In the Driveway
  • IN THE GARAGE
  • VIRTUAL CAR SHOWS
  • MODERN RIDES
  • GALLERY
  • RESOURCES
  • CONTENT LICENSING/PR
  • PORTFOLIO
  • CONTACT

1954 Austin-Healey 100-4: Upgraded for Racing

7/9/2015

 
PicturePhoto: N. Nabavian
THE CAR AND ITS OWNERS
1954 Austin-Healey 100-4 BN1 M LeMans owned by Nick and Clara Nabavian

WHAT MAKES IT INTERESTING
The Austin-Healey 100-4 BN1 roadster, a collaboration of Britain’s Austin Motor Co. and race driver Donald Healey, was such a hit at London’s 1952 Earl’s Court Motor Show that it soon went into production as a strong competitor to the MG sports car.  Today, the big Austin-Healeys from all production years – 1953 to 1967 – are sought-after collectibles. 

“This was the first time Healey produced a car which broke the hundred-mile-an-hour barrier, hence the designation ‘100,’” Nick Nabavian says of his roadster.  “This model was made with a four-cylinder, extremely powerful engine, which Austin had previously used on trucks and London taxi cabs.  What is most interesting about the car is the folding windshield, which decreased aerodynamic drag and increased the top speed from 102 to 111 miles per hour.”  Healey also produced a race version, the ultra-rare 100S, and offered similar “M LeMans” racing upgrades to cars sold for street use, either at the factory or through dealerships.  “My car,” Nabavian adds, “is a dealer-installed LeMans car, which is certified by the 100M registry.”

HOW LONG THEY’VE OWNED IT
Since January 2014

WHERE THEY FOUND IT
They bought it from an owner in Florida.

CONDITION
“The car was restored about 10 years ago by a very respectable Austin-Healey specialist up to concours condition,” Nabavian says.  “He had used the color combination from boats Donald Healey was building in the same era. This is not an original Austin-Healey color combination, but it is certainly a great color combination. When we bought the car, it was still winning lots of awards in the Florida car show circuits.”

TIPS FOR OWNERS
Nabavian advises enthusiasts to buy a restored car “because trying to find the right person to restore it and to find the right parts is quite difficult and it can become extremely expensive.  Sometimes the restoration would cost more than what a restored car is worth.”  He says the 100-4 is “the best of the lot” and “has the prettiest fan-shaped grille than any of the later cars, which had an oval grille,” although the later 3000 model is “more roomy.”   

VALUE
Nabavian estimates the roadster is worth $70,000 to $90,000.  “These Austin-Healeys have been going up in value for the last few years,” he says.

THE BOTTOM LINE
“The car was a fiftieth birthday present from my wife to me,” he says. “I had always been a car enthusiast and I get about 10 car magazines a month, so my wife knew this would make me so excited having a classic car. I have always loved Austin-Healeys because of the beautiful lines the car has. You cannot find cars this pretty being made anymore."



Comments are closed.
    MODERN RIDES >
    < HOME

    Author

    David Fluhrer has been the classic car columnist for Newsday since 2008, and a new car reviewer for Newsday's auto section since 2018. 

    Read His Columns
    You can read some of his online "In the Garage" columns here. 

    Reproduce These Profiles To reproduce his classic car  profiles on your web site or in your print publication, please contact us.

    Submit Your Vehicle
    To submit your classic vehicle for a possible profile in Newsday, please go to our submission form.  If you hail from the New York metropolitan area, you may also visit www.inthegarage.net to submit show or club information for possible publication.

    Submit News/Event Info
    Classic automotive and related organizations, as well as their PR representatives, may submit news for this page by sending it to us at thegarage@optonline.net or through our contact page.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    September 2019
    April 2019
    November 2018
    May 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    January 2017
    July 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

    Categories

    All
    1903
    1909
    1916
    1927
    1929
    1930
    1931 Ford Truck
    1932
    1933
    1936
    1937
    1938
    1939
    1947
    1949
    1950
    1950s
    1951
    1952
    1954
    1955
    1956
    1957
    1961
    1962
    1964
    1965
    1966
    1967
    1969
    1980
    1984
    1997
    2001
    300B
    300SL
    41d8cd98f0
    420
    426
    911
    Adenauer
    Air-cooled
    Alco
    Alfa
    Alfa Romeo
    American Bantam
    American Motors
    Amphicar
    AMX
    Auburn
    Austin-Healey
    Baker
    Batman
    Batmobile
    BMW
    Boattail
    Britain
    Buick
    C-15
    Cabriolet
    Cadillac
    Carozzeria Ghia
    Carroll Shelby
    Cassarol
    Cheetah
    Chevrolet
    China
    Chrysler
    Cisitalia
    Clark Gable
    Classic Car
    Concept
    Concours
    Continental
    Convertible
    Corvette
    Crestline
    Cuba
    DeSoto
    Dodge
    Dual-Ghia
    Electric
    FJ40
    FJ Cruiser
    Flathead
    Fleetwood
    Ford
    Futura
    GAZ
    General Motors
    George Barris
    German
    Ghia
    Golden Spirit
    Gooding
    Grabber Orange
    Graham
    Graham-Paige
    GT 500
    GTX
    Harley Earl
    Havana
    Hemi
    Hemmings
    Hilton Head
    Hurst
    Impala
    Imperial
    Indianapolis 500
    Italy
    Jaguar
    Japan
    Jeep
    Jet
    Kaiser-Darrin
    Land Cruiser
    LaSalle
    LeBaron
    Lincoln
    M37
    Mark II
    Marmon
    Marquette
    Mercedes
    Mercedes-Benz
    Mercury
    Military
    Montclair
    Muntz
    Mustang
    NADA Guides
    Oakland
    Olds
    Oldsmobile
    Original
    Packard
    Paige
    Panel Delivery
    Pebble Beach Concours
    Pickup
    Plymouth
    Pontiac
    Porsche
    Power Locks
    Power Windows
    Racing
    Ram
    Ram-Air
    Ram Air 428
    REO
    Replica
    Roadmaster
    Roadster
    Rose Bowl
    Russia
    Saloon
    Shelby
    Shelby American
    Skyliner
    Sporn
    Steve Babinsky
    Street Rod
    Super Sport
    Supra
    Torpedo Kid
    Town Car
    Toyota
    Transporter
    Triumph
    Triumph-2000
    Truck
    Turbo
    Turin
    Vanderbilt-cup-races
    Vanderbilt-museum
    Vignale
    Volga
    Volkswagen
    VW
    Walter-p-chrysler
    Westbury
    XK 120
    Z8
    Zimmer

    RSS Feed

OUR SERVICES

Automotive Content
Public Relations
Investor Relations
Healthcare Communications

OUR ORGANIZATION

About Us
Newsday column
Contact Us

SUPPORT

Support
Terms of Use/Privacy Policy
Picture
Copyright © 2019   Driveway Media LLC  All rights reserved.
In the Driveway and Your  Resource for All Things Automotive are service marks owned by Driveway Media LLC. 
Links and advertising are for informational purposes only and do not necessarily constitute our endorsement of the products or services described.