The practice of shoehorning a V8 into the engine bay of a classic British Sports Car gave the world the Shelby Cobra and Sunbeam Tiger. Both cars delivered mind-blowing performance that makes each more desirable today than when new. Somebody decided to apply the same formula to this 1955 Austin-Healey 100. Its engine bay now houses a Chevrolet small-block, making it a potent beast once the buyer returns it to active service. The seller has listed this British classic here on eBay in North East, Pennsylvania. They set their BIN at $15,000 OBO.
Introduced in 1953, the Austin-Healey 100 remained on sale until 1956. Austin built these vehicles at its iconic Longbridge plant, utilizing fully trimmed body and chassis packages produced by Jensen Motors in West Bromwich. Sales results were very respectable for a niche model, with 14,634 cars finding homes before production ended. Our featured car emerged in 1955, finished in Old English White. The louvered hood suggests it may have been the more potent 100M variant, although since that is a bolt-on panel and the seller doesn’t supply a VIN, we can only speculate. The body looks pretty tidy, with no significant bumps or bruises. The seller confirms that the frame is structurally sound, and if there is no rust, performing a cosmetic restoration would be relatively easy. Given how easily these classics come apart, this could be the ideal opportunity for a color change if the existing White doesn’t tick the boxes for the buyer. It appears that there is no soft-top, but the deal includes a tonneau.
I would describe this classic’s interior as serviceable, although it won’t win the buyer many show trophies. Trimmed in what appears to be Tan leather, the upholstered surfaces show no significant wear or physical damage. Therefore, deep cleaning and conditioning might produce positive results, reducing restoration costs considerably. However, the dash looks generally tired, and the gauge deterioration is obvious. Considering the mechanical modifications, the new owner could adopt a bespoke approach, refinishing the dash in their preferred material and adding a retro-style gauge package. There is a pushbutton radio, but if the buyer revives the beast hiding under the hood, they will probably prefer to enjoy its bass bellow, rather than the noise emerging from the radio’s speaker.
The Austin-Healey 100 left the factory equipped with a 2,660cc four-cylinder engine sourced from the A90 Atlantic. It delivered 90hp and 150 ft/lbs of torque. However, if this car is, in fact, a 100M, the power figure jumps to 110hp. That is now largely academic, because the original motor, like Elvis, left the building years ago. The seller says the V8 hiding under the hood is a Chevrolet small-block, though its capacity and specifications are unclear. What is undeniable is that even if this Austin-Healey is a 100M, the small-block would provide a significant performance gain that is impossible to ignore. A few unknowns remain. The car has a manual transmission, although, like the engine, the type isn’t specified. The car doesn’t run or drive, and with the brakes locked after years of inactivity, it won’t roll. I think any potential buyers should factor the cost of at least a partial mechanical refurbishment into their budget, because it is better to have the money and not need it than to need it and not have it.
This 1955 Austin-Healey 100 could be a wild beast once revived, and its relatively low curb weight means the driver might need to be delicate with their right foot if they don’t want the tires to turn into smoke. Of course, the biggest question hanging over cars of this type is the conversion’s engineering quality. Bolting a bigger engine into almost any car is possible, but the creator must adopt a sensible approach to maximize reliability and safety. This Healey raises those types of questions, making an in-person inspection almost imperative. If everything seems okay, is this a classic you would consider restoring?
Have owned 2 ’55s and loved them. Also drove friend’s ’55 with and Olds engine and it did go down the road. It was stated that the chassis was simple and easy to work on. That is not the case as they are complicated and there is limited room for drive train or exhausts past the fire wall. That said, this is a nice car and if it is one of the M cars they cut up $200K worth of rare car.
For the fact that the car has a Small Block Chevy Engine, of some kind, instead of a 2,660cc four-cylinder engine, like the original A90 Atlantic, probably keeps the price down significantly. A car like this should have been kept original, if at all possible.
But thinking again, Carol Shelby put a 427 under the hood of his Cobra.
Agree with Timothy, and due to the fact the car is non-operational along with being deteriorated in many ways, makes the price very optimistic for the seller. If the unit still had the original drive train, the cost would be more reasonable.
This engine swap was done decades ago, likely in the 1960’s. A V8 swap was popular even in the late-50’s, nobody back then cared about “originality” nor should they have. They were having a good time doing what Hot Rodders and racers have always done.
The former track manager of my local drag strip and her husband had been racing V8 converted Healeys since the late-1950’s, the husband was still racing his as of last year.
I have a collection of an obscure weekly news paper covering much of California racing in the late-1950’s giving a list of winners from most drag strips, most had a sports car class, Healeys won nearly every event, ET wasn’t listed, but MPH was, winners were typically 100mph+, which wouldn’t have been the original drivetrain.
Steve R
These cars were dirt cheap for a while years ago, so I am sure someone with a little time and money thought this might be a fun swap. The results look pretty good, and I would like to drive it to see what it is like, but I agree that I would rather have it original.
If I remember correctly, a small block Chevrolet engine and transmission weighed less than the original lump up front.
These are still one of the best-looking British roadsters.
Early 60’s….A high-school classmate bought a small-block-converted Healey. Whoever did the conversion had a problem with the steering column interfering with the headers, so he put a dogleg in the steering column using a pair of Craftsman 1/2″ u-joints. Never did hear what happened to the car.
I don’t know for, but I think that V8 was to big for the car..That’s my they put in a 2,660cc four-cylinder engine, at the factory. 😐
Oh, this brings back memories, mostly bad. At 15 I bought a ’56 100.4. It was sitting in the parking lot of a country club with no oil pan attached. I forked over $300 and had it towed home. I found the oil pan in the trunk, bolted it up, put new oil init and a filter, and with a new battery it fired right up.I had to wait until I turned 16 and got my license and i was nicknamed Austin Healey Man in high school. Then on a trip to Boston a bearing spun leaving me stranded on a highway. I got it towed to a guy’s house who specialized in repairing British cars. He confirmed my diagnoses of a spun bearing but even back in 1970 bearings were impossible to find. I bought a crankshaft kit from JC Whitney which included the bearings and a crankshaft for under $100.00. Meanwhile the British car mechanic suggested I install a built 289 Ford he has sitting in his shop. I told him that I already ordered the parts from JC Whitney, so no thanks on the Ford motor. What a mistake, that I still kick myself even today. JC Whitney never delivered the kit. The mechanic managed to somehow do some kind of repair to the bad bearing and I was able to drive the car again, but he cautioned me to not spin the motor over 2000 rpm. I ended up selling the car to someone a little older than me with the same warning about not over revving the motor. Later on I heard he did abuse the motor and threw a rod. Never heard whatever happened to the car after that.
I have broken my share of cars through neglect or faulty repairs. But I don’t blame the cars and call it good memories.
People today ‘badmouth’ engine swaps in a car with this value. As in a previous comment, this swap was probably done years ago when the value of these was not so dear and……. maybe the guy doing it liked the car but didn’t want the Brit Issues. I get that!!! More performance and reliability in a driver? Why not? Hence the selling number is down. I like it because, it’s a classic Brit sports car that had been upgraded as a driver. I grew up with these cars and in those times, upgrading them was paramount to originality. People wanted to drive them, not just keep them for history. Who, back then, would ever believe these cars would last for 50-60 years and still be viable? It was never a thought. I would like to drive this when it is sorted through and put back to running, not original condition.
In the Healey world these are known as a ‘nasty boy’. Small block v8s are typically a couple of hundred pounds lighter that the stock engine & tranny. Ford 289/302 are a better choice than the Chev small blocks – 2″ narrower making plug changes easier and the distributor in the front making points changes much easier. And, others are right about values back in the day – I bought my first 100-4 in late ’69 for $400 (rough but driving) and my 2nd in late ’70 for $500 (near perfect and undamaged). In this case, I would have to revert the fenders to stock, and loose the unpadded roll bar (good way to break your skull). And I agree with bobhess – the chassis is not easy or simple to work on, but if the structure is solid, this may be a good buy at 15k.
I have been told that’s it not a good idea to roll with wire wheels on a V8 car .
It largely depends on the engine output. Nowadays, I wouldn’t, but power outputs even on a mild built with contemporary parts can easily be 2 or 3 times the output of a modified engine from the late-50’s or early-60’s. Then there is tire technology with DOT approved tires better than the best racing slicks of the day.
The local drag strip would automatically fail any car that had wire wheels on its drive wheels.
Steve R
I have been told that’s it not a good idea to roll with wire wheels on a V8 car .
Really. I guess Carroll Shelby must not have known that.
A shame its not original. These were great rally cars in the day and the looks were much better than later versions IMHO.
Way Cool!
Dig it!!
The seller wants potential buyers to view the pictures carefully for potential rust. No photos of the floors or chassis are provided. Anyone considering this needs to lay eyes on it or arrange a 3rd party inspection. What the seller has provided should serve as a clear warning.
The “rust condition should be evaluated by buyer” statement is a BIG red flag. North East PA is actually in the north west corner of PA, it’s the heart of the rust belt half way between Cleveland and Buffalo. If this was ever in winter near there it could have a serious problem.
I’m about 50 miles south west of the location, if anybody is serious about it I could be persuaded to go look at it. If nothing else . . . . I’d like to see it. We have a shop about 20 miles from there that I may have to visit soon. I’m too old for another project, but it’s cool and I might still take my checkbook just in case.
Nobody responded to my offer to inspect it, so I ‘m going to assume that it’s a dead issue. My guess is that is has rust issues.but that’ only a guess.