A discussion of Healeys never comes up without me thinking about my friend Dan. Dan had a Healey in the garage that he always intended to restore but never got the money or time to do it. He was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given about a year or so to live. Dan had a fellow who does restorations come look at the car. After examining it, he agreed that he could indeed make it as new again, but that he certainly could not do it in time for Dan to enjoy. He did have a customer who had a nice driver quality restoration that was nicely sorted and available. On his advice, Dan bought that car sight unseen.
Dan drove that car every day and to every place. As he became more ill, he turned the driving duties over to other people. We would take turns driving Dan around the mountains and backroads of beautiful southern Oregon. He let EVERYONE drive that car... Friends, co-workers, people he met in town. Literally probably at least 30 different people drove that Healey. The only issue was a failed clutch mechanism that was quickly fixed by a local wrench. That car ran like a Timex.
Until Dan died. It refused to start and we had to push it out of the garage for his wake. This car had a purpose - to blow the wind in Dan's face and bring him joy in his last days on earth. And it did that. Without flaw...
A Healey is not a good car. It is not fast, the suspension is crude and creature comforts are thin at best. If that weren't bad enough, it's also British with all the issues that brings to the table... But if the Healey is what speaks to your friend's heart, then by all means he should buy one. Buy the best sorted driver he can find and use the left-over money to take the trips he dreams about. Best to get to it now.
angela
I think this is the last picture anyone has of Dan in his car.
