Healey Silverstone

Manufacturer	Donald Healey Motor Company
Production	1949 to 1950
Class	Sports car
Body	Roadster
Layout	Front engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine	2.5L I-4, 3.0L Six Cylinder
Transmission	Four-speed manual
Length	13 ft. 6 ins.
Width	5 ft. 2 ins
Height	3 ft. 10 ins
Dry weight	19 cwt.

The Healey Silverstone is a sports roadster that was made by Donald Healey Motor Company from the late 1940s.

History

The Silverstone was made at a factory in Warwick, England. They were hand-built and only 105 were produced. intended purely and simply as a two-seater, this had headlights behind the grille to make it more aerodynamic. It was designed to be a dual purpose "race and ride" car. It also had a 104 horsepower 2.5L Riley I-4 engine with accessibility provided via a large and easily removed panel in the top of the bonnet. and fitted to a four-speed manual transmission. The body itself Fabricated by the Abbey Panel and Sheet Metal Co. Ltd, of Coventry consists of a stressed-skin shell of 16 and 18-gauge light alloy on a channel-section framework with tubular bracing it is light, strong and fitted with detachable wings which can easily be removed for maintenance work. the entire body, which is attached to the chassis by approximately 12 bolts and can be lifted clear with a minimum trouble for race prep maintenance.

The Silverstone was designed by Len Hodges the Healey Sports Convertible had same chassis, but following technical differences. Hodges rounded the back of the car and pulled it out slightly from the sides. A slot was cut out of the rear to house a tire. Since the tire was protruding out of the car, it acted like a bumper. The adoption of direct-acting Girling shock-absorbers at the rear and stronger clutch springs for competition usage.

In planning to meet these demands, the constructors also envisaged the possibility of reducing the retail price to under £1,000, thereby eliminating the incidence of double purchase tax. When the British government doubled the purchase tax of cars over £1000($1400) from 33.33% to 66.66% in 1948, Healey realized he was in trouble. He decided to make a high-performance car that was under £1000. The result was the $1365 Healey Silverstone. 

There was very little luggage space. It was a two-seater with a very light body. It weighed only 2,100 pounds use of ventilated disc wheels with 5.50 by 15-in. tires. This made it suitable for motor-sports. The 1949 Silverstone(D-Type) was a little bit less wide and the cockpit was a bit uncomfortable.

The 1950 Silverstone (E-Type) was a bit wider and has a more comfortable cockpit the windscreen which also drops into the scuttle instead of folding flat. it slides in channel-
section uprights, which enable it to be dropped into the scuttle. By making this wider, the car was very successful on the track. The Silverstone two-seater the frame of which has been modified to give a tank-mounting suitable to the new body; this has also enabled a bigger tank (17 gallons) to be mounted further forward, and has thus eliminated the rear extension of the frame which normally carries the tank. Suspension is trailing-link i.f.s. suspension A torsion anti-roll bar links the front springs the trailing arms which support made from magnesium casting to which steel side plates are bolted, improves maintenance and has even greater stiffness along with a front torsion anti-roll bar.

Inside the seats have simple adjustments and simple hood which disappears behind the rear squab is provided. tools are carried in an arm-rest and locker mounted on the center propeller-shaft tunnel. The instruments include a large-dial speedometer, together with a thermometer, oil gauge and fuel gauge.

The Silverstone has won many races including the 1949 Alpine Rally where the car was raced by Donald Healey and Ian Appleyard. Another win was in 1951 when Peter Riley and Bill Lamb won the Liege-Rome-Liege Rally and in 1951 Edgar Wadsworth and Cyril Corbishley won the Coupe de Alpes. Other non-wins included Peter Simpson's 6th place overall in the 1951 Isle of Man Manx Cup Races. Later in 1953, Mr. G. Weldon raced a blue Silverstone in the Silverstone circuit in a national race on June 27, finishing fifth. The Silverstone had a top speed of 110 mph and a 0-60 time of 11 seconds, which rivaled other cars. 

Production ended in September 1950 when Healey felt his cars were too heavy and expensive. The Silverstone replacement, the Healey 100 rolled out of the Warwick factory in 1953.