[Healeys] BN1

[Michael Salter]

Hi Gergo,
Many of the comments that you have received are quite true however, I would
not be quite so fast to condemn the venerable BN1.
I bought my first BJ8 in 1976 and spent every spare minute for 2 years
restoring that rusted hulk. I did over 80,000 miles in HBJ8L26036 and was a
committed MKIII owner. I loved the power, the sound and the "bling"'
however when the opportunity presented itself I sold it to purchase my 100S
which took another 4 years to restore.
Being in the business I had had the opportunity to drive many many Healeys
and other British sportscars over the years but the first drive of the 100S
revealed to me just how well balanced and pleasurable a 4 cylinder Healey
is to drive.
As Kees said, "It depends on what you really want".
I'm currently restoring a very early 100 for myself, (no longer do it as a
business).
Granted some of the parts are difficult to find, but with the internet and
this group they are no were near as hard to find as BJ8 parts were in 1977.
I happen to find the research and search one of the most challenging and
satisfying aspects of a restoration and as yet I have not come up against
anything insurmountable or prohibitively expensive.
I'm looking forward to completing, showing and using this car.
Certainly, if you are doing this work for profit a BN1 is probably not the
car to pick, but if you are one who enjoys the journey as much or even more
than the destination IMHO the little quirks and clean lines of the finished
product make that journey all the more enjoyable.

Michael S

On Sun, Jul 22, 2012 at 3:35 AM, Austin Healey <pajtamuvek at gmail.com> wrote:

> I would like to ask the opinion of the List.
>
> It looks like I have found a suitable project car. It is a BN1, with a good
> frame, maching numbers, straight body, but unfortunatly quite incomplete.
> What are the parts that are inobtainable for the BN1s? What are the major
> "pits" of the BN1 to avoid?
>
> I would be gratefull for any help.
> Gergo