Uwe Boecker 1960 BT7

It happened on a Monday morning in a small town in Germany.  To be precise, it was April 11, 1955 at 8:45 am.

On my way to school that day, I had not gone three doors down the road from our house, when I saw it parked there on the road – an Austin Healey BN1. That was the exact moment my fascination with the big Healey started.

Every morning, I left earlier and earlier, just to spend a little more time staring at this dream car and fantasize of driving a car like that one day.

It took a little more than 13 years before I was able fulfill this dream.  After immigrating to Canada in 1964, I started saving my money, with only one goal in mind.  In May of 1968, that goal was achieved when I purchased my black 1959 100 Six at a small place in Kitsilano with $1,000 of hard-earned savings. 

She needed a little work, but boy, was I proud and happy.

Unfortunately, one day the Healey was stolen out of the garage at the Imperial Place in the West End, taken for a joy ride and dumped into a water-filled ditch.  Police recovered the car, but the damage to the body, upholstery and roof was quite extensive. Insurance paid for a complete restoration and the 100 Six was painted British Racing Green.

For over a year, we enjoyed our outings in the Healey, until we decided to return to Germany in late 1969.

Friends warned us not to sell the house and the car.  We would be back in a year or two, they declared. But I did sell the car, for the same price I paid, to friends from Australia.

 We returned to Vancouver in 1972 and moved to Langley in 1975.  We had three children by then, and there was absolutely no way that a Healey would be in the picture in the foreseeable future.

 But I was still dreaming about them, reading up on them and following them on the road, just to hear to the Healey roar.

 Three years ago, I seriously started looking at getting one again. Christa suggested that I rent one for a week to make sure I would still be able to sit in one. But I knew that once I sat in one again, they would have a hard time getting me out.

 On a Saturday of March 2007, I attended my first AHOABC meeting.  And less than a month later, on April 10, I became the proud owner of a British Racing Green 1960 BT 7.  It came from the home of Dan Pinckston, who did a tremendous job of restoring it

I have had the soft top up just once, when I was caught in rain driving from White Rock to Langley.  Otherwise, the top is always off and I have enjoyed drives in sunny, cold winter days as much as my daily drives throughout the rest of the year, when not raining.

I have participated in several events and outings, Van Dusen, Minter Garden (3^rd in class), Langley Canada Day, St. George’s Day in Fort Langley and more.

 This time, however, we are not contemplating moving back to Germany and I will enjoy my Austin Healey for many more years.

                                                                       Uwe Boecker

 

 Please note:  Uwe Boecker ,Vice President, Passed away on Oct 11th 2009.. He will be missed.

 

 

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