1958 Austin Healey 100/6

The car was acquired by the current owner in November 2023, imported from South Africa by Bridge Classic Cars and registered in the UK in October 2023. It is MOT and tax exempt, classified as a historic vehicle. The car’s registration number is 742 XWA, and it has had one previous keeper. The owner stored it in a classic car facility in Essex due to space constraints where it was kept in a humidity-controlled environment and maintained regularly. Odometer shows 9,752 miles, in 1958 South Africa was still using mph for vehicles.

Research revealed that the car was part of a batch of five Austin Healey’s shipped to South Africa in 1958, assembled in Cape Town, and possibly sold in 1959. The owner found out that the car had participated in the Cape 1000 Rally in 2022 and won! Coming first in it’s class. Built 26th September 1958 at BMC Abingdon and sent by sea to South Africa as a CKD (complete knock down) on 3rd October 1958. The car was part of the last batch of five BN6 cars sent to South Africa and is either the last or second to last of that batch assembled.

On collecting the car from storage in April 2024, the owner drove it for the first time. The car was roadworthy with servo assisted drum brakes that worked better than expected. The car had already been recommissioned by Bridge Classics, and had some minor faults that were addressed by the owner, such as issues with the electrical control box, fuel gauge, overdrive, and cooling fan.

The car was used sparingly, mostly for car shows, and was stored indoors from late September 2024 to March 2025. The car comes with hood and side screens, tonneau cover, two sets of keys, new Haynes workshop manual, some old files, indoor car cover and maintenance charger.

The exterior of the Austin Healey is quite stunning. A tell tale sign of age or neglect, especially for cars that adorn red paintwork is fading. We saw none of that and in-fact the paintwork and body looks in excellent shape. Panel gaps, which all appear to be straight with no dinks or dents that we saw.

The chrome work and lights around the Austin are in line with the rest of the vehicle’s condition. They’re still lustrous, even in high impact areas such as the front end. We saw no signs of any pitting on any of the chrome work. There is a slight imperfection to note on the top of the front bumper. The lights on a car of this era are usually the first to fall victim to aging. This is not the case with this particular example. All lights located on the Austin are crystal clear with no signs of any fading from the sun, no cracks or discolouration that we noticed. A testament to how well looked after this Austin has been over the years.

Wheels on the Austin Healey as some eagle eyed people may notice are not the original wire wheels that this car came with initially. Somewhere along the way the wire wheels have been misplaced.

The steel wheels that are mated with the AH stamped hubcaps look really good and are a offer a great alternative aesthetic to the vehicle. There are some age related marks to be aware of but generally speaking they present in very nice condition with the centre caps still looking good as new.

The convertible soft-top roof is a key feature and one that allows users to enjoy open air motoring when the British weather allows. The roof is holding up well. There are no signs of any rips or tears that we could see and we are informed that the roof should still be watertight, although the current owner cannot verify this as the car has never been used in sub par conditions.

The interior of the Austin Healey is one that is simple yet timeless and is still in fine shape. Across the door cards the leather and chrome components including the door handles are aging really well. We saw no marks or scuffs or any signs of any deterioration on either door which is a good sign that the vehicle has been very well looked after. Moving further into the cabin, the door sills on both sides are free from any scuffs or scratches that we notice.

The seats are adorned with black leather and white piping which in our opinion makes for a really timeless look. We did notice that on top of the driver seat there appears to be a small tear, but we wouldn’t say that this is massively detrimental to the overall condition of the interior of the Austin, as overall it’s in fine shape.

Looking at the finer details of the Austin such as the steering wheel and the Smiths instruments, it’s tough to believe that this vehicle was produced in 1958. That surrounds that house the instruments and the glass within are in immaculate condition and show no signs of pitting on the dials. The clocks themselves are still their original black and white with no signs of the instruments turning yellow, as they can do with age.

From looking over the engine bay everything appears to be in good order, with no signs of any leaks that we could see. The Austin starts and runs as it should do with nothing untoward to note. We are informed that the gearbox selects gears with ease and that there is no crunching or grinding when selecting any of the gears. The owner of this Austin states that it is a real pleasure to drive on the road.

Before purchasing the car, the owner is informed that a series of work had been undertaken. Components had been changed. Braking system, steering, suspension, new front dampers to name a few to make it fully roadworthy. Everything works including the overdrive. Odometer shows 9,752 miles.

Underneath, the Austin Healey is very clean indeed. There are no signs of any rust that we could see on the vehicle and it is looking extremely tidy for it’s age. We are informed that the vehicle has been used infrequently and when the occasion did arise, it was a warm dry summer day.

Documentation for the Austin is fairly light. This is primarily because it was imported fairly recently. Because of it’s age it is MOT and tax exempt.

There is a certificate of authenticity that comes with the vehicle as well of course the V5C. There are a handful receipts for work completed but there are for smaller items such as, gaskets, coolant, sender unit and a thermostat.

This Austin Healey is a stunning example, with a fascinating story and it’s ready to be enjoyed by someone new. The car is pretty and needs nothing. It’ll start on the button and tick over as it should do for many years to come providing that it is looked after. It’s also a race winning rally car, if the aforementioned wasn’t enough to convince you.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £22,000 - £30,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Beccles, Suffolk. Viewings are available at any time; to make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.