Healey '55' sports boat

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rupertadair
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Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:06 am
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Healey '55' sports boat

Post by rupertadair »

Hi all

I have a 1950's Healey '55' sports boat as a project. It needs recaulking but the Healey engine has been run, the deck is in reasonable shape, and I would say all of the parts are present, even though it needs some TLC. I am in two minds what to do about this. I know it needs hundreds of hours of attention and I have a young child and a busy job. Would it be better off being restored by someone who has the time, or should I jump in and attempt it myself ?

Pictures attached for all of your interest. A few things to highlight:-
- Prop shaft seems to be OK and propeller is OK
- A new hardwood dashboard has been cut but not finished
- Seats have been upholstered
- Steering cables all work
- Deck furniture present although some brass and some silver
- Bomb doors for engine bay have been stripped, but deck hasn't
- Hull has been cleaned down and now needs caulking
- Bilge pump looks like it's probably knackered
- Petrol tank is metal, likely would need to be replaced with modern one
- Wiring system is 12 volt not 6 (good!)
- Engine has new belts, some new hoses, clean oil, clean plugs, although one hose appears in the wrong place
- Engine turns, gearbox moves from F-N-R ok
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1909974_51029916291_1951_n.jpg

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welshhealey
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Re: Healey '55' sports boat

Post by welshhealey »

Hi there, as a dedicated Healey Sportsboat(s)owner and enthusiast, I thought it's only fair to tell you (unless the picture deceives me) the hull you have is not a Healey hull that is familiar to me, as there is no splash rails from the bow to mid ships plus the stern is totally different from all the other Healey's I've seen,yours looks like it's clinker built? they also had a wrap around one piece Perspex windscreen, however the engine you have along with the gearbox is as original in the Healey 55 ... However this maybe one of the very early prototype models that were built in Pymore Mills in Bridport, but as far as I'm aware some of these were 16ft before production started on the 14ft 9 models at " The Cape Works " in Warwick.After the factory shut down in the early 70's (ish) Healey sold off all the odd bits and pieces eg. bare hulls,(mainly GRP ) complete marinised engine and transmission's etc... Is there any hull numbers stamped on the arched beam at the stern? also they stamped numbers on the main structual beam just forward of the engine (where the ski pole fits through ) if so the 55 models will have a four digit number starting with a figure 1 :thumbsup:

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Howstar
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Location: stockport chehire

Re: Healey '55' sports boat

Post by Howstar »

Yes it looks lovely boat worth restoring if you got the knowledge to restore here,

If you think you can do it have ago , if not how much would sell it for :wot:

:help: i have not got the time or money or skill to do it up

rupertadair
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Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:06 am
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Re: Healey '55' sports boat

Post by rupertadair »

Dear welshhealey thanks very much for your thoughtful and very helpful response. I am at work just now so can't check for a serial number as you say. I will be sure to check this when I get home tonight - thanks! This boat is approximately 16 foot long and as you rightly say is clinker built. It really is a thing of beauty and I'd like to find out exactly where it was built and when, for sure!

To Howstar: I have a small child and am concerned that I won't have the time to do this project justice and so am considering selling the boat. But, at this time, I don't know it's true value.

More soon - cheers everyone

RA

rupertadair
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:06 am
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Re: Healey '55' sports boat

Post by rupertadair »

Hi all

I need to understand from those who know these 1950's boats better than I what you think the boat might be worth. I may not have the time to do my boat justice by giving it a proper restoration; it may be that I have to bite the bullet and sell it to someone who can.

I know that WELL restored versions of Healey '55's seem to have high price tags. A good example is this one http://www.peterhamilton.co.uk/boat.htm. This is a newer boat and layout with a slightly different seating format but with exactly the same engine. The comment on this page is: "of the 40 or so [Healey '55' sports boats] built during the mid 1950’s very few survive today". My boat is unusual, was probably built before the mass run of Healey '55' boats referred to on the site above. So, what's it worth today ?

I have uploaded a few more pictures of my boat in a PDF file to this location https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/181 ... 20Boat.pdf.

Please let me have any comments from your collective expertise.

Thanks

RA

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Howstar
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Location: stockport chehire

Re: Healey '55' sports boat

Post by Howstar »

link does not work is the boat sold

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