1965 Austin-Healey 3000 Sport Convertible

In 1952, at the Earl's Court Motor Show, Donald Healey introduced the car that bore his name. It was called the Healey 100, because it had a calculated speed just over 100 mph. Geoff Healey, with the assistance of Barry Bilby, designed the chassis. The engine was a four-cylinder Austin A90 unit that was tuned to produce 90 horsepower.

The Austin-Healey became the 100-6 in 1956, due to a 2.6-liter, six-cylinder engine. The engine was mated to a four-speed manual transmission and given better brakes. In June of 1959, a new version of the BMC six-cylinder Type C engine appeared that displaced 2.9-liters and offered 124 horsepower. The Austin-Healey became the 3000 MK1.

In May of 1961, Austin-Healey introduced a triple-carburetor version of the 3000 called the MK II. This setup offered 132 horsepower, but the triple carburetors required too much care in tuning for many owners. In March of 1962, it was announced that the twin carburetor setup would return with the slightly redesigned 3000 MK III Convertible.

The final generation of the 'Big Healey' came equipped with a 2.9-liter single overhead cam six-cylinder engine that offered nearly 150 horsepower and was coupled to a four-speed manual transmission that had an overdrive unit. The suspension was comprised of coil springs up front and semi-elliptic springs and a solid rear axle.

The Austin-Healey received styling enhancements which also improved the aerodynamics. A wraparound windscreen was installed, and the doors now had roll-down windows (replacing the side-curtains). With a stiffer anti-roll bar up front along with modified shock settings, the vehicles had improved handling.

Under the bonnet, the engine offered 148 horsepower and 173 foot-pounds of torque. Beginning with the 1964 model year, a repositioned exhaust system gave greater ground clearance.

This particular Austin-Healey 3000 MK III BJ8 has been given a concours-quality restoration. It left the factory painted red with a black hood and trim. It is currently finished in sage Green exterior and a Biscuit color interior.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2014