Thread: The Healey was a hit!

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I entered the Healey in a concours type show last weekend. I wasn’t even sure if they would let me in, but it was just across the river from my home and thought it was worth a shot. My wife and I had already decided that if they turned me away, we would just pick a nice restaurant and make a road trip for the day. I had worked for several hours the day before and the Healey was shining about as well as it ever will.

The event was put on by the Rolls Royce and Bentley club and the fellow that was running the show seemed like a friendly chap who was, without a doubt, British. I gave full disclosure when I registered that my car was not an original Austin-Healey, but he said no problem.

It was a fairly formal affair with mostly Rolls and Bentley entrants, but there were several Ferraris, a Maserati, several other British makes and a few Porsches. My old car was flanked by royalty and most of the cars in the show cost more to maintain than mine did to build.

But, the Healey was truly a hit with the spectators and a few of the participants! There was a crowd around it pretty much all day. Many pictures were taken and several folks returned for a second look. Had a few good conversations and let a few kids sit in it for photo ops. It was interesting to see people cruise right by Porsches and Ferraris only to stop for several minutes to stare at the old kit car from all angles. One woman even found me to tell me that it was, by far, the prettiest car in the show. Quite a compliment, considering the machinery that was there, and taken as such.

At the end of the event, I wasn’t expecting any award other than the participant ribbon I had received that morning, but my name was called for a second place plaque and ribbon in the Healey division. There was a little grumbling that was overheard about letting “that kind of car” in the show. I didn’t think that was too bad, though, for a car built from cast off bits from the scrap heap by a man in a shed, as the Brits would say. It held it’s own against the big dogs. I probably won’t go back next year since I’m pretty sure the rules will be changed and “that kind of car” will be excluded, but it was still mucho fun for this one day.









And here’s the old girl in all her glory! That's an Aston-Martin Vanquish beside her. Funny, that several folks seemed to think my car was some kind of Bond car, when a real Bond car was parked 2 feet away!

Congrats on the awards. Always nice to see the hard work recognized..

Well deserved Mike!!!


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Thanks guys. I never intended for this to be.a show car. It was always intended to be.a driver. It does feel good to know all the work was appreciated.

That is awesome man!

Good for you! I think people generally like cars they can relate to. It sounds like yours is one of them, not the 6 digit price tag cars.

Congratulations! That's nice that you weren't turned away, and that your "kind of car" was included in the judging! I've run into that here, where a show on the grounds of the Art Institute decided to allow a few hot rods, but heaven forbid none that were made of fiberglass! Told them they could put it next to the Corvettes but they didn't see the humor....

Good one you!
It's always a fillip when you get kudos unexpectedly like that.
Obviously the judges thought you deserved it.
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Congratulations.


Bill S.

With all the extensive effort you put into making it look far more like a modified original than the awkward product as produced I'm not surprised that the more "genuine" auto enthusiasts in the show promoters appreciated your abilities.

We could exchange some fun stories I would imagine. When I was in my Porsche period I got roped into being one of the concourse judges for the club gatherings. They gave me the underside portion of the inspections as they recognized I was one of the few members who actually had any idea what I was looking at under there. I got double duty since I had both a 356 and a 911 in addition to the 550 replica.

To my eye your car fits in there just fine. The clunky lines of that Alpha make yours look even more sleek.

Good to see there are still folks around who appreciate a car for what it is and not just for the "label" attached to it!

Thanks to everyone!

I think the poor guy in charge of the show caught some serious flak, quietly of course, for even letting me in. After the show, privately, he gently discouraged me from returning next year. Never came right out and said "don't come back", but did say the other guy that usually puts on the show was real stickler for originality. You know wink, wink, nudge, nudge. I know he was the one that was doing some of the judging so I'm sure he was the one that made sure I had an award.

Congrats on the award and next year just leave the hood down.