In 1946 Donald Healey set up his own Motor Company in Warwick, UK, to design and produce sporting cars. The company designed their own chassis and suspension which were fitted with the Riley gearboxes, axles and 2443cc 4-cylinder engine producing 106BHP. The cars produced during this period are generally referred to as Warwick Healeys, but are also known as pre-Austin or pre-BMC.

Eventually they became too expensive to market and Donald Healey looked to new designs utilising the parts bins of major manufacturers. One outcome was the Healey 100 (the 100 signifying that it could achieve a top speed of 100mph). Following the 1952 Earls Court Motor Show a deal was struck between Donald and Leonard Lord for Austin to produce the car as the Austin Healey 100. The more powerful and more famous Austin Healey 3000 followed.

In a search to provide fun, sporty motoring at a lower cost, the Austin Healey Sprite was developed using parts from the Austin A30.

When production of the Big Healey finished and the Austin Healey 4000 failed to get the go-ahead, the collaboration with Austin ended. Donald Healey Motors undertook other design projects but the only one to come to fruition was with Jensen Motors, to produce the Jensen Healey.