The original Austin Healey was the 100 produced in 1953 as a sporting alternative to the Austin A90 Atlantic which shared some components. It was named after its ability to reach 100 mph.

Ex-racer Donald Healey was keen to take advantage of his racing successes and manufacture a car under his name. The One Hundred was envisioned by his small team as a comptition car. The first prototype was immediatly tested in Belgium and reached a top speed of 111 mph with the front windsheild in its folded position.

The car was designed by a small team at the Donald Healey motor company utilizing many parts availble from the Austin line when BMC came on board during the production process. The small team at Healey’s included Barrie Bilbie who designed the chassis and Gerry Coker who was resposible for the body and interior shape.

When the Austin Motor Company Limited went into regular production of the Big Healey, its large 2.6-liter engine ranked it above the MG TD and Triumph TR2, but below the larger and more expensive Jaguars and Aston Martins of the period.

Austin described the car as an open two-seater with individual bucket seats with an enclosed rear luggage space. Full weather protection was provided by a folding fabric top and detachable perspex side-screens. A unique feature of the 100 was it’s folding front window which made for a very sleek profile.

After producing 20 protoypes for promotion duty, regular production of the BN1 began in May of 1952 at the Longbridge facilty in Birmingham under the BMC banner. For ease of production, the body was manufactured in steel.

Total production of the BN1 reached 10010 cars from the 27-month production from May 1952 to August 1955. These were replaced by the BN2-series cars which were fitted with a four-speed manual transmission with overdrive.¹

Sources & Further Reading

1, Anderson, Gary & Roger Moment. Austin-Healey 100/100-6/3000 Restoration Guide. MBI: 2000.

Story by Richard Michael Owen