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Austin-Healeys.com Resources & Links
| Roger Menadue Chat SessionThis is the complete transcript of the internet chat, hosted by Les Myer's PDLJMPR site, with Roger Menadue. Roger built Healeys with Donald and Geoff from the very beginning. The nick BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - is the nick what his answers and comments are found. When known by me, I changed the IRC chat nickname to real names. Let me know if your nick needs to be changed. - Patton ******* Jim Albeck - Had a great time on the Nova Scotia tour Patton Dickson - Hello from Texas Roger. HOTMELT - Welcome BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Roger say hi Les Myer - Let's tell Roger where we are from and what we own BILL - Hello from the hills of Virginia, Roger Amy Turner - And from Tennessee Les Myer - I am from Michigan and I own a MKIV Sprite Jim Albeck - got back from NS and turned around and went to Park City BUGEYE - I'm from Oswego, New York and I have a 60 AN5 and 61 AN6 HOTMELT - From Rochester Hills, MI with a Sprite AN5 14484 Amy Turner - Tennessee, '59 Sprite MKI AN5L12601 Jim Albeck - Jim Albeck..Agoura, California BILL - Nash-Healey here in Virginia BILL - Jim Albeck in a WHAT? Jim Albeck - Take ur pick Bill Amy Turner - He has a 3000 with a special feature: air conditioning. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - he don't want to say he has a bighealey BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - ac and all Jim Albeck - also have a BUGEYE BILL - Roger, you should see Jim's car it is an air conditioned BJ8!! Les Myer - So Roger, what years did you spend working on the Healeys
and Jim Albeck - and a 100 with a 289hp V8 BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - from the first day and all models Jim Albeck - Bill...it was at Park City Les Myer - so, from start to finish - you saw it all BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - yes BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - I built the first Westland Les Myer - I always wondered what the company climate was in the final days before BMC gave the Healey the thumbs down Les Myer - if you want to talk about it BUGEYE - Roger, whos idea for the 1/4 eliptic springs on the sprites. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - I was retiring anyway so differnce to me Les Myer - I see HOTMELT - Roger, my heritage certificate does not have key numbers, destination, etc. I have been told that some vehicels were sent to the US not as orders but just for sale. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - not sure about the idea of the springs BILL - Roger, Did you ever go on "test drives" with Donald? Patton Dickson - Out of curisoty, what were the AN1's through AN4's before the BUGEYE (if any), prototypes? BUGEYE - They were BN1, BN2, BN4 BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - don't know you will have to call the saLes dept. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Yes of course all the time Patton Dickson - OK, that makes sence, I didn't know if they started the Sprite models from 1 or not... BUGEYE - Roger what was you biggest contribution to the sprite BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - I built the first sprite and you have to remember I was in teh Experimental Dept. BILL - Roger, "Amy" is a lady who is very enthuastic about Sprites. She might like to hear about the Falcon bodied Sprite. Amy Turner - I am enthusiastic...and new. I want to soak up everything I can learn here tonight! BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - it was bought and was fibergalss body and made to fit a sprite BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - it was built by the falcon co. BILL - Bighealey.... do you have a copy of Amy's curser? If not you might want to get one!! Les Myer - OK Roger, here's one that Patton and I really want to know - we both have 67 MKIV Sprites with centrifugal-only distributor and fresh air door mounted to the right of the radiator - my sources place these cars as very early production, probably in summer of 1966 - yet Patton's Heritage certificate says his was built in summer of 1967 - any comments on their production dates? Patton Dickson - Was the 4000 project ever really supported, or was it just a last ditch attempt to see about saving the marque? I only know a little about the car, and little is close to an overstatement. Amy Turner - I must find pictures of the Falcon bodied Sprite. Can you recommend a book? BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - yes right now the car is in Ohio being restored and took first in class in each event Patton Dickson - I'm Patton by the way. Patton is the name of the car BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Roger doesn't really know about wether it was a last ditch or not and that wasn't the only try Jim Albeck - Roger....what prevented Donald from putting a bigger engine in the Silverstone...a la Briggs Cunningham BILL - Amy, More Healeys By Geoff Healey, page 97 is a color shot of the car at Le Mans. Amy Turner - Thank you! BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - No money to buy v8 engines and had to do with what we had Amy Turner - Any answer on the LES question above? Jim Albeck - thank u ...understand Patton Dickson - Have you been by to see the Hewaley Lemans yet? HOTMELT - Healey really was a small marque made big by the cars reception in the marketplace. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - no we're going tomorrow Amy Turner - Roger, what is your reaction to modified Healeys? Do you feel people are fouling up your designs when we fiddle with different engines and carburetors and suspensions and such? Patton Dickson - OK, I've never seen a picture of a Nash Healey Lemans before BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - You do what you want with your own car and do what you enjoy BUGEYE - Roger, did you ever own any of the cars you created ? BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - NO definatly not never did Les Myer - Gentlemen & Lady - I just got company - need to go - Roger, thanks for joining us - all of you please stay as long as you like BUGEYE - Goodnight Les HOTMELT - goodnight Les BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - roger says buy Patton Dickson - Roger, did you do any designs for makes other than Healeys in your career? Patton Dickson - Night Les Les Myer - Parting BILL - Jim, The "Silverstone" chassis will handle 425 BHP.... as it is the same chassis as my Nash-Healey. Jim Albeck - I regret I have to leave y'all....Roger Godspeed and have a safe trip home...the rest of you keep the windshield clean and Jim Albeck - the shiney side up BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - I didn't design I built hands on BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Roger say by Jim BILL - Good night Roger. See you tomorrow evening. Bill & Genevieve BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Cya Bill Jim Albeck - Bye 4 now Jim Albeck - Parting BUGEYE - Roger, Is there any news about the FROGEYE company Geoff was associated with. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - No nothing more BUGEYE - Does it still exist ? Amy Turner - It's said that Donald Healey was not proud of the Sprite bearing the Austin-Healey marque -- it wasn't a powerful car. Is that true? If so, did you share his sentiments? Patton Dickson - What is the frogeye company??? BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - no information as of yet BUGEYE - They are remaking a modern Sprite Mk 1 Amy Turner - Same body style? HOTMELT - Miata was a "copycat" BUGEYE - Yes. BUGEYE - Exactly Patton Dickson - Wow... That would be amazaing to see BUGEYE - Last chapter of Geoff Healey's book More Healeys... BUGEYE - Second edition. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Donald wdid like the sprite and felt nothing bad about it, but he didn' like the first hundred BUGEYE - The 100 was a beautiful car ! HOTMELT - That is well publicized Patton Dickson - What was the car you were most proud of your association? BUGEYE - You have to love that fold down windshield Amy Turner - ... and the fan-shaped grille BILL - The "Frogeye Company car has the same body style as the AN5 , updated engine and running gear (and modern PRICE) HOTMELT - Is it built from similar stampings? BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - "Old no. 10 Nash Healey" that I will be seeing tomorrow after 45 years Frank Clarici - Joining Frank Clarici - Hi All Patton Dickson - Hi Frank HOTMELT - hi frank BUGEYE - Where did the front suspension for those cars come from ? BILL - hi Frank BUGEYE - Was it the same as the silverstone ? BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - ACTION slaps Frank around a bit with a large trout BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - sorry about that fat fingers BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - my mistake that was not Roger BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - that was the same as the silverstone BUGEYE - Roger, Did you build those. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - I built silverstones BUGEYE - The front suspension was very complex wasn't it ? BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - not so much complex but very expensive BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Roger has to leave at 9:30 BILL - WAS! Still is, if all those bearings fall out ;-) Patton Dickson - LOL!!! BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Roger is lol HOTMELT - Where on the ast coast are you now? BILL - I have a Silverstone.... so I KNOW.. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Cape Cod HOTMELT - Where on the cape? BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Hyannis BUGEYE - Roger, what was your role in the high speed sprites ? HOTMELT - I used to live in Woods Hole BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - we were there yesterday HOTMELT - Nice small town, did you go to the islands? BUGEYE - Or were they Abingdon only ? BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - what cars are you referring to BUGEYE - Didn't they make some land speed sprites ? BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - they were Abingdon but the Healey 68 sprite did le mans at 150 mph BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - MG did those BUGEYE - I would say that's high speed, considering I've only gone about 75 in mine. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - LOL BUGEYE - An5 with 948 and smoothcase tranny. BUGEYE - Roger, why no rack and pinion steering on the 100 ? BILL - Have fun with #10 tomorrow Roger. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - wasn't availiable at tghea time Frank Clarici - Roger just a quick "hello", I met you in 92 in Breckenridge. I was the guy that had Geof and Gerry sign my yellow BUGEYE. HOTMELT - Take care all. Roger enjoy your stay. HOTMELT - Parting Amy Turner - Just curious...Roger, what's your daily driver these days? BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Thank you BUGEYE - Roger, Thank you for the visit. Have a safe trip home. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - 1.3 litr Ford escort station wagon for camping and fishing BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - thank you BUGEYE BUGEYE - Goodnight all. Amy Turner - Enjoy your stay, Roger! Thank you! BILL - Happy Healeying Frank Clarici - Any chance it's the "Healey Fiesta" ha ha. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - thank you amy BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - no it's not BUGEYE - Parting BILL and Genevieve - Night Roger BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - nite BILL - Quiting Frank Clarici - Amy about your dipstick? Amy Turner - Yes! Still can't read it. Frank Clarici - Are there any notches in it? BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Roger says thanks for the chat and happy Healeying Patton Dickson - Roger, thank you for taking the time to chat with us, sometimes we Sprite folks feel a little left out of the Healey legacy. Being born the year after the last 3000 rolled off the line, it is nice to keep the links and passions of Healeying alive. BIGHEALEY (ROGER'S HOST) - Quiting Frank Clarici - G'night Roger Amy Turner - Oops. So eloquent, and a moment too late! Patton Dickson - oh well... Frank Clarici - Thanks for the chat. |
Patton Dickson's Austin-Healey Pages
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