| Description | Includes:
Letter from Secretary of the Austin-Healey Owners Association of British Colombia (28 September 1976 asking about records and chassis numbers for 100Ms. With reply from Geoff Healey (8 October 1976) that cars were delivered from Austin to Warwick for conversion to 100Ms and that no changes were made to chassis or engine numbers;
Enquiry about Sprite HNX 456D (1 November 1976) with copy letter reply from Geoffrey Healey (15 November 1976);
Letter about a 3 litre Austin Healey sports car being restored in Istanbul (September 1977);
Letter from Joe and Peter Cox (4 January 1978) concerning their ownership of the first Rolls Royce Healey prototype (TNX 65G) and need for replacement chassis identification plate;
Letter from Pat Quinn, Australia relating to BN3 (10 January 1978);
Letter from Robert Holland, Ohio, USA (5 March 1978) about BN4L-0/73069 (with engine serial number 3009). Also asking about 100-6 sales literature and posters;
Letter from Dave Ramstad, Austin-Healey Club, Pacific Centre (7 March 1978) with several queries relating to the first Austin-Healey 100S, early 100-Six, BJ7/BJ8 hardtop, metallic golden beige finish, Sebring 3000s - with reply from Geoff Healey (17 March 1978) in which he notes that he has 'copies of nearly every letter I wrote during the years 1950-1972', also notes that much of Austin MG and BMC records 'seem to have been destroyed following [the] Leyland merger' also includes reference to chassis numbers: BN1 L 133234, BN1 L 133235, BN1 L 1332346, BN1 L 1332347;
Correspondence between JSP Engineering and Geoff Healey concerning someone who is looking for an Austin Healey 100 in good condition (April 1978 - May 1978);
Letter from Rhodesian owner of 00N 439 and reply from Geoff Healey (May 1978);
Letter from John Gray, Australia (19 May 1978) about purchase of two Healey chassis plates;
Letter (13 October 1979) from unknown correspondent (writing from Department of Geodesy & Geophysics, University of Cambridge) about replacement floors and rear cross members for rusty Sprites;
Letter from David Matthews, Worldwide Austin Healeys about a Healey traced to Milan (January 1983) with Geoff Healey reply (3 February 1983) about it not being an X230 prototype – just has used some parts from it. Includes copy of article in AutoCapital magazine (January 1983);
Letter from Captain Kevin Ross, United States Air Force (20 May 1986) about the restoration of his 1962 Austin-Healey 3000 MK II (BJ7, vehicle ID HBJ7L20718) and asking for information about the engine, which had been modified. Mentions that his father Alvin E Ross (then a USAF Major) bought the car in May 1962 while stationed in the UK. An engine malfunction led to his father bringing the car back to the Warwick factory to discuss the problems with Donald Healey, who agreed to install a modified racing version of the engine in the car. He also mentions that Donald Healey gave his father a picture of an Austin-Healey from his office wall, a wood steering wheel from the works, and put a signed plaque on the dashboard of his father's car noting that it was supplied to special order - with three polaroid colour photos showing the car and the plaque);
Letters from Richard Regan, Canada (May 1987) about his purchase of 'the remains' of BN3/4 S276 6-cylinder prototype, and asking Geoff Healey for information about the car;
Letters from Gordon Vogtherr (October 1988 - October 1989) about his purchase of a Healey Elliott saloon (chassis no. B1812) and requests for information;
Letters from [former racing driver] Ted [Worswick] (August 1989 and January 1990) about the racing history of Sebring car 767 KHX (chassis number HBJ7/64H-57-2), which he has (and raced in Sicily in 1966 and 1968). Also asking about an Austin-Healey 100 that he has acquired. Also mentions the car (EJB 806C) he bought from Abingdon in 1966. Second letter mentions his 1964 Sebring 3000 (767 KNX). Worswick also points out that an image used on page 159 Geoff Healey's book 'Austin Healey - the story of the big Healeys' has been incorrectly captioned as being Timo Makinen and co-driver in the 1965 Targa Florio (ARX 91B). Is in fact Worswick in the 1967 Targa (where he and his co-driver came 9th overall);
Letter from Rodley Car Centre, Leeds (17 June 1990) about Geoff Healey's inspection of an Austin Healey presented to them as being NOJ 393. Notes that the car centre has been in touch with the owner of the 'real NOJ 393' to assure him that the car was not being passed off as the real one. Reply from Geoff Healey (July 1990) mentions that he is being interviewed by Sheffield police for a statement about the 'serious affair'. He hopes that 'it might help put an end to some of the more undesirable activities connected with classic cars;
Letter from Geoff Healey (14 August 1990) about a Healey 2.4 litre Mille Migla saloon (chassis no. B1683, body no. 141). Mentions that 'many wrongly refer to these as the Elliot after the Elliots who built the body. We always called them the 2.4 litre Saloon, later adding Mille Miglia after our successes in the 1948 and 1949 races of that name';
Letter from Geoff Healey to The Cockpit Clothing Company, Southampton (14 September 1990) noting that he had enclosed the Healey badge and an old Austin Healey badge. Also noted that they were rare and he looked forward to their safe return;
Letter and invoice from Geoff Healey to Jaye Engineering Ltd, Buckinghamshire (27 September 1990) about his inspection of an Austin Healey 100S (chassis no. AHS3503) to verify its authenticity. In his opinion it was authentic and his records show that it was completed in February 1955 and despatched to Jim Fergusson an Austin/Austin-Healey distributor in Toronto, Canada. It was one of the first six production 100S vehicles that raced in the 1955 Sebring Twelve Hour Grand Prix of Endurance - 'this vehicle is a prime example of the model and is of historic value being part of the days when British sportscars were world leaders'. With reply from Jaye Engineering (October 1990) that the door and rear cockpit surrounds and were stamped AHR32 (the number of the Jackie Cooper car) - wonders if the cars were mixed up at Jensen's when the body was built;
Letter from Keith Clapham, Sutton Coldfield about his purchase of Austin-Healey 100S (chassis number AHS3505) from Bill Wood. With letter and note from Geoff Healey containing details of the car and the information that it was one of the 1955 Sebring cars;
Geoffrey Healey memo. on ‘spurious cars warning’ (25 January 1991) - has been bombarded with requests for information about special vehicles. People claiming that some cars of historical value when 'in reality they are just a heap of worthless junk', also mentions secrecy at The Cape works when constructing cars in the Experimental Department (which was off-limits to staff), fact that often only Geoffrey Healey, Donald Healey and Roger Menadue knew about builds and that sometimes records were not made as the information was so sensitive, this secrecy has allowed people to make claims about cars ‘The likelihood of finding something of immense value and importance is as remote as digging up buried treasure in ones own backyard. Roger and I buried the odd failed engine at the Cape in Warwick in locations we kept secret and apart from Donald Healey no one else knew anything about these operations. Subsequent foundations of buildings covered the burial grounds';
Letters to Geoff Healey (May - July 1991) from Norman Crook, Colchester, Essex about his Healey Sports boat (that has never been in the water) - purchased by the owner of the Smith Marine at Dovercourt. Boat sits on its original Healey trailer. Asking for information on the boat and other Healey boat owners. Sent Geoff Healey photos of the boat in one of his letters;
Letter from CS King (11 June 1991) to Dr MC Bacon, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Systems, Coventry Polytechnic replying to Dr Bacon's letter to him (30 May 1991) about Healey wheel spacers, and an accident caused by a wheel coming off at high speed due to fatigue cracking of a wheel spacer. King also enclosed a note from Geoff Healey about speed testing which was getting widely circulated (to Healey clubs and in the car press);
Copy British Motor Industry Heritage Certificate (28 June 1991) for Austin-Healey [Sebring] Sprite Mark I (AN5/13803) sent to RA Jordan. With copy of sales invoice (1959) and copy of Royal Automobile Club form of recognition for the car;
Geoffrey Healey memo. on engine cooling in response to recent visit to a well known Austin-Healey restorer who complained about difficulties in keeping temperature down on a competition vehicle (25 October 1991) - caused by lack of baffling around the radiator, Geoffrey Healey explained tests that he and others carried out in the late 1950s to investigate a cooling problem in high ambient temperatures and methods used to overcome this;
Letter from Ian Polley, Ascot (30 October 1991) including seeking help with reinstatement of registration number HNX 456D for his Le Mans Healey. With follow up letter (11 October 1993) [see also CR4804/2/54];
Letter from Rick Regan, The Healey Den, Vancouver, Canada (December 1991) asking for help with information on Austin-Healeys in California - especially BN12 (134371);
Letter to Geoff Healey concerning Austin Healey 100 (USU 239, chassis number 226755) and oversize wheel rims (17 February 1992) - with copy of FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) historic vehicle identity form (1980) and 1990 letter from Geoff Healey about Austin Healey 100's exterior aluminium alloy panels and replacement by steel panels;
Letter to Bic Healey (19 January 1993) about an Austin-Healey 100 history (BNL2-L/228674) (with photos and British Motor Industry Heritage Trust production record trace certificate (1991);
Letter from MBI, Inc., Chessington, Surrey (13 April 1994) about plan to create collection of 100 pewter replica cars (and endorsed by The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu), including Healey Tickford. With reply from Geoff Healey (15 April 1994) pointing out that the Healey at Beaulieu is a 2.4 litre Mille Miglia saloon, which is a much more significant model than the later Tickford model. Also notes that any reference to the Healey name in the production of the pewter cars must acknowledge that Healey is a registered trade mark of Healey Automobile Consultants Ltd;
Letter from Tom Barr-Smith, New South Wales to [Margot] Healey (27 May 1994) about him purchasing bits remaining from the SR Healey Le Mans project. With copy letter to John [?]. Mentions XR37 being built by Rob Harrison in Australia;
Letter about help with information for restoring an early BN-1 (n.d.);
Three colour photos showing chassis plates - coach work by Sam Elliott & Sons (Reading) Ltd (body number 147) [2.4 Riley engine]; coupe (chassis no. HAN 9-R-238); Healey (type 2.4, chassis no. B1695, engine no. B1170N695). |