1955 Austin Healey BN1

And make no mistake, this is a very well-sorted Healey indeed. As a BN1 it is the first-generation of the breed which raced in the Mille Miglia, something that was, perhaps, at the back of the owner’s mind when he embarked on the mammoth task of converting it to ‘M’ specification. Such a huge undertaking took years to complete but it was utterly worth it; I mean, just look at that incredibly beautiful louvered bonnet, securely held down with a proper leather strap.

Orchard Restorations, the well-known Austin Healey and Jaguar experts, carried out repairs to the bodywork in 2000, an investment that paid dividends as it is still looking terrific. The truly pedantic might suggest that the car would benefit from a machine polish to remove the few swirl marks that are evident as a result of hand polishing over the years and the owner notes himself the following minor blemishes: 

"The paint has bubbled slightly in one very small area where the rear offside wing joins the centre shroud. Common in Healeys because the wings are steel and the shroud is aluminium. You can hardly notice it - it was there when I bought the car 17 years ago and hasn't got any worse. Also there are a couple of short hairline cracks in the paint on the front shroud either side above the radiator grille where the aluminium sections are joined. Almost invisible to the naked eye." 

The wet weather equipment is all new, as is the tonneau cover. Oh, and the windscreen folds flat for that authentic café racer look. That’s worth the price of entry all by itself, surely?

The interior was completely retrimmed in black with red piping in 2009 Molesey Coach Trimmers at a cost of £5,750. As you might expect given the cost and how fastidious the owner is, it still looks utterly wonderful.

As we’ve mentioned, this Austin Healey has been upgraded to M specification in the 17 years that it has been in the current owner’s care. A brass plate under the bonnet states that “This car has been fitted with a ‘Le Mans’ modification kit”, which confirms the fitment of a factory approved period modification comprising twin 1.75” SU carbs, as well as changes to the distributor advance curve, and the fitment of a high-lift camshaft and stiffer valve springs.

Other work undertaken includes the installation of an alloy cylinder head in 2000, a rear suspension overhaul in 2002, a new clutch and overhauled gearbox in 2005, a rear brake overhaul in 2009, and an ‘M’ specification airbox and badge to complete the conversion in 2013. 

The braking system has also been brought slap bang into the 21st century with an upgrade to front discs and the addition of a servo. The engine was rebuilt by Denis Welch in 1990, since when car has only covered 12,000 miles. In all, the car comes with receipts for around £34,000 over the last 17 years.

If we were being picky we could point out that the underbonnet area would benefit from a day’s-worth of detailing; while it isn’t bad at all, the rest of the car is so good that it would be time well-spent. Other than that, she wants for nothing other than an investigation as to why the temperature gauge has just stopped working.

It is thought that the car was displayed in the Sorn Castle collection in the 1970/80s during which time it was owned by a Mr. McIntyre and the car’s origin is confirmed with a Heritage certificate alongside a complete record of its owners going back to 1961.

The vehicle also comes with extensive correspondence, including old MOT certificates dating all the way back to 1970, all of which support the car’s low mileage. 

Speaking of which, it comes with a full MOT and a clean bill of health over the past ten years, with only minor points raised by a series of MOT examiners. This MOT history is, of course, available for prospective bidders to examine online for themselves.

Finding a Big Healey is easy; as we speak, there are dozens for sale through the usual channels, and some of them even look quite nice. But, finding one with this car’s provenance and condition is much, much harder.

The guide price is £55,000, at which point we think it represents extremely good value given the car’s condition and history. Of course, the reserve is set at a lower point than this, which means that someone might strike lucky and get an even bigger bargain…

The car can be viewed in Tonbridge, Kent.  To arrange please use the 'Contact Seller' button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments or view our frequently asked questions below.