1957 Austin Healey 100/6 BN4

This vehicle is an early Austin-Healey 100-6, in BN4 guise, which means that it’s the 2+2 model, rather than the later two-seater.

It was exported new to the USA in LHD configuration and, we’re happy to report, spent the rest of its life there in sunny, salt-free, dry California.

It also spent some 30 years doing absolutely nothing and living in a barn.

It returned to the UK in, we think, 1996. It then went to live in Rugby for a while.

It next makes a public appearance in an Ebay listing in October 2005. The then vendor stated that new floors, sills and rear inner wings had been fitted, the car had been returned to RHD configuration and around £12,000 had been spent on sundry parts including suspension components, steering box, electronic distributor, uprated starter motor and alternator, wiring loom, and many, many other all-new bits and pieces. 

He had also had the gearbox, including the overdrive, fully overhauled, and completely rebuilt the engine, boring it out to 2.9-litre ‘Big Healey’ spec. 

The current vendor, who was at the time Head of Production with the Faversham brewers Shepherd Neame, despatched one of the engineers from the company’s transport fleet to take a look at the car. 

On that strength of the engineer’s glowing assessment, he bought the car and promptly set about a painstaking process of restoration, with new parts ordered from marque specialists AH Spares and Cape International, and the bulk of the work carried out by the expert mechanics of the brewery transport maintenance fleet.

Everything that need refurbishing, restoring or replacing was refurbished, restored or replaced as applicable and appropriate. 

The engine was overhauled and reconditioned by specialists Bailey & Liddle of Kent.

The car was also resprayed in the black-over-red livery you see today and the interior was retrimmed in red hide. A new black hood completed the vehicle’s splendid fresh look.

We have driven the car and can attest to its ability to start on the button, pick up pace eagerly, press on with enthusiasm and handle with all the balance and agility you would expect to find in a 1950’s Healey.

The vendor tells us (and we agree with him) that the steering geometry on the front wheels could do with a little expert attention, as it doesn’t feel quite right and is a trifle noisy. It may be as simple as adjusting the toe-in, or something equally basic. 

The vendor has recently had the car serviced and replaced the fuel lines and the rear brake pads.

The black fabric hood has been used once, which was when the car came to our HQ, and the vendor thinks that, although the hood is absolutely fine (and effectively brand new), it might not be correctly affixed to the frame and would benefit from the attentions of someone who knows about such things. 

The side windows are with the car. A spare exhaust system is available through negotiation with the vendor, if desired.

The bodywork is decent wherever you rest your gaze, being free from any dinks, dents, bangs, crumples, creases, ripples or folds of real significance anywhere that we can see.

The panels, panel gaps and shut-lines are entirely consistent with the best tolerances achievable by 1950s engineers. 

The doors, bonnet and boot all open and close properly, although the passenger door isn’t entirely flush with the surrounding bodywork. 

The wire wheels are in fine fettle, as is the chrome elsewhere on the car.

The matching Uniroyal tyres look to have a good amount of life left in them.

Much of the paintwork is good and has retained plenty of shine and lustre, but it’s not perfect.

There are some flat patches, swirly scratches and the odd spot of micro-blistering on the bonnet.

There are also some swirly scratches and the odd scuff here and there on the boot lid, which has a couple of small, drilled holes, presumably where some badging was once affixed.

The top of the n/s/r wing has a couple of very shallow indentations to show for itself, plus a couple of scratches and scuffs.

There are some scuffs at the top and bottom of the passenger door, and the rubber trim at the base of the windscreen is warping and lifting in a couple of places. 

The lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings all appear to be in good order.

The condition of the interior is really very good indeed, reflecting the fact that this car has seen very little use since being restored.

The red leather seats, front and back, are beyond reproach, with those in the front providing comfort and support in equal measure. 

The carpets and mats are untroubled by use or the passage of time.

The roof lining is good, as are the door cards.

As far as we and the vendor are aware, all knobs, switched, levers and dials do what they’re supposed to do. The exception to this rule would appear to be the speedometer, which the vendor tells us proved rather unreliable on his journey to drop the car off at our HQ and seems to be suffering from an intermittent fault.

The boot, which contains a spare wheel, is in good order, as is the tonneau cover.

The engine and engine bay look impressively clean, shiny and dry. 

The undersides look to be possessed of plenty of structural integrity and nothing we’ve seen has prompted us to tut, raise an eyebrow, or doubt that this car spent much of its life in California.

This car comes with a great big thick wad of history, books, magazines, handbooks, manuals, photographs of its restoration and renaissance and, of course, all manner of bills, invoices and receipts attesting to the huge amount of time and money that have been lavished upon it over the years.

It has several sets of keys and a V5.

This is a very strong example of both the marque and the model.

No, it’s not in concours condition but it is an ex-California car that’s been mechanically sorted and sympathetically upgraded with no expense spared.

The vendor and his predecessor have spent a lot of time and money on this lovely car – so you won’t have to.

All you have to do is drive it and enjoy it for many years to come.

We are happy to offer this fine vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £30,000 - £35,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.