Every Healey has a story

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(update Jan 2017) Please note that since writing this Blog this car has been Sold and off to create a new part in this story…..

 

Middle Aged or Classic?

“Don’t regret getting older, it is a privilege denied to many”. Which it could be said is true of people and objects. The Healey has definitely stood the test of time and with age it has become more treasured, loved and desired.

If a Healey was a human it would be classed as middle aged.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, middle age is 45-65. There is no shortage of sayings that poke fun at growing older. It is thought that after 45 your ‘get up and go’ gets up and goes”; you start making funny noises, creaking and moaning; you get out of shape; don’t keep up with technology, slow up and lag behind with the times. Some even say “life not only begins at 40, it begins to show”.

With time, humans and Healeys become classic, a bit quirky and full of interesting stories. Forget the negative, cruel outlook on ageing. With passing time we gain experience, we have the chance to leave a positive legacy, an opportunity to touch many people’s lives, add enjoyment, enrichment and fulfilment; to make a difference. Just like an old classic car.

So the story begins

Early in 1959 the Austin Healey “100-6” (the six cylinder engine cars) finally came to the end of production and in its place was born the Austin Healey “3000” model. The legendary Big Healey was born and kept rolling off the production line until 1967. The car’s bodywork was made by Jensen Motors, and the vehicles were assembled by Austin-Healey at the Abingdon works. Who would have known at this time that it was the model which would go on to have the longest production life, the greatest marketing success and the largest number of sales. To begin with the changes from a “100/6” to the “3000” were small on the surface but over time improvements and modifications kept evolving and it became the car to have in its day and of course its popularity still remains today. The car went on to have MkI and MKII models and the final statement was in the creation of the MKIII.The 3-litre “3000” was (and still is) a highly successful car, which won its class in many European rallies in its heyday and is still raced in classic car competitions by enthusiasts today. The Austin Healey just goes on and on creating stories to be told and re-lived.

Fast forward to today

As a classic car garage we see many interesting people and their vehicles. However, it is not often that you have the opportunity or take the time to find out a little bit more of the events, journeys, exploits and ownership of the car. Sometimes it is because there is no documented history on the car and other times is because the stories, photos, letters and newspaper articles are hidden from the light of day.

This July 2016, a car which has been maintained at Bill Rawles Classic Cars over a number of years was brought to us to be sold. After going through the numerous receipts, Invoices, MOT Certificates and DVLA related documents, a personal letter and some photos were revealed. This is what brought it to our attention that every car, when it has been on the road for more than half a century, must have some tales to tell.

Rallying, racing drivers, marriage and children

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Austin Healey 3000 MK I, YUC 276, was registered in February 1960 making it a grand old age of 55 years. The current owner has cherished, looked after and enjoyed this Healey for 27 years. Which means it was already 28 years old when he took ownership in 1989.

In 2007, out of the blue, the owner received a letter and this is what it said….

“Dear…

I was delighted to receive your telephone call and to hear that YUC 276 had survived many years since it left me. When I saw your photograph yesterday I immediately noticed a couple of things apart from the colour. The major change was the conversion to wire wheels and secondly the radio aerial is no longer in the offside front wing. The spokes in wires had the reputation of coming loose in the rough and tumble of competition, especially rallying, and as I could not afford the luxury of two sets of wheels, steel rims it had to be, but it does look much nicer with wires. Unfortunately it never occurred to me that accurate records would be important some 44 years on but I can give you some information that may be of interest. I was in my mid-twenties, living in Bedfordshire, when I acquired the car in 1961 from an Austin Healey dealer in Brighton. I was the second owner but cannot recall the first. I had already been rallying for some while in an Austin Healey Sprite which I traded in for YUC 276. I competed with YUC 276 regularly in club and National rallies with my navigator/co-driver, Brian James, until our first baby arrived in 1963 at which time economics caused me to have to give up the big Healey. We were fairly successful but never hit the high spots. Enclosed are two photographs, one of which is at the start of the 1961 or 1962 Dubonnet Rally. During its time with me it only suffered minor damage to the nearside front wing and this was the result of a scary moment on a snow covered mountain section in Wales during one of the Dubonnet rallies. I passed the car on to Tony Hegbourne down in Middlesex so it seems likely that it spent most of its time in the South. Tony was well known in motor racing but unfortunately was killed in a racing accident in 1965 at Spa Francorchamps, driving an Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ and I am enclosing the motor sport memorial entry of his career. I had little contact with him after he acquired the car so have no knowledge of what use he made of it or how long he kept it. We were out the country for many years after 1966 so completely lost track of all my motor sport contacts.

It would give me a lot of pleasure to see the car again if this could be arranged.

Yours Sincerely……………”

So who was Tony Hegbourne?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anthony Victor Hegbourne, who lived in Kenley in Surrey, was a Director of Godfrey Lambert Automobiles Ltd. He started competing on motorcycles in1955 and 19656 racing 350 and 500 cc Norton motorcycles. In 1964 he won the Hartley Award for the best amateur rider, he finished 13th in the Junior Manx GP on the Isle of Man and retired on the last lap while lying 9th in the senior event.

Hegbourne switched to motor racing in 1957, winning at Brands Hatch in the ex-Bristow Cooper T39 Bobtail. He also raced in the North Staffs Silverstone meeting on October 05th and, a week later, at the Lancs and Cheshire Oulton Park meeting. He continued racing in 1958 and 1959 and then took a break and resumed motorsport in 1962.

Back on track in 1962, he won The Brooklands Memorial Trophy Championship with a MK I Lola Climax.

In 1963 he raced a Lotus 23B for Normand Ltd, winning races and finishing well in the United Kingdom and in Europe. He took a second place overall behind Lorenzo Bandini, the 1960s Italian Formula One driver for Scuderia Centro Sud and Ferrari teams, in the Auvergne Trophy at the Circuit de Charade, Clermond-Ferrand. He set the fastest lap at 3:50,100 – 126.023 km/h in the Lotus 23B.

In 1964 he was invited by Ian Walker to drive the first Lotus 30 ever built in one of the supporting races for the 1964 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch. Unfortunately the race car broke in two at the bottom of Dingle Dell, completely destroying it, but luckily Tony walked away with only minor injuries.

In 1965 Hegbourne was signed to race for two of the top privateer teams, John Willment in Formula 2 and Walker-Day Racing in sportscars. He competed in various races, with results, in the UK and internationally with these teams.

In May 1965, Walker Day racing transported the TZ1s to the Circuit de Spa Francorchamps, Belgium. Only 26 cars showed up for the race. Hegbourne best lap in qualifying was 4min 36.49s, which was good enough to qualify 15th on the grid.

It was overcast but dry for the start of the race. By lap 3 Tony was leading the class. After pitting for fuel he dropped to 3rd in class to Boley Pittard and Nicolas Koob. On lap 26 Hegbournes Afa Romeo TZ1 Zagato somersaulted going flat out down the Masta straight. The car landed in a field and Tony Hegbourne suffered multiple injuries including a fractured spine and a broken leg. He was taken to hospital in Verviers, Belgium. His prospects were looking better and he was transferred to hospital in Stanmore, Middlesex. Very sadly his condition deteriorated and he died six weeks after the accident, on 01st July 1965 (51 years ago)

The current chapter

It is quite astounding to think that one of the most promising British racing drivers of the 1960s once owned this Healey. Sat in it, enjoyed it and probably drove it to its limits and today we are offering this car for sale at Bill Rawles Classic Cars (Jan17 now sold since writing this Blog). As one chapter closes another one begins.  The car is ready for a new owner, a new life, new stories and more adventures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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For Sale (Jan 2017 – Now SOLD since writing this Blog)

Austin Healey 3000 MK I, YUC 276 was registered in February 1960 and has been with the present owner for the past 27 years.

The vehicle has been well looked after and maintained regardless of cost and at present it is in a superb condition and ready to use straight away. It comes with a large history file and past invoices supporting the work that has been carried out. Over recent years our client has had the vehicle brought up to the condition you see today with the addition of the Old English White side panels.

The car comes with an MOT certificate that does not expire until 08th June 2017.

The MK I Healeys were the first model to have front disc brakes fitted as standard. The car comes with overdrive and all wet weather equipment is present.

This Austin Healey 3000 MK I is a genuine UK right hand drive car supplied to the home market. If you are looking for a genuine RHD Healey with lots of history and originality and at a very competitive price this must be a strong contender.

Please call Bill Rawles on 07763 362470 to arrange a viewing and test drive.

Alternatively call the workshop on 01420 564343