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1955 Austin Healey


Dandy Dave

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  • 7 months later...

Well back around the block with this project and we are finally making head way. The NOS gear sent turned out the be low gear, or Second gear in a 4 speed. Again, this is a three speed based on a 4 speed design. Lack of communication and a middle man not checking the numbers I provided. We needed intermediate, or third gear in a 4 speed design. The wrong gear was sent back and then the search was on once again. We finally located a gear and now I am assembling the transmission. Whew. what a ton of trouble this has been. The worst part is winter has settled in here so I am not sure how soon we will be driving it. At least it is in a heated shop. Dandy Dave!

Edited by Dandy Dave (see edit history)
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Guest Bob Call

Spiritinthesky

Do you still want your dream car? I have a 54 BN1 that needs restoring and a loving home. I always thought the AH100's were the best styled motorcars ever made in Ole Blimey.

PM me.

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I got all the gears, Syncros , spacers, bushing's, (Or bush's as they say over there.) shafts, forks, springs and balls, bearings, and other odd pieces back in that tranny yesterday. What a Jig saw puzzle. It only goes together one way and in one combination. Still have to get the overdrive on and then get it in the car. Makes me dizzy just thinking about the assembly process of that transmission. :P Dandy Dave!

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  • 1 month later...

It has been a while, but I finally got this thing to the point that it is going to work. Had a little set back and had to disassemble the overdrive. What a pain in the rear of the transmission... LOL. Got her cleaned up. And after a dozen or so tries, got the shaft and twin splines to line up just right and slide together. Those that have done this will understand. Lining up that one way bearing and keeping it there is a bit of a challenge in it's self. (Cussing them engineers every step of the way..) Yesterday I tackled the electric side of the overdrive. The engineers must have laid awake at night figuring this out is all I can say. Consists of a Transmission Gear Switch, A Throttle Switch, a Centrifugal Speed Switch, Two Relays, a Dash Switch, a Solenoid, and a whole bunch of wires. We did order a New Solenoid and it came in handy. Under the dash and hood with a multi meter.. Did I mention that the previous owner said he never had the overdrive working. Dirty little contacts and out of adjustment on the throttle switch, stuck Fly Weights and Shaft in the Centrifugal Switch. And the real kick in the butt, Some one had the dash switch in up side down. I understand now why these cars cost so much to repair.... It is a dizzying affair. Anyway, It is now working. At least on Jack Stands in the garage. To much Ice on the ground to take it out right now... Now off to clean and adjust the carburetors. She Idles high and runs a little rough. Dandy Dave!

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You don't understand how the British designed these cars. They were totally immersed in designing the overdrive when "tea time" arrived. After they had their tea, they went back to the design effort and forgot where they had left off. The first engineer asked: "Did we finalize the overdrive before our tea break?" The second engineer responded: "I do believe we did." So they moved on to the next design element. That's why so many items on British cars seem to have just happened to work and are not really engineered.

FYI, you're going to have fun with those carbs - they defy logic.

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Woof.. Disassembled the carburetors and gave them a good cleaning. I do not believe they have been apart since the days of Leaded Gas as there was what looked like lead deposits in the bottom of the float chambers. That bottom nut on the rear carburetor were it attaches to the manifold spacers. If I do anymore. I'll engineer a wrench that makes the job easier. At least she runs and Idles like a dream now. No Fooling on the Tea Breaks. Good thing one of them was not close by, I do believe that his Tea Break would have been out behind the barn. I imagine the guys that designed this are all pushing up daisy's after all these years. Dandy Dave!

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  • 5 months later...

Hey Mates. The 1955 Austin Healey 100 is off of the jack stands and running, and also For Sale. Look in the AACA for sale section. If it does not move here it will be on eBay at some point.The owner is in his eighties, selling the farm, and downsizing. Dandy Dave!  

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In 1968 I was working at the marina pumping gas for the summer earning some money. The owners son ran away to San Francisco with the hippies so he offered me his sons 1959 MK3000 for $100. My parents put a stop to the deal and the guy I was working with got it. It would have been an awesome car to go back to school in

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