The Northern Healey Centre
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Click any image to view enlarged pictures of our Austin Healey restorations
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The Northern Healey Centre has been successfully working on Austin Healey Restorations for more than 20 years. Several of our Healey 3000 restorations have been Concours winning cars. We have also purpose built Austin Healey cars, restored Big Healeys and many Austin Healey rally cars for competition use. We are always aware that most people will say "I do not want a Concours car" however the fact remains that every enthusiast desires high quality work. Our capabilities range from repairing minor damage to a detailed nut and bolt rebuild. |
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The start of a Big Healey restoration commences with everything stripped to its component parts. The chassis and inner body structure is blasted, and then the outer panels are ultrasonically cleaned. The aluminium shrouds are returned to bare metal by hand as they are too delicate to withstand commercially available cleaning processes such as shotblasting. Austin Healey restorations include restoring the chassis and inner body structure. Our new Austin Healey chassis and inner body structure is available if required. Decisions must be taken as to the relative costs of restoring the original chassis and innerstructure in relation to the cost of new items. |
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At this point a decision must be taken as to which method of restoration to use. The practical cost effective approach is to offer the outer panels to the car for a first fit.Then we would paint the chassis and inner structure. At this point either your or our workshop will refit all the mechanically restored components. The car will be built to a fully working vehicle without its outer panels. All the mechanical and electrical components will have been checked and decisions made for every item down to the last nut and bolt to either reuse, restore or replace. |
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Items which look good on a big Healey, in its original condition, rarely look good on a restored bodyshell. More decisions for the big Healey owner? All Austin Healey restoration work is done in house. Engines, gearboxes and axles, steering, suspension, electrical components are all remanufactured on site. See our engineering section to view our workshop and manufacturing facilities. |
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The next move is to repair the aluminium shrouds and replace or repair as necessary the wings, bonnet and boot. The doors and their associated gaps are the key to the looks and lines of the outside of the car. The doors will have been ultrasonically cleaned. This leaves them in a bare metal condition exposing all faults, corrosion and damage. New door skins are often required. Often the frames need repairs and the hinges need to be reconditioned. All the repaired panels are then fitted to the car and final adjustments made. It may be necessary to lead-load certain areas to achieve the correct shape and lines in metal. The panels are removed, their insides are zinc primed, seam sealed and stone chipped where required and final colour is applied. |
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The panels are then refitted to the car. All the exterior brightwork is then fitted, checked and removed. The car is then moved to the paint shop. In the paint shop all the clever part of the metalwork quickly disappears from view. To achieve a high quality finish, the paintwork is highly labour intensive. The good foundation from ensuring the correct line and shape of the metalwork is refined with repeated application of finer grades of primer, each coat being hand worked to achieve a final base for the application of colour. A large number of the original colours are enhanced by several final coats of lacquer to give a depth of shine. This gives a finish in excess of the original and vastly increases the life expectancy of the final finish. |
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After completion of the paintwork the car will require a minimum of two days cleaning to remove the dust and residue from the painting process. This is the downside to this method of restoration. The alternative method of restoration which would eliminate this problem is to take the car at the stage of having a restored chassis and inner structure in bare metal and proceed with the restoration of the outer panels and shrouds. At this point we would fit all the repaired panels to the car and make any final adjustments required. All the brightwork is fitted along with anything else which comes into contact with the finished car. At this point the structure of the car would be completely finished and only require everything to be painted. |
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The car is stripped to its component parts. The chassis and inner structure along with the insides of the panels are then painted to a finish, and the car is reassembled. At this point the process of painting the outside of the car begins. Although the quality of the paintwork remains at a high standard, the task of cleaning the car after painting is much easier as none of the mechanical components have yet been fitted. After the paint has stood to allow it to harden the task of mechanically fitting up the car may begin. Great care is taken as the job progresses from here to ensure that there is no damage to the newly painted surfaces. Once the mechanical and electrical work has been completed then the brightwork and trim can be fitted to the car. |
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We use the services of a very experienced freelance trimmer to complete your Austin Healey restoration.The manufacture of hoods, tonneau, carpets and refitting seats all take place at the trimmers premises. The trim items are then hand fitted to the car in our workshop. Whichever method of restoration is used, the car will now be road tested, checked and must be run in as it is as near to a new vehicle as is possible, which far exceeds the original quality of the factory built Austin Healey cars. |
- View our Austin Healey Parts and Price list
- Please email us with any questions, orders or enquiries
- Alternatively you can call us on 01977 555211, or fax on 01977 510486
- Visitors are welcome at our Castleford workshops. To see our location click here
Northern Healey Centre Welcomes Any Of The Above Cards
VAT Number: GB5182675-34