This does not constitute a complete list of sources but is intended to
be a starting point for people new to Healeys / British Cars.
A. USE THE INTERNET!!! (See The LINKS page)
- Probably the most powerful tool for finding a car. Many Healey and
British car web sites have want ads and club listings.
- Classified ad sites are a good resource for finding cars.
- Most Car Magazines have sites as well. Not only can you find cars for
sale, but many allow you to place "want" ads.
- You can join a Healey "mailing list" (see SOL on the
"LINKS" page) that allows you to send and receive email to other members of the
mailing list. Using the mailing list You can broadcast your "Want ad" to all
members as well as ask technical questions.
B. GO TO HEALEY AND BRITISH CAR EVENTS - - You will almost always find
cars for sale.
C. JOIN THE CLUBS - - Newsletters and club meetings/events are a great
resource.
D. BUY COMMERCIAL PERIODICALS - British Car Magazine, Hemmings Motor
News, Road and Track, etc. all have classified ads and event listings.
E. Familiarize yourself with Healeys. Buy a book that tells you about
the marque and allows you to determine the condition of the car and originality.
("Resources" button on the home page)
F. Once you've found a potential car, evaluate it carefully. If you are
not familiar with Healeys, and don't know what constitutes a "good" car, use the
above resources to find out. In general, consider the following:
- All Healeys RUST. Body/frame condition is all important, and can cost a
bundle to fix. Unfortunately, it is very easy to hide these problems from a potential
buyer. Be careful to distinguish between mere cosmetics and real structural problems. Look
for rust problems in these areas:
- Rear of front wheel wells, front of rear wheel wells. (Big Healey)
- Rocker panels (Big Healey and Sprite)
- Bottoms of front and rear fenders (Big Healey and Sprite)
- Frame extensions (outriggers) perpendicular to main frame rails located
beneath cockpit. (Big Healey)
- Forward attaching point of leaf springs (Sprite)
- Narrow panel between front edge of door opening and rear edge of front
fender. (Sprite)
- If undercoating has been applied to the underside and/or wheel wells, be
suspicious. Undercoating was not applied to these cars at the factory, and is now used to
hide problems.
- Mechanical condition is secondary. Healeys will run great until they
rust in half. Mechanicals are the easiest thing to fix.
- Remember, restorations can be expensive. If a Big Healey is really
rusty - and that's often the case - the restoration cost can easily get to
2x or 3x the value of the car..
- If you are still uncertain about the cars condition, have a reputable
restorer or mechanic evaluate the car.
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