BBR man is an Austin-Healey fan

Lee Kufchak shows off the engine of his Austin-Healey. Photo by Conrad Weiler

Lee Kufchak spends sunny spring days riding around Black Butte Ranch in his "new" Austin-Healey touring car.

Just over 72,000 Austin-Healey vehicles were produced between 1953 and the final year of production, 1967. Kufchak has one of the later models -- a 1966-67 six-cylinder, three-liter, 148 horsepower engine and frame weighing 2,500 pounds. The original models had a four-cylinder engine and were lower to the ground.

"It can do 125 mph easily," said the proud Kufchak. "Not that I'd do that but it has the capability."

The car seats two and has a four-speed manual transmission with two overdrive choices. On a spin around BBR, the car handled very well and hugged the road admirably on curves. The Colorado red color looked every bit as new as it did 36 years ago as the engine purred underneath the bonnet.

"Lee was a car guy in high school," said his wife Marti Kufchak. "He was the 'Fonzi' of his day."

High school was in Huntington Park, California, where Lee and Marti casually knew each other. They met again at a high school reunion 30 years later and became "Mr. and Mrs."

"The original Austin-Healeys sold for about $3,500," said Lee. "Today, they sell for about 10 times that amount. A somewhat better investment than the stock market."

Austin-Healeys stopped production in 1967 when BMC (British Motor Cars) decided that the rules for car safety and auto emissions were changing and the effort to continue producing these fine touring cars was not worth the effort, according to Kufchak.

"These are restorable cars," said Lee. "You can buy all the replacement parts today and they are easy to maintain, including using an electric fuel pump. There had been problems with rust because of the mix of aluminum and steel in the original bodies. However, use of corrosive inhibitors can pretty well handle that."

Lee's car has less than 25,000 miles on it.

"It's not the type car you drive every day. I'll take it to rallies and on special trips," he said. "I'll pass it on to future generations."

Lee's convertible model (16,000 were produced) is an Austin-Healey 3000 in the BJ 8 series. It has better ride, easier entry, turn signals and other safety features plus a top that one person can put up or down.

"Earlier models took five men to put the top up," said Kufchak.

Kufchak has been involved in high tech fields throughout his career in advertising, aerospace and marketing. Now he's enjoying his touring car, flowers and model planes and taking Marti for scenic rides.