More new 1:43 scale Oxford tooling breathes model authenticity into
another famous marque from the 1950s. The Austin-Healey 100 was a
sports car developed by Donald Healey, who intended it to be produced by
his small car company in Warwick between 1953 and 1956. Its success
stemmed from a single Healey Hundred as it became known, which Donald
Healey exhibited at the 1952 London Motor Show. Its design was spotted
by Austin's Managing Director, Leonard Lord, who struck a deal with
Donald Healey, resulting in the car being re-named Austin Healey 100.
The finished vehicles comprised trimmed body/chassis units produced by
Jenson in West Bromwich, collaborating with Austin, who produced the
mechanical components and final assembly at Austin's Longbridge plant.
During the lifetime of the Healey 100, over 14,600 were made, either as a
3-speed series BN1, the subject of our model, or 4-speed series BN2
manual. The 100' was named by Donald Healey for the car's ability to
reach 100 mph. It was also the first of the three models to be known
later as the Big Healeys in comparison with the smaller Austin-Healey
Sprite, for example.
The first 100s, series BN1, were fitted with 2660 cc I4 engines and
manual transmission, just like the Austin A90 but the transmission was
modified to be a three-speed unit with overdrive in second and top
gears. Girlng 11 in drum brakes were fitted all round and the front
suspension was independent, using coil springs, while the rear featured a
rigid axle with semi elliptic leaf springs. Steering was cam and
lever. On testing, a BN1 reached a top speed of 106 mph and could
accelerator from 1-60 mph in 11.2 seconds. Fuel consumption was recorded
at 22.5 mpg. The test car was priced at £1063, included taxes. The BN1
was replaced by the BN2 in 1955, having recorded sales of 10030
vehicles.
In 1:43 scale, our Austin-Healey 100 BN1 comes with hood up, sporting a
pale blue body and dark blue contrasting roof. The interior is the same
dark blue. Registered OOM 552, the model also features realistic
silver wire wheels with wheel centres, wipers, bumpers and radiator
vacuum plated silver.