Healey Sports Cars

I recently aquired what appears to be a Healy project car sitting in a barn for a great number of years. I believe it to be a replica car so please don't shoot me if I need to be on a different website. This car looks like an early 60's 3000 from a distance but the body although well worn, is all fiberglass. I have crates full of parts, a 350 SBC with auto trans, and a rolling tube steel chassis with front disc brakes and a 10 bolt GM rear with drums. I have very little $$$ into this deal but I want to know if I should invest my time into this little roadster or if the replica componant ruins the deal.

Any comments or insight would be appreciated.

I'd like to see some pic's, but I'd say if you got time to spare then go for it. And based on my experience, expect to throw money at it, it's just the way these basket case projects go! Good luck. Dave.

If it is what you want to build then do it. The replica aspect in my opinion would just keep the purists away. The 350 will do that as welll though so i would not worry about it.

Spelling Healey with just one "e" is enough to offend most purists, but most of us around here are pretty thick skinned.

I expect your car probably resemble this one, more or less: [www.britishv8.org]

Notice the very-General-Motors door handles and window winders. I don't know who manufactured these kit cars, but I know there are a bunch of them out there somewhere. (I saw one with a Ford engine just last month in Denver.)

It's a pretty well documented fact that Donald and Geoff Healey both enjoyed V8 conversions, drove them on many occasions, and found favorable things to say about them. These guys weren't purists in the same sense as the guys who polish cars up and show them. Actually, they were racers first and foremost. (I understand what really frustrated him was the BMC competitions department's decision to stop road racing big Healeys in favor of rally racing.) I don't know if they ever expressed an opinion about kit cars.

Personally, I'm no fan of a heavy Chevy 350 or an automatic transmission for a car of this size. Every pound you can shave will make it drive more like a real Healey. A manual box will make you feel more connected to and in control of the car.

Thanks for the comments and I will have to work on my spelling. (Healey) sorry!
I like the idea of a manual trans for sure and I agree that it would be a much better driving experience. I have to get into all of the boxes and see how many of the parts are based around the SBC. It doesn't look like the motor was ever in the car so I may be able to switch without major cost implications.

Looks like hydraulic brakes were run but no master cyl....is that typical for this kind of set-up or should I be looking to add power brakes? Same question regarding the steering, looks like a standard mustang 2 front end. I have been working on & driving 60's American muscle cars for 10 years so this is a new departure for me.

Thanks for the picture, I am a long long way from that but it does get the juices flowing a bit.

Sounds like you have a Sebring MX or a Saxon made by Great Lakes Roadsters. Here's a link to their site: [sebring-mx.com]

Matt, the car sounds like a good deal. As far as it being a "kit" personally I don't have a problem with that, it looks like a British built Healey and will look and sound like a lot of the Healey conversions I've seen. Most people wouldn't know it's not an original Healey body anyway. I think you'd like a T5 transmission better, but the choice is pretty easy with the components you have now as bellhousings and clutch components for the T5 to SBC V8 are easy to find. The 10 bolt rear will be fine as long as you don't get insane on power and there are a ton of ratios available that will match up well with your car.
Manual brakes should be fine if the master cylinder and pedals are designed correctly for a good leverage and bore. If you want power brakes then go for it, should have room under the hood for a small diameter booster, but my personal feeling is that you get better "feel" with a manual system and that helps when really running the twistys hard.
Unless you run really excessively wide front tires then the steering effort with a manual rack shouldn't be too heavy except when parking or a very low speeds and you'll like the feel and feedback from the manual rack much more than with a power unit.

BAd thing about those Sebring's is the parts from a Healey for the most part don't fit well due to the car being wider and longer...I have asked them tons of questions on parts and none will fit the 100-4

I have a SBC Muncie M21 Four Speed, and a Moroso Oil Pan for a SBC conversion if you are interested. Since the stuff is used, make an offer. We are g2g on tranny and short block at this point with the Doug Nash NIB Comp 5 and the 350ci with the Aviad oil pan

Go for it. In my opinion (which counts for nothing, not even in my own house), the kit has one thing going for it that is all important - roll down windows. I had a car with side curtains, I absolutely hate the damn things. I suppose they are okay for trailer queens and cruising the drive in, but for serious road duty, they suck.

Also, the 350/350 combination grates on my nerves. I'm getting to the place that almost any V8 does. Personally, I'd put a big six in it. Something like the AMC 4.0 with the 258 crank really lights my fire. So does the GMC twin cam six. Either one probably means lots of bucks, but really would produce a one of a kind road monster. I like one of a kind stuff.

Bill

Go for it! Its a very personal choice but I would opt for a 5.0 Ford rather than the Chevy. Its 50-60 lbs lighter and easier to fit because its narrower. The newer GM OHC inline 6 cylinder is a sweet choice if you want to incorporate a computer and injection. I hope you report back to us about the project. I and many others will appreciate the reporting of your struggles.
Get'er done!