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> popular 21st century upgrades for your big healey

Popular 21st century upgrades for your Big Healey

Posted: Wednesday, 4 September 2024 @ 09:00

Written by Briana Hilton

If you own an extremely rare classic with exceptionally low mileage, then keeping it as original as possible is key to its value. But for most classic car enthusiasts, the most enjoyable part of ownership is getting out on the road as often as possible. That’s especially so in the case of a Big Healey. Standing around does them no good, and they thrive with use.

Row of Austin Healey cars

Yet it would be disingenuous to suggest that a 60-year-old sports car is practical for the daily commute or for long motorway journeys – or would it? If you are prepared to sacrifice some aspects of originality for a few modern upgrades, you can make an Austin Healey 3000 a safer, more comfortable and more reliable form of transport for any journey, without sacrificing the uniquely rewarding driving experience of a classic sports car. Here are a few upgrades you might want to consider.

CSI Electronic distributor

Install electronic ignition

Let’s be honest, contact breaker points are a pain. They take it upon themselves to close up without warning, and they don’t seem to last as long as they did 40 years ago when every car used them.

Fitting an electronic ignition system is one of the first upgrades that most owners choose, and is really essential if you want to use your car regularly. It boosts reliability, performance and fuel efficiency, and is very quick and easy to fit.

 
 
Austin Healey disc brakes

Upgrade the brakes 

Drums all round was somewhat archaic for a high performance car even in the early 60s, which is why Austin Healey introduced front disc brakes on the Mk 2. That made a big difference to stopping power, but even the latter configuration is no great shakes by modern standards, while the former feels downright frightening to anyone accustomed to modern cars.

However good a driver you might be, a Big Healey with 1960s brakes will never stop as sharply as a modern car, and that could lead to catastrophe if you drive on the motorway and get a little too close to the car in front. Upgrading to disc brakes has the potential to drastically improve your braking performance!

Spax suspension kit

Improve the suspension 

Big Healeys were famed for their great handling, which contributed to their rally success. But one simple upgrade can make for an even better ride, and that is to fit polyurethane suspension bushes instead of traditional rubber ones.

Bushes are consumable parts, so need to be replaced periodically at any rate. Polyurethane holds its shape better than rubber, which is especially important if your car spends periods of time laid up, for example over winter. It also reduces unwanted suspension movement, which means better road holding and tighter, more responsive cornering.

 
 

Stay cool in the cabin 

As we have mentioned before, keeping a Big Healey cool can be a challenge in the height of summer. But things can also get hot in the cabin. Back in the 60s, air conditioning was one of the most popular aftermarket upgrades on the US market. All these years later, British Healey owners are starting to catch on.

With so many US cars starting to find their way back to these shores, you might find a car with a period AC system fitted. If so, be prepared to completely renovate it, as freon leaks are inevitable on older units and you will need to change the refrigerant from ozone-depleting R12 to an environmentally sound alternative.

If you have the budget, a better solution is a modern system. Clayton Classics in Coventry supplies and installs systems for several classics, including Jaguars, Porsches and, of course, Austin Healeys.

Better lighting 

The sealed beam headlamp units fitted as standard provide very poor illumination in comparison with modern cars, while the small rear lights mean it is hard for other road users to see you at night.

Simply switching to brighter bulbs can present a problem, especially on older cars, as it could overload the wiring loom with potentially fiery results. A better alternative is LED lights, which provide better illumination but with lower power demands. Classic Car LEDs provide complete conversion kits for all versions of the Austin Healey 3000, including the additional resistors that are necessary when upgrading the Mk1.

 
 
 
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