Enthusiasts familiar with the lovely Austin Healey 3000 may do a double-take on the listing here on eBay advertising this car as a “1967 Austin Healey 3000 GT.” At first my brain was spinning; how could adding a roof could so totally change the look of a car? Research reveals the body as a Fiberfab Jamaican, a kit car built for the chassis of MGA, Triumph TR3 or TR4, or an Austin Healey like this one. After restoration, this attractive GT in Blaine, Washington looks fabulous and ready for a new owner. Neither eBay nor a listing on Mecum mentions its running or driving condition, but it sure looks good! At least 11 bidders agree, elevating the market value of this rebodied sports car above $32,000. Thanks to CarsThatNeverMadeItEtc for some details.
The “big Healey” packs a 3.0L (178 cid) inline six cylinder making 145 HP, according to CarsMind, and wow, that’s a small radiator. The battery disconnect looks perfect for collectors who rarely drive their rolling art, but let’s hope this one is enjoyed regularly and shared with others.
It’s not easy to render a car design in three dimensions that looks good from all angles, but the Jamaican does well in this regard. Except for the nose I might mistake this for a ’60s Italian GT from a distance. Sadly few pictures accompany the listing, but the finish looks great. When it comes to personality, every minute spent nailing the wheels, tires, and stance pays off, and those elements look great on the Austin-Healey-based coupe.
Interior fit and finish appears to match the body and engine compartment. I see no reason to obscure the car’s roots as a Fiberfab design, and the builder should be celebrated for giving this rare fiberglass creation a top-notch second life. Maybe the perfect buyer would be an Austin-Healey fan looking for something different. What’s your favorite kit car?
That car is gorgeous. I just wish there were more pictures and more info.
Kitcars so often disappoint me. There’s almost always something either a little (or a lot) off about the design, or some place where the builder took shortcuts if they completed it at all. It’s so nice to see a car that is beautifully designed, and beautifully executed! Should make some one a fun, gorgeous ride.
Appears to be a “hatchless” hatchback.
370zpp,
Look closely at the rear window, it’s edged in metal, and there are what appear to be 2 chrome or stainless hinges along the top edge, allowing the glass to be opened.
This one looks very good, has all of the Healey pieces, best I can tell from the few photos included. Nice touch retaining the Healey dash, always like the swooping shape. Even the seats were retained. The engine and bay look very clean and fresh, placement of components look appropriate. I still have the 1st body we formed at FiberFab, also assembled on a A-Healy 3000 as this appears to be. It might also have an over-drive, … an item sought after.
I’ll watch the sale as it moves along.
Beautiful design. I give credit to Fiberfab. Would have no problem owning this but I still prefer the beauty of a big Healey.
This car is stunning! It has the appearance of a Ferarri or Maserati. Just beautiful.
Almost bought one of these to make a Porsche powered tube frame car. To this day, other than the Cobra replicas, it’s the best looking of any of the fiberglass bodies available at the time. Owned 2 big Healeys during that period and did appreciate what they were, but if I’d found a wrecked one I’d have given a lot of thought to building one of these cars. Great looking car with quality conversion work.
I immediately thought of this ’63 ford concept …
http://www.carstyling.ru/cars.1963_Ford_Cougar II.html
One would think Aust Healy based their car on Ford’s concept.
IMO, big mistake Ford didn’t put it into production in ’63 to compete with you know what car!
Except that Austin came out with the Healey 100/4 in 1953 so was a little ahead of the 1963 Ford Cougar.
This is what happens when an early 70s Corvette “mates” with an early 70s Camaro. I like it!
Now I know where Nissan got their design for the 240Z from.
Awesome job, BIG kudos to the builder! Probably invested 100K plus in parts and labor. Does it run cool? Rad looks tiny as do the grille opening. Beautiful car !!!
I purchased one of these body kits for my wrecked 3000 MKII but the man that sold me the kit forgot to tell me that it was really for a TR-3 Chassis. I never got it finished but the quality of the kit was amazing. I think if Fiberfab had mounted the doors for the new owners and installed the window systems they would have been far more successful. They built a series of amazing kits that were far better than most out there. I am not so thrilled about the Austin Healey dash but I do like the fact that the engine almost matches the body color. This is what most kit car owners wish their projects could have been.
Mecum does mention:”700 break-in miles with all fluids refreshed”; would assume running and driving.
Best looking A-H 3000 I’ve ever seen!
Nice concept. Having had the soles of my shoes melt when passenger in a Healey, I think I´ll pass on the fully enclosed glass fibre version. But sure is pretty.
This is a unique take on the same thing, WSM Healey 3000:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1574415&p=4
Someone want to take a stab and building one of these, have BF contact me. Neighbor passed a couple of years ago, left one of these apart in his garage, his wife would like to move it along. Homemade frame, 307 Olds.
I immediately thought of Opel GT (1968-1973) upon seeing this. Fiberfab made a beauty which looks similar to the 1965 Opel GT prototype.
Solosolo UK…Austin didn’t build the 100 4s. Donald Healey bought all the unused engines Austin had after their last bid to get a “sporty” car to sell. Several other companies provided parts, chassis builds, etc. for Healey but the mostly made for the American market car was all Donald Healey. Glad he did. Loved my two ’55s.
I’ll probably get jumped on here but I don’t think this is a 1967 Healey. From 1965 all Healey 3000s were Mk 3s and they were quite different internally to previous models. The interior on this one looks closer to a Mk1 or Mk2. The Mk 3s also had bigger carbs.
Then again, maybe 1967 refers to when this kit was actually put together.