Page 28 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

was changed to hydraulic operation, and the Laycock overdrive hardtop. To achieve a low list price, wire wheels were made an
unit was made optional to maintain an affordable purchase price.
Although Donald Healey was opposed to modifying the 100’s design at such an early stage, he used the new engine’s imposition as an excuse to make additional changes that could increase the vehicle’s appeal. By adding a 2-inch extension to the wheelbase, interior room increased enough to offer occasional seating for two additional (small or legless) passengers behind the front seats.
The extra space was added to the front of the cabin, leaving the forward scuttle and rear body fundamentally unaltered, but the floor pans and doors were extended to match the lengthened wheelbase. A pair of scalloped cushions were added behind the front seats, forcing the adoption of a single 12-volt battery that was placed in the trunk, where it shared space with the relocated spare tire. In a positive development, however, the fuel filler neck was relocated to an external position on the rear shroud, eliminating the gasoline odor that often permeated the trunk and making it easier to fuel the car.
With complaints that the 100’s attractive, albeit impractical, folding windscreen was leading to claims of cracked glass, a traditional fixed pillar design was adopted, while a new grille was fitted that mimicked the oval shape used in the limited-production 100S. The body changes to accommodate the larger cockpit were mostly limited to the rear shroud, where a large cutout was provided to sweep around the occasional rear seats, with the rear reflector lenses faired into the body above the taillights. For the first time, external door handles were provided, as was an optional factory
optional extra, one that most customers selected.
Growing Pains
Underneath the (mildly) restyled bodywork, some of the 100’s chassis rigidity had been lost in accommodating the larger engine, while the handling was compromised by revised spring rates to account for the heavier engine and weight of the rear passengers. At least the interior was a much nicer place, with more luxurious trim, the additional seats and a more effective heater and ventilation system, while the 100’s organ pedals gave way to more conventional pendant controls.
Entering a market with far more competition than the 100 had to contend with, the 100-Six arrived on the scene to an initial wave of critical praise due to its increased comfort and better engine refinement, but the lack of improved performance over the outgoing model was disappointing to customers that wanted more speed.
Even before the 100-Six had been introduced, efforts had been underway to extract more power from its engine, with most of the focus directed towards addressing its poor cylinder head design. A new cylinder head with improved breathing arrived in November 1957, which added an additional 15 horsepower to the mix. With the increased performance and a continued emphasis on publicity, sales improved, no doubt boosted when the two-seat roadster (BN6) returned in April 1958.
The most obvious differences between the 100-Six and its predecessor are the revised grille, hood scoop, external door handles and fixed windscreen pillars. Note the feature line stamped in the front fender that was added to emphasize the duotone color schemes that adorned most examples like this one in Florida Green over Old English White.
26Wayne CariniAffordable Classics