Austin-Healey introduced the 100-6 in 1956, delivering several refinements over its predecessor, the four-cylinder 100. Fitted with BMC’s new C-series six-cylinder engine and sitting on an upgraded chassis, the 100-6 came in two variants: the BN4 four-seater made from 1956-1959, and the two-seat BN6 roadster made from 1958-1959. The two-seater was a nod to market demand: buyers missed the sporty feel of the 100. Only about 14,436 100-6s were made during the entire production run. Here on eBay is a 1959 BN6 in project condition, with bidding sitting at $600, reserve not met. The car is located in Baldwin Park, California, and unfortunately, it has no title.
While BMC’s new 2.6-liter engine produced 102 hp at its introduction – a good 10 hp more than the 100’s four-cylinder – the weight of the four-seater extracted a performance penalty. The BN6 roadster performed slightly better, and that increment grew in 1957 when BMC switched to a six-port, cast aluminum intake manifold. Larger SU carburetors and a higher compression ratio brought output to 117 hp, shaving almost a second off zero-to-sixty times. The 100-6 was fitted with a four-speed manual gearbox; this car has the optional Laycock de Normanville overdrive. Top speed is around 103 mph. Our seller notes that this engine does run, but the car needs substantial attention before it can be driven.
The interior is unquestionably worn, but all its elements appear intact, including the jack. A selection of parts comes with the car, including its side curtains, a top that’s seen better days (hopefully the frame pieces are in there somewhere), and wire wheels in case the new owner wants to undertake a conversion from the factory-fitted steel wheels. Rust is a question mark requiring an inspection, but most of the bodywork looks decent. One element lost in the transition from the 100 to the 100-6 was the earlier car’s nifty fold-down windshield. This one is fixed. The grill also changed from Austin-Healey’s trademark fan-shape to a less distinctive oval.
The rear bumper sits askew, but there’s no real indication of accident damage – as noted, these panels and their gaps are quite presentable. While considerable work awaits the new owner of this Healey, asking prices for excellent BN6s remain in the $50k area even in this soft market, if you can find one. Yet this car is lounging around at a price that’s less than its parts value. What do you think – is this rare Healey worth the work to bring it up to show quality? Or would you get it running and call it good?
:0,,,I’m speechless( yay), nope, there it goes. $600? I don’t gloat in the fact that we are seeing the demise of our hobby, and so quick is the amazing part. I have to remember, why just yesterday these were 5 figures,,,well, that was 25 years ago, pops, and this only certifies the lack of interest. My brother had a ’58, with a ’64 3,000 motor, and I beg to differ, on a “speed run” once, we had it up to at least 120, but the needle was bouncing so bad, we took an estimate. It was a fast, unpredictable car, braking was its weak spot, and eventually did the car in. ( A car pulled out in front of him, he hit the brakes, the left front grabbed before the right, sending the car into a spin, mowing over a traffic island.)
Did the BFs staff ever find a Big Healey? Because it won’t get much nicer than this, steel wheels are a huge plus, I rarely saw these with them, and will certainly command more, but I doubt 5 figures. I suppose it’s true, great deals will be had again, if we can hold out, that is. $600 bucks,,,for this? Just shows, people just have no interest in these cars anymore. Their loss, huh?
I still remember the sound a 3000 made when outfitted with a split manifold and dual exhaust. Pure automotive music. Austin-Healeys in general were a car I always wanted but never obtained.
My brother had a similar accident in a classic car. He was driving our ‘63 VW Beetle and, like your brother in the Healey, a car pulled out in front of him. But unlike the Healey, all four wheels locked up and the Beetle slid into the side of the other car. Happily no one was hurt and the VW was repaired.
I had a 100-6 back around 1975.I paid $1000 for it.
It was in really good shape,with front & rear bumpers
made out of long strips of painted Black metal.It had a
combination of BN4/BN6 parts.It was a ’59,& it was Red.
Also the first car my (now) Wife & I went out in.I once
had a Jag driver wave,& I looked behind me to see who he
was waving at,& realized that he was waving at me! When
you drive a Corolla 1200,Jag owners never wave at you,unless
you know them.
I ended up selling it to the son of one of the owners of
Love-Thomas Motors in Honolulu for $2100 & thought that I’d
made a killing!
Always wondered if it still survives.
My father bought a used four-seat 100-6 in 1959, and traded it a year later on a 3000. The 100-6 was far from the fastest car around — even if it did have the six-port manifold — and the 3000, while quicker, was hardly the speediest car on the road, but the big difference was the front disc brakes, which gave the new car some serious braking power.
Seems odd to see one with steel wheels and hubcaps. Those are probably rare (I’ve only seen one six-cylinder Healey “in person” so equipped), but they were options, just like the overdrive.
Though a bit tired when Dad bought it, the 100-6 never gave any serious trouble, and in fact when I got my driver’s license some years later, I found it and almost bought it. It was still a bit tired.
I’d counsel anyone thinking of buying to pay serious and close attention to rust. These can rot, at the base of fenders and doors, and in many locations on the chassis. The latter can be dangerous, to say the least.
But everything else is pretty stout — the 3000 went on to rack up more than 500,000 miles with only two engine rebuilds; the transmission/overdrive units were never opened up.
The reserve is sure to be a good bit higher than the current top bid, even with the missing title. Just about everything needed for a full restoration can be had, but they are not inexpensive and I’ve heard horror stories about some of the Asian “reproduction” parts.
Still, whether just cleaned and made roadworthy or fully restored, this is a practical and fun classic.
Whenever I think of the name Austin Healy, a 100-6 is the very first model that comes to mind. Michelle started something a while ago about a bucket list of cars we’d like to drive. A 100-6 is absolutely one of them. To me at least, looking at the photos it appears very solid and restorable, and too nice to be a parts car. Thank you Michelle, I enjoyed this drinking my morning cup of coffee. ( And you got me wanting one now).
Any Austin-Healey is aces with me. This one’s all there, and stuck on $600 on Flea Bay? I doubt that’s anywhere near its reserve. If the reserve is sane however, it would be good to restore this if one has the time and $$.
gotta do it again, this deserves it. View of the above mentioned ‘complete’:
https://www.supercars.net/blog/1956→1959-austin-healey-100-six-bn4/
Several months after I graduated high school I bought a ‘62 Austin Healey 3000, the only year with three SU carburetors. It was only six years old but was pretty worn out. I replaced the main and rod bearings and had it repainted. It was pretty quick and very loud because the back of the muffler was blown out. I got married the next summer and traded it for a more reliable car, a well worn ‘64 Chevelle SS.
The classic car market is not collapsing, this auction is unfolding as auctions tend to do. Many serious bidders wait until the auction is close to the end to jump in. But the sky is falling crowd never hesitates to pronounce doom and gloom, often with kitten to no understanding of how auctions work, if they even realize they are commenting on an auction. I worked in automotive for over 30 years, there are two things that happen every summer, the naysayers predict the car market is going to collapse (they actually do that year round) im still waiting for that to come true and people are going on vacation, they are spending money on their kids, other activities, saving for back to school. Most enthusiasts are busy enjoying their car, not looking for their next project. Projects sell best in the spring, when people are looking forward in time as well as their tax return.
There are a few big problems with this car, no title, it needs an engine rebuild and it’s a bad time to sell, yet bidding has reached $4,800 RNM with 1 day 5 hours left. The seller would have been better off including a BIN price, better yet skip the auction and list it at a set price.
Steve R
Damn kittens to no understanding…
More like damn spellcheck and a failure during proofreading.
Steve R
Oh sure…… Those kittens may LOOK cute and cuddly…… But……
Just kidding, Steve, I knew it was a spell check thing. I have fat thumbs with my phone, half of my posts have at least one wrong word.
Just bustin’, Steve. I appreciate your expertise.
jwaltb, thanks, but no offense taken. I cringe when I see typos like that in my posts. Often when I write a long response it deletes itself if i take too long, so I tend to hit submit then go back to edit, but get timed out before I can finish.
Well, takes a big man to admit they are wrong, when you find him let me know. I respect your opinions, and are spot on,,,,for someone coming from California. Like I say many times, my daughter lives in L.A. and thinks nothing of what I pay for rent, for lunch. Bottom line, you, and they, don’t live in the same world as most of us do. Now, the bidding is up to $7300, and a much more plausible amount for a car like this, and rightly so. It shows, there is a market for Big restorable Healeys,,,in California. That market seems secure,,,for now, but it’s the ho-hum classics people are asking 5 figures for, is what is collapsing. It’s not uncommon for people in California to live in a sheltered state, not really sure what’s going on in Missorah. I tend to equate it to the food industry. A local beanery sells hamburgers( that weren’t that good) for $20. Why, because people passing through, have the money and want a hamburger and pay it. Same here. Nobody I know is going to go for this, I bet these bidders are all from California. I’m not proud to say that I’m part of that doom and gloom crowd, but we’re looking at it realistically, where folks in California might not consider. I hate to tell you,,,I feel the sky IS falling,,California is by no means a model state when it comes to finances.
A stock 3000 going through a tunnel was a treat to hear, too-
I had four big Healys (3 100-6’s and 1 very early 3000) in the late 1970’s/ early 1980’s. Back then, you could pick up a decent driver for $1200 to $1500 – and, with a little work, flip it for double that. I should have kept the 3000. According to it’s VIN, it was built right at the beginning of the model changeover. I would love to have another one now, except, as much as I hate to admit it, I probably couldn’t get in or out of it without a lot of help.
Being featured on Barnfinds has helped it to $7100, these are still popular cars, get it running as is and have fun.
I spent my teenage years with Healey 100’s and XK 120’s doing autocross and any other event that was available, but when I hit 21, I bought a race prepared Healey 100-6 with a trailer for 1000.00 and got my SCCA license. The 100-6 ran in E Production because it was under 3 litres, while the 3000 ran in D Production. They always ran us in groups A-thru D for the big cars and E-thru H for the smaller cars, so my Healey was always at the front of the pack and my first year out (1968) I was the E production champion in my region. The Healey was no slouch and I wanted to go bigger, so for 1969 I went to a 3000 engine and sent the head off to Joe Huffaker in San Francisco for his special semi hemi machining, cam and pistons. That really woke that motor up and when running in the A-thru D production class I was mixing it up with the big boys and had some good races with B production Corvettes. At the end of 1969 I traded the Healey in on a Lotus 23.
Joe junior still doing it at Sonoma race track.
Sold on 7/13/2026 for a high bid of $13,300, there were 45 bids from 14 bidders.
Steve R