Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 152
1955 Austin-Healey 100 'M' Le Mans Chassis no. BN2-L/229996 Engine no. 1BN229996M
Sold for US$112,000 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 152
1955 Austin-Healey 100 'M' Le Mans
1955 Austin-Healey 100 'M' Le Mans
Chassis no. BN2-L/229996
Engine no. 1BN229996M
Chassis no. BN2-L/229996
Engine no. 1BN229996M
2,660 CC OHV Inline 4-Cylinder Engine
Twin SU H6 Carburetors
110 BHP at 4,500 RPM
4-Speed Manual Gearbox with Overdrive
Front Independent Suspension, Rear Live Axle
4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes
*A rare and eminently desirable high-performance Austin Healey
*One of just 640 factory-built 100 M models
*Original left-drive, USA delivery car
*Previously owned and restored by marque expert John Wilson
*Superb, photo-documented restoration in iconic black and red livery
*Widely eligible for pre-57 driving events including California Mille and Colorado Grand
*Retains numbers-matching original engine
*Documented by the BMIHT, 100 M Le Mans Registry, and Austin-Healey Concours Registry
THE AUSTIN-HEALEY 100 'M'
Following the Austin-Healey 100's sensational debut at the 1952 London Motor Show (shown as the "Healey Hundred"), the Works had entered two mildly modified cars in the 1953 Le Mans 24-Hour Race. They finished in 12th and 14th places, a highly praiseworthy achievement for what were recognizably production sports cars. Accordingly, the name "Le Mans" was chosen for a bolt-on tuning kit offered through Austin-Healey dealers, by means of which private owners could bring their cars up to a specification approaching that of the works' entries. The kit included a pair of 1¾" SU H6 carburetors, plus a special inlet manifold and cold air box, high-lift camshaft, stronger valve springs, and a distributor with alternative ignition advance curve. With the kit installed, power increased from the standard 90 to 100bhp.
From October of 1955, the conversion was available as a factory-fitted option on the successor BN2 model and dubbed 100 M. In addition to the Le Mans kit, the 100 M boasted high-compression pistons, a stiffer front anti-roll bar, special Armstrong front dampers, and a louvered bonnet. Power increased to 110bhp and top speed, with the windscreen folded flat, was within a whisker of 120mph. The number of BN1s converted by their owners is unknown, but 1,159 cars - mostly BN2s - were built or subsequently modified to 100 M specification between 1955 and 1956. Of these, just 640 were completed at the factory, some 544 of which were exported to the sportscar-hungry USA.
THE CAR OFFERED
Resplendent in its black and red livery, this outstanding matching-numbers Austin-Healey is one of the coveted, factory-built 100 M models, backed by a plethora of documentation to confirm its pedigree, including its British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Certificate, among others. Per factory production records, this car was sold new in the USA and delivered in black over a red interior, with basic options including a heater, laminated glass, MPH speedometer, USA-spec lighting, and a louvered bonnet – in addition to the all-important M go-fast bits. A notable previous custodian was John Wilson, proprietor of Healey Lane Restoration in Marcola, Oregon. In 2016, Mr. Wilson sold the car to a collector, with the understanding that Healey Lane would restore it to meet the challenging Gold-level certification standards of the Austin-Healey Concours Registry. During the ensuing restoration, famed Healey specialist Peter Nesbitt of Mount Sinai, New York, rebuilt the engine, gearbox, transmission, overdrive, and rear end. A plethora of photos document the extensive restoration. Accompanying the car are copies of its various certifications, restoration photos, side curtains, a jack bag, and assorted literature.
Completed in 2019, John Wilson and his son Robert's collective expertise came good, and the 100 M was awarded the Austin-Healey Concours Registry Gold Certification, as well as entry into the World-Wide 100M Le Mans Registry. Well maintained by collectors in the ensuing years, this beautifully and meticulously restored Healey 100 M remains as dazzling as ever, and is an exciting prospect for entry into a wide range of prestigious shows and driving events.
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