Any time a large number of Austin Healeys get together, one can't help but notice how those with specific interests tend to group together. For instance, the racers are over to one side, intense, jumpy, and pre-occupied. The concours competitors are another group thats highly focused and intense. The folks with historical or really unique Healeys are yet another sub-group who always seem to be found together. Sprite drivers, too, seem to have an automatic attraction to each other, and can almost always be found side by side.
None of these sub-groups is actually very strong-each must be associated with a larger group. With the possible exception of the Sprite owners, these sub-groups probably couldn't survive on their own.

Some of the many Healeys who participated in the 100/S 40th Anniversary Celebration

The true strength of our club, the AHCA--and the glue that holds it together--is represented by the people who drive the thousands of "normal" Healeys. They are by far the largest sub-grouping and their very presence serves to remind us why we all got mixed up with Healeys in the first place. These are the folks who got involved just for the pure fun of driving their Healeys in the company of similar-minded friends. A common destination on a sunny Saturday and fun and fellowship are their primary goals. If we are really honest with ourselves, we probably would have to admit that the Healey vehicles are really just a very pleasant excuse to associate with like-minded friends.
Similarly, a Conclave, a regional meet, a race, or an "historical" get together simply provides a date and a location to party with other Healeyists, in Healeys. If you ever met DMH then you know he would have beamed from ear to ear and heartily approved. He probably would have said something like, "Right-o! That's what it is all about, isn't it?".
At the end of September about 80 Healey enthusiasts responded to the invitation to get together at the SVRA races at Summit Point Raceway, West Virginia and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the debut of the Austin Healey 100/S "Sebring" replica cars. There were special feature

Reception at Tom Roadley's home for Roger Menadue

races for Austin Healey with Morgans and Aston Martins participating in both the racing and in historical celebrations of their own.
The weekend was kicked off right with what was billed as a "reception" for this events' guest of honor, Roger Menadue. Roger was the Warwick factory's Competition & Experimental Department Foreman, as well as Chief Mechanic for the Works racing efforts. As such, he took charge of the preparation of the Works Special Test cars and usually accompanied them to their race meets. He also directly oversaw the build process for the approximately 50 "production" 100/S's in 1955. Outgoing, friendly to all comers, and highly energetic at 83 years of age, he was the undisputed "hit" of the re...aw, heck folks...we're among friends; we don't have to hang that high-toned word, "reception" on this gathering--this was a party!
Tom and Pam Roadley graciously hosted the "party" at their beautiful home in Berryville, just a few miles from the Summit Point track. Pam laid out an hors d overs spread that could have comfortably serviced Cornwallis' retreating army of redcoats (and her Virginia-ham stuffed biscuits were the stuff of legend). Thinking the reception...'scuse me, the party for Roger was a great idea but likely to be only sparsely attended, it soon became clear that this writer was not acquainted with Tom Roadley's reputation as a party-giver. A count at a about 10:00 pm put the number of enthusiasts in the yard, out by the cars, in the basement where Tom's 100/4 is being carefully restored, and all over the first floor at 71, with more arriving regularly. Tom even prepared and distributed a fine little local map to let the out-of-towners know how to find their motel, the track, and his house. I should have known; when he was a Marine officer at Camp LeJune, he once talked Little Richard into performing at a local party--and unintentionally ended up with about 5000 party-goers on his

Talkin' Healeys in the driveway of Tom Roadley's home; everyone is ignoring the ratty old unrestored Healey in the foreground that had the audacity to show up

hands! Toms party-giving expertise must be remembered for future events! Another highlight of the party was the showing of some of Geoffery Healeys "home movies" of the factory team participating in the 1954 and 1955 Mille Miglia and 1954 and 1955 Sebring races.
Saturday at the track was race day, and the weather and the racing were great. An area near the track was roped off as a paddock for all the Healey attendees. Forty one Healeys diagonally parked in two lines is an impressive sight. Although no formal awards were given out, special recognition must be given to the members of the Harrisburg Region of the Austin Healey Sports and Touring Club. Their members brought a bunch of beautiful Healeys and if there had been a club attendance award, they surely would have won it.
Hearing and watching racing Healeys out on the track again was a real treat. Even though a Healey didn't win the feature race against the Morgans and Aston Martins, it was great to watch them mix it up out there. All of us owe them a debt of gratitude for bringing these real vintage race cars out to play once again. Even the non-Healey spectators enjoyed seeing them.
Adding to the uniqueness of this event was the location of the track: in the middle of an enormous apple orchard! Bill Scott, the owner of both, is an avid racing supporter and no mean party-thrower himself. Saturday night brought the annual "lobster fest" which featured live music, white wine, about 600 race enthusiasts, and about twice that number somewhat less enthusiastic lobsters, all in a modern apple processing warehouse across from the race pits. They just pushed the apple processing equipment back to the walls and brought in row upon row of picnic tables and there you are--instant dance hall.
A special tent was provided for the historic Healeys attending this event. It was just big enough to accommodate the four historic vehicles that attended: Bill Emerson brought his nicely-done white/Lobelia 100/S, AHS-3808. He drove (yea!) his

Tom Kouvacs (black jacket), noted Healey restorer, holding forth on a technical question

S' to the event--admittedly he doesn't live far away--and happily gave rides to anyone. This S' originally was delivered in 1955 to the Austin distributer in New York and was raced in SCCA events across the country. It ended up after a succession of owners on the Left Coast in the hands of Keith Rishell, from whom Bill bought the car. Donald Healeys' Warwick factory built about 50 of these Sebring replicas in an eight month period of one year, 1955. Since the factory was small (today, a decent restoration shop has more square footage!), the S's were actually built in "batches" of ten each; built not on a moving production line, but up on chest-high "trestles" (giant sawhorses) side-by-side in a line. See Peter Brownings book, Healeys and Austin Healeys for an impressive photo of a batch under construction.

Go to Second Part of Healeys at the Point