Leafing through some <strong>of</strong> the bottomless files <strong>of</strong> <strong>Healey</strong> adventures held securely by Side Exhaust in the ro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> the shed, the fine glossy and full colour magazine <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Austin</strong> <strong>Healey</strong> <strong>Club</strong> Pacific Centre based in San Jose California turned up. It’s dated December 1976 - that’s nearly 35 years ago - and inside was story after story <strong>of</strong> events and happenings and photographs which is always evidence <strong>of</strong> a vigorous, enthusiastic <strong>Club</strong>. Of course, these events are very similar to what appears every month in every AH <strong>Club</strong>, including our own. But there was one happening written up in some detail which is not common - the visit by Donald <strong>Healey</strong> to the <strong>Austin</strong> <strong>Healey</strong>s West meet at Eureka, California, on Labour Day 1976 when he was 78 years old. Of course there were lots <strong>of</strong> cars and plenty <strong>of</strong> social activities, but one photo in the magazine reminded us that <strong>Healey</strong>s and swimming seem to always be a good match. That Donald was a goer can be judged by the nearby photo <strong>of</strong> him sharing a moment with three young Californian beauties in a warm Californian pool - I wonder where Denise, Sheryl and Carol are now? <strong>Healey</strong>s and swimming also feature in an ad for the 100/6 in California which The Boss (editor Harvey Pearce) sent me. This was a Road & Track ad from the late 50’s, the heart <strong>of</strong> the Mad Men era. Having been guilty <strong>of</strong> organising several car shoots by the ocean in the days before Photoshop meant you never had to do anything for real any more, I feel for the g<strong>of</strong>ers who had to obliterate the tyre marks in the sand and the tractor drivers who got it down there. The tide looks like its coming in with only an hour or so to go, meaning there would have been some stress happening. Clients can be very grumpy when you deliver their photo car back full <strong>of</strong> sand and salt water. 14 HEALEY IN THE SWIM The photo crew probably didn’t get all the shots, which would explain why the lower photo was shot in a studio and stripped in. Much as we might feel embarrassed today about the gross sexist attitudes on display in this advertisement for <strong>Austin</strong> <strong>Healey</strong>, the reality is that that is the world for which our cars were created. We need not be too <strong>of</strong>fended - after all, the message is simply “get a life, get a girl, get a <strong>Healey</strong>”. That this one is by the ocean with scuba gear and spear guns adds a frisson <strong>of</strong> adventure which sits well with the beefy six on the sand. Even here in Australia, on one <strong>of</strong> those glorious summer days when you’re out for a drive in your <strong>Healey</strong> through the Eucalyptus forests <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong>n ranges, and you come across a deserted mountain lake, its very easy to be tempted to have a swim. The <strong>Healey</strong> can be a bit <strong>of</strong> a sweaty place when its hot. Skinny dipping might have been OK once upon a time, but these days, if you’ve got no cossy, then its undies to the rescue. It’s after the swim that the Big <strong>Healey</strong> shows why he’s such a great swimming partner. Rather than sit in a soggy mess for the cooler drive home through the sunset, open up that bonnet and you have a wonderful clothes dryer as the wafts <strong>of</strong> radiant heat which normally roast you in the cabin evaporate all that pure mountain water in no time. The picture shows this happening. In the few minutes it takes you to dry <strong>of</strong>f on the (fairly) clean bit <strong>of</strong> old towel kept in the door pocket, your undies will be dry and toasty. Close the bonnet, fire him up and thunder home all tingling and satisfied. For <strong>Healey</strong>, its just been another typical lifestyle swimming job down by the water - just like in that old ad from the USA. HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS SEPTEMBER 2011
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