The Austin-Healey 3000 series was introduced in 1959, notching a few improvements over its predecessor, the 100-6. Engine displacement rose to 2912 ccs and disc brakes replaced drums up front, making the Healey 3000 an altogether more muscular option versus competing cars such as the MGA or Triumph TR3. This four-seat 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 BT7 is located in Hanover, Pennsylvania, though the seller apparently lives in Maryland and has applied for a title in that state. The car is listed here on eBay. No one has opened the bidding yet at the asking price of $4500; there’s a buy-it-now option at $6600. Plenty of “viewers” have recorded interest in the car, but several factors are likely preventing buyers from taking the plunge. Let’s explore the pros and cons….
Aside from an empty engine bay, the seller notes alterations to the footwell in the cabin, likely because a prior owner was planning a V8 transplant. That said, the car does come with a “complete 6 cylinder Healey engine”, though whether that’s numbers matching is not stated – we’re not even sure if its the right six-cylinder for this model. If it is, it will be dressed with two SU carburetors and make about 124 hp. Just a few months later, Austin-Healey upgraded the engine to 150 hp by employing a trio of SU HS4s – these Mk IIs carry a premium in the marketplace. A gearbox is also offered up – it should be a side-shift four-speed manual (overdrive optional). Swapping to a center shift is common, and many owners praise the switch for providing a more user-friendly experience. Speaking of user-friendly, there’s a reason Austin-Healey 3000s sell for more than MGAs and TR3s: both are agile, but the Healey offers significantly more power in a similarly stylish package.
This photo of the interior reminds of those childhood picture games – “can you find this in the picture? can you find that?” I spy what may be a side curtain, a couple front seats, that steering wheel of course, and a sliced tunnel! The gauges are present. The seller indicates that the car is “reasonably complete” though we aren’t shown that engine/transmission combo he has, or many other parts for that matter. The top bows and the remnants of rear seat covers can be seen in the way back. The four-seat BT7 sold far better than the two-seat BN7 when the 3000 was launched, but it was the two-seat cars that formed the basis for the works race cars. Those two-seaters are rare and desirable today.
Don’t get excited – the hard top was sold separately and does not come with the car. Aside from obvious surface rust, no through-holes are apparent, though nothing will testify to condition better than your own two eyes. A personal inspection, especially when contemplating a project of this magnitude, should be on the docket. Unfortunately for the seller, the four-seat, Mk I Austin-Healey is sliding in value along with most other small British sports cars these days. If I wanted a project, I’d aim for a two-seater. What do you think?
These are neat cars but this one not so much. Rust is what you have to look for on these as the body floor pan sits directly on the frame and traps water causing rust. After owning two ’55 100s I can say that with no hesitation as “been there, done that” comes into play. I like the early 6 cylinder cars as the later models seemed to have a lot of stuff piled on them that took away the true sports car images that Healeys first came out with. Get the price of this one down a bit and start to get on with what is going to be a long and expensive build that should result in a fun piece of history.
Hi Bob, I agree a lower price would be good, but I almost don’t know what the right price is for SBCs in this condition these days. Restoration costs even for the DIYer have increased, while finished-car prices have declined. I think conducting this restoration has to be a “bucket list” thing for the buyer, in which case does it matter that much if it’s $4k or $3k? … Personally if I were to own one, it would be an earlier two-seater in keeping with your comment that the early sixes are somehow better. I have a ’65 MGB with an early five-main, and it’s so much more revv-y than the later five main, even a not-very-much-later five-main.
Certainly agree on the cost of restoring a car like this these days. In 1956 I did an engine refresh on one of my 100s that included bearings, rings, gaskets, etc. Total cost was less than $500. If you can find the parts these days the prices will make your eyes bleed and heaven help you if you need boring and bigger pistons.
Sold. Looks like a good project for the price.
I owned a BN7 when I lived in Germany in the early 1960’s. The car was a beautiful example of sleek European design but did suffer several problems, the major of which was that the car was British built. After the war, the Brit’s access to raw materials and components was apparently limited and as a result compromises to quality had to be made. For example: The electrical system components were largely Lucas.
Lucas, as you may know, was generally regarded as the Prince of Darkness and was the reason the Brits drink warm beer. Lucas didn’t believe fat wire was necessary to carry thin electrons or that fuses were useful for anything because they stopped the flow of electrons simply because they got hot. Consequently, my wonderfully beautiful Healey caught fire on a regular basis.
Another minor issue was that Austin designed its car to travel very close to the road. This proved problematic on a discouragingly high number of instances when, for example a garage mechanic attempted to pull the car over a grease pit only to have the oil pan punctured by the 2-1/2″ lip of the grease pit (4 instances in 3 years). Or, when I attempted to drive over a raised walk-way (what we would call a speed bump) only to have the muffler stripped from the car, likely as a penance for driving an English automobile in the country of Germany (this happened at an embarrassingly high frequency).
I did get used to the total absence of veracity evidenced by the Smith gages. I couldn’t count on the speedometer to provide more than an order of magnitude guess at the vehicle’s velocity at any one moment in time and the fuel gage provided continued assurance of an abundance of fuel right up to about ten minutes before the engine stopped due to complete fuel exhaustion.
Another disappointing characteristic of the amazingly beautiful automobile was its mediocre maneuverability. The 5,200 rpm limited, 136 hp, overweight, tractor engine up front resulted in what felt like a 90/10 weight distribution. There wasn’t a day in the week when a VW couldn’t pass us on the outside of a turn.
And speaking of turns: Although it took only once to learn to be prepared for, I never got used to, the doors flying open without warning on a hard turn.
Aside from, and in spite of, these few minor infirmities, I loved the car. I wish I still had the car, It was a beautiful car. It was a fun car and comfortable to drive and ride in (provided the trip wasn’t more than about a half hour long).
I have a certain fondness for the big Healey’s as my sister and I went together on a ’60 2 place “Deluxe” in the mid-sixties. It was a pretty cool car, a gas to drive, and believe it or not, pretty reliable for a British sports car. All that aside, I don’t believe that I would be willing to take this on. I agree with Michelle, lots of unknowns. I do hope that someone with the time, money, and knowledge takes a shot at this just because I think that they are a large part of British sports car history.
“Reasonable complete” is that like “sorta pregnant”?
Title is “applied for”.
While the comments about “look for the rust! rust is bad! stay away from rust!” are certainly valid, IMO anyone seriously looking at a project in this stage, on a car like this, will already know just how important the stages of oxidation really are. How about the engine/transmission. There is a place that definitely needs to be explored. “The front and rear shrouds are also decent and serviceable. The car is reasonably complete” Boy, there is a mountain load of no information.
I guess the point is, with no title in hand, and a vague description, this car sold very quickly. Maybe the market isn’t as bad as some folks think.
2-seater all the way!