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Prior to the Second World War Donald Mitchell Healey (born 1898 in the village of Perranporth, Cornwall) was with the Triumph Company. In 1946 the first cars to bear his name appeared, with Healey's own chassis and aerodynamic bodies they soon achieved an impressive competition record.

The 2.5 litre Riley engine powered a series of cars, all of which could exceed 100 mph. The Nash engine was used for events such as Le Mans and in cars sold in the USA. The British version used the 3-litre Alvis unit.

1952 saw the Healey Hundred using Austin A90 components for which Sir Leonard Lord set up a production line at Longbridge. The first fifty Hundred's were built at Warwick and were the last to bear the Healey name. All future vehicles were badged Austin-Healey and came under the British Motor Corporation umbrella.

Donald Healey later became a director of Jensen and the Jensen-Healey of 1972 was the result.

The photographs of the Healey Silverstone and Healey Sportsmobile were kindly supplied by Bernd Sgraja.

E-Mail: history@britishmm.co.uk