"100 S in Toronto Auto Show"

The Austin Healey 100 S restored by Fourintune several years ago for Robert Griffin is currently on display at the Toronto Auto Show. The Healey is part of a special display that honors Carroll Shelby's racing career. The grand hallway has many of Shelby's actual race cars on display with period graphics covering the walls.

Shelby's career with Healeys began in Utah at the Bonneville Salt Flats, where he drove a specially built lightweight which was streamlined - the team toppled 70 International Endurance marks! Later in November of 1954, the team entered the "Carrera Panamericana" where Shelby crashed his 100 S (SPL256BN) after working up to second place. He suffered a broken arm in the crash and was forced to withdraw from the race. Co-driver Roy Jackson-Moore was not in the car at the time of the crash or would have likely been killed according to Shelby.

The show placard noted that Shelby reconnected with Donald Healey in the early 1960's and suggested building the Austin Healey 3000 with an American V-8 engine. BMC was busy selling Healeys in North America and the idea was rejected. Shelby then went to Ford and A.C. Cars in England. The result was the Cobra - one wonders what DMH thought of that!

The Toronto Auto Show runs thru February 21st.

The Austin Healey 100 S (3802) with all the Panamericana deacals at the Toronto Auto show.

The Austin Healey graphic on the trunk is identical to what was on Shelby's Panamericana Healey.