Lot Ended
Description
A highly convincing replica built on a Healey Tickford chassis with
the correct Riley RM Big Four engine and gearbox; aluminium body; leather
seats; only 100 miles on rebuilt engine
Unveiled in
1949, the Healey Silverstone was a dual-purpose road/race car produced by the
Donald Healey Motor Company of Warwick. As with other Healey models like the
Westland, the Abbott and the Elliott, it used Healey’s own chassis, designed by
ex-Maserati and Alfa Romeo engineer Sammy Sampietro, onto which was mounted an
aluminium body designed by Benjamin Bowden and built by Abbey Panels of
Coventry. It was powered by Riley’s 2.5-litre Big Four twin cam engine as used
in the RM Series.
On its first competitive
outing, a Silverstone driven by Donald Healey and Ian Appleyard came second
overall and first in class on the 1949 Alpine Rally, an excellent achievement on
this gruelling 1,800-mile event which instantly cast a halo around the new
sportscar. Popular with club racers, the Silverstone went on to notch up many
more wins in subsequent events. Only in production for 14 months, the
Silverstone was shelved in September 1950 by which time 105 had been sold and
survivors are highly prized today.
This
particular car is a faithful copy of the original, using the correct Healey
chassis (donated by a 1951 Healey Tickford) and the correct Riley Big Four
engine mated to a 4-speed floor-change Riley RM gearbox. It is fitted with an
aluminium body which is also a faithful copy of the genuine factory-built
cars.
We are not quite sure when the car was
built, our vendor acquiring it from a deceased estate in 2016. When he bought
the car, it was fitted with a Jaguar 2.4 XK engine but this was such a tight fit
in the engine bay that it proved difficult to work on so this was replaced by a
fully rebuilt Riley Big Four engine with RMF camshafts and cylinder head and
twin SU HF4 carbs. A Revotec electric cooling fan was also fitted, along with an
electric water pump, and the whole car was completely
rewired.
The 4-speed floor-change gearbox is a
Nuffield unit as also used in the RM series and gives the car long-legged
performance (30mph per 1,000rpm in 4th), the vendor reporting that it
easily keeps up with modern traffic and lopes along happily at 70mph –
80mph.
The V5C records the car as a 1951 Healey
Sports and it is classed as a Historic Vehicle so it is free to tax and
MOT-exempt. The history file contains a few recent invoices, a Healey 2.4
instruction manual, various period road tests of the Silverstone and other
Healey models, wiring diagrams, Healey Club magazines, plus much useful
technical literature about the model. There is also one old MOT from 2011 at
which point the odometer was showing 95,217 miles, now 97,424 miles. A canvas
tonneau cover is also present.
As you can see
in the photos, the car is in good condition throughout with quality Blockley
tyres and smart beige leather seats. It has only covered around 100 miles since
the engine was rebuilt so it will benefit from some gentle use to begin with and
an oil change within the next 500 miles. It will also benefit from a
precautionary check-over before returning to the road as it has been unused and
in storage for the last few years. Although it runs and drives with good 55psi
oil pressure, the petrol in the tank is stale and well past its best.
Only
reluctantly for sale due to illness, this convincing Healey Silverstone replica
will turn heads wherever it goes and is on offer here at a very attractive guide
price.
For
more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com