Here’s one that reads more like a time capsule than a typical project listing. This 1953 Austin-Healey 100 BN1 roadster is currently up for grabs on Bring a Trailer, and it comes with a long, traceable family history and a long period of inactivity. According to the listing, the car has been in the same family since 1954 and has been parked for the last 49 years, making it a pretty intriguing starting point for anyone interested in early British sports cars.
The story begins with the original purchase in 1953 through a broker out of San Pedro, California. The seller says their grandfather acquired the car just a year later, in 1954, and it stayed within the family from that point on. Ownership eventually passed to the current seller in 1976, which also lines up with the California ownership certificate included in the sale. That kind of continuity doesn’t show up often, especially on cars that have been sitting as long as this one.
At some point in the 1950s or 1960s, the car was repainted blue. The listing also notes that louvers were added to the hood, along with features like an adjustable windshield, chrome bumpers with overriders, and a removable black soft top with side curtains. The seller does point out some issues, including rust in the driver-side fender and the rocker panel below the passenger-side door, along with peeling paint and other visible imperfections.
The car is currently not running and is partially disassembled. It retains its 2.7-liter inline-four engine along with a three-speed manual transmission with overdrive. The listing mentions that the engine still has its dual SU carburetors. The car is sitting on dollies, and the front wire wheels have been removed, while the rear wheels are mounted with older tires that reportedly do not hold air.
Inside, the cockpit includes bucket seats trimmed in dark blue vinyl with contrasting piping. The seller notes wear on the upholstery. Other interior details include a dash-mounted rearview mirror, a passenger grab handle, and door pockets. The original-style Smiths gauges are still in place, and the odometer shows 23,000 miles, though only about 500 of those were added under current ownership.
A collection of removed and spare parts comes with the car, which could help as the next owner sorts through the project. The listing also identifies the chassis and engine numbers, tying the car back to its documentation.
This isn’t a ready-to-drive car, and the listing makes that clear. But for someone who appreciates the early Austin-Healey 100 and doesn’t mind a long-term project, this one has a story that’s hard to replicate. Would you take on something that’s been sitting this long, or is that part of the appeal?
I did take on a four-cylinder Healey once. It was a BN2 with the four-speed transmission, and was in slightly better shape than this one.
For reasons of time, I entrusted it to a shop (now long-gone, thank goodness) that claimed to restore Healeys. After many months, I yanked it out of there, minus some original parts, and sold it in disgust. Wish I hadn’t.
These are wonderful old rides, a bit agricultural but great fun to drive. They are reliable, too, and relatively simple to maintain and repair.
This one seems fairly normal, price-wise (being sold on BaT, more than likely it will sell for more than it’s worth), but will need quite a bit of work. Ultimately, a full restoration. Being a bit finicky about Healeys, I’d replace the louvered bonnet and fill in the hole for the radio antenna. Not surprised there’s some rust; there’s always rust on these cars.
I hope it gets a good home.
Owned 2 ’55s and they were both fun. Agricultural yes, but they both ran all the time and always looked great. Wife must have liked them too because she’s still with me.