Oxford Diecast HT001 Healey Tickford Maroon Monte Carlo 1953

A new addition to our series of classic cars with a sporting influence is the rarely seen Healey Tickford saloon, produced between 1950 and 1954, during which time only 222 examples were made. They came out of the Warwick Works of the Donald Healey Motor Company Ltd., founded in 1945 by Donald Healey who was a successful car designer and rally driver. He was joined by Roger Menadue from Armstrong Whitworth to run the experimental workshop producing high performance cars. The Healey Tickford saloon was powered by a 2443cc Riley 4 cylinder engine in a light steel box section chassis of their own design. Advanced design allowed soft springing to be combined with excellent road holding, while the brakes comprised a Lockheed hydraulic system. Donald Healey was later to join forces with Leonard Lord of Austin section of BMC to produce the Austin-Healey, before moving on again to work with Jensen.

Our model of the Healey Tickford saloon is painted in maroon, as raced in the Monte Carlo Rally of 1953, when it was driven by Bill Meredith-Owen and Alec Pitts. Registered ONK 633, the model carries their 173 Rallye Monte-Carlo badge set into the front and rear chrome bumpers and also features rally spotlights on the front.
The wheels are also maroon. The radiator grille and rear window frames are masked black with other external trim finished in silver. The interior seating and door panels are a maple colour while the floor is beige. Door cappings and dashboard are moulded in brown and the steering wheel is especially detailed in nut brown with a beige brown centre and silver spokes.