO tech session dealing with the Healey chassis and metal work. Rich has arranged to have some of the best panel beaters bar none attend and demonstrate what & what not to do and how to do it. And then on Monday, about 8 of us are off to the Toronto Auto Show after our ROMEO [Retired Old Men Eating Out] breakfast. When you resided here in Southern Ontario we had some great times and I just thought I would give you a taste of our current activities.

Derek, I wish you a speedy sale and the best in Malta. And your web site is great; I hope you can keep it up.

--Scott

 

[Patton]

I am in the process of relocating to Malta

Good luck with the move. Years ago when my square-body Sprite was my obsession, I corresponded with a guy who was restoring a Sprite there. Unfortunately my emails from that long ago are long gone, but there is at least one Healey there.

Thanks for all you have done,

Patton

 

[shorn]

Soren-ak was looking for a Healey awhile back on this forum. I believe he is located in Europe. You might wish to contact him. Might be Soren_ak.

 

[healey106]

Derek - Best of Luck with your sale. Best of luck with the move to Malta. But then sorry also to hear of the sale of your 100 Six. You certainly have been an excellent resource for the factual documentation for the birth of the Big Healey Six
What are your plans for the web-site?
Jim

 

[DerekJ]

Hi All

Many thanks for the kind comments. I will certainly miss that car, in the past I have sometimes thought of getting a rally Healey but I could never bring myself to sell my car just to buy another Healey...too much part of the family and with great memories.

Scott - I wish I could be there at those sessions. I missed the pub nights and proximity to Rich's shop and his great knowledge of Healeys. I will be doing some consulting work and expect to be in Canada sometime in March or April, so maybe I will make another pub night.

Jim - With all the moving around I have been off-line for several months. I plan to stay in touch with the Healey world and also to keep the website on-line and updated when ever I get some good new information from you guys out there. I might even make the 2008 European Meeting in Sweden.

Patton- I may yet find a Healey here. Malta has a surprising number of classic cars, and also what is a bit different is that there are a lot of old english cars that are in daily use. Hillman Hunters, Ford Zephrys, Austin Cambridges, Austin A40 pick up trucks still hauling goods. Its a bit like Cuba with its old yank cars. Yesterday I also saw an E-Type Coupe and when I get chance I'm going to see if there is a classic car club, and maybe there is a big Healey here.

If anybody out there is interested in old english buses, then Malta's the place, There are many old Leylands, Commers, etc. some even from the the 1930s! They are still in service as public transport and are very well looked after, like classic cars, I think they may even receive government funds to help them. Thats some more research I plan to do when I get the chance.

Happy Healeying

 

[pan]

Derek,
Good luck with the sale & the move. Maybe your next Healey will be a 100? I had the pleasure of giving you your first ride in a "four" when you visited Brisbane.
Alwyn

 

[Editor_Reid]

Derek,

What a shame to sell your Healey. I stored Healeys for a long, long time while my military career took me to many far-flung corners of the globe where sports car ownership was not practical, to put it mildly. I am now re-united with them and enjoying it immensely.

In any case, I am curious about what you will be doing in Malta. Sue and I spent Thanksgiving Day weekend there in 1998 (I was then stationed in nearby Tunisia), and Malta is absolutely fascinating. I am trying to convince our Italian friends to join us there for another visit sometime.

By the way, I already visited the former BMC dealer in Malta and cleaned them out! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Good luck with the move and duties in Malta. Maybe you already know the place, but if not, you're in for a treat if you're a history buff.

 

[AndrewMawson]

I sympathise with you parting with the Healey, but having driven several times on the roads of Malta there is no way I would take my BJ8 ! The pot holes are huge, and although the correct side of the road is LEFT they tend to drive either in the middle or to avoid the sun or potholes!

Taking a ride on the back seat of a Maltese bus (ex England) is an experiance to take with you for the rest of your life. How the axles survive falling into those holes is anyones guess. Now when it comes to safety tests, I have actually seen a Priest blessing a lorry before it's test (on Gozo actually)<G> The side of the roads are covered in shrines remembering accident victims.

 

[DerekJ]

Andrew - I agree with your comments about the roads, it was an additional factor in my decision, plus with the island only being about 30 miles by 15 miles, there's really not many places to go.

Alwyn - I remember that drive very well. A beautiful late evening in Brisbane with the sound of the big four rebounding off the buildings. Terrific

Reid - My heart strings are being tugged, and I am actually reconsidering the decision to sell. I may store it for 6 months or so while I take stock of my overall situation. I've still gots lots of things to sort out so I dont want to rush a decision I may regret later. You are right about the history of Malta, it is fascinating, and there is so much of it for such a small place. The fortress city of Valetta with its ramparts is really very impressive.

Jim - Just to confirm I will not be neglecting the site I have updated the home page now that the 50th anniversay has passed. There's now a nice action photo of me and my car fording a river during the rally at last years International Healey Weekend in the Uk

check it out at https://www.healeysix.net

My new e mail for anybody wishing to contact me is

derek.c.job@gmail.com

 

[dlamb43]

Derek, Luck in Malta and with the Healey. Never been there myself, but my dad captained HMS BRECON during the second big one on North Sea Convoy duty and later in defense of Malta (we WON!) He also drove a Healey (Silverstone) and my advice would be to TAKE IT WITH YOU. Cheers, David Lamb