Special Saloon Healey History

Reading up on the SMO 746 Healey sent me down a rabbit hole where I found this fun little summary of special saloon Austin-Healeys. SID1 is probably my favorite based on the colour scheme (it looks better in more recent pictures), but DD300 undoubtedly has the best fender flare shape. I have to wonder if this influenced CR when they were designing the 5000 and MX or if it was just a happy coincidence. Here is the link to check out for yourself:

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The DD300 car just may have been the inspiration for the original Sebring body.  It said in the article that the car was originally a factory works car for the 1960 Sebring and Lemans races.  I remember reading an old ad for the CR Sebring that said it was based on a body that was modified for the Sebring race.

@Hotrod

Agreed, the flare shape is near identical. I'd always wondered why they'd switched from the Saxon name to Sebring (instead of calling it the Saxon MX or something). It's a shame that the Chrysler Sebring came out a decade later and ruined any analogy to the name.

Apparently SID1 acquired a fearsome reputation in Australia after its career in British Saloon racing, and now resides in Finland after having been restored to non-flared spec (pity). SMO 746 is for sale as we know. DD300 still exists and was apparently also restored to non-flared spec and repainted british racing green (its factory colour).

It's fun to think that our overall body shape has a legitimate provenance with a traceable history, although I'm sure purists would have a heart attack at this mere thought

It's nice to know, as you say, that when I'm being harassed by those purists, that I can point to DD300 in defense.  I may try to find a printable pic of it for the build scrapbook I intend to do to carry to car shows.

I'm seriously considering something along the lines of the factory works cars anyhow.

The purists must be a tough lot in the UK.  I would think that a car with genuine Sebring and Lemans provenance would be more valuable as it was raced.  

Undoing the racing mods to me would be like "restoring" Steve McQueen's Bullit Mustang back to stock because that's what it looked like at the factory.

I find that the 'purists' tend to fold like a cheap tent when I reply that we have absolutely no "Prince of Darkness" issues with our Sebrings ...

JimboQuick

JomboQuick,
Sure do agree with you. It's also fun to point out to these types that my car isn't leaking 5 different kinds of fluid on the ground, there's no smoke, I don't have a tow company on speed dial, I can drive my car in the rain and jump in it right now for a 500 mile drive.
They shuffle off peeing their pants and muttering.
Having owned 7 British cars I know the feeling.
It's soooooo nice having my Sebring.
Am building a '66 XKE for my most favorite wife.
It will have a 302. Imagine the BullS*** we will get.
Sorry to get off topic - love the fender flairs on factory raced cars.
Maybe we should start a thread about comments we get from purists and the retorts.

After hearing me blabber quite a bit about DD300 and fender flares, my lovely girlfriend found this for my birthday a little while ago:

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It is essentially the biography of DD300's owner and his racing exploits. Not all the anecdotes are particularly interesting, but I find the book worth it for the period photos alone. About half way through it at the moment.

Sounds like she's a keeper.
Happy birthday.
Would like to hear you're review when
you're done reading it.

Thanks Jerry!
I don't know how she puts up with all the Healey talk at this point...
I'll keep you posted!

Just getting back to Jerry on the book review.

In short, I quite enjoyed the photography and many of the anecdotes, but never fully finished reading it. Considering the reasonable price, I would recommend it for addicts like us, but it definitely isn't a cover-to-cover read. Many of the chapters drawl on about Mr. Chatham's personal life in a chronological fashion, which becomes mildly tedious.

I'd say: get it as a coffee-table book, enjoy the photography, and pick-and-choose which chapters you'd like to read, and you'll have fun.

Well - I'm all in for having fun, but based on your review I think i'll wait for the movie to come out.
Have a few (hundred) books now.
Thanks
JM