1955 Austin-Healey 100S Sports Racing Two-Seater

Registration no. EVV 106 Chassis no. AHS 3509 Engine no. IB.222710

Footnotes

During the 1950s the most accessible, most appealing and in many cases the most successful club racing car available to any aspiring racing driver was one of the products of the Donald Healey Motor Company's famous factory at The Cape, Warwick. This particular appealing and in-period highly successful Austin-Healey 100S is a shining example of the type. It has an outstanding record as a club racing contender raced over a seven-year period from 1955 until 1962. As a genuine 100S it was one of only 55 such Austin-Healeys produced during 1955, of which at most only 38 are believed to survive today.

While the standard 100S specification included a 2660cc in-line 4-cylinder engine tuned to develop a maximum 132bhp at 4,700rpm, all in a chassis and body unit weighing only 2,960lbs (891Kg), 'EVV 106' offered here was distinguished almost from new by two distinctive features. Firstly – as required by first owner David Shale – 'EVV106' was equipped with an Aston Martin gearbox during production. And within days of its delivery to David Shale in February 1955 he had its paint finish colour changed from the standard Old English White over Lobelia Blue to British Racing Green, a colour that it wears to this day. The car was first UK road registered on March 2, 1955, and evidence of its early paint change survives in a photograph of the car taken at one of its maiden outings in Mr Shale's hands, at the British Empire Trophy meeting, Oulton Park, in April 1955.

From 1955 to the present day 'EVV106' has had only six owners, these in sequence being David Shale 1955-57, then Mike Kellett 1957-58, the future multiple British club racing Champion Tony Lanfranchi 1958-1960, and the last of its great club racing owners Derek Buller-Sinfield, 1961-62. The retired warhorse was then acquired by Norfolk farmer-cum-noted Austin-Healey collector Arthur Carter in whose hands it was preserved and maintained for the following 42 years, before being acquired by the present owner in 2004. Furthermore, EVV is one of only four 100Ss originally sold and raced into the UK home market and has the distinction of being domiciled in the UK since.

David Shale actually drove the car in its club racing debut outing right here at Goodwood Motor Circuit on March 26, 1955, finishing second, and into the 1956 season, on May 30 that year he took a third place at the short-lived Davidstow aerodrome circuit in Cornwall. After failing to finish in the higher-level British Empire Trophy race meeting in April he recorded four fine race wins, the first at Aintree and subsequently three at Silverstone. Never averse to compiling many road miles on the way to (and from) club race meetings around the British mainland he also compiled second-place finishes at Brands Hatch in Kent, Mallory Park in Leicestershire, Snetterton in Norfolk and Davidstow way back down in the far south-west. He also added a third place at Brands Hatch and two more at Silverstone to 'EVV106's growing list of club race laurels. David Shale finished the season as runner-up in the 1956 'Autosport' Championship competition.

The car was then acquired by second owner Mike Kellett, in whose hands a second place was achieved at Croft in September 1957 and a third at Marston Moor, followed in 1958 by 2nd and 4th-place results at Full Sutton – the very fast Yorkshire aerodrome circuit. Unfortunately at Oulton Park that year Mike Kellett left the road at Knickerbrook corner and rolled the car, but overall it was raced at least 18 times in his ownership and had remained a competitive contender against newer opposition.

Tony Lanfranchi, from Huddersfield, then acquired the car and learned much about his chosen sport in it before going on to become on of the most colourful characters of the British and international motor racing scene. In 'EVV 106' he won the 1959 Catterick hill-climb, a third place in the Burton Sprint and a circuit third at Mallory Park. Derek Buller-Sinfield then completed 'EVV's regular competition career into 1962, at which time it was acquired as one of the founding feature cars of the illustrious Arthur Carter Collection, within which it was subsequently preserved and maintained for so many years...

Upon acquisition by the vendor, 'EVV' was fully restored over an 18-month period, the work being undertaken by respected specialist the late Jonathan Everard of JME Limited, who was until 1969 a Donald Healey Motor Company and Austin-Healey employee at The Cape.

In more recent years ongoing maintenance, servicing and race preparation has been undertaken by noted Austin-Healey specialist Paul Woolmer of Woolmer Classic Engineering Limited. 'EVV 106' is FIVA, MSA and FIA registered and the owner has enjoyed many rallies, tours and races with the 100S, including the Goodwood Revival, Le Mans Classic, Donington and Silverstone Festivals and, on multiple occasions, the Mille Miglia retrospective.

The Austin-Healey 100S is a perfect – and versatile – entry for all the great historic motor events, equally at home on road or track.