Austin Healey 3000 MK.III Convertible 

The featured CAR OF THE MONTH for September 2007, is the 1965 Austin Healey BJ8, owned by Bruce Leslie and which, as the pictures show, was built up from scratch to being one of the most sought-after collectors’ items in the country.

Bruce bought the 'car' in April 2003 and completed the restoration in December 2005. It  is painted in metallic golden beige, which was a colour used from January 1967 to March 1968. It is one of the last 800 cars built. Some of the original factory specs :

•      Make and Model : Austin-Healey 3000 MK.III Convertible
•      Specification :  RH Drive (Home Market)
•      Colour : Exterior - Black
•                   Trim - Black (Hide)
•                   Hood (top) - Black
•      Date of Build : 4-10 August 1967
•      Date of Despatch : 11th August 1967
•      Destination (Dealer) : Not recorded
•      Details of Factory fitted Equipment : Wire Wheels, Heater,
•                         Adjustable Steering Column, Overdrive,
•                         Laminated Windscreen,
•                         Black Tonneau Cover
  

     

  BEFORE                                       BEFORE     

     

  BEFORE                                        BEFORE      

      

  AFTER                                                     AFTER

 

The original "big" Healy was the Healey 100, first shown at the Earls Court show in 1952 and hastily adopted by BMC as the Austin Healey 100 with 2.6 litre four-cylinder engine from the Austin Atlantic.

  

In 1956 the six-cylinder BMC series C engine from the Austin Westminster was shoehorned into a stretched version of the car to make the 100/6.

  

However, this wasn't entirely successful : performance was down compared with the torquey old four. Redemption arrived in the form of the three-litre 3000 MK.I in 1959, outwardly the same pretty car but with 2912cc 124bhp.

 

For 1961 BMC  upped the power to 132bhp with triple SU carburettors for the MK.II 3000, followed a year later by the MK.IIa with wind-up windows, a curved windscreen and a proper, fully convertible hood.

 

Last, and best of the line, was the 1964 MK.III with improved breathing for 148bhp, pushing the top speed to over 120mph (193kph). Brakes were improved by a servo and, inside, the car had a rather opulent wooden dashboard, somewhat at odds with its macho reputation as a rugged driver's car.

 

It remains one of the most sought-after British sports cars of the 1960's.

 

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. - Ralph Waldo Emerson