Austin-Healey 3000 MkI BN7

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Big, butch and beautiful, the Austin-Healey 3000 is to many the quintessential classic British sportscar. Launched in March 1959, it quickly earned a reputation as a formidable rally machine, thundering to spectacular success on many international events of the 1960s.

A development of the already successful 100/6, it used a simple but torsionally strong ladder frame chassis with Austin A90 independent coil spring/wishbone front suspension and a live leaf sprung rear axle located by Panhard rod. It was fitted with the more powerful 2,912cc BMC C-Series engine which produced 124bhp and 167lb/ft of torque. Mated to a four-speed gearbox with optional overdrive, this endowed the car with a top speed of almost 120mph and a 0-60 time of just 11.4 seconds.

The car’s muscular bodywork was made by Jensen in West Bromwich, with final assembly by the Austin-Healey craftsmen at the Abingdon works near Oxford. Improvements over the 100/6 included front disc brakes while a choice of either two-seater (BN7) or 2+2 (BT7) body styles were available, with two-tone paint as a popular option. Out of 13,650 MkI models built in total, 2,825 were built as two-seaters and 10,825 as four-seaters, 90% of them in LHD for the booming American market, before it was supplanted by the MkII in 1961.

As the accompanying Heritage Certificate confirms, this BN7 two-seater was built in June 1960 and despatched to Los Angeles, California, later that month. Originally Florida Green with a Grey interior, equipment included overdrive, wire wheels, laminated windscreen, adjustable steering column and a heater. Little is known of the subsequent history of the car until it returned to the UK in late 1992 at which point it was treated to a full restoration by a previous owner.

This included conversion to RHD; an engine and gearbox rebuild using a later MkII 4-speed box with overdrive on 3rd and 4th; full brake and suspension overhaul including new rear springs and shock absorbers; rebuilt diff; new wiring loom; interior retrim including new grey leather seat covers piped in red plus numerous other items detailed on many invoices on file.

Thanks to a life spent in the hot California sunshine, the body, chassis and bulkhead were found to be in excellent condition, requiring just localised repairs to the floors before the whole car was treated to a bare metal repaint in Colorado Red. New 72-spoke 5.5" chrome wire wheels were also fitted along with a stainless steel exhaust and a Mota-Lita woodrim steering wheel.

The vendor acquired the car in 2006 and used it regularly up to 2012 including a trip to the Le Mans Classic during which the car performed faultlessly. Between 2013 and 2014 the car was improved still further with many bills on file detailing the works carried out. This included an overhaul of the brakes, steering and suspension (including king pins); new door skins, inner and outer sills, A and B posts, and a full respray. Prior to this the cylinder head was overhauled and new front brake discs fitted, the invoices for this lot amounting to over £12,000 excluding the repaint.

As you might expect the car now presents very well indeed with excellent paint finish and panel gaps and a very mean look thanks to the black-painted wire wheels and the absence of bumpers (although these are included in the sale should the new owner prefer a less sporting look). A full set of weather gear is also present including a new black mohair tonneau cover, Perspex sidescreens and a red vinyl soft-top with hood frame that is in serviceable condition.

Since the early-1990s restoration was completed the car has covered less than 13,000 miles, the odometer being re-set to zero with 17 old MOTs charting the accumulation of mileage thereafter. Needless to say it goes very well indeed, as we discovered on a short run on the occasion of our visit, with a lovely sweet engine, excellent oil pressure and temperature and an invigorating turn of speed when provoked. The overdrive also functions as it should although the vendor advises that down-shifts require careful timing to avoid graunching. The car recently flew through its MOT with no advisories recorded and has a ticket valid until February 2017.

Always garaged in the current 13-year ownership and due to be driven some 60 miles to the sale, this thoroughly sorted Big Healey is ready for immediate use and is sure to bring a great deal of pleasure to the lucky new owner whenever they get behind the wheel.

AMENDMENT - There are actually 18 old MoTs!