School him: Neighbor considering Austin Healey 100-4

[Reiver]

Old Brit cars have one thing in common with our old 911's.....tons of personality and they take a certain skill to drive at speed.

My first car (ratty) was a '59 AH 3000....not that old when I got it but had not aged well...I drove it in the snow/rain whatever. It was a great first car to learn on..(this is in the 60's).

The car I sold prior to the 911 was a 56 TR3 smallmouth that I'd fitted a 5 speed to...that was a hoot too.

I have to say tho I love my 911 more as it has personality, takes a certain skill...and the reliability from being more modern that I would not hesitate to drive across country, I would not have hazarded that in my TR3 even tho it was immaculate.

[Bill Douglas]

As they say "Friends don't let friends drive British cars."

[sand_man]

When I lived in FL, I was using a pretty well sorted '69 MG-B-GT as my daily driver, that my dad had given me. I was living with my folks in Sarasota and attending classes at USF in Tampa and St. Pete, which meant I was regularly commuting a fair distance. The car had 234K on the original engine (top-end had been rebuilt a coupla times, but original bottom-end). Once attempting to go over the Sunshine Skyway bridge on my way home from class, the car finally threw a rod!!!! Oh boy! I was mid-way heading up this steep bridge and just kept going! Smoke billowing out the rear. The sounds of doom from under the hood. But my biggest fear of being stuck on this tall bridge were coming true and I was going for broke! I kept my foot in it until I crested and then coasted down the other side. The engine had just stopped on its own. After having it towed home, the sound of carnage when I knocked on the oil pan was like ball bearings in a coffee can. When I got the pan off, there was nothing recognizable! Only twisted, torn, broken, melted bits of shrapnel, which once was a B engine! I guess all of this talk of British cars reminded me of that adventure.

[targa911S]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Lucas, enough said.....

Hey.....watch that......I'm a Lucas..

[targa911S]

OK so while we are on the topic of British cars...I'm selling Morris, my 1974 MGB to re-enter the Porsche family. It's a really nice car. I have put hours into it in the last year, and have a big cigar box full of receipts for all the new parts. Asking $6,000.00 and a bargain at that price. Has passed a very strict PA inspection in May and is a great fun driver, no issues. PM me if anybody is interested.

[sand_man]

If the last thing I ever saw was the grill of this car, my corpse would have a smile:

Perfection to my eyes!

[Reiver]

Originally Posted by targa911S

Hey.....watch that......I'm a Lucas..

Lucas Sr. to Lucas Jr. last words on his death bed....

"Son, don't drive at night".......

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by targa911S

Hey.....watch that......I'm a Lucas..

So you smoke? Smoking is bad mkay!

Originally Posted by targa911S

OK so while we are on the topic of British cars...I'm selling Morris, my 1974 MGB to re-enter the Porsche family. It's a really nice car. I have put hours into it in the last year, and have a big cigar box full of receipts for all the new parts. Asking $6,000.00 and a bargain at that price. Has passed a very strict PA inspection in May and is a great fun driver, no issues. PM me if anybody is interested.

Wow, clean ride!
Glad you live in PA and I'm not closer to retirement (when I no longer need to commute I would like to have a 'fun car') otherwise I would be very tempted.

[targa911S]

I can ship it.........

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by targa911S

I can ship it.........

I hear ya but timing is all wrong, I don't have room for a third car and need to commute 200 miles a week on our wonderful Lost Angeles freeways, unfortunately our (my) souls sucking Nissan Versa is much better suited to that duty.

When I retire we are thinking of getting out of the city to a small town, your car would be perfect for putting around town and country roads... but that is still a few years away.

[targa911S]

Exactly what I did. I live in a township next to Amish country. I have had fun with this car driving the " crick hills" around here. My Amish friends think it's cute and wave to me.

[petrolhead611]

My father had a garage and prepared several Healeys for rallying( they were a car of choice for that and for racing in the 50,s and 60's).A standard car would out handle anything the US had to offer for decades later, and rusted only as fast as other cars of its generation.The low exhausts were a problem on bumpy roads, so side exhausts were good for rallying.The 100-4 was a good car,the 100-6 a nose heavy underpowered thing, the 3000 in triple SU format a potentially fast car with 200 BHP possible for not too much money but by the time they were phased out of production the chassis was an antiquated design.
These cars were made for the US market but it was British drivers (who were prepared to maintain their cars ) that got the most out of them.The list of serious race and rally trophies is huge.