Barn find, old man, two 67 Healeys, $1 ea, SOLD!!!

[Sparkie93]

Greetings,

I've been visiting this site for the past several months trying to get the Healey fever again. Dad (the old man) says it's time to unload the garage (the barn), so he sold me his two Healeys for $1 each (tax reasons and I didn't even have to pay him)! Both were bought in the mid 70's as a hobby for us kids and have 41K and 47K on them. The green one spent time in NY and is a bit rough. The red one I did an amateur restoration on in high school - bad mistake. I should have practiced on a Pinto or Vega instead, but then again who wants to drive one of those to high school? Both have been sitting in the same spots in the garage since going off to college in 1982. I spent the entire past two days reinstalling sheet metal, windshield, front suspension, bumpers, etc. on the green one so that my neighbors don't get too uptight when I drag it home. I even buffed out what's left of the green paint. Fortunately I have ample garage space for both. I'm currently trying to find a trailer (hopefully borrow) to transport them from my parent's house in Augusta to my home in metro Atlanta, where they'll sit (hopefully less than 25 years) while I finish my 1964 Falcon Sprint.

I don't know how to post photos, but I was able to create a webspace. See link below.

Robert

PS - this is great site - I'm often amazed at the quickness and thoroughness of the reponses, especially by a handful of you "regulars" on this board that are so well versed in the Healey marque. You are either not married, have no kids, or have a very understanding and tolerant wife like me! Keep up the great work.


https://webpages.charter.net/sneskrid

 

[JP_Furble]

Sparkie,

I'll give you an opportunity to double your money...I'll give you $2 for just one of the cars! Really, sounds like you made a great deal there, and good luck with the restorations.

I just drove from Montana to north Georgia (Blairsville) in September to pick up a BJ7 to restore, and bought a 7'x14' cargo trailer while there to tow the car home in. Trailers in your neck of the woods are about 1/2 the price of the same unit here in the Northwest.

JPF

 

[Editor_Reid]

Re: Barn find, old man, two 67 Healeys, $1 ea, SOL

Robert,

Congratulations and welcome (as a poster) to the Austin-Healey Forum! You're off to a GREAT start in Healey ownership. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif

Just a couple of quick notes right now:

- That steering wheel on the green one is worth keeping/restoring; don't be anxious to replace it.

- It appears that the green one has the ultra-rare "gray" interior (at least the seats). The upholstery might not be salvageable, but take lots of good photos and do NOT throw it away!

As with any restoration of original or mostly original Healeys, take lots of photos before dismantling, and don't throw away anything! There may be more neat, rare stuff lurking there.

Again, congratulations and we'll look forward to more photos and reports as things progress.

P.S. Tell you father that I would have easily doubled his price for those cars! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

 

[roscoe]

Re: Barn find, old man, two 67 Healeys, $1 ea, SOL

Aw,
Dont' let these guys fool you. I'll give you 10, no, make that 20 times what you paid for them. You pay shipping to CA and we have a deal. Have fun, and decide early on if you want to make one car from 2 or have 2 cars. They both look very restorable on the outside.

Jon

 

[DougF]

Re: Barn find, old man, two 67 Healeys, $1 ea, SOL

Welcome to the Forum and congratulations on your "purchases". They should keep you entertained and off the streets for a while. Enjoy!

 

[tahoe healey]

Re: Barn find, old man, two 67 Healeys, $1 ea, SOL

Wow! What else can be said?

Is that a Ford model A next to the green one? I got a buck for that one.

 

[Sparkie93]

Re: Barn find, old man, two 67 Healeys, $1 ea, SOL

Thanks for all your generous offers!

Yes, Tahoe, that is a 30 A Model in the corner. It's been sitting there longer than the Healeys.

Reid,
About the green car: My oldest brother (in the photo) talked my dad into buying it in 75. It was a good driver, but basically was beaten all around and spent life in NY. It even has a snow/mud tire on the rear - whitewall even! The floors are good in it, but the rockers need to be replaced. I remember riding around the neighboorhood in it at age 11 - then we started tearing it apart, thinking we'd restore it. As to the interior: it's all black with exception of the front seats, which are more off white or creme color to me than gray. They have the correct looking gold piping, so I assume they are original Healey seat covers. My guess is the previous owner swapped the seats at some point.

I've seen this type of steering wheel before on Healeys, and no I don't plan to swap it. It was on the car when we got it.

Somewhere I read where later cars used hex style knockoffs rather than the winged type. Both cars have the hex (with the exception of the front right of the green one which was replaced - a friend claims that came off a Jaguar. It does have different threads on it than the hex).

The red car: I painted it Colorado Red many years ago (awful paint job), and it's extremely orange. It's possible the paint wasn't mixed correctly, but was there another red available on 67 cars? It is an original red car.

I plan to buy the build certificate for both cars to find out all details. In the meantime thanks for the info.

Robert

 

[AweMan]

Re: Barn find, old man, two 67 Healeys, $1 ea, SOL

Good deal! Lucky you! \ Were it me, I would not let ANY of that iron {including the model a} out of my sight!

 

[glemon]

Re: Barn find, old man, two 67 Healeys, $1 ea, SOL

That is quite a deal, and they both look like very restorable cars, good luck (although it seems you have already been blessed with a good measure of that)

 

[Cutlass]

Re: Barn find, old man, two 67 Healeys, $1 ea, SOL

Congrats! I'm three years into my 66 BJ8 restoration, also in Metro Atlanta. If you haven't done a complete restoration before, and want a few hard earned hints, let me know.

 

[timbn2]

Re: Barn find, old man, two 67 Healeys, $1 ea, SOL

i hate you!

 

[terriphill]

Re: Barn find, old man, two 67 Healeys, $1 ea, SOL

Welcome to the nuthouse.....btwshowed you rnew cars to my husband...he says,"you stink" (O.K. i made it a nicer word)
Be sure you post pics of your progress!