Roadsters are meant to be driven and, hence, many of them log quite a few miles. This 1963 Austin Healey 3000 HBJ7 than can be seen here on eBay has racked up only 29,000 miles and has had only two owners in its lifetime. This Healey is located in Medina, Ohio, and is bid to $29,500 with four days remaining in the auction.
The black interior is a nice contrast to the Old English white. Besides needing cleaning, it is hard to tell if the leather is hard and brittle or if it is still soft and supple. The rear fenders have been repainted but the owner states that the paint on the rest of the car is original and shows some discoloration and patina. The body doesn’t have dents or dings. Rust is said to be minimal.
The Austin Healey 3000 was built from 1959 to 1967. I always wanted one as a kid growing up. In the year that this car was produced (1963), 91.3% of total production was exported. Many of those cars ended up in the United States. The 2.9 liter six-cylinder engine was considered an excellent motor that could propel the car to a 115 mph top end. The HBJ7 was fitted with twin SU HS6 carburetors.
If you are looking for an original Healey, this one seems to be a good candidate. With low miles and originality, it is no wonder why the bidding and interest in these cars is accelerating. Who has ridden in an Austin Healey 3000 and can share their experiences?
Given the current cost of restorations, and the fact that original survivors are worth more than ground ups, this is a,wonderful oppurtity!
Is it actually a roadster? A true roadster does not have side windows only curtains. It is considered a convertible with no door frame over the window and with windows and a cabriolet if there is a window frame fixed to the door. Technical but correct. The first generation Viper was a roadster had curtains. All the older Ford roadsters had curtains.
As I have expressed in the past, this a great car to drive if you have a 36″ inseam or less. If your leg is longer, it becomes impossible o drive. I found this out because my Mom had one about the time I had my license, but within 2 years I could not drive it anymore.
Frustrating to say the least, but the relative short time I drove it, it was a Babe magnet. I then had to drive my Dad’s Jag 420G, until I purchased an Olds 442.
I still have the 442, 50 years ownership, not bad.
It’s simply a “piece of art”.
Dealer/owner is Historical Motors in my town. Owner is a good guy, but sometimes mis-categorizes the condition of his cars. This one looks legit though. Think he is seeking high $50’s for it. Historicalmotorsllc.com is his site. Good luck if you have your sights on this.
I have owned a few Healeys through the years. The style is timeless and the car is a ton of fun to drive.
Very nice Healey. Great to see one that hasn’t been repainted a “two tone”.
The represented odometer miles is an issue, in that there is no explanation.
Although possible, it is unlikely it has 29,000 “original miles”. The credibility
of the assertion MAY be more believable is it was listed as, say, 29,354.
Which previous owner left it in his garage for decades, not being driven?
And why the swap out to chrome wire wheels, most all had silver painted
60-spoke wire wheels. It was the Jaguar XKE’s that had the chrome wires.
Were the originals worn out with 29,000 miles?
At least up through the side-curtain cars (pre-’63), all Big Healeys had 48-spoke painted wire wheels, except for the rare few that had disc wheels/covers. Many owners switched to chrome 60-spokers over the years, some saying they wanted “stronger” wheels, and others just liking “shiny.”
For me, mileage wouldn’t be much of an issue at all, as these cars can rack up huge mileage totals without issues. My father’s 1960 example had over 400K miles on it when he passed it along to me and, aside from two engine rebuilds (original block/head/crank still in place), it was certainly tired cosmetically, but very sound mechanically.
Looks like a nice car, and the price is about in line with what I’ve seen elsewhere. Since I prefer Healeys with sidescreens to the rollup-window variety, it’s not for me, but I’d recommend that anyone who doesn’t share that little quirk take a look at it.
I had an interest in the British car collecting world a decade or so ago. I came away with the impression that people serious about driving cars like this one consider wire wheels to be maintenance parts, and they will go with what is high quality and strong over what is semi-authentic and Chinese whenever possible. Original wheels are as useful as original tires.
Sorry for a counter viewpoint. Yes they look nice, but in my opinion they have a horrible whiney transmission, especially first gear, the seats are cheap and the same ones that went into low end MGs and the engine is nothing to write home about. For not too much more $ a Jag XK 120-150 is four times the car. Just my 2c.
Always thought this was the second best looking Brit car behind only the E type Jag. Amusingly it was known as the “Big Healy,” though it was only about 13 feet long. While it was about 1.5 feet longer than the Healy Sprite it was a good 2-2.5 ft shorter than the US compacts.
I bought a one owner 1967 in 1973. I sold it in 1998. I’m 6’2′ but have a short inseam. I fit ok after I remounted the seat.
If anyone can find a XK 140 or 150 in comparable condition for “not too much more”., sign me up
I had a 100-6. It was wonderful. I got all excited when the 3000s came down enough in price for me to afford one (used – very used). I sold my 100-6 and bought a 3 grand. Huge mistake. It was sorta like comparing the 58 T-Bird to a 57. The 3grand had become the “flexible flyer” of the sports car world. We made jokes about in not needing suspension. The engine and transmissions were good for a half million miles. The body and interior were good for 50,000. It was the only car in the world with a better exhaust note than an E-Type. I do not remember when they got disk brakes, but mine did not have them. The car- to this day – still epitomizes the British Roadster. Find a picture with a generic sports car in it, and more often than not, it has the shape of a Healey. Good times.
That exhaust note, NONE better. Once heard never forgotten.
Owned one circa 1972. What a cool car. Even on cold days I’d drive it to work with the hardtop off and the rag top down, with me bundled up against the cold. Then a block from work I’d pull over, strip off all the heavy gear, throw it in the trunk, don my British cap and scarf and tool into work with my shoulders back like Stirling Moss, and my nose in the air. Ha ha, what fun. :-) Terry J
Back in the ’60’s, my wife & I used to put together road rallies. When there were sections of dirt or gravel, we asked the Healeys to stay home or they would lose their mufflers. Our TR-3 had more road clearance.
I learned to enter driveways sideways.
My first car! I bought a ’63 in 1967 after graduation. First year for roll up windows and the last year for push button starter. Cost was $1200! I drove it for just about a year but Uncle Sam called and off I went. The only problem I ever had was if you went too fast through a puddle the water would splash up onto the distributor and kill it.
Same thing happened with my father’s OHC6 Firebirds from 1967-69. He avoided standing water and puddles on the road — water in the dizzy because there was no inner fender skirting around the narrow block. He’d get stranded and have mom pick him up from the side of the road.
Ha,ha, the second time it happened to me I was with my then girlfriend. She jumped out and pushed it to the side of the road. Knew right then that I had to keep her. Been married 52 years this year!
If it has side screens it is a roadster, if it has wind up windows it isn’t. This has wind up windows.
I would also take the claimed original mileage with a grain of salt but the question here is whether to leave it as a survivor or restore it? You can get financially upside down very fast if the latter is your chosen route.
You’re right it’s not a roadster. It’s a drophead coupe.
I’ve had a very similar car but must wonder how many times this has been an “original 29,000 miles” car.
We’ve had two 100s. Great fun to drive. Got away from the Healeys doing our Porsche thing for 20 years and by the time we started thinking Healeys again we couldn’t afford to buy one. We needed a race car after selling our last Porsche race car and tripped over a Bugeye out of a two car team. Not quite a big Healey but I wouldn’t cut one up to make a race car out of anyway. Like the man said, especially the side curtain models, beautiful cars.
Test drove a 67, ~ 1974 @ $600, at the time, slalom course and road rallies w/the local sports car club had my interest. The 3000 seamed to plow into corners, so I bought a 69 Triumph GT6 @ $1400. Aside from this one, I’ve made many other mistakes.
When I was in high school early 1960’s. our geography teacher had one of these… we all thought it was pretty cool…
No picture of the dash/speedo, so it’s more than likely this is at least a 129,000 mile car. Too old, too much fun to drive to have so few miles.