In the world of vintage car events, the biggest issue many people have is finding an eligible car that is in any way affordable. This is because most of the higher-end vintage events require that a car not only be a 1957 or older but also be rare. This means that your 1957 Chevy, while it does meet the age requirement, does not get accepted because Chevy built tens of thousands of them.
What this usually means is that you need a mid-six-figure to million-dollar car – like a Ferrari 250, postwar Alfa 6C, or an early Porsche 356 – just to be accepted. But there is a bit of a “hack” at a much lower cost: the Austin-Healey 100M, also sometimes called the Austin-Healey 100M Le Mans.
The Austin-Healey 100M was introduced in 1955 as a higher-performance version of the 100. It featured larger carburetors, a high-flow cold-air box, a performance camshaft, and higher-compression 8.1:1 pistons. These factory modifications gave the 100M 20 more horsepower for a total of 110 horsepower at 4,500 rpm. The front suspension was also modified and made stiffer, and louvres were added to the bonnet (hood) to improve cooling. Healey produced a total of 640 “factory-built” 100M cars.
Here’s where it gets interesting: Austin-Healey would later offer these modifications in kit form for dealers to install. Healey 100s with the Le Mans kit are much more common and worth considerably less than the 640 factory-built cars. The only way to verify that a car is a factory-built example is by having the VIN checked against the 100M registry records. The best part of all this is that a true factory-built 100M is eligible for practically any vintage event you can think of, from races to tours and concours, and they can be affordable as well.
Our Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com is one of these cars, a 1956 Austin-Healey 100M located in Brookfield, Connecticut.
The ad is well presented and gives a prospective buyer all the info they need to be sure they are buying a true 100M. The seller states right off the bat that this 1956 Austin Healey 100M Le Mans is one of 640 factory-built cars. It is certified by the 100M registry and includes a Heritage Certificate stating it left the factory in February 1956 as a 100M.
The seller goes on to say the car has its correct-number M louvered hood, carbs, and cockpit molding. Originally two-tone white with black coves, it is now painted solid white and features a wood-rim Derrington steering wheel installed when the car was purchased new. The listing also states that this 100M is in excellent running and driving condition.
The seller has some good history as well, relating that this Healey was at the end of a restoration by the previous owner when he passed away. He had the car disassembled to the chassis and performed a true frame-up restoration. The car features a fully rebuilt engine, brakes, and suspension and is in very good, rust-free condition.
The listing notes the engine tag is missing, something sadly very common. That being said, this car still has its original distributor, vacuum advance, and carburetors, which are all numbered correctly and are original to this 100M.
The seller does point out there are a few things left to do. There are no rubber mats or carpets in the car, but these are easily available from places like Moss Motors. In addition, the convertible top and frame, as well as the interior door panels, are currently not installed but are included with the car.
All in all, this looks like a very honest example of a nice driver-level Healey 100M. The few things left to do are quite easy to deal with, and for the asking price of $97,500, this car offers more – both as a driving experience and an entry ticket to top-tier events – than anything else close to the price.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
