[Healeys] Number of Center-change BN7s

[Harold Manifold]

Hello,
 
I have the Clausager book and thought this question would be easy to answer
until I looked closer. If you make a lot of assumptions this is one way of
estimating the number of Centre Change Mk II BN7's. All the dates and
numbers are from the Clausager book.
 
In 1961 the Mk II started production approximately Mar 15, 1961, the centre
change gear box was introduced Nov 15, 1961 and there were 214 BN7 Mk II
cars produced in 1961. Based on an even production rate 14% or 29 would have
been centre change, assuming the plant closed one week for the holidays.
In 1962 there were 141 BN7 Mk II cars produced and all would be centre
change.
Total estimated centre change BN7's is 170.
Total estimated side change BN7's is 185.
 
This is a brain teaser and without going through build records we will never
know the exact number.
 
Harold
 
 
 
 
 

  _____  

From: Healeys [mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Patrick &
Caroline Quinn
Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2020 6:23 PM
To: healeys at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Number of Center-change BN7s



Hello

 

An interesting question that doesn't revolve around mechanical bits and
pieces.

 

I don't think anyone has a definitive answer to the question of centre-shift
Mk2 BN7s. The numbers I quoted last night came from Original Austin-Healey
by Anders Ditlev Clausager which was published in 1990. Back then Anders was
the archivist for the BMIHT and had access to all the build cards and in
writing the book would have gone through them all.

 

It's interesting to note the numbers on page 90 of the book as while the
cars for 1961 are bundled together, there is no differentiation between
side-shift to centre-shift in the 214 Mk2 BN7s built in that year. For 1962
there were 141 built and all these were fitted with centre shift gearboxes
with 12 built in RHD. Of the 12, nine stayed in the UK (five became Rally
cars) and three exported. There are two in Australia (HBN7/18442 and
HBN7/18884) with the former sold new here and the latter being a personal
export to New York for a member of the Australian consulate and eventual
export to Australia. I As to the other one I think it went to New Zealand,
but was recent sold back into the UK.

 

Bill Emerson's book was first published in 2002 and the same figures are
mention as are in the Clausager book.

 

Yes the Mk2 Roadster didn't sell all that well. Why? Probably because the
news was out about the new rain-tight BJ7 was about to be release and in
fact the two models were built concurrently and would have been on some
showroom floors together. The other factor was that buyers had little people
and the selfishness of a two-seater car couldn't be countered.

 

Unless someone is prepared to do what Clausager did and go through the build
cards from November 1961 through to the last Mk2 Roadster, we are unlikely
to deduce an accurate figure of the number of centre-shift Mk2 Roadsters
built.

 

Thank you for the brain exercising on a Sunday morning.

 

Hoo Roo

 

Patrick Quinn

Blue Mountains, Australia

 


 
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