2007-03-31 00:33:06 | Lofty writes:

From the original austinhealey.com web site:

Richard Hawkins, Hong Kong: Colorado Red, Black interior 1957 BN4-O/47719

I found this car in Singapore in 1990 where it had not been used for 15 years and was incomplete and in a sorry state. The car was shipped ex-factory on 5 Sept 57 to Singapore and had a racing history in S.E.Asia from the early days until the early 70's, initially in regional and international meetings, then in Club meetings. The death of it's then owner left the car 'intestate' and it was saved from crushing by a member of the Malaysia and Vintage Car Club. But, it then languished for may years.

I took it in p/ex in 1990 against a '59 TR3A, and put it through a thorough body rebuild, keeping the period mods: swaged arches, hand made in steel, wheels are healey k/o centres welded to Porsche 356 rims (to get wider than then std 4.5", telescopic rear shocks on a cross-beam support, later disks replaced drums. In Oct 95 I shipped the car to Hong Kong and am now completing the mechanical work , with special equipment for Classic Car Racing with the Hong Kong Classic Car Club, who race in Malaysia, Zhu Hai in S. China and Macau. I plan to finish the rebuild to start racing this car in 97.

My other 'Austin-interest' is a 1937 Austin Ruby-based single-seater racer - 8000 rpm engine and timed at 105 mph on the straight at Macau.