Austin Healey - Austin Healey 100/4
The Austin Healey 100/4 (100 because it was capable of 100mph, and 4 because of the number of engine cylinders) was built by the Healey Motor Company using all Austin mechanical components, based around the 2660cc Austin A90 Atlantic engine, in the knowledge that Austin was looking to market a sports car. The prototype "Healey 100," was a rush to get to the 1952 Earls Court Motor Show, and within no time was taken up by Leonard Lord to be mass produced at Longbridge under a licencing agreement. The job of producing the bodywork was given to the Jensen Brothers company. Frazer Nash had also produced a car in the hope of it being taken up by Austin, which was on their Earls Court stand, also full of Austin components. Production of the Austin Healey 100 series 4 cylinder cars spanned 1952 to 1956 during which the Austin-Healey 100 BN2 , and Austin-Healey 100M (100M BN1 and 100M BN2) models were introduced in 1955. Initially sales of the Austin-Healey would be through the Donald Healey showroom in Warwick and the Healey Holland Park showroom in London, but shortly after the Austin-Healey was also sold through Austin agents showrooms, in a deal which involved Healey having a reciprocal Austin agency. These Austin Healeys were priced at the right level and sold well in the USA, especially with the strong value of the post war $ compared to Sterling.
The BN2 had a different rear axle and visually was the first time the optional 2 tone paint scheme was offered. The 100M's were the higher performance models with larger carburettors, higher compression and special cams. You could tell these cars from the couple of rows of louvers on top of the bonnet. By 1955 the Austin Healeys had been upgraded from 3 to 4 speed gearboxes. The 100S version was hand built at Healeys own Warwick premises for racing, with much aluminium bodywork and disc brakes all round. The Healey100S model also had a special alloy cylinder head with much of the development work done by Weslake, with this 100S engine being quoted in period at 132bhp at 4,700 rpm.
The radial tyre size for a Austin-Healey 100/4 is the 165R15 size, and Blockley produces the perfect 165VR15 tyre. A wider 185/70VR15 tyre is also produced for those wishing to have a wider tyre with the same diameter, which we often supply to Austin-Healey owners.
The original Healey 100/4 tyre fitment from new was a cross ply size 5.90x15, and the radial equivalent of this is the 165R15 tyre size. We also make a wider version of this tyre (i.e. with the same diameter) which is the 185/70VR15 tyre size. In addition Blockley also produces a cross ply tyre that is suitable for those that would like this. See full details of these Austin-Healey tyre sizes below:
