Of all the various cars and trucks we list here as barn finds, I believe the Austin Healey 3000 has to be in the top 10 of models across any category that is most often found as a dusty, forgotten project. It makes me wonder what sort of attraction exists between a car like this 1967 Austin Healey 3000 MKIII and the owners that have stumbled around it for years – is it nostalgia, or is there some magic in its DNA that makes it impossible to separate from, even when it’s clear its best days are long behind it? This Healey comes from long-term single family ownership in Alabama and is listed here on craigslist for $14,995.
The Healey shown here has not only been in the same family for years, but it’s actually a one-family-owned example as well, with the seller noting that the original purchase paperwork from the first generation owners is still with the car. While it does have some rust, it’s not as bad as you might expect for a vintage British car that’s been sitting. The Healey comes with its numbers-matching engine, transmission, and rear axle, which is surprising given what was planned for this car and what lead to it being taken off the road. The blue paintwork is heavily patina’d but is a nice change of pace from the usual white, black, or green color schemes.
The interior is complete sans floor pans, but as the seller points out, they were likely rusty anyway and due for replacement. Rust, in general, is not all that bad, with plenty of surface corrosion underneath but actual rot is limited to the area in front of the rear wheels at the bottom of the quarter panel. The convertible top is believed to be original to the car, and while not usable, it’s amazing that any of the material is still present. The front buckets have been re-upholstered in a non-original pattern but will likely need to be re-done as part of any future restoration. The door panels and back seat look salvageable.
Now, as referred to earlier, there was a reason this Healey was taken off the road, and it’s because the second generation of family owners had big plans to perform a V8 conversion on this classic British roadster. They didn’t get too far, fortunately, but did make some fairly permanent changes, including having the “…frame stiffened with angle iron, motor mounts cut out, and portions of the footwells removed.” The good news is they either got bored or didn’t have time to finish it, because this original 3L straight-six engine with its HD8 dual SU carbs is a honey of a motor, and sounds incredible with a sport exhaust system. The Healey will need everything, but I’m sure it will find a new home before too long – that’s just how it goes with old British roadsters. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Chuck F. for the find.
I know, this will surely make our British cousins taste their swallowed ale again, as an American, I’m really sorry you have to see this. I take partial responsibility. We drove British sports cars in the salt bath. We had to.
1st of all, Big Healeys had nowhere near the glitz they have today. We didn’t see many, and the ones we saw looked exactly like this. I don’t recall an A-H specific dealer, so they had to come from Chicago. Most unwanted, and became back row beaters, gotten in on a trade, the lot wanted nothing to do with. $1,000 bucks at the most, and drove it home. My brother had a 100-6, he says was $1,000 in the early 70s. It was blue and rusty( not this bad) and looked very similar. I thought less, regardless, it was a much nicer car, or so we thought at the time, than the Alfa Spider he had before, another $500 beater that included a tired TR4 we got $250 for. You get the drift here. Naturally, we’re both flabbergasted at where the prices went.
This? Good heavens, why would someone willfully drain themselves dry trying to restore this? I mean, by the time you are done, what, $30 grand? The steam seems to have fizzled some on these, close to 6 figures for a spell. That is gone, and if you have $30, you have $40, and just buy one where someone else found out the issues of a restoration.
Jeff.. If you drive one of these you will understand the attraction to them. We owned two 100-4s and they were as much fun as you could imagine. The six cylinders have the same appeal, just more power. Did a no stop, high speed run from Jacksonville, FL to La More, CA helping a neighbor move his ’67. With the overdrive and engine humming at 100 mph at night it was sheer fun. Only real stop for something other than fuel was buying a case of Coors beer when we got into Texas. Couldn’t get it in the eastern states at that time.
I drove my 65 all over the southeast (Atlanta, Richmond, the beach) and it was a trip. I will say that at 90 mph on I-95 in traffic, it was a little scary. It was also not an especially comfortable ride over distance. In the summertime here in the south, sitting in traffic in town, I’d watch the temperature needle rise well over 220 F and hasten to get moving. However, there is nothing like the sound from the tailpipes when you rev it up. Very sexy and very different from the magnaflow sound of SBCs that you hear at every car show.
The instance car, while kind of pricey at $15K is very restorable, especially if you can do much of the work yourself. If you have to pay a shop, you’ll be underwater quickly.
It certainly looks like it has potential. It looks basically straight and also looks to be ‘all there’…. however… $15K? Not really… just because it is a good year big Healey (67). The owner should clean it up a bit more to get a bigger number. For me as it sits $5K is all its worth as a start……….
I’m simply not a fan of these. I can virtually guaranty by the look of the top side that the rear frame members will be badly rusted and need reinforcing.
On the driving side, 150HP on 2550 lbs isn’t exactly inspiring, nor is the AH ride. Compare this to the Jaguar XK150. Jag has 250HP, 67% more power, much higher torque, with only 18% more weight. And that weight translates to firmness and overall a much superior driving experience.
When these were $25K for #2+ condition cars, there was a rationale for their purchase. They look cool and driving was ok. But at $75K for one in 2+ condition vs. less than $100K for the Jag in similar condition, in my book the rationale for owning the AH is gone.
I suppose each to their own.
People generally don’t refer to extra weight and a superior sports car driving experience, but to each their own I guess.
They are both classy old British sports cars, looks and driving experience a matter of taste.
Values bottomed out for the Big Healeys in the mid-1970’s. Sadly, many of them were neglected to the point of deterioration.
This one looks far gone, but hopefully someone will restore it. It’s hard to believe that in the 1960’s these sold in the mid-$3000 range. They were down market from the E-Type, but above the MGB, TR4 and Sunbeam Alpine.
I suppose that’s true, to each our own. I happen to say, my brothers car (’58 100-6 w/’64, 3000 motor) performance was indeed inspiring. While it’s blasphemy to say this, that car could get rubber going into 2nd and 3rd. Not much beat us in the “stoplight drags”. Comparing the 3000 to a Jag isn’t fair. When new, these were almost HALF the cost of an XKE, and quite frankly, was a much better bargain then.
Wonder if the louvered hood in the background is for sale??
Values bottomed out for the Big Healeys in the mid-1970’s. Sadly, many of them were neglected to the point of deterioration.
This one looks far gone, but hopefully someone will restore it. It’s hard to believe that in the 1960’s these sold in the mid-$3000 range. They were down market from the E-Type, but above the MGB, TR4 and Sunbeam Alpine.
Shoppers,
I bought mine new. There were 3 BJ8 cars in our western Ma town. The other two were owned by attractive females. GREAT fun. I wrecked mine big time. Fixed it correctly and drove it 50,000 miles and sold it to a UMass professor. He drove home each summer ….to California. I was told it had a couple of hundred thousand miles. The value and smiles these cars offered was large. This one will take a large amount of time and $$$ to again bring joy to someone. Bless the person that takes the challenge.
In the early 1960’s I lived in Germany and owned a ’61 Healy roadster. It was a beautiful car but burdened by the fact that it was built in England. As such its instruments were made by Smith, which had gotten its education at the hands of the village black-smith, and the electrics were provided by Lucas, The Prince of Darkness and the reason the English drink warm beer. Because there wasn’t a fuse within 50′ of the car the thing used to catch fire on me every 8 – 10 weeks or so. Ground clearance was about 2 inches so you had to stay clear of small sticks, stones, animals and freshly painted road lines. The 180 ci engine sounded great whether it was run in the car or the tractor from which it must have come and since it was redlined at 5,200 rpm, dangerously high speeds were not an issue. Unfortunantely, the placement of the cast iron engine at the front of the aluminum bodied car meant that the front/rear weight distribution was something on the order of 90/10 which limited the cornering speed to a fast walk and enabled old people in Volkswagons to pass on the outside of almost any curve in Europe. I put nearly 40,000 miles on the thing (although it felt like closer to 90,000) before I found another sucker who wanted it more than I.
Sorry, hard pass at any price over one or two thousand. It’s going to cost 40k just to make it worth 45k.
HoA, Do you know what a XK 150 is? I didn’t compare the AH to an XKE. Also, it doesn’t matter what these sold for new, it’s what they are selling for now.