Austin Healey General:

This book has been reprinted with a different cover as shown in the title link to the right, but the contents has not been changed.

THE standard text for Healey restoration. Starts at the beginning and describes the evolution of the Big Healey through the end of production. No digressions into interesting offshoots like rally cars, rarities like the 100Ss or might-have-been coupes or late 4 liter-engined prototypes- it looks at what was produced and how those features changed between models and from one year to the next. Tedious and boring unless you're up to your eyebrows restoring one, then it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

An update with corrections and additions is available on-line, click: Errata.

VERDICT: Recommended. No, that's not recommendation enough: Essential.

I'm not entirely sure quite what this book is supposed to do. Although called "secrets" there didn't seem to be all that many things I found worthy of being kept secret. Each of the named authors contributes a section of 8-12 pages covering their tenure as the Department's manager. These commentaries are supplemented by numerous internal documents- meeting minutes, instructions for rally drivers, etc.; generally offered with some descriptive comment by the authors. The book includes many, many monochrome photographs of BMC rallying efforts and the people involved and I thought those were the most appealing feature of the book. Nice to see some big Healeys

VERDICT: More than just Healeys, interesting pictures

This is subtitled "The Restorer's Guide" but seems to be of greater and more general interest than that would imply. It is a useful source of restoration information, though it seemingly has been supplanted by Anderson and Moment's book noted above. Numerous interesting and useful photos and commentary on Healeys. I found it well worth having.

VERDICT: Highly Recommended.

An overview of the various Healeys produced that covers the usual big Healeys (100-4s, 100-6s & 3000s; and all the variants thereof- 100M, 100S, coupés, and other oddities, like a 100-6 with gold-plated trim or the proposed, widened 4000 version), Bugeyes and later Sprites, Jensen-Healeys and various competition cars. The strength of the book in my view is its extensive coverage provided to the early models, the "hyphenated" Healeys: the Healey-Duncan, Silverstone-Healey, Nash-Healey & Healey-Tickford. Each model is shown in a number of photos (virtually all in color though with some contemporary monochrome ones) and given several paragraphs of descriptive information and background.

Verdict: Worth having- it's an interesting and useful book. Not much for the restorer, nor any real depth on any one model; but a wider perspective than any seen elsewhere.

A compendium of numerous articles published during the time when Healeys were being produced- it covers big Healeys, Bugeyes, Jensen-Healeys and even the early models Healey-Duncan, Silverstone, Nash-Healey & Tickford. Some limited coverage of the rally scene too. Mostly black & white reproductions of the articles and photos but it has a few color pictures too.

Verdict: Worth having- its an interesting and useful book. I got it cheap in a used book shop and it was a bargain.

It is exactly what it says- the Healey story told by the Healeys. It covers the origins of the Healeys before their involvement with cars and goes from there through to the end. Much information about pre-war and sporting activity prior to producing their own cars and extensive coverage of the early years and the marque's development and ultimate demise. Lots of monochrome photographs.

VERDICT: Interesting.

A good overview of the different Healey models in its very limited (78 pages) space. It uses photographs well with a nice mix of a few contemporary black & white with more numerous modern color ones. Its better than the older books but not so good as the later ones by Clausager, Anderson & Moment or Piggot. Its good enough but short.

It's available used, for an extortionate sum of money. Is it really rare, or is there the secret of successful Healeying inside?

VERDICT: Good, but short....

I quite liked this book, in a coffee-table sort of way. Lots of color photos, a fair bit of information about the big Healeys without dredging up the prehistory or the inner workings, etc. of the organization a fair though not excessive bit of digression on rallying, racing and might- have- beens. A nice book, but not much of the detail or nitty-gritty a restorer needs.

VERDICT: Useful.

This is now quite an old book. Its value as an illustrated guide is compromised somewhat by the limited numbers of pictures (all black & white) and really rather limited discussions of the potential troublespots (though, to be fair, most others say virtually nothing about troublespots apart from the obligatory rust warning). It provides a broad overview of the different Healey models with a brief description of each and its differences from the others. Virtually any of the newer books can provide that too, as can the Austin Healey USA Club website. The book comments on the worthiness of each as an "investment", and those views seem to remain broadly accurate.

VERDICT: I wouldn't bother getting it unless you want a more-or-less complete library of Healey books, buy Clausanger, Piggott, Robson or Anderson & Moment instead.

A relative late-comer that surveys the different big Healey models and describes their development. It doesn't aim to provide the technical information useful for restoring or maintaining a big Healey but it's a reasonable general treatment. The sort of book for a coffee table and casual reader.

VERDICT: Recommended.

This is subtitled "A Collector's Guide" and as such it is a useful overview of the different models and their characteristics. This has more background than the previous books and contains a fair amount of technical specifications (numbers built, exported, engines, transmissions, etc.) I found it to be quite a useful reference.

Many, many photos though they're monochrome rather than color, as in the previous books discussed. Again, a nice book and interesting but it lacks the detail a restorer would want to see.

VERDICT: Useful.

One of the earlier books on the big Healey that's still widely available. The book brings together a number of contemporary magazine road test reports along with a goodly number of photos, though most are small mono-chrome ones and general commentary on the various models and aspects of buying and owning them.

VERDICT: Useful, though times have changed.

A collection of articles published by Road & Track Magazine during the the years while it was in production with a handful of later retrospective articles. this covers all the Austin-Healey models 100-4, 100-6, 3000 and bugeyes & sprites, even a 100S. Nice for contemporary views, with many photos too.

VERDICT: A reasonable collection.

Manuals:

A handbook for owners. Useful illustrations and discussions.

VERDICT: OK, I consider it an almost obligatory acquisition, but not essential.

The Official BMC manual. A must-have. I personally found the Haynes manual more useful, but I always read them both before a job just to cross check. Also widely referred to as the "Bentley" (after its original publisher) manual.

VERDICT: Essential.

The book shown is an older, used copy. This manual has since been re-issued and is available from the Haynes UK site. Haynes manuals are widely known and used- an essential "tool" for every Healey owner and anyone that works on them. An essential acquisition. It's not entertainment, it's a tool. Why aren't the pages greaseproof- unless its planned obsolescence by the publishers?

VERDICT: Recommended. Er, no, two or three should be possessed- one for in the garage, one for keeping in the house all neat and clean, and one for the boot (with a handy flashlight nearby).

This isn't one of the mainstream manual publishers, and I bought this on speculation. It seems, nevertheless, to cover the standard maintenance and repairs well, with clear pictures and diagrams and competent commentaries on the tasks involved. It seems more basic than the Haynes manual, with not so comprehensive coverage or detail.

I was particularly bemused by its summary at the end of the chapter on the transmission & overdrive: it said these were very complex and best left to professionals....

VERDICT: If its cheap....

This is not a literary masterpiece, it must surely be the most boring book here, worse even than the book of colors. It is eminently useful nevertheless for seeing what bits & pieces my Healey should have had, an idea of how they all were arranged if not actually fit together, and whether that bolt was 3/4 or one inch long. Enthralling stuff. This shows the mechanical parts but another section covers body parts too. Note too that a CD based version is now available, and REVIEWED below.

VERDICT: Essential

A collection of various technical articles written by Mr. Nock over the past twenty years or so. A valuable reference and worth having for anyone restoring or maintaining a big Healey. I believe this is updated from time to time. The title links to the author's/vendor's site and it may be bought directly from them.

Verdict: Recommended.

Restoration:

A good treatment though its focus tends to reflect the older pre- and immediate post-war cars and their problems. Given my decision to renew everything (not a hard choice- little was left and much of that was highly suspect) I've not particularly needed this information.

VERDICT: Useful.

This provides a broad introduction to the varied activities involved in restoring an older car. There's a brief introduction covering tools, equipment and preparing for the work. The book then gives a comprehensive over-view of the various sub-systems found in a car and some of the restoration challenges they present. It is a useful introduction but no substitute for a marque- specific manual.

VERDICT: Recommended.

This is one of the best books I've found on restoration, although it does not look at British sports cars at all. It covers a multitude of general restoration issues in a comprehensive and reasonably in depth manner. It includes a number of color photos to show the work done, these are very illustrative but are not step-by-step guides to doing the work as may be found in some of the other books.

Verdict: Highly Recommended.

I first thought that this looked at cars rather older than my Healey and that it wouldn't be particularly useful. I was also skeptical simply because I'd be replacing my non-existent interior rather than restoring one. However, it does seem to have a fair bit of useful general information on assembling and fitting interiors and techniques that should prove beneficial, when that time comes....

VERDICT: Recommended, I think.

Healeys DO feature in this, so the cover isn't just a come-on. A variety of LBCs are treated to various restoration chores within the different chapters- which look at a fairly full range of demands- engines, transmissions, suspension, steering, bodywork, etc. A good overview of what needs doing, and the discussions are widely useful if not immediately and directly applicable to a Healey. I think this is preferable to Baxter's book discussed above.

VERDICT: Recommended.

A comprehensive treatment with a good focus on Healey-era cars and their problems. It covers all the different systems in good depth though by its nature the discussion is necessarily rather general.

VERDICT: Recommended (Though the Wallage book below covers this material & more too).

This provides a broad introduction to buying, equipping yourself and restoring an older car. It isn't so broad as Baxter's Manual, and includes more on bodywork and mechanical repairs. It also covers some interior restoration and its section on electrical systems seems more concerned with the improvements that could be made than it is with originality.

VERDICT: Recommended.

A generic manual for repairing brake systems. It covers all the bases- disks, calipers, drums, master & slave cylinders, servo systems, handbrakes- it has them all. The examples are all more modern than any Healey but its covers the general principles and techniques well. A good guide though anyone with experience will know much of it already. Like most all manuals it's very good on the take it apart and put it together again side while the essential troubleshooting & figuring out where it's all going wrong is not so well covered. This provides a fault finding section with a series of flowchart type troubleshooting guides (e.g., If "X" happens do "Y", if then "A" do "Z" else "W" , etc.). Well written and illustrated with useful diagrams and clear photos- some in color, even.

VERDICT: Worthwhile.

This considers a variety of components that older cars are likely to need repaired. It is a fairly comprehensive treatment covering electrics, carbs, fuel pumps, locks, heaters and instruments. It covers these all in reasonable depth though its rather broad. I found it a little disappointing in that its section on trafficators was not the Healey steering wheel mounted kind but was the older type semaphore arms that swung out from the windshield or door pillar to indicate turns. Apart from that It was what I expected.

VERDICT: Recommended.

This suffers from the generic fault of all such manuals: it presumes the readers are totally ignorant of all fundamentals of electricity. I suppose that's a CYA approach, but I readily ignore the first few chapters of these books and go directly to the more useful applications-oriented content. This gives a good treatment of the electrical systems and their operations. A little more on fault-finding and diagnostics would be very useful but again, I'd say that about any of these books.

VERDICT: Recommended.

Bodywork & Painting:

The beginner's guide to bodywork and painting. Seems to be an excellent introduction for the complete neophyte. I read it and understood it all but, as always, a book can only go so far... then its out to the garage to experiment.

VERDICT: Recommended.

What can I say. A book of color chips. Few characters. No plot. Lousy dialogue. Buy this and your friends will know you're boring. Call me boring. Well organized by year. The colors seem accurately re-produced and the manufacturer's reference numbers would seem useful, if they could be used. I used this to obtain a match for the paint I want to use on my car. I haven't yet tested the paint thus matched, so the jury is still out....

VERDICT: If you need it, you'll want it. Otherwise... no.

This is rather more oriented towards more modern cars than the Healey or other "classics". But it does discuss in fair detail techniques that are widely useful: panel beating, body work tools, fillers, fiberglass, paint preparation, painting, etc. Its has numerous photographs and illustrations.

VERDICT: Recommended.

A comprehensive and solid introduction to painting that covers the background theory (color and chemistry), safety requirements and equipment, preparation, spraying equipment and its use, and finishing. It also provides an overview of fault diagnosis. Well written with good diagrams and color photos throughout. Good for a newcomer that's not read much before on the topic, but anyone with even a modest background in the area will most likely have seen most all of it before.

VERDICT: Recommended- a great introduction, for those who need introducing....

A small primer on the basics of sheet metal fabrication- cutting, bending and its forming into non-complex shapes. I found it very useful, particularly when combined with a little practical metal bashing to try out the ideas soon after reading them.

VERDICT: Recommended.

Welding:

A good introduction to automotive welding. This provides an overview of the main techniques (Stick, gas, spot & MIG) but concentrates on MIG. It discusses technique and practice to a fair extent and shows a number of common applications. As always the case with this type of book, it's out to the garage for a spot of welding practice after every chapter or two.

VERDICT: Recommended.

I had hoped this book would tell me something about welding for automotive performance- practical techniques and ideas for strengthening chassis, improving handling, etc. It did not, for its focus was on sophisticated welding as its definition of "performance". I've not the credentials to assess its value in covering that, but it contributed nothing to the points I had hoped it would address.

VERDICT: No.

An introduction to welding with basic discussions of the underlying theory and practical use of welding- the common methods (gas, stick & MIG) are covered as is TIG and electrical cutting. This goes on to a fuller discussion of the different materials that may be welded and covers aluminium, stainless steel and cast iron. It also discusses testing welds rather more than is usual in an introduction. It feels like a textbook, with review questions after each chapter and numerous diagrams- virtually one on every page and reasonably good monochrome photos. Again, a book whose Chapters might benefit if the reader goes away and melts a little metal immediately afterwards.

VERDICT: Highly Recommended.

This is a different book for neophyte welders for it aims to take up exactly where the others let you go. As the author notes knowing how to handle the basics and having the bare ability to lay down a good weld bead isn't nearly enough to be a proper welder, capable of doing real work on meaningful jobs. There is some talk of the basics, but these are the basic tools needed for fabrication rather than the basics of welding theory or basic technique. The focus is largely industrial welding with many points considering thick (an inch or even more) metal. Nevertheless the sections on pipe welding are likely to be greatly interesting to those readers with cars constructed using some pipe. The author also spends considerable time discussing heat distortion and how it may be remedied if need be, and even used as part of the metal forming process. The section on vehicle welding isn't particularly useful for classic car problems, though his discussion of heat sinks for reducing heat distortion in thin panels was useful. He also mentions the popular automotive methods (like MIG) but seldom do they get much more than a passing reference.

This book is really intended for readers with aspirations to becoming professional, industrial welders using an Oxy-Acetylene outfit.

VERDICT: Recommended, for those that will be heavily involved in welding, otherwise probably not...

This too is a good introduction to automotive welding like the earlier Haynes manual on Automotive Welding. This doesn't make so much of its automotive orientation and one might suppose its more general, but the examples are largely drawn from auto repair so it is a reasonably good one for restorers. The other has more step-by-step examples. This provides a similar overview of the main techniques (Stick, gas, spot & MIG) and has been updated to also include useful sections on TIG and plasma cutting. It discusses technique and practice to a fair extent and shows a number of common applications. As always, it's out to the garage for a spot of welding practice after every chapter or two.

VERDICT: Recommended.

Magazines:

This occasionally has articles of interest concerning Healeys. It's worth watching and there are other cars that are interesting too. It's available free on-line and is accessible by clicking on the Title to link to the site with the current issue.

VERDICT: Watch for what interests you.

Nothing much (= none, so far as I know) about Healeys has appeared in past issues, and the future is likely to be equally barren. But this covers frequently used techniques and tools. It's a useful source of information occasionally and well worth watching for those items that may be interesting. It too offers reviews of commonly used tools and rates the various products tested.

VERDICT: Watch for what interests you.

This occasionally has articles of interest concerning Healeys. Two or three times a year, I'd estimate. It's worth watching and there are other cars that are interesting too.

VERDICT: Recommended for browsing.

One of what I understand are two magazines targeted at the kit car builders in the UK. This seems the most easily obtained. Not really much of interest to those of us with original Healeys, though the recent article on modern kit versions may be of some interest. I've found it useful for identifying sources of non-Healey specific components and services and they do have regular technical tips and information.

VERDICT: Sometimes.

This occasionally has articles of interest concerning Healeys. Once or twice a year, I'd estimate. Its worth watching and there are other cars that are interesting too. It strikes me as a more "up-market" car magazine and tends to focus on the more expensive and rarer sporting cars but Healeys do appear infrequently. I don't often see it at my local newsagent's but I look out for it whenever I'm in larger shops to see what's on offer.

VERDICT: Watch for what interests you.

Note: the magazine has an on-line Photo Gallery with a few pictures of Healeys for sale.

This is the only car magazine that I buy most every month. It usually has something of interest. Sometimes Healeys appear, other times it covers some technique I may use or tutorials on how things work, etc. Each month it does a kind of consumer reports comparison of commonly used tools and reports "best buys" and fairly frank opinions on those found unimpressive.

Another review: http://snic-braaapp.org/ipraclas.htm

VERDICT: Recommended.

The premier semi-classic boy racers magazine. Engine swapped MGs, Triumphs and early Fords abound with their flares and scoops. Occasional items of some interest appear- two Nasty Boys (one barely managed 350 HP now, really!) were in the October, 2004 issue (it made the cover as shown) and I suspect the odd over-egged Sprite might have appeared from time to time. But its real appeal is its discussions of uprating older systems, though the cars concerned are often rather younger than mine.

VERDICT: Sometimes.

Videos & DVDs:

This is a contemporary film taken from company promotional material. There are four separate segments. The first from 1953 shows a heavily modified and streamlined Healey along with two stock 100-4s at Bonneville breaking records. The second segment covers the next year's record breaking also with a streamliner and more stock 100-4s. The last two segments look at heavily modified Healey designed cars.

VERDICT: Recommended.

I must confess being sorely disappointed in this video.

It's not a total loss, but I found only two segments really engaging: one with a rally Healey in Wales and the first part of its coverage of the International Healey get together. Otherwise it was weak: much of the driving on the Continent was in a V-8 engined Healey replica rather than the real thing, with an intrusive Muzak-esque soundtrack and NO motor/road sounds and the final segment with a racing Sprite suffered from a "letterbox" syndrome- the camera was positioned so that the top and bottom thirds were the car's top and dash respectively- and the dash mirror obscured much of what was left.

VERDICT: Poor.

This is a contemporary film, seemingly taken from news-reel or company promotional material. There are three separate segments. The first from 1955 shows speed trials in which 5 BMC cars are driven for an hour at speeds over 100 MPH at Montlhery- A Healey 100 is one and takes up about 1/5 of the 10 minute segment. The second segment looks at the Alpine Rally and devotes a fair bit of that coverage to Healeys, I didn't time it but it seemed to be a fair proportion of this segment's 21 minutes. The third segment had no Healeys.

VERDICT: Recommended.

This DVD is 48 minutes long and although it was specified for Region 1 (North America) rather than Europe I was able to play in in both my computer and through the DVD player on our TV without any special effort. It's a good introduction to using lead as body filler and covers the tools and materials well. It then goes on to show three different applications in fair detail with good and thorough discussions of the work done and rationales for doing it as shown. This was a great help for the book I acquired on using lead can only go so far- this shows the technique clearly and effectively. I've not yet attempted to use the lead but this has given me more confidence that I'll be able to do it; and a much better idea of how to go about it.

VERDICT: Recommended.

Look well at the 100-4 on the cover, THAT's the ONLY place you'll see it- and the other Healeys mentioned don't make much of an appearance either.

This DVD purports to give an overview of classic sports cars, and it does but with one very big problem. The cover art features a nice 100-4 and prominently mentions both an "Austin Healey Mark III" and a '"Frog-Eyed" Sprite'. That's where the problems set in- having thus been induced to buy it expecting to see Austin Healeys taking a major role I then found it's a case of bait and switch- the cover car is not on the DVD at all, and the "Frog-Eyed" Sprite shares roughly a minute and a half of time with a Mark II Sprite and its overlaid with a rather specious commentary of no great interest or value. Similarly the Big Healey shares the screen with another, and all of roughly one minute's screen time between them both. For a DVD with about 55 minutes of material this is an exceedingly POOR showing, and one grossly at odds with the impression given by the cover. Oddly enough, the DVD devotes a fairly substantial amount of coverage to MGs of various types and I suspect would undoubtedly sell far, far more copies if THOSE had been emphasized rather than the Healeys... how very counter-productive.

I consider the cover to be a gross misrepresentation of the DVD's contents. The Healeys are "Headlined" by being the main cover photo and shown in a second photo on the back and given 2 of the 5 specific model "mentions" on the cover. And 2.5 minutes of 55 available is roughly 5% of the time. I was robbed, but only figuratively- they (Amazon UK, the sellers) did refund my money, but I really, really wanted to see the cars.....

VERDICT: AVOID- VERY, VERY POOR.

This is now showing its age a little- it's a re-issue of an earlier one from the mid/late-1980s, but it remains an interesting overview of the restoration of a Healey. I would have liked to have seen more close ups and technical discussion of the work undertaken but the treatment is targeted at a general audience and I think would serve it well. Given that vast swaths of mine were missing I found it particularly useful to see what things were supposed to look like.

VERDICT: Highly Recommended.

A useful basic introduction to MIG welding that briefly reviews the theory and operation of MIG and then focuses its attention mainly on illustrating the proper technique. Various types of welds are shown, as are examples of poor technique and what more properly should be done.

VERDICT: Recommended.

This shows the application of welding to repairing bodywork. The examples all use MIG rather than gas or stick so its appeal may be slightly limited on that account, but it seems to cover the basics reasonably well and I thought it to be a good introduction.

VERDICT: Recommended.

Click on the title for a web based sample- its one section from the book.

This CD shows digital images of the pages from the Austin Healey Service Parts book (AKD 3523) and I've found that to be an invaluable resource for both identifying components and understanding how they fit together when it isn't always immediately apparent. This provides the same information as in the Austin Healey 3000 Service Parts List described above. I personally find the printed edition easier to use- the whole page may be readily viewed and its easier to page back and forth looking at different but related areas, but the electronic version is nice to have and its easy to print the diagrams out and use them out in the garage when needed. It can be easily mounted on a hard disk.

VERDICT: Highly Recommended.

This CD shows 135 photographs of the restoration of a Mk III Healey. Its not bad but I'd rather there were more close ups of the car both before and after showing the work done and rather fewer broad perspective shots. The photos are generally good- properly focused with good depth of field and fair resolution for zooming in on areas of interest. I believe a later version is now available with larger numbers of photos, but I've not seen it.

VERDICT: Mildly Recommended.

Not yet read.....

VERDICT:

Not yet read.....

VERDICT:

Not yet read.....

VERDICT:

Not yet read.....

VERDICT:

Not yet read....

VERDICT:

Not yet read.

VERDICT:

Not yet acquired....

VERDICT:

Not yet read.....

VERDICT:

Not yet read.....

VERDICT:

Not yet read.....

VERDICT:

Not yet read, but it looks like it will be really useful.....

VERDICT:

Not yet read.....

VERDICT: