Rebirth of B382100463LRXFE

[Austin Healer]

#463 was built 6 Apr. 1967 and dispatched to Ontario, Canada. It was Polar White with a color matched hardtop. Nothing is known about it's first owner. The second owner, Bill Karrelson bought the car in late 1969, or early 1970. He soon destroyed the lower half of the engine and replace the short block with a new 302. He loaned the car to a friend in 1971 who promptly drove it into a tree! The car was totaled and the insurance paid out. Bill held onto the car until 1974 when he sold it to Ron Stein's brother Wolfgang for the princely sum of $50 CDN including hardtop.

The car sat until I bought it from Ron in the fall of 2021. We couldn't get anyone to ship a partially dismantled car and it was the height of the pandemic. Ron and his wife loaded the car in an enclosed trailer and delivered it themselves to Summerland, B.C. which is about 100 miles north of where I live in Washington State. Ron's wife told me she thought I was nuts and there was no way I could save the car.

Here it is 2 years later! In Polar White as original and powered by a 302 with 289 heads, albeit a replacement engine. The original Ontario license plate was DJC 700. If anyone knows anything of it's early history, I'd love to hear about it

 

[Klaus and Cary]

Beautiful. Good to hear it was not scrapped!

 

[mr55s]

Awesome job Sean!!!!!

 

[michael-king]

Sean,

Beautiful workmanship.

I note a choke has been added but near the glovebox, what does the swicth in the choke blanking hole operate, cooling fan? I would have thought the alpine choke could go in the stock choke location?

 

[Austin Healer]

Sean,

Beautiful workmanship.

I note a choke has been added but near the glovebox, what does the swicth in the choke blanking hole operate, cooling fan? I would have thought the alpine choke could go in the stock choke location?

The choke knob is from a '66 Shelby GT350 Mustang. I had a choke knob assy from an Alpine and I was going to install it... but I've misplaced it and can't find it! It would be a better match for the w/s washer knob... but somehow having a Shelby part makes me think it's OK!! I never need to use it. Just stab the gas pedal a couple of times and it fires right up.

I took a couple of liberties in the engine bay. The original, simple, nut for the air cleaner never stays tight so I used a flat head Phillips screw instead. Flush fitting so no drama with the hood, I also located the fuel filter in the engine bay as it's impossible to change in the stock location if there is any fuel in the tanks. The car is fit with an Edelbrock F4B, but I painted it with the engine... Stealthy!!!

The hood, while it looks like a fibreglass LAT hood, is not. I had an Aston Martin DB5 in the shop and I fashioned the scoop after it. I made up the exhaust vents by copying a hood from a client's car. The hood is all steel. For screens on the exhaust vents, I used expanded metal mesh designed for use behind plaster and had it powder coated black. The engine in the background of the interior pic is the engine for another DB5 in the shop right now.

The switch in the Alpine location for a choke knob is for the driving lights, a set of 60's vintage Lucas LR8's (Square 8's). Pic attached. The vise grips are holding the hood catch open so I could align everything... I didn't want any drama trying to get the hood open!!

I didn't apply the stripes because I can't stand the look and I didn't paint the area below the sill trim because it's impossible to keep it looking nice...

The next part of the project is painting the hardtop in Polar White as original to match the car....

The "AA" badge in the grille was given to me by Geoff Healey just before he died. We were in the UK in the Spring of 1993 and visited with him at his home in Barford..

Awesome job Sean!!!!!

Thanks Brian!!!

 

[michael-king]

I'll send you an email. 😊