Cars
Penny Riley
Fri Aug 30 2013 16:56:57 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Could this be the most perfect car on the planet? 1956 Austin Healey 100-4 Le Mans edition with louvered hood and higher output.
In late 1955, three years after Donald Healey unveiled his “Hundred,” the 100M made its debut. Modified with the racing experience gained from Bonneville to Le Mans, the 100M received a high-lift camshaft, larger carburettors, higher-compression pistons, free-flowing intake manifold, cold air box and a special distributor. Output increased from 90 to 110 hp, and the suspension received larger anti-roll bars, while a Le Mans-specification leather strap retained the louvered bonnet. Even the later six-cylinder models did not exceed the resulting performance enhancement, and when production ended in July 1956, just 640 examples of the 100M were built.