Nuts & Bolts restoration with 'Le Mans' kit
Nuts & Bolts restoration with 'Le Mans' kit
Few British sports cars evoke such an instantly recognisable image as the Austin-Healey 100. Long bonnet, low seating position, fold-down windscreen and, above all, that wonderfully direct and mechanical driving experience. As the successor to the BN1, the BN2 introduced an improved four-speed gearbox with overdrive, making it noticeably more versatile and sporting. Its compact four-cylinder engine also makes the front end considerably lighter than that of the later six-cylinder models. The result is excellent balance, a low centre of gravity and beautifully precise steering.
This matching-numbers 100/4 from 1955 takes that character one step further with a correctly built Le Mans kit, giving it exactly the qualities you hope for from a Healey of the period: light, lively and, above all, pure.
This left-hand-drive 100/4 was originally delivered in Düsseldorf, Germany. Its history later took it across the Atlantic to the United States, with time spent in California and Littleton, Massachusetts. In 2018, the Healey returned to Europe, this time to the Netherlands, where it underwent a complete restoration between 2018 and 2020.
The restoration was a true nuts-and-bolts affair, with the car completely dismantled and rebuilt from the ground up. No expense was spared. The entire process is extensively documented in a dedicated hardcover photographic book, while the matching-numbers status has been confirmed by the BMI Heritage Trust Factory Record. During the restoration, all matching body numbers were also found on various components, including the bonnet, boot lid and the cockpit trim. A particularly nice detail that further confirms the car's correct and well-documented identity. It was officially registered in late 2020 in the 100M Registry as a Le Mans conversion.
Finished in the particularly attractive combination of Black with Reno Red side panels, the car is complemented by a beautifully appointed red leather interior. It is a classic colour combination that suits the elegant lines of the BN2 exceptionally well.
During the restoration, the Healey was also fitted with a correctly built Le Mans 100M kit, with the well-known M-specification components applied in the proper manner.
The four-cylinder engine received, among other upgrades, an M-spec camshaft, high-compression pistons, larger H6 SU carburettors with a cold-air box, and an M-spec distributor with electronic ignition. The exhaust system was upgraded with a ceramic-coated tubular manifold. Together, these modifications give the engine a noticeably more eager character and add a welcome sporting edge.
The exterior is completed by the louvred bonnet and leather bonnet strap.
The rest of the car was upgraded accordingly, including front disc brakes, a side-exit exhaust and a polished aluminium rocker cover. The bumperless appearance, Lucas spotlights and chrome overriders give the car just the right period-correct competition look, while the Moto-Lita wooden steering wheel provides the perfect finishing touch to the cockpit.
The car is also accompanied by a matching tonneau cover for the open cockpit, as well as a stylish, custom-made red indoor cover to keep it protected in the garage.
Thanks to the BN2 gearbox and overdrive, the Healey is not limited to short Sunday blasts. It is equally at home on longer drives and proper road trips. And that is where this car really comes alive: a beautiful road, the cockpit open, the four-cylinder engine just ahead of you, and very little separating you from the driving experience.
Ultimately, that is what makes this car so appealing.
The striking colour combination, red leather interior, matching numbers, extensively documented restoration and correctly built Le Mans kit come together to create a particularly desirable 100/4 for the enthusiast who intends to enjoy it on the road.
The complete nuts-and-bolts restoration was carried out six years ago, to a standard that would be considerably more expensive to replicate today. This makes the car a particularly interesting opportunity in the current market.
In short: a fresh, correctly built BN2 with 100M specification, genuine competition character and ready for many more miles.
You are very welcome to visit us and view the car in our showroom in Ternat, just outside Brussels.
Have this vehicle inspected by experts!
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