We’re tending to a few things on this Austin Healey. The owner wants us to check on the brakes, some oil leaks, and see what else we see. Old cars, even restored old cars, demand much more attention than modern cars.
Category Archives: Austin-Healey
Beautiful Austin-Healey
This Healey passed through the shop for a short time, and it had some A+ bodywork done by another shop. I figured I’d take their work and pretty up our website. What a great foundation for a good looking sports car.
For the curious, we had this car done by Collision Masters in Myrtle Beach, SC. To say we’re pleased is an understatement. Currently, they have a Datsun 510 they are working on for us. We look forward to sharing the results. Check out their facebook page here.
Healey 5-Speed Complete
The Toyota 5-speed conversion suits the Healey well. In addition to the transmission work, we installed a new exhaust, replaced the needles and seats in the carburetors, checked everything over, and sent it back to the owner to resume prowling the Virginia byways.
Interested in a 5-speed conversion for your car? Give Chip a ring for particulars.
Healey 5-Speed Continues
Dean has the 5-speed in place on the Healey. Slow and steady wins the race.
Old Car Patina Is All The Rage
Patina sure is a popular thing to discuss these days, and this Austin-Healey had it before anyone cared. It looks like it just drove and drove. It’s here just long enough to get a five speed so it can turn around and drive some more.
Austin-Healey 3000
While this Healey is here, the owner decided to have us send the carbs out to Gary Martin for a rebuild. We also have the side glass to install. Once the carbs return, we’ll finish up the brakes, test drive and send it out.
Austin_Healey 3000 engine shot with carbs off.
Side glass to be installed in the Austin-Healey.
Brakes Are Broke(n) AKA Austin-Healey Brake Line Arteriosclerosis
An Austin-Healey 3000 came into the shop with rear drum-brakes that would apply but not release. Dean removed the flex hoses that run from the hard brake line to the brake cylinders, cut one open to see what was inside, and found this:
Old flex hose nearly closed up with solidified (stuff?).
Whatever was in the flex hose that used to be liquid was no longer liquid, and the resulting pinhole was so small that fluid could not exit the wheel cylinders once the pedal was released. The brakes were able to activate only because the pressure from the pedal application was so great that it managed to push fluid through the degraded line.
Austin Healey 3000 Updates
While this Healey has been waiting on it’s rebuilt distributor, we have tended to some other odds and ends. There is refinished wood to go on the dash, and shiny chrome mirrors to mount on the fenders. Measure twice, drill through your valuable metal fender once.
New Dash Piece
Marking The Fender For Hole Drilling
Austin Healey 3000 Mirror Installed
We conferred with the owner about mirror placement prior to drilling the holes. Do-overs are quite time-consuming after you put a hole in the fender, so we do what we can to avoid them.
Austin-Healey 3000 Progress
The Healey in the shop at this time needs some repair to the control head that contains the turn signal switch and the horn. 3000’s use an arrangement in which a stator tube runs through the center of the steering column and carries the wiring for the turn signals and horn. It makes a pretty steering column and an arduous fix. Take a look at the below pictures for more information…
Here is our patient. It’s a looker.
Here is the front of the control head that mounts in the center of the steering wheel. The wire running out the bottom goes through the tube that runs through the steering column.
View from the back.
Here is the stator tube lying on the workbench. It’s the silver tube that goes all the way from the left of the picture to the right of the picture in the middle of the page. Double click any of these images for a larger view. I will try to get a photograph of the assembly once it’s back on the car.
Next Up: Austin Healey 3000
We finished up the green Healey so we could bring in the next one. Here is another 3000 on which Chip will wield the UK Motorsports tools. The car is in good shape, so the list is mainly on-going maintenance. We’ll fill in the specifics once the wrenches start turning.