NEED PICTURES: I am looking for pictures of early 3500GT engine compartments, trunks and interiors. If you know of any or have any please email me with the pictures, links or info. Thanks.

In the spring of 2008 #78 moved from sitting in a non state of running to moving to my garage for a full restoration. The first challenge was to determine what I had and did not have. The car is almost 100% intact and with few missing parts. Here is a list of parts, we will be assembling for the cars rebuilding.

May 2008: Work began to obtain as much history as possible on 78 and to photograph the car from every angle, behind every panel and within every space.

June 2008: The engine hood is removed, the liner is disassembled from the engine hood, tagged and the paint is removed from the hood to find the original stampings and the hood (all aluminum) in very good condition.

June 2008: Interior paneling is removed to determine the condition of the doors and to further detail the photos of the restoration.

July-September: Research continued to document the originality and ro determien what parts were missing if any. Reults came in far better than we hoped. We quickly started to see the car was 99% in tact with original parts, with the only changes being the car colors had been changed.

January 18, 2009: Richard Darnell, Tony Proasi and Adam Burckle, start the engine for the first time in 34 years.

January 19, 2008: Three rebuild kits for Weber 42 DCOE type 8 carbs were ordered, as was a kit for the engine head gaskets etc.

January 24, 2009: The engine is run for the last time before being pulled, work begins to pull the engine. Trevor Jessie from the British Sports Car Club, Jim Temple from the Austin Healey Club, Dave Frermann, Tony Proasi and Richard Darnell all show up to pull the engine from the car. A surprise guest visits us, the owner from 1967 Rudy Miller and his family (Molly, Mike and granddaughter Maddox). Here is a video Mike took of Rudy hearing the engine run for the first time in 34 years. Here is the valiant second attempt. Here is a link to Mike's pictures from this day.

January 30, 2009: Tony and Richard pulled the transmission and Tony opened it up for inspection, it was very clean and in excellent shape. We started disassembling the engine compartment and tagging all parts. Jim Werner, world renowned Healey enthusiast, stopped by with Molly for a visit.

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