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Where I'm Coming From Feb 2003

I don't know how long you Modified Healey guys have been hot rodding. I suspect that most of you have been messing with cars continuously since you were a kid.

Well, I’ve always been an electronic geek. I didn't even have a driver’s license or owned a crescent wrench until 1953, when at 18, I got a job at RCA,West los Angeles as a lab tech and was forced to get and repair a car, a '41 Plymouth, yuk, But then I was hooked! In '54 with a friend's big help, I installed an original 303/348ci '49 Olds Rocket in my second car, a '49 Plymouth fast back business coupe ( I'm a slow learner) With a '37 La Salle 3 spd top loader this was the hot street sleeper, even against the '32 Ford 4X4S, '55, '56, '57 Chevys and Buick Centurys.

In early 1957 I bought my third car, a ‘54 Austin Healey 100 4. I liked the car, but after the Olds Plymouth it was a zero performer. Three months later at 22, I pulled the monstrous Olds/La Salle combo out of the Plymouth and jammed it into the cute little British roadster. It was an act of brutal incest, I admit.

I did this 6 month conversion entirely by myself in a garage I rented with four SB Chevy guys who were sure I was crazy to do such a stupid thing as putting an obsolete 8yr old 700+# engine and 20yr old obsolete 3 spd in a new 3yr old 2100# British roadster. Of course I would have preferred a 500# SBC with the latest 4 spd but none of these guys or anyone else would sell me one reasonably, they wanted them for themselves.

It weighed 2486# curb, had a 48% front vs 52% rear weight distribution and was really quick off the line. One of the Chevy guys was Bones Balough of NHRA fame. We went to all the local So Calif drag strips where we cleaned up,

We were active in drag racing from late 1957 to early 1960 in modified sports, turning 112mph in 12.5sec best. The modified Corvettes were our only competition but couldn't beat Bones off the line due to my 30% engine setback. Then we beat the Buick V8 Doretti modified sports and Max protested my engine setback. The NHRA forced us into the altered competition roaster class that had enormous engine setbacks; huge slicks that run in the 11's at 130mph.

This put me out of drags and the car became a daily driver until 1964 when I installed the 394ci/
418ci '59 Olds and also did the Cobraized nose. I took it to the drags only once with the "new" engine but couldn't launch it with the street tires so I turned 13.2 at 118mph. Although I could beat the SB Cobras, the new BBs had come out and were getting faster. I realized I couldn't beat the modern 427ci/ 4 spd with my ancient 418 engine/ 3 spd so I simply retired the car in 1967, consigning it alongside the garage where it deteriorated into a decrepit rust bucket. I was now totally out of the modified sportscar scene while pursuing a career in electronics and raising a family.

In 1999 at 65, I completely retired and pulled the 45yr old heap from its 32yr grave and started a "1964 Period" restoration. With the V8 engine and body alterations (Healey people call it an abominable desecration) I decided to restore it to its 1964 configuration, complete with 43yr old engine and 63yr old trany. I would retain the original '54 Healey wire wheels and 70 series tires all around. I also decided that in no way would I flare the fenders for big tires. Any enhancements to the engine would be limited to items that were available before 1965. I realized that these restrictions would make it extremely difficult to compete with the faster Modified Healey members but I would give it the good shot.

And so it is today. I would respect the car as a piece of early Healey history and just make it run well. At my advanced age, I can't start another life consuming, advanced car project.