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Things to look for when buying a 100-4 BN1

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R

Roland

Freshman Member
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Hello Forum.

I have found a project BN1 in a price range i could effort. I am still working on a Sprite MKII whcih was a mistake to buy. Way to much work for the price.
I hope you can prevent me from making the same mistake.
What are the things to check for and how to check them when going to look at the car Like a bend frame how can i check this. what is exeptable.whats not.
What are the typical rust place to look out for. and how to check them.
The Seller states that the car has matching numbers, how to check this quickly ?
And parts are hard to find/get that must be with the car. and parts that can only exchanged.(Like the alternator with my ealry sprite).

I Hope you can prevent me from an other mistake !
Thanks,
Roland Beernink.
www.roan-pictures.tk
 

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Re: Things to look for when bying a 100-4 BN1

outch do u still work on them sprites ?? or do u have fineshed them ? -

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif - nice garace where that 100 is parked /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif - please ask the owner what he want for the triumph behind /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif - i might be interested. -

soren.
Denmark
 
Re: Things to look for when bying a 100-4 BN1

Soren,

The red Triumph is a 1962 TR3a and is for sale at 13500.
Attached a better picture of it.
I can give you the sellers details. but not publicly someone in the Netherlands might beat me to it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Thay also have an TR2 1954 for 15000
Roland
 

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Re: Things to look for when bying a 100-4 BN1

I have an additional question:
When searching through the web i found one thing to look for when buying a 100-4 BN-1...
Info from www.healey.org

Avoid a BN1 with a retrofitted four-speed transmission if you are looking for a car that is strictly original, and avoid one with an original three-speed transmission that has been modified to provide four speeds since these transmissions will often be the weakest and most in need of attention.
Some where else on the site i found a picture with the text
https://www.healey.org/calendar2003.shtml
The car is a BN2 series 100 as revealed by the position of the gear shift level and the four-speed shift knob.

I have no idea where to look to find a difference !
I attached a picture of the interior, maybe someone can help me to determine if it is a BN1 or BN2 tranmission.
 

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Re: Things to look for when bying a 100-4 BN1

If you can get this book, I think it is one of the best to describe the various Healeys and what to check. It will probably answer all your questions.

Austin-Healey 100/100 - 6/3000 Restoration Guide

The cover has 3 Blue Healeys on it.

Bruce
 
Roland, I see that you are in The Netherlands, but please tell us, Where is the car you are interested in evaluating for potential purchase?

Short of writing a book, it really isn't practicable to describe everyting you should look for when evaluating a car for potential purchase. Unfortunately, there really isn't any good substitute for experience, and the best option is to get an experienced Healeyist to inspect it for you.
 
Roland,
Since I don't know your capability or desire to take on specific restoration tasks, it is not possible to know how much detail to give you. If you already have bitten off more than you care to chew with your Sprite, I'll assume you are not a proficient welder or panel beater type. The car looks like a driveable machine (not necessarily safe on the road before brakes and clutch function are checked). Assuming that to be the case and that you do not wish to overhaul the engine or gearbox I would pull the oil filter and rinse the element in fresh solvent to look for metal in the oil. Pull the oil screen at the bottom of the gearbox for the same (the oil will fall out). At least perform a compression check on the engine (a leakdown compression check will tell you quite a bit about the rings and valves). They all tend to leak oil a bit, some more than others, the rear crankshaft seal is a common problem. Spend some time determining the condition of the wiring harness. The many connectors are often trouble spots. If all of the lights and gages work you are ahead of the game. A look under the instrument panel, along the center chassis rails and in the engine compartment should give you some idea as to the condition of the fabric covered wiring harness. Pull up the carpets and try to get a look at the floor panels (trunk liner too). Rust pinholes or worse are very common here. They are probably the easiest cut out/weld in parts to replace. The center chassis rails and cross members should be checked for serious rust and deformations (they all have minor dents and dings, but should be relatively straight). The cross member under the front of the engine is often used by owners to jack the car. Unless care is taken, it is very easy to dent the frame in this area. I've seen some pretty bad ones. Minor ripples or dents are probably OK, but it may be an indication of the care the car was given. There are numerous holes drilled for clamps etc.in the rails that allow water into thesae members. The most common spots for severe rust are the inner and outer sills (visible from underneath along the bottom of the door) as well as the outriggers that support the sills (these pars are a major repair). Adjacent to the sills are the door pillars. Rust on the bottom half of these is common as well. Look carefully into the forward section of the rear wheel wells (just infront of the tire). Lots of nooks and crannys for water and mud to collect. Depending on whether or not any body panel work has been done you may or may not see rust on the forward "dogleg" of the rear fender, or on the aft bottom corner of the front fenders. Also very common. Perhaps the most insidious area for rust is the flange area between the aluminum shrouds (front and back) and the steel fenderes (below the chrome beading). Get an inspection mirror and a good flashlight to check these areas as best you can. Rubber stuff (cosmetic as well as suspension rubber parts) deteriorate quickly, but are relatively easy to replace and are available from many sources. The drum brakes are a bit of a monster if they are not in good shape. Corrosion in the slave or master cylinders can be fixed in some cases but if the brakes are really not functioning properly you are probably in for some new wheel clyinders (seals at the least). Brake parts are easy to come by except for the brake drums. Exchange master cylinders or new are available. When you turn on the ignition switch the fuel pump should click rapidly and then taper off and stop. A small amount of fuel out the overflow tubes off the bottom of the carburetors is ok, but this too should stop quickly. There is a little pin you can push on each carb to check the movement of the piston attached to the metering jet pin. It should move freely and return to its relaxed position quickly. The matching numbers thing is strange to me. I know there are others contributing to this forum that know the ins and outs of that stuff. In my book, as long as the engine model is correct for the frame it sits in, who cares (except the concourse folks) if it is the engine that came with the car. Engines get changed for various reasons. It is a normal part of the aging of a vehicle. Serial numbers are all under the hood.
Of course this is a partial list of things to look for. If you want more detail tell us more about the vehicle and what your capabilities are. Hope this helps.

Jon Robbins
Getting closer to painting my 1956 BN-2
 
Thanks,

This is a good start for today.
I have an appointment in about 4 hours and try to make as much pictures as i can. (Will place them on my site).
If i am still interested i will try to call a few names in the Dutch healey club magazine.
In the hope someone wants to visit the car for a second time with me.
Or maybe someone here in the lower part of the Netherlands likes join me.

To answer to capability and desire question of Roscoe,
I am not a professional Welder and Panel beater. But so far i still like it and the results so far are OK (to me).
The sprite i am working on is in so far a mistake, I could have found something better for the same price.
I will probably need an other 2 or 3 years for that to finis. I only have about 6 hour a week to work on the car.

Healey Hundred quest.
A Helaley hundred is a wish for me for in the future to drive.
and i am looking trough the web (The Netherlands area) for a project Healey.
I know of 4 In the Netherlands now. All asking Price of about 10.000 Euro's
But all in real bad condition, and two of them Just parts in boxes and a chassis with some panels.
This car seems to be complete and a realistic project.
There is no hurry in buying one, but it seems they are getting more expensive by the year.

And for the guys who wants to know where i have seen it:
It is in Belgium, https://www.oomssportcarcenter.com/

I will write an update when i get back !

Roland Beernink
www.roan-pictures.tk
(A weekly update of pictures can be found on here. Over a 1000 pictures of the sprite MKII)
 
I decided not to proceed with this one.

I have been there to look at the car, it was not a pretty site.
Every body panel had dents rust and bondo.
The chassis is no to rusty but the front cross member seems to be replaced.
There was no wiring look at , it was not the. A replacement kit was available in a box..
The door sills where already removed, and new are delivered with the car. No rear bumper available.
The Belgium guy was nice. Nothing wrong with that or the company, just this is not my car.

I have placed the pictures i took on my site. For those who wants to see them.
Can be found on www.roan-pictures.tk. -> Austin Healey and Other cars -> 100-4 quest.

Anybody who has or knows of a project 100-4 for sale in the area of the Netherlands can let me know !

I want to thanks everybody for the help so far and i will search and buy the book Bruce Bowker refers to.

Roland Beernink
www.roan-pictures.tk
 
Sounds like way too much work unless the price was rediculously low which I assume it was not.

Bruce
 
Also I would still suggest getting that book I mentioned above. It has a lot of very helpful information.

Bruce
 
After restoring my 100 I can say that I know Anderson & Moment's book backwards (at least the 100 section). Highly reccommended.
 
[ QUOTE ]
After restoring my 100 I can say that I know Anderson & Moment's book backwards (at least the 100 section). Highly reccommended.

[/ QUOTE ]
which book is that exactly?
I just recently came into a 56 BN2 that needs some attention, so im looking for anything that relates to 100 restoration! thanks
 
[ QUOTE ]
which book is that exactly?

[/ QUOTE ]

Its the Austin Healey 100/100-6/3000 Restoration Guide, writen by Gary Anderson & Roger Moment, published by MBI Publishing, 2000, ISBN: 0 7603 0673 7.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0760306...ks&v=glance

Shows it in a new cover, you'll probably find it also available used in the old cover. Try ABE for used copies.

The old cover mentioned above by Bruce:

bookandersontn.jpg
 
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