1960 Austin-Healey 3000 MKI

Austin-Healey was conceived in 1952 by racer Donald Healey in response to a BMC-sponsored competition for a new sports car employing Austin mechanical components. The 'Hundred' sports roadster, shown at the Earl's Court Motor Show in 1952, wore sleek Gerry Coker-designed 'envelope' bodywork, a low-slung chassis designed by Barry Bilbie, and engineering led by Donald's son, Geoff. Following the blessing of BMC's Leonard Lord, it entered production in early 1953 as the Austin-Healey 100-4.

Constant improvement and development continued, with the six-cylinder 100/6 introduced in 1956. The Austin-Healey 3000 followed in March 1959 and was a progressive development of the preceding 100/6. Announced by BMC on July 1, 1959, the 'Big Healey' came equipped with an enlarged 2,912cc four-cylinder version of the C-Series six-cylinder engine, and Girling disc brakes upfront. With the help of twin SU carburetors, the engine developed 124 horsepower at 4,600 RPM. With the optional hardtop fitted, the Austin-Healey 3000 Mark I had a top speed of 115 mph and could reach 60 mph in just over 11 seconds. The chassis and bodywork were ostensibly unchanged from the 100-6, as were the available body styles, including a two-seater (BN7) and 2+2 (BT7) guises. They came with adjustable front seats and wire wheels as standard equipment.

The lion's share of the Austin-Healey 3000 was sent to the showrooms of American dealers and was sold from its introduction in 1959 to the end of production in 1967. They were immensely successful both on the track and in the showroom and had a base price of $3,370 for the DeLuxe Roadster. The Sport Roadster with 2+2 seating sold for $3,050 while the 2+2 Deluxe Roadster had a base price of $3,370.

by Dan Vaughan

Deluxe Roadster
Chassis number: HBJ7L18025

Donald Healey and Leonard Lord of Austin Motors saw the success of their British-based sports car producers, especially in the America marketplace, and figured out a way to capitalize and exploit its commercial opportunities. During a four-year period of time, around 16,000 examples of the four-cylinder Austin-Healey's were produced. The 3000 was introduced in 1959 and brought with it a 2639cc engine and disc brakes in the front.

This example is a 1963 Austin-Healey 3000 MKII BJ7 Convertible that has been treated to a complete and comprehensive restoration from the ground-up. It is finished in its original Colorado Red with two-stage urethane in two separate applications giving it extra depth and color. The interior features a leather-covered dash and seats upholstered in Ambla leather with red piping. Its 2912cc engine produces 132 horsepower which is mated to a four-speed manual gearbox.

In 2008 this 3000 MKII was brought to the Automobiles of Amelia presented by RM Auctions where it had an estimated value of $80,000 - $90,000. It was offered without reserve which worked well for the buyer who purchased this car for $62,700 including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Deluxe Roadster
Chassis number: 7L/13037
Engine number: 29D-RU-H24507

When the Austin-Healey 100 was introduced, it was the only car being produced by the newly-formed partnership between Leonard Lord and Donald Healey. It was introduced around the same time as the Triumph TR2 and both cars satisfied the needs of a world seeking a suitable road-going sports car. The 3000 was introduced in the spring of 1959 and came as either a two- or 2+2-seater models.

This Austin-Healey 3000 MKI BNT is fitted with a 2912cc inline six-cylinder overhead valve engine with twin SU carburetors. There is a four-speed manual transmission with an overdrive and disc brakes in the front. It was found in the care of a long-time owner living in Colorado. It has been recently given a restoration to concours standards and re-finished in its original color of black over red. The car rides on new 60-spoke chrome wire wheels fitted with new knock-offs and radial tires.

In 2009, this 3000 MKI BN7 was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Scottsdale, Arizona where it was offered without reserve and estimated to sell for $70,000 - $90,000. The lot was sold for the sum of $99,000, including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Sport Roadster
Chassis number: H-BT7-L/2348
Engine number: 29D-RU-H/2709

The Donald Healey chassis was given a sleek 'envelope' body designed by Gerry Coker and the overhead-valve Austin A90 four-cylinder engine. It was put on display at the Earls Court Motor Show where Austin's Leonard Lord saw the car, and a deal was soon struck for its production by Austin. The car became known as the Austin-Healey 100 which was later succeeded by the six-cylinder 100/6 in 1956. For 1959, the engine was enlarged and front disc brakes were added.

This numbers-matching, left-hand drive Austin-Healey 3000 Mark I BT7 Roadster has been given a total nut-and-bolt, frame-off restoration. It is finished in Gun Metal Gray over Colorado Red, it has a new interior, with red seats with red piping, matching wool carpets and panels, a new trunk kit, new side curtains, a black soft top, and a black tonneau cover. It rides on 185x15 road speed tires on Dunlop 60-spoke chrome wire wheels.

by Dan Vaughan

Deluxe Roadster
Chassis number: HBT7L6994

This 1960 Austin-Healey 3000 MKI BT7 Sports Convertible was brought to the 2007 Monterey Sports & Classic Car Auction presented by RM Auctions, where it had an estimated value of $90,000 - $100,000. It was offered without reserve, which worked well for the buyer who purchased this car for $71,500 including buyer's premium.

This car has an overhead-valve six-cylinder engine with two SU HD6 carburetors capable of producing 124 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual gearbox and disc brakes in the front and drums in the rear. It is the product of a complete frame-off, no-expense-spared restoration and repainted in its original color scheme of Vanilla over Ebony.

There were around 16,000 examples of the four-cylinder Austin-Healeys built over a four-year period. It was a vehicle that was successful in both competition and in the commercial scene.

by Dan Vaughan

Deluxe Roadster
Chassis number: HBN7L 894
Engine number: 29D-RU-H13344

This Austin-Healey 3000 MK 1 BN7 was shipped to San Francisco on May 6th of 1959 as the 894th example made and one of only 2,825 Austin-Healey 3000 BN7s ever made. Titled in 1960, the car's early history is undocumented. It is believed to have been sold in 1970 bearing a 1963 black license plate in Sausalito, California, to Steve Parker, who took the car to Beaverton, Oregon, where it was stored for 33 years. It is believed that Mr. Parker swapped out the original engine for a newer and better motor and then drove it sparingly during his final year of ownership, 2003. Later that same year, Mr. Parker sold the car to John Wilson of Marcola, Oregon, who stored it until 2009, when it was traded to John Snyder of Port Townsend, Washington.

The car was given a frame-off restoration with a total engine rebuild, including transmission, overdrive, rear axle, power-coated chassis, and repainting in Diamond Black with a Glasurit acrylic urethane clear coat. The heritage interior was finished in red leather with black piping. The car rides on five new chrome and stainless steel Dayton wire wheels.

The restoration work took two years to complete. After the work was completed, it was purchased by the current owner who went on to add an original and extremely rare removable hardtop, as well as several other aesthetic upgrades.

The car currently has 4,000 miles on the rebuilt motor. It has won a First Place in July 2012 as best Austin-Healey against 17 other Healeys in a classic car show in Park City, Utah, sponsored by the Austin-Healey Club of America and Jaguar Club of North America. In September of that year, it won Best in Class at the Intermountain Concours d'Elegance in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The car has a removable hardtop, a new soft top, a tonneau cover, side curtains, two British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Certificates, a tool kit, and the early 1963 California black plate.

by Dan Vaughan

Sport Roadster
Chassis number: BN7L 10336

This left-hand drive BN7 two-seater was dispatched from the Healey works in June of 1960, riding on wire wheels mounted with octagonal wheel nuts, a heater, overdrive, Dunlop Roadspeed tires, and the rare optional hard top. The car was finished in Ivory with the hard top in black, fitted with a black interior and soft top. The first owner took delivery in Dusseldorf, Germany.

This car was purchased new by a US Air Force Wing Commander stationed at the time in Dusseldorf, Germany. In 1964, the Commander was relocated to the United States. The Healey followed in a Douglas C47 Cargo aircraft. The Commander never parted with his Healey during his lifetime. After passing away in1 1987, the car was left to his daughter, who finally sold the car to Tom Rocke in 2004. A full nut-and-bolt restoration soon followed and was completed in 2008. At that time, it was purchased by the current owner.

by Dan Vaughan

Sport Roadster
Chassis number: H-BN7-L/1780

This Austin-Healey 3000 MK I BN7 was given a Concours level restoration in 2009. It was purchased by its current owner shortly after the work was completed. Since the restoration, it has been driven just 217 miles. It is finished in Opalescent Silver Grey over a Red leather interior.

Austin-Healey produced just 10,785 examples of the two-seater BN7 model in 1960, and 2,825 MK I BN7s were built from 1959 to 1961.

by Dan Vaughan

Deluxe Roadster
Chassis number: HBT7L 9299
Engine number: 29D-RV-H/14569

This first series 'Big-Healey' was completed at the Healey works in the early part of May 1960. It is a left-hand drive example and was specified for the Canadian market. The car was finished in black over a red interior, and fitted with a black convertible top. Factory equipment included wire wheels, a heater, an adjustable steering column, overdrive, Dunlop Roadspeed tires, and an Ivory white hard top. The new 3000 was dispatched on May 21 for the Montreal, Canada Austin-Healey agency.

The early history of the car remains vague, but by the 2000s, the car was owned by Ontario resident Bill G. Rising. Mr. Rising embarked on a comprehensive, six-year restoration of the Austin-Healey, which was completed in 2008. The wire wheels were upgraded to the stronger 72-spoke type in chrome.

by Dan Vaughan

Deluxe Roadster
Chassis number: HBN7L 743
Engine number: 29D U H915

This Austin-Healey is a left-hand-drive BN7 two-seater. It has California registration that dates back to the mid-1970s, and possibly further. The second owner reportedly purchased it in 1973, and kept it in his garage for nearly four decades, before selling it to Kurt Tanner. Mr. Tanner soon embarked on a full nut-and-bolt restoration. The work was completed in 2014 and then purchased by its current caretaker. It is finished in Old English White over a red interior. It has an appropriate wood-rimmed steering wheel, owner's manual, and knock-off hammer and side curtains. The engine is a 2912cc overhead valve 6-cylinder unit fitted with 2 SU carburetors. There is a four-speed manual transmission with an overdrive, front disc brakes, and drums at the rear.

by Dan Vaughan

Sport Roadster
Chassis number: H-BT7L/2951
Engine number: 29K-RU-H/3513

This 1960 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk I BT7 was completed between July 21st and 22nd of 1959 and was built as a left-hand-drive North American Export example. It was dispatched on July 30th, handled by the Hambro Automotive Corporation, Austin-Healey's East Coast importer, and delivered to its first owner of Fort Worth, Texas. Later in 1963, it was purchased by another Texas owner with whom it remained until 2011. It was subsequently sold to Kurt Tanner and over the course of the following year, was given a restoration to factory condition by Tanner (of Tanner Restorations of Southern California). Upon its completion, the car was sold to a California collector, and four years later it was sold to the current caretaker.

This Mark I BT7 is finished in its original colors of black over red with a black top. It has its matching-numbers engine, owner's manual, workshop manual, new side curtains, and a knockoff hammer.

by Dan Vaughan

The Austin Healey 100 was introduced in October of 1952 at the Earls Court Motor Show. The first Austin Healey 100's were known as 100-4 or BN1. The name 100 came about by being able to break the 100 mph barrier. The BN also had meaning. The B represented the engine class which meant it had between 2000 and 3000 cc. The N represented the body-style configuration, two-seat and open-top. The 100 was powered by an A90, 2660 cc, four-cylinder engine capable of producing 94 horsepower. The manual three-speed transmission was also borrowed from the A90. However, the first gear was blocked off and was fitted with overdrive on the second and third gears to provide extra power.

The name 'Austin Healey' was formed by a partnership comprising of the designer, Donald Mitchell Healey, and the manufacturer, Austin.

During its total production cycle, 10,688 examples of the BN1 were produced.

In October of 1955, the BN2 was introduced. The BN2 was similar to the BN1 in design but now featured larger drum brakes and a new four-speed transmission with overdrive.

During its production run, 3,924 examples of the BN2 were produced.

The Austin Healey 100S was produced in limited numbers, only 55. Their primary purpose was for competing in racing and rally events as well as for development and marketing purposes. They were entered into races such as Sebring, Mille Miglia, and Le Mans. They were copies of a special factory test car that Stirling Moss raced in the 1954 12-hour Sebring race where he placed third. The 100S's were produced at the Healey Warwick factory and most were decorated with the American racing colors, white and blue. Of the 55 that were built, only 10 remain unaccounted for. The 100S, when compared with the 100, featured Dunlop disc brakes on all four wheels, different cylinder head and internal engine modifications, a four-speed gearbox without overdrive, and a light-alloy body shell.

The 100S was followed by the 100M. The 100M was a Le Mans variation of the BN2 with an increased horsepower rating of 100-110. It featured bigger carburetors and a modified distributor. Valve springs and anti-roll bars were added to the suspension. During its production run, 1100 of the Le Mans BN2's were produced.

Over time, about 100 BN2 were later modified but in order to qualify for the Le Mans configuration the vehicles needed to meet specific standards. These standards included a 1.75 inch H6, SU carburetors, cold air box and air tube, Le Mans regulation strap, and a factory-style louvered hood.

The four-cylinder engine was used from 1952 through 1956, after which a BMC six-cylinder engine was used. The car was dubbed the '100 Six'. Three years and a few engine modifications later, the car was named the '3000' and today is known as the 'Big Healey'. Over the production lifespan of the 3000, it could be assembled with multiple options such as a two-seater or 2+2, hard-tops, single or duo-tone paint schemes, overdrive, and more.

In 1962 the body was redesigned with a curved screen and wind-up windows. The interior of the vehicle was revamped in 1964 and also received more ground clearance.

The 3000 was produced from 1959 through 1968. The original engine produced 124 horsepower and was capable of about 114 mph. Modifications to the engine throughout the years increased the horsepower to around 148 and the top speed to 121 mph. The size of the car, the power of the engine, and weighing in at around 2400 lbs made this car responsive, competitive, and fun to drive.

In all, there were around 73,000 100's and 3000's produced with 58,000 featuring the six-cylinder engine.

by Dan Vaughan