Austin-Healey 100M
"The Austin-Healey is a car that makes you feel alive. It's not just a machine; it's an experience." - Steve McQueen
Just like McQueen, Clint Eastwood, the legendary actor and director, has always had a passion for sports cars. In fact, he often bought cars he encountered on the set. One of his most prized sports car was an Austin-Healey 100, though it is unclear whether it was a 100M or a BN2 with the Le Mans kit. He often praised his convertible during interviews, sometimes favoring it over higher-end cars owned by his colleagues.
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The high-performance Austin-Healey 100M (“Le Mans”) was introduced in 1955. It produced 110 hp (82 kW) at 4,500 rpm and 195 Nm, and featured several upgrades compared to the Austin-Healey 100 BN2. Among them, it mounted larger carburetors, wider air intake box and filter, a high-lift camshaft, and high-performance pistons.
Thanks to an aluminium chassis, the 100M had a weight of 1,060 kg and a wheelbase of 2,330 mm, which combined with the smaller steering wheel and the sport seats made the it very agile and precise in cornering.
About 70% of 100M produced had two-tone paint, including a white and red combination and a black and pink version displayed at the 1955 London Motor Show.
The 100M components were later made available as a "Le Mans Engine Modification Kit," which could be installed on BN1 and BN2 models, increasing output to approximately 100 bhp (75 kW) at 4,500 rpm. It was available for order from BMC, allowing private owners to modify their cars. Only 640 100M were officially produced, and OEM records of chassis numbers confirm which cars were originally built as 100M models, rather than modified later.
Donald Healey, passionate about motorsports, wanted the 100M to be performance-oriented and suitable for competition. The body was designed by Gerry Coker, featuring a long hood, rounded fenders, and a wraparound windshield. Healey’s chief engineer, Geoff Bilbie, worked on the technical development of the 100M, improving the suspension and chassis to make it more suitable for racing.
The Austin-Healey 100M was the first of the "Big Healeys," a series of high-performance models that were followed by the Austin-Healey 3000.
Austin-Healey 100M
Paint color Black and Red
Interiors Red leather
Double ownership, perfectly preserved condition (both interior and exterior)
Restored in 2019, and currently in perfect mechanical order
Matching numbers and matching color
Designed by Gerry Coker, and produced in only 640 units
Gold Certification from the Austin-Healey Concours Registry and recognition in the World-Wide 100M Le Mans Registry
Eligible for several exhibitions and driving events, including Mille Miglia
This Austin-Healey 200M rolled off the production line in 1955, and was delivered to its first owner, a gentleman named John Wilson, proprietor of Healey Lane Restoration in Marcola, Oregon. In 2016, Wilson sold the car to a collector, with the agreement that Healey Lane would restore it to meet the Gold-level certification standards of the Austin-Healey Concours Registry. During the restoration, Austin-Healey specialist Peter Nesbitt overhauled the engine, gearbox, transmission, overdrive, and rear axle. Photographs document the restoration process, and the car is accompanied by copies of its certifications, restoration records, side curtains, a jack bag, and related literature. Finished in black with a red interior, this Austin-Healey 100M is one of the factory-built models, verified by official documentation, including a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Certificate.