Donald Healey astutely recognized a sizeable market waiting for a fast, nimble, and stylish open two-seater, particularly in the United States. The 100/4 was the inspired result. The finest and most desirable early variant of the design was the uprated 100M “Le Mans,” offering superior performance and such distinctive racing-bred external features as a louvered hood with a leather retaining strap, silver-painted wire wheels, and a rakish cut-down windshield, which could be folded flat for a truly sporting driver.

Mechanical upgrades include 8:1 compression, a high-lift cam, upgraded carburetors, a low-restriction intake manifold, and a modified distributor, which translated to an additional 20 brake horsepower and 154 foot-pounds of torque.

The car shown here is one of only six hundred twenty 100M “Le Mans” specification roadsters built by the factory. While numerous other examples were upgraded by dealers using a factory-supplied kit, this car was built as it is today, on the assembly line, and it is considered much more desirable by enthusiasts. The 316th made, built on April 17, 1956, it was factory-equipped with a laminated windshield, wire wheels, speedometer in miles-per-hour, heater, and louvered hood. Delivery was “special order” to North America, with the car first registered in the Healey-friendly climate of California; the car went on to spend most of its life on the West Coast.

The car was recently acquired by Tom and Randee Rocke of Healey Lane in Riverside, California, well-known Austin-Healey restorers and specialists who are well-versed in every aspect of these automobiles. It has just completed a full, frame-off rotisserie restoration with an array of enhancements and upgrades, such as a jet-coated exhaust, new Cooper radial tires, new 48-spoke chrome wire wheels, jet-coated brake drums, a full leather interior, rebuilt and refaced gauges, two-stage solvent-based PPG paint, and new wiring, electrical components, and lighting. The car further retains all of its original 100M features, with the proper identification number on the body panels, cockpit surrounds, Le Mans carburetors, camshaft, distributor, and cold air box. This is verified by the car’s 100M Le Mans Registry “Highest FC” Certificate, noting the car as being all matching numbers, which, along with a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Certificate, accompanies the sale.

As with all of the Rockes’ restorations, this Austin-Healey is offered with a full one-year driveline warranty. See an RM specialist for further details.