56 FAC                                                                                                                                                                                                     Home

One of three factory built race cars using the early 3000 body style (BJ7) in 1963. "56 FAC" is the registration number, the other two cars were registered "54 FAC" and "57 FAC." Three light British Racing green cars were pulled from production at Abingdon and sent to the competitions department at Warwick. There, they were painted the American racing colors, blue and white and modified to be raced at Sebring.

At the 12 hour Sebring race in 1963, 56 FAC was driven by Bob Olthoff and Ronnie Bucknum, (car #33) who finished 12th overall and 4th in class. Geoff Healey talks about this success in his book "Austin Healey - The Story of the Big Healeys" and notes that 56 FAC beat five Ferraris, two Jaguars, all the Corvettes and five Cobras which delighted BMC.

In 1984, Phillip Coombs purchased the car in the UK and started to campaign this Healey with a group called the Wild West Racers out of Los Angeles. Vintage racing had begun and Monterey was the main event for those who wanted to race the "older" cars now displaced from SCCA competition. Phil and Dan Pendergraft (who owned #106) took 56 FAC and raced the Copa d'Italia in 1986. During these trips over-seas they came to know John Chatham (DD300) and this friendship is what led to the Brits coming over to race in 1990.

Phil and Dan brought their race Healeys (56 FAC and #106) to the Oklahoma conclave in 1988 and were featured along with Carroll Shelby as guests of honor. The first Fourintune 100 S restoration, #3608, was under a tent along with Fred Hunter's red 100 S, #3804 and we were able to meet all these guests as they looked over the S we had brought in from Wisconsin. This meeting led to several years of Healey projects at Fourintune with Phil and Dan.

Later at another conclave in Minnesota (2001), Phil met Bob Olthoff and they both were able to reminisce about 56 FAC which had been brought up by current owner, D. Holloway.