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New Healey Owner ... What to expect?

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Pizzi348

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I just bought a 1956 Austin Healey 100-4. I guess I have some questions on what to expect from this car. I had a Pre-purchase inspection done on the car and glowing reviews came back.

I guess I was wondering how dependable I should expect it to be, given that it's mechanically sound (for now anyway). Also, I can I take it on the highway? I have some older cars where that wouldn't be such a good idea.

How do I engage the overdrive and how should I use it? How do I disengage it?

Any tips for a new owner?

Thanks guys! I'm excited to get it! (It's being shipped right now).
 
Assuming the car was thoroughly safety checked there is absolutely no reason you cannot drive the car on the freeway. It will cruise all day long at healthy freeway speeds. Just remember, the car is more than 50 years old and it should be treated with the respect due an elder statesman, even if that elder is one of the coolest cars on the planet.

On any old car, dependability is a function of maintenance. If the car was well restored and subsequent maintenance was carried out regularly and carefully it is as dependable as you could hope for. My Healey is "only" 42 years old, I have driven it on many (relatively) long journeys without a hiccup. and I wouldn't hesitate to take it on a weekend trip almost anywhere. Carry a few critical spares and keep the Austin Healey USA club book of members in the boot. The membership is scattered all over the 50 states. If you're a member of an automobile club like AAA keep the card with you and buy the extra 100 mile towing option. You never know!

The overdrive engages via a switch on your dash. My overdrive, I'm assuming yours too, engages in 3rd gear and again in 4th which functionally gives me 6 forward speeds. Someone with a 100/4 should probably answer your question as to how to use it as the early Healeys may be different than my BJ8.

A few tips:
1. Meet some other Healey owners and drive your car!
Join the local chapter of the Austin Healey Club

2. I notice you're in CT. Rust is an issue with these old birds. Best to keep a regular eye on the frame and sills if you drive in winter or wet months.

3. Healeys like to be driven. They don't like to sit for long periods of inactivity. Seals and gaskets dry out and rubber cracks.

4. Treat the car like an old airplane. Before climbing in, do a walk around and check all of the critical components - brakes, oil level, coolant level, lights, horn, look for unusual amounts of fluid on the ground.

4. Most of all - enjoy that beast, drive it knowing you are the custodian one of the coolest (and now rarest) sports cars ever to hit the road.

Good luck...

Randy
'66 BJ8
 
Freeway driving? Pick your times and places carefully. While the car will function, assuming proper maintenance, it is not safe in a high speed crash.

Two weeks ago I was exiting the freeway about a block from my office. Had my BJ8 windshield in the back seat of my BMW. Traffic was backed up on the exit ramp, and I was last in line, stopped, awaiting my turn to progress. A van hit me from behind at around 60 mph. Didn't even brake. The force of the first impact crumpled the rear of the BMW, broke my seat back and propelled me into the Suburban in front, crushing the front end as well. While I didn't walk away, I am alive and reasonably intact. If I had been in my MGB or the Healey, I would have been killed instantly. No question.

I'm not here to say that these cars should never be driven on high speed highways, but there are times and places it's simply not worth the risk. Enjoy your car, but never forget that you can't treat it as if it is a modern automobile.
 
Hello Pizzi,
Welcome to the BCF and congrads on being a new Healey 100-4 owner.

My concerns to you Cutlass. I hope your doing well and on the road to recovery.

Pizzi, others, most likely 100 owners, will chime in on your overdrive question. You'll find it very easy to use.

Driving your car. Is it dependable? If restored correctly, yes it will be dependable. First thing you should do, drive your car to your Healey mechanic and have a good going over. Better to know the condition of your car, first hand, then to take someone word that everything is fine. Then ask him what you need to stay on top of.

My Dad drove his Healey as a daily driver for many many years when we lived in Milford Conn. Yes, everyday, through the salt sprayed roads in winter, through the thunderstorms back and forth to work at Skyorski helicopters.

I have the same year Healey as my Dad. I drive it everyday and I certainly drive it on the freeway, at freeway speed. I have a good mechanic and I have spent a lot of time getting to know my car. I feel my car is as safe as it was when my Father drove his. Not as safe as new cars with air bags, crumple zones and bumpers that are good for 5 miles per hour. Heck I think the Healey has better bumpers than the new cars. Go ahead new car, brail park against my car. Look your bumper now has a ding and the paint is marred. My steel chrome bumper, no mark. Well as long as the car I speak of is not an SUV. Heck even the SUV should be nervous when a Hummer is backing up towards it. Dog eat dog world.

Anyway, my point is if your car is restored correctly, drive it and enjoy it. Just watch out for the other guy. I look at driving my Healey as if an accident happens, it happens. If it is serious enough to kill me, then it is Gods will. I could be in my modern new car, get in an accident and die also. I try not to think of such things. I do the best I can to make sure my car is safe to drive, be careful driving and enjoy the ride, as they say.

Happy Healey motoring!
Roger
 
Great thanks for the replies guys. Hopefully a 100-4 owner will chime in on the OD.
 
From a 100 owner: yes, overdrive will work on 3rd and 4th, that is if you have a BN2 with a 4-speed. A BN1 has a 3 speed and I imagine OD would only work on 3rd.
 
Join the clubs and buy books. The guys and gals at the clubs would be happy to go over the car with you. The books will explain what they say and help you to fix things. These are pretty much DIY cars. THAT gives you a real satisfying driving experience. DYI also helps you if something goes wrong on the road. They are very dependable cars and many of us will travel many thousands of miles each year to go to the conclaves and club meets. Welcome and have fun (cause that is what a Healey is all about).
Only caution with the OD is not to have it encaged it you go in reverse. It should just be a flick of the switch when you are out on the highway. The engine will work less and save gas. It should only work in third and forth and go off by itself in lower gears. I usually reserve it for high speed cruzing on freeways and highways. You don't want to "lug" the engine at slower speeds. I believe over-drive means the engine is reving less than the drive shaft which puts stress on the engine at slower seeds. (please correct me if I'm wrong)
To disengage the OD you must give it a little gas and flip the switch. If you shut it off at constant speed either nothing will happen or it may give you a jolt. Once you are use to it, it's like having 6 gears forward.
 
Hello and welcome,
I have a 1956 BN2 that I just got on the road a little while ago. I drive on the freeway from time to time. I am not so much concerned about my car failing me as I am about tail-gaters, crazy people, and 18 wheelers that don't/can't see me. As others have pointed out our cars were built without many (any?)safety fearures we have come to take for granted. I have installed rather stout shoulder harnesses due to my fear of the steering column in an accident.

The 4 wheel drum brakes do not have the stopping power of modern cars. I drive as if my brakes will be marginal at all times (perhaps a good practice in any event). Stock turn signals and brake lights are also not so great in bright sunlight. A third brake light is my next modification. As most of us have heard, the only difference between driving with the top up or down in the rain, is that people won't point and laugh if you have the top up. I don't drive in bad weather. My wipers work, but they sure wouldn't keep up in heavy rain or snow.

I use my overdrive as follows. At 35 to 40 mph I come off the gas a bit, and flip the switch. There should be a significant drop in RPM pretty much right away, although some cars take a few seconds. You will remain in overdrive even if you flip the switch to off, unless you also depress the accelerator pedal from 1/5th to 1/4 or so of full throttle. This is due to the throttle switch on the firewall attached to the accelerator linkage. So when you are slowing down from overdrive cruising and you want to turn it off, I usually wait until I'm at25 to 30 mph, flip the switch to off and give the gas a little punch. It acts just like a downshift, same noise, same feeling, and you are in what ever gear you had selected. It takes a little time to get used to, but after a while it becomes fun and very normal. I am sure other folks will have their own take on these procedures. Get a shop manual, and read the threads on this forum about the issues you've raised. There is a ton of good information here.

All that being said the best you can do when you drive is learn what it sounds and feels like when things are normal. I find that I can feel and hear more things I need to pay attention to in the Healey than in my Honda. I am comfortable at 70 mph on the freeway. I'd think about another route if the other people won't let me go that slow. You also need to go slow enough to see folks smile. Driving it is an awful lot of fun.
 
Pizzi348 said:
I just bought a 1956 Austin Healey 100-4. I guess I have some questions on what to expect from this car. I had a Pre-purchase inspection done on the car and glowing reviews came back.

I guess I was wondering how dependable I should expect it to be, given that it's mechanically sound (for now anyway). Also, I can I take it on the highway? I have some older cars where that wouldn't be such a good idea.

How do I engage the overdrive and how should I use it? How do I disengage it?

Any tips for a new owner?

Thanks guys! I'm excited to get it! (It's being shipped right now).
Click to expand...

Congratulations on your AH ownership and welcome to the BCF. First thing, if the car comes with one, READ THE OWNERS MANUAL from cover to cover before you drive the car. If it doesn't come with one purchase one NOW!
:thumbsup:
 
I'm a first healey owner as well. 1957 100-6. Longbridge build. One owner, all original, primrose yellow with a black hardtop.

I have to put a new fuel pump in. the brakes are freshly reubilt, as is the clutch. I have to drain the fuel tank this week, and then just fire it up. It coughed over on starting fluid last week. It builds oil pressure on cranking. I need to fill the gearbox, as it's low, as well as drain and refill the rear end.

it's a wonderful machine, and I look forward to driving it.

I've had two MGB's in the past, this car hasn't been much different to work on, pretty easy really.

sjd
 
Also be carefull if you are married..beautiful women will ask you for a ride!!!!

I love driving my 100 as much as possible..
 
:lol: Or good looking guys, as in my case....

As to the overdrive query, Roscoe's instructions are the way I use my overdrive in my 56 M. I also drive Agatha on the interstate and indeed all over the place. I trust my restoration and I also think that when it's my time, it's my time and I want to go doing what I love.

Congratulations on your purchase and enjoy your Healey. :driving:

Welcome to the forum. :banana:
 
Roscoe gave a good explanation of using the OD, the only thing I will add is that not only will it not shut off without a blip of the throttle, you need to plan ahead to do this, and sometimes you forget or traffic does not let you plan ahead. So sometimes the car will still be in OD, but only when you get up to third gear (if it is set up and functioning right the gear switches will keep it out of OD in first and 2nd). Anyway this is not the end of the world, but a little disconcerting as it acts as though you flipped the OD switch right as you go into gear.

Though the parts in the OD can wear out, they last a long time and I think it is better to use it a lot to keep it "limber" than to baby it. Let up on the gas when you flip the switch and it should kick right in.

In response to another comment, actually the early 3 speed healeys were set up for OD to work on the top two gears. However, OD 2nd was awfully close to non OD third.

Laslty, welcome to the Healey world, they are truly beautiful and enjoyable cars.

If you don't like the braking level available be aware that front discs from a later 3000 is a completely bolt on and completely reversible modification.

Oh yes, lastly, highway, the Healey with O/D should happily cruise at 70-75, as far as safety, yes no airbags, crush zones etc. Drive it like is a a motorcycle, assume no one see you and keep a safe distance. Nothing can ensure no accident, but this certainly helps.

I too would consider conditions before taking it on the freeway, for me primarily because I drive my hobby cars for fun, fun is the open road, shifting through the gears, etc. If you are going to spend a lot of time in bumper to bumper you will probably enjoy the drive more in your modern airconditioned, airbagged, comfortable cacoon.
 
glemon said:
If you don't like the braking level available be aware that front discs from a later 3000 is a completely bolt on and completely reversible modification.
Click to expand...
The BN2 with it's 2 1/4" x 11" brake drums actually has quite large brakes for the car weight. With the correct shoe lining it is capable of very good braking with minimal fade & moderate pedal pressure.

One of the best linings is Porterfield carbon/kevlar. Their R4-S street compound is superior to most others. Much more powerful stopping, no noise, no warm up, no fade, etc. A high coefficient of friction, minimal drum wear. A huge improvement from the "standard" off the shelf brake linings. I get best results with 1" diameter wheel cylinders both front & rear.

As good as discs unless they are used for all-out racing, & much simpler. Discs are a little better in the unsprung weight department if you are going all out on a rough surface.
Check it out:
https://porterfield-brakes.com/categories.php?catId=492
D
 
Thanks for all the great info. Glemon, that's great to know that the discs brakes bolt right on. I might look into that!
 
Hey Dave - glad to see your post as well. Thanks!
 
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