My Austin Healy 100S
“He just caught my attention and had a beautiful timeless shape,” says 61-year-old Joe Jarick. In 1970, Jarick bought one of the five Healey 100S race cars brought to Australia for $500 from a Mackay owner.
It was broken into pieces and remained so until Jarick sold it for $4500 just four years later while living and working in London. He used the funds to buy a complete 100S from Portugal for £2600. Yarik made a good profit on his first 100S but it was later assembled, restored and sold for $750,000.
However, Jarik is not tempted to spin his 100S for huge profits. “This car is not worth it because it has a lot of warts,” he says.
“Like me, not everything is so rosy these days. It has stone chips and torn upholstery, but it's all original upholstery. There is nothing non-original in this machine, except for a spare coil and indicators. It has been painted and has new rims but not much other work. "I love it when he looks like he's just been on the race track."
Racing is what this car is designed for. The S in the name refers to America's famous Sebring Raceway and 50 cars have been used in endurance races such as Le Mans and the Mille Miglia.
The aluminum race car is powered by a 132-horsepower Westlake four-cylinder 2.6-liter engine with two SU carburetors, an alloy head, an original 20-gallon racing fuel tank in the trunk, and British Lucas electrics.
Jarik proudly rolls his 100S out of the garage and tries to light it up, but it won't light up. "I think you put an end to that by mentioning Lucas' electrician," he laughs.
However, a quick clear of the glasses and he fires again, ready to relive his glory days. “I have had it for 36 years and have never been tempted to sell it,” he says. "It was the first production car with all disc brakes and a driver's seat belt."
Jarik competed in several Lucas GP rallies and in historic demonstration races at the 1996 and '98 Australian Grand Prix. “This is a long-distance race car, not suitable for sprint racing,” he says. "I would like to do some sprint races, but in a short race I would never come out first because of the high gearing (2.92:1)."
Jarick loves his old English white and Loberley (blue/purple) 100S, but also has two restoration projects lying around in his comrades' garages. One is a 1904 hp single-cylinder de Dion Bouton 8, and the other is a 1938 Lancia Aprilia road car owned by Ferrari driver Mike Hawthorne, the first British World Grand Prix champion in 1958.
But it is Austin Healy's tent that takes pride of place in Jarik's heart. He joined the Sydney Austin Healey Owners Club when he bought his first 100S, but soon established a branch in Queensland.
The local chapter is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a performance at the Queensland Maritime Museum on July 4 from 10am to 2pm. And you can bet that 100S Jarik will be there, warts and all.
