Aesthetic Dream!

Posting by Bill Moseley

"May 20-2007"

Private and free Web-site for Healey hundred enthusiasts -Thank you for your messages and your encouragements - Didier Mongin

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Best Austin-Healey Contest Ever!

Bill Moseley

Pensacola, Florida – April 21, 2007 – PBCA’s Brits on the Bay

Three Best-In-Show, Judged Healeys Clash!

For the first time ever, three Pensacola Austin-Healey Club members, each having been awarded two or more Best-in-Show, Judged, met in Panhandle British Car Association’s Brits on the Bay! Seven big Healeys entered, every one extremely nice. Each of the top cars was unique in its own way and each could have easily won first place. The places were determined by popular vote of the 110 entrants and it was CLOSE!

First place was Alan Apel from Birmingham. His ice-blue ’67 BJ8 Healey is perfect concours, especially the engine; that is to say, showroom-stock without all the shine and chrome in the engine compartment. We thought this might be a minus because the contest was not judged, but the votes were cast and he won again, walking away with first. He is an expert mechanic who does his own work and owns a shop in Pelham, Alabama. Alan’s wife, Karen, entered a 1970 Triumph GT6, which is under restoration by Alan.

Second was Pat and Lou Ballard from Marietta, GA. Pat and Lou, as you all know, have an impeccably prepared red ’63 BJ7 Healey that is “dressed up” with tasteful chrome – surely a winner. Pat and Lou are famous for driving their Healey border-to-border, coast-to-coast (also in England!) and are the most experienced Healey owners that I know. Pat and Lou were tied with another gorgeous Healey driven from New Orleans by our friend, Cliff Hughes. His gorgeous red with white ’58 100-6 won in New Orleans in March. He assisted in his car’s restoration at the body shop at New Orleans’ Delgado Community College, much used by the New Orleans club, host site of their British Car Day, and monetarily supported by the British Motoring Club of New Orleans.

Third was the perfectly prepared blue with white ’63 BJ7 Healey belonging to Don Hambrick. His car is immaculate and is usually a sure winner. It was a real task for the entrants to decide which one to cast a vote for!!!

Another beautiful Healey, a British Racing Green, Dark ’67 BJ8 was driven from the big Tampa, Florida Austin-Healey Club by Bill Borja. It should have won a trophy plaque, too – it was splendid! It’s regrettable that all four of those cars couldn’t have been first!!!

Austin-Healeys were entered by (in alphabetical order) Alan Apel, Pat and Lou Ballard, Don Hambrick, Cliff and Linda Hughes, Don Malton, Mike Starbuck, and Richard and Carla Willows.

My Triumph TR-8 placed first-in-class. A big plus -- I got to drive home with air-conditioning!