Acquisition of Healey-related materials for our collections during the fourth quarter of 2005 has been very exciting.

We were able to acquire a unique and extensive collection of Sprite literature from a European collector. Items within this collection included pristine catalogs from the Donald Healey Motor Co. and from Speedwell. This material is being archived and included in the searchable online literature database we are developing. Many other catalogs and sale sheets were part of this collection, and show the broad range of fiberglass tops, bonnets, and speed equipment that were available from specialty shops in England and on the continent.

A SMALL SELECTION FROM A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF SPRITE LITERATURE

We have been very fortunate to obtain the trophy won by Donald and Geoff Healey in 1948 when driving a Westland in the Mille Miglia. (It was the first British finisher.) This trophy is for second place in the over 2,000cc International Sports category.

HEALEY WESTLAND TROPHY WIN AT 1948 MILLE MIGLIA

One of the recently catalogued additions to the collection is 25 boxes of 35mm color slides, mostly taken by Donald, who was an avid photographer. You can imagine how exciting it is to look through these images, many of which haven't been examined in 30 years.

Among them, we found several slides taken of the Westland that earned the Mille Miglia trophy, taken by Donald after the completion of the event. One of the pictures is taken in northern Italy, perhaps by Lake Como, on the way back from the race. The car had been driven out from England, completed the 1,000 miles, then loaded up and was driven back. In this picture, the car still has its rally number on the side. We have not been able to identify the lady in the car.

On the humorous side, within the slides we found a picture taken in 1954 by one of the land speed record crewmembers. The picture shows Donald, Roy Jackson-Moore and an employee from Gough Motors in Los Angeles, deep in conversation with a California Highway Patrol officer regarding the appropriate speed for Healeys on California highways. They were driving two production 100s, which had been selected at random from the Gough dealership showroom, to the Bonneville Salt Flats for the first speed record efforts. A phone call to Roy Jackson-Moore confirmed that this was not his first or last encounter with the California Highway Patrol. Among other travels taken with Donald, Roy also enjoyed the excitement of Nassau Race week.

Another photograph we recently acquired shows NOJ 393 as it was raced in a 1954 Carrera Panamericana. The photo shows the 100S sitting next to the Ferrari that was driven by Phil Hill. The writing above the grill translates to "England." Photos of the 100S that Carroll Shelby raced during the Carrera Panamericana are not unusual, but this photo shows the car driven by Lance Macklin with Donald Healey as the co-driver. Although not seen in the photograph, this car carried number 7 and the Shelby car was number 8. (Notice the unique louver pattern on the bonnet.)

Getting ready for the Carrera Panamerica in Mexico, car number 7 with a louvered bonnet will be driven by Lance Macklin with Donald Healey as co-driver.

Our year culminated in the safe receipt of a 20-foot shipping container from England containing the contents of Geoff Healey's workshop. This included his workbench, lathe, drill press, radios, reference books, and many artifacts concerning the design and development of the Healey, Nash-Healey, and Austin-Healey automobiles. Prior to packing for shipment from England, numerous photographs were taken of the workshop. Using all the original items, the workshop will be reconstructed as a permanent display in The Healey Museum.

We are continuing to work on the development of the design and structural requirements for The Healey Museum. Plans for a building layout are being developed that includes display space, galleries, and offices. A review of the planned displays indicated that additional floor space would be required; therefore the building size was increased from 20,000 sq ft. to 30,000 sq ft. The initial layout of the building is 150 foot wide by 200 feet long. Because of the large number of original drawings, posters, and photographs, it has been decided to add a mezzanine dedicated to displaying these works. The land for the museum has been purchased, graded, and is ready for the pouring of the concrete slab as soon as the state inspectors approve the detailed architectural drawings.

From the opening announcement of The Healey Museum on June 12 through the end of 2005, there has been non-stop activity to organize the continually expanding collection. We are seeking additional information pertaining to one of these activities, the Healey literature collection. To learn more about how you can help, Please check out HOW TO PARTICIPATE .

Here at The Healey Museum, we hope that your 2006 will be filled with many days of “Happy Healeying”.

Bill Emerson, Curator

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