1957 Austin-Healey 100-6 BN4

Michael’s Motor Cars is very happy to offer this very nicely restored Austin-Healey 100-6 BN4. This car underwent a full restoration by its prior owner, a Mr. Wheatley out of Albany, NY. While Mr. Wheatley spent most of his time restoring early Mercedes-Benz SL’s, he acquired this Healey in 2006 and completed the project in 2012.

During the restoration, this Healey was fitted with a Chevrolet 350/350 V8 and a Muncie 4-speed manual transmission. This powertrain suits the character of the Healey perfectly. While the V8 produces more than enough power, it’s a very smooth runner and the gearbox is precise. Combine that with a subdued exhaust and this car extremely friendly and easy to live with.

The restoration has not visibly aged in any way. The paint is a mix of a Chevrolet red and a Mercedes silver, and it remains glossy with no signs of cracking or lifting. Inside, the red leather and carpets look new. Brightwork is impeccable throughout. Differentiations from standard include a wood rimmed Motolita wheel and console panel for controlling the electric fuel pump. The analog odometer shows under 800 miles.

Included with the car is a stack of invoices and a disc with almost 100 photos documenting the restoration. This Healey is in beautiful condition and offers a great solution for someone interested in an ‘optimized’ classic that’s easy to drive and enjoy.

1926 Ford Model T 2 Door Coupe- $13,000

1926 Ford Model T 2-door coupe, finished in burgundy with black fenders. This T was restored about 18 years ago, during which it was repainted, the interior was retrimmed, and the engine and transmission were rebuilt. Outside, the all steel body is in good condition, with some patina showing the age of the restoration. The interior remains in very nice condition, with broadcloth door trims and a leather bench seat. Nice details include rubber pedal covers and a roller-blind for the rear window. Mechanically, the engine was bored out during the rebuild and fitted with high compression pistons. This T is equipped with an electric start, generator, and distributor for added usability. If you’re in the market for a rust-free, easily usable Model T, this car is worth serious consideration.  Additional pictures available upon request.

1932 Ford Hotrod- $65,000

For us, one of the best parts of this business is getting familiar with cars that have important roles in the history of personal transportation. From the VW Microbus to the Jaguar E-type, from an early pickup truck to a stately Rolls-Royce, they’re all fun to imagine how they would’ve felt back in the day. This is exactly why they’re worth preserving.

And you can’t talk about the history of the motorcar without talking about humankind’s obsession with seeing how fast they can go. In 1940’s America, this meant hot rods. 1930’s American roadsters and coupes – chopped, channeled, stiffened, with big engines and slick tires fitted to mercilessly grip tarmac. They looked good too.

The Ford roadster on offer today has lived that life. This car began its days on the east coast in 1932. Twenty years later, it was purchased by a young Pennsylvania man who set about turning it into a C-class dragster for the York US 30 dragway. The doors were welded shut for stiffness, and the body was channeled to sit lower onto the frame. After a brief stint being driven a quarter mile at a time, it was purchased by the owner of a Sinclair service station in Maryland. His intention was to turn it back into a road car while keeping the hot rod look of the period, and gift it to his son as a college graduation present. The accompanying photograph shows the hot rod then just as it appears today, with the very proud son in front.

He enjoyed the car for a brief couple of years (despite the predictable accumulation of speeding tickets), but family life quickly took over and the car found itself sat in storage. It would remain stationary until its most recent owner’s acquisition in 2011. After fifty years of non-use, it was remarkably well preserved but in desperate need of an overhaul. Thankfully, over the coming years it was treated to an extremely high-quality sympathetic restoration with no regard to expense.

The 1953 Mercury flathead V8 and Lincoln three-speed manual gearbox were rebuilt, while the original radiator was re-cored to a higher capacity. The body was sanded down to bare metal, primed, and beautifully painted. Great efforts were made to replace as few parts as possible. To this day, the exhausts, windshield frame, radiator grille, and bulkhead are original to the car. The only visual differences in the car from how it existed in 1958 are limited to a smaller-diameter steering wheel and thinner interior striping. Popular period-correct modifications include taillights from a ’41 Chevy and bucket seats from an Austin-Healey 100-6.

The car remains in exemplary condition today, a testament to the quality of the restoration it received. An electric fuel pump makes it eager to start, and it runs beautifully once up and going. It’s an event just to climb into, and a brute to drive with heavy inputs for each limb. We salute anyone brave enough to drive it at 10/10ths.

Most hot rods today have stories that only go back a few years, powered by later engines sat within recently fabricated custom bodies. Few can tell the stories this car can, making this an exceptionally rare opportunity to own a unique piece of American history. And yes, it triggers entirely positive responses from everyone lucky enough to see it pass by.  Please feel free to contact us with questions about this special car.  Additional pictures are available upon request.  Thank you for considering our car.