Last updated on August 12, 2021
Todays car is a 1955 Austin Healey 100/4 BN1 and is finished in maroon over red, the maroon having pearl in it. The Maroon over Red were factory colors in 1955 only. This car is owned by Corkey Holt, who is the third owner. He purchased it in 2012 from Mat Garity who purchased it from it from Bob Colton who bought it new. This BN1 has a Dealer installed Le Mans kit. The kit included bigger carburetors, modified the distributer, valves and added a front anti-roll bar. The dealer installed Le Mans kit “adding 20 hp to the 90 hp factory engine” and was a lot faster than the BN2.
As a Dealer installed Le Mans kit. It is powered by a 162.3 cu in, 2.66 liter in line 4 cylinder, engine with 2 SU H6 carburetors, producing 110 hp and transferring that power through a 4 speed manual transmission. Delivering that power to the rear wheels through 4.10 t0 1 rear end gear ratio. The suspension has coil springs and an anti-roll bar in the front suspension and semi-elliptic leaf springs with a solid rear axle in the rear suspension. For stopping power, its braking system includes Drums at the front and Drums at the rear. .
Corkey’s very good friend, Mick Felder, who owned Felder’s Body shop located at 210 Pacific Coast Highway in Hermosa Beach, CA. let Corkey do the work in his shop and with some help from Mick. Corkey spent the next 9 mouths doing the complete restoration.
Mick died from injures caused by a motorcycle accident at the age of 83 in November 2018. Mick was a big loss to the South Bay community which he donated much of his time and the South Bay car world. We miss you Mick!
Total production of the BN1 reached 10010 cars from the 27-month production from May 1952 to August 1955. These were replaced by the BN2-series cars which were fitted with a 4-speed manual transmission with overdrive. Many BN1 owners replaced there 3-speed transmissions with the 4-speed BN2 transmissions and considered this a very nice upgrade.
This is a great restoration, Thanks for riding along. Frank
