I passed my driving test in the UK in 1965, my dad and his friends were the local keep them running guys not a qualified mechanic amongst them but they sure knew cars. Some of dads mates did a bit of trading buying at auctions and selling on for a bit of profit. Dad had a small win on the football pools just after I passed my test and was getting a bit fed up of me borrowing his car so he asked the guys to keep an eye out for a car for me. One evening when dad was out a mate of his rang he was at the auctions in Leeds and there was a car there he thought might suit me but wanted dad's ok before bidding. He said the car was a Healy and I said i'm sure dad will be OK with that.
Next day my first car arrived it was a Healy alright but not the Healy we are all used to it was a 1953 Healy Tickford, Based on the Riley two and a half litre as per photo's with hand built alluminium body and twin SU carbs and alloy cylinder heads. There was a spare close ratio gear box in the boot and a set of racing compound tyres. There was no syncro in the gear box so all gear changes were double clutch. The car had suicide doors and a real mahogany interior there were hook and eye latches screwed to the doors and dash which I removed until one day going over a humpback bridge at about 60mph both doors flew open, the hooks were quickly replaced. I got that car up to just under 110mph once before running out of straight road.
Unfortunately the insurance company felt that this was a little too much car for someone my age so the premium asked for was almost a years pay for a third year apprentice blacksmith so the car was sold on and replaced with a Ford 100E Prefect No need to ask which of my many old cars I would most like to have back the Healy wins hands down.
