My favourite Healey colour? YELLOW

My favourite Healey colour? YELLOW

 

Hi, I am Marcel, since 2001 a member of the Dutch Austin Healey club and since 2021 also a member of the Swiss Austin Healey club.

 

The first time I drove an Austin Healey 3000 was at my brother’s wedding: he rented it and I was the lucky one to bring it back to the owner. Immediately I was hooked, but at that the time couldn’t afford one as a Student. It took me exactly 10 years before it was possible to buy one. A couple of Healey’s were examined, but for some reason I wasn’t convinced, that is until I came across this yellow device. It wasn’t exactly standard and with - at that time around 185 horses - it really tickled my senses.

 

“raced by a truck driver who smuggled liquor to Scandinavia to pay for his racing”

 

It is 31 years ago that a subdivision of the Dutch club was formed for those who wanted to explore the limits of their Healey in rallying and racing: the Dutch Healey Competition department (DHC). Many of the Dutch Healey 3000 race cars were painted Yellow. I think around 6-8 of these yellow cars raced each other and the rest of the pack.

Mine - a rare three carb MK2 two-seater - was raced by a truck driver who smuggled liquor to Scandinavia to pay for his racing endeavours. True story!  When he eventually was caught, the car was seized by the Dutch authorities and was sold to a car broker. When I found it, it didn’t take me long to decide to buy it.

 

“My wife was looking at me as if I was a complete lunatic”

 

During our winter holiday, on December the 27th of the year 2000 - there was heavy snow on the roads - I told my wife that I really needed to drive 150 miles and back to buy a car. She was looking at me as if I was a complete lunatic and before she got to say anything, I was already driving. With about 6 inches of snow on our national highways it was a dream come true winter in The Netherlands, and I was dreaming of driving the Healey in the snow…. while cars were sliding of the road in front of me.

Now 22 years onwards it is time to live that dream. It those years I converted the car into a true copy of the works rally cars. Countless improvements were made, into the state it is in now: a sheer beauty with more than enough horses and a tremendous amount of almost instant torque to give you a huge smile on your face.

 

We’re now in Wallis - there is heavy snowfall - tomorrow we’re off to Graubunden, Laax that is. I hope you liked the read and the coming days I will keep you posted!