The cars of Donald Healey - when there was no Austin-Healey yet

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The cars of Donald Healey - when there was no Austin-Healey yet

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Created on July 1, 1986

Text:

Rob de la Rive Box / Bruno von Rotz (2012)

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

2

Bruno von Rotz

5

Balz Schreier

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Julien Mahiels

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Archiv

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Austin Healey Silverstone D27 (1949) - at the Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP2 047)

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1946) - An early Healey on a public demonstration drive

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - James Watt, the commercial director of the Healey works, shows the sports car in adverse weather conditions

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At the Mille Miglia in Brescia - Donald Healey with co-driver Geoffrey Healey

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At the Mille Miglia in Brescia - Geoffrey Healey (with moustache) and Donald Healey (right)

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Geoffrey Healey (right) and Paul Hawkins (left)

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1945) - the chassis of the first Healey as it was built at the end of 1945

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1946) - the chassis of the sports car

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1946) - the closed version

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - at the 1947 Paris Motor Show

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - the Duncan at the 1947 Paris Motor Show

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - the 'Duncan' model at the 1947 Paris Motor Show

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - Rear view of the 'Duncan', exhibited at the Paris Motor Show

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - Rear suspension

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - the Duncan Competition model

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - the fast Competition 2-Seater weighed just 980 kg

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - James Watt in front of the sports car produced under his care

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - front view of the sports car

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - the "Factory Demonstrator"

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - an early open version

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - the demonstrator at the factory in England

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - the factory demonstrator in Switzerland

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - Rear of the Factory Demonstrator

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - the 'Westland' model at the 1947 Paris Motor Show

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - pleasing lines

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - silhouette view of the Westland model

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - on the road with the test car

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - the Swiss coachbuilder Beutler built several Healey sports cars

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - front view of the Beutler version

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - side view of the roadster

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1948) - Chassis shown at the 1948 Geneva Motor Show

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1948) - the closed Duncan sports car, photographed at the 1948 Geneva Motor Show

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - a special body from Pourtout

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Healey (1948) - another special body with Haeley chassis

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1949) - a Beutler convertible exhibited in Geneva

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1949) - the Beutler-bodied vehicles looked very elegant

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1949) - Sargenti in 1951 in the ex-Tschaner-Healey in the swimming pool curve of the Rheineck-Walzenhausen hillclimb race

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Healey Sportsmobile (1949) - appeared clumsier and less pleasing than other Healey variants

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Healey Sportsmobile (1949) - the open car with a closed top

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Healey Sportsmobile (1949) - unconventionally shaped

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Healey Sportsmobile (1949) - soft top open

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Healey Sportsmobile (1949) - Chassis and engine

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Healey Abbott (1950) - at the 1950 London Motor Show

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Healey Abbott (1950) - Interior of the sports car - shown at the London Motor Show

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Healey Silverstone (1950) - with Riley engine

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Healey Silverstone (1950) - Illustration from a sales brochure

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Healey Silverstone (1950) - in tough racing conditions in 1962

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Healey Silverstone (1950) - Rally Sestrière 1953 - turbulent start

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Healey Silverstone (1949) - neatly overhauled engine, splashback with pin finish

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Healey Sports Convertible (1951) - beautifully designed convertible with 3-liter Alvis engine

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Healey Sports Convertible (1952) - a 3-liter Alvis engine was installed for the first time

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Healey Sports Convertible (1951) - the six-cylinder that came from Alvis

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1947) - at the Sion race in 1952 - Gilomen, in a right-hand bend

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1949) - recorded in 1952

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1953) - Convertible version from Tickford

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Healey 2.4 Litre (1948) - in 1954 at a Swiss hill climb race

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Nash-Healey (1951) - Healey relied on him in the fifties

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Healey Silverstone (1950) at the Michaelskreuzrennen 2011 (starting number 306)

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Healey Silverstone (1950) with starting number 219 at the Arosa ClassicCar 2011

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Gaisbergrennen 2011 - Healey Silverstone D 27 (1949) - on the Salzburgring

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Mille Miglia 2012 - Healey Silverstone (1950) - Futa special stage

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Healey Silverstone (1950) - Pre-war legends at the 2012 ADAC Eifelrennen

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Healey Silverstone (1949) - at the Grossglockner Grand Prix 2012

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Healey Silverstone D32 (1949) - at the Grossglockner Grand Prix 2012

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Healey Silverstone Type E (1950) - in the field of post-war sports and racing cars at the GP Mutschellen 2012

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Healey Silverstone (1950) at the Jochpass Memorial 2011 (start no. 096)

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Austin Healey Silverstone D27 (1949) - at the Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP2 047)

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Summary

Automobiles became the purpose in life for Donald Healey, born in 1898, rather by chance. In 1931, he won the Monte Carlo Rally in an Invicta. In 1946, he presented his first sports car, which was followed by various others, including the famous Healey Silverstone. Large numbers were not possible, the vehicles were too expensive, but Donald Healey's cars left a lasting impression even so. This report shows the development of the early Healeys, from the first 2.4 Litre to the Silverstone, illustrated with historical photos and nine rare sales brochures. The history of the Nash Healey is not covered in detail, leaving room for another article.

This article contains the following chapters

Automobiles as a purpose in life
The first garage in Cornwall
Horror in Denmark
The first Healey prototype
The first Healey
The Healey was not cheap, but it was fast
With its own "works team"
Victory at the Mille Miglia in the Touring class
Sales success at a low level
The Healey Silverstone
With a Cadillac engine
Second, improved version
Victory at Silverstone
Overview of the models and quantities
Further information

Estimated reading time: 10min

Preview (beginning of the article)

"With the Healey, the British industry is building a car that is one of the fastest production cars of any category ever made... unique combination of driving safety, comfort and economical operation... with a load of three people and their luggage, it reaches a cruising speed of between 120 and 140 km/h... as a role model for the modern thoroughbred vehicle with the individuality of a class car..." These were the words of praise in the "Automobil Revue" of December 10, 1947. Automobiles became the purpose in life for Donald Healey, who was born on July 3, 1898 in Perranporth, Cornwall (England). But this was not actually planned. At the age of 16, he had found an apprenticeship at Sopwith Aviation Co. where Harry Hawker taught him to fly on the side. A year later, after "moving back" his date of birth, he was accepted into the Royal Flying Corps as a fighter pilot. But his flying career did not last long. As early as 1917, he was discharged as a partial invalid after a flying accident.

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