Some of you will know that Donald Healey - of Donald Healey Motor Company fame and the man behind the Nash-Healeys, Jensen-Healeys and Austin-Healeys - tried his luck with a Mini based car also. His roadster was in fact based on one of three hand built pre-production Mini prototypes and is now the oldest Mini alive.
However, it wasn't on its own. There was a later prototype - probably dating to 1965 - built to become a possible Sprite successor, which supposedly used a 1275cc Mini Cooper 'S' drivetrain, placed behind the driver and passenger. The car came with a Targe roof into which the hood cleverly could be folded away. It used a combination of Sprite (front) and Mini (rear) suspension with hydrolastic (note different wheels). Handling was said to be 'astounding', though less stable than that of the Sprite. The prototype was named WAEC for 'Wheel At Each Corner' and I have only been able to source one picture of it. Supposedly it never made production because BMC thought 'Sports car owners are too conservative'...
I have no idea if the prototype could survive. Over the years I have asked several Healey enthusiasts and connoisseurs for more information about the car, but no one appears to be able to tell me more than just this. Perhaps a message out here may help..?
UPDATE 29 July: Karsten Stelk asked Simon Bilbie at the Healey Owners Group, who replied: "There’s more information in David Matthews’ latest book. Originally codenamed U2 it was drawn up by my late father Barry in May 1965 and, as stated, was based on Mini and ADO 16 components. It was used as a general mule for a few years but then presumably scrapped."
Another comment mentions: "In Jon Pressnell's Austin Healey book, it is mentioned the WAEC prototype was in fact built around two 1100 front subframes completed with hydrolastic suspension and the 1100's rather low-geared steering, but with the benefit of thereby gaining a four-wheel disc-break system. It did appear to use a Cooper 'S' engine, even so the car was overweight and suffered from poor performance even with the Cooper 'S' unit. It also suffered from the old A-Series problem, which was the engine being on top of the transmission, posing difficulties with installation and with the gearchange."
However, it wasn't on its own. There was a later prototype - probably dating to 1965 - built to become a possible Sprite successor, which supposedly used a 1275cc Mini Cooper 'S' drivetrain, placed behind the driver and passenger. The car came with a Targe roof into which the hood cleverly could be folded away. It used a combination of Sprite (front) and Mini (rear) suspension with hydrolastic (note different wheels). Handling was said to be 'astounding', though less stable than that of the Sprite. The prototype was named WAEC for 'Wheel At Each Corner' and I have only been able to source one picture of it. Supposedly it never made production because BMC thought 'Sports car owners are too conservative'...
I have no idea if the prototype could survive. Over the years I have asked several Healey enthusiasts and connoisseurs for more information about the car, but no one appears to be able to tell me more than just this. Perhaps a message out here may help..?
UPDATE 29 July: Karsten Stelk asked Simon Bilbie at the Healey Owners Group, who replied: "There’s more information in David Matthews’ latest book. Originally codenamed U2 it was drawn up by my late father Barry in May 1965 and, as stated, was based on Mini and ADO 16 components. It was used as a general mule for a few years but then presumably scrapped."
Another comment mentions: "In Jon Pressnell's Austin Healey book, it is mentioned the WAEC prototype was in fact built around two 1100 front subframes completed with hydrolastic suspension and the 1100's rather low-geared steering, but with the benefit of thereby gaining a four-wheel disc-break system. It did appear to use a Cooper 'S' engine, even so the car was overweight and suffered from poor performance even with the Cooper 'S' unit. It also suffered from the old A-Series problem, which was the engine being on top of the transmission, posing difficulties with installation and with the gearchange."
Healey WAEC used Mini Cooper 'S' power and hydrolastic suspension
Picture 'More Healeys'
Wish could help, though here is some possibly useful info below.
ReplyDeleteIn Jon Pressenell's Austin Healey book, it is mentioned the WAEC prototype was in fact built around two 1100 front subframes completed with hydrolastic suspension and the 1100's rather low-geared steering, but with the benefit of thereby gaining a four-wheel disc-break system.
It did appear to use a Cooper S engine, even so the car was overweight and suffered from poor performance even with the Cooper S unit. It also suffered from the old A-Series problem, which was the engine being on top of the transmission, posing difficulties with installation and with the gearchange.
So it is technically derived from the Mini to some extent, still a pity they could not reduce the weight, improve or replace the engine and sort out the gearbox layout to create a British answer to the Fiat X1/9 decades before the MGF.