Frequent tipster TJ threw this little nugget our way: a 1960 Austin Healey 3000 coming out of an estate with an apparent 63,800 miles on the odometer and looking in pretty good health, if you get past the surface. You can certainly credit the last owner with keeping things tidy under the hood, and, as the ad says, for an engine rebuild by well-known shop S&G. Anybody got any knowledge of said establishment? My google-izer didn’t turn up anything, but Healey fans might know much more.
Assuming the engine checks out, and note that the seller mentions a transmission rebuild to boot, what remains the great unknown is the condition of the body. Certainly the current paint job is faded, but in this age of patina, it’s probably drive-able as-is for a top-down summer or two. What we don’t know (which will hurt us) is what that blue paint was sprayed over. There appear to be places where entire panels have wavy qualities that suggest lots of poorly used body filler. Ditto for the door fit, which looks miles off on the passenger side. The seller does claim that the car has a “solid frame and floors,” which would be nice to see backed up by a photo or two.
On the other hand, if this car runs, how bad can you get hurt if you plunk down something south of the $12,000 asking price? The interior is similarly worn, but not worn out. More like “worn in,” like a pair of classic leather shoes after a season on your feet—comfortable, if headed for a re-sole sometime down the line.
For the whole Austin-Healey 100 and 3000 story, please refer to Hagerty’s unraveling as seen here. Summarize it to say that this was a 1950s joint venture between Donald Healey, a low-volume manufacturer, and Austin (British Motor Corporation). Cars were mostly produced in Abingdon, where the (BMW) MINI is now constructed. Most production was exported, with the US being the favored market. This particular car, seen in a crowded garage here on craigslist, comes with the obvious folding soft top(or the frame of it, as noted by the seller) as well as a hardtop. Lots of additional parts also go with the deal. The Healey is located in Bristol, where Virginia and North Carolina share a border inland of the coast. If you’re inclined to head to Bristol, VA, you might consider some of the stops recommended here. Have fun, and bring a trailer, assuming a “Big Healey,” as these got nicknamed, is your new dream ride.
If all is as represented by the seller, $12K is the biggest bargain since the $29.95 Earl Scheib paint job! Someone put a fair amount of money into the rebuilds and replacements, though not having heard of those who did the work, I’d pull everything down to double-check, and rectify any seals, rubber parts and similar wear items that looks to have been sitting for a while.
Cosmetically, the car looks pretty shabby, so another large pile of money will go into straightening that out. The end result will be well worth it. And, if it’s properly done, you won’t lost money, plus getting a terrific driving experience. Plus a real treat for the ears; few cars can match the howl of a healthy Big Healey.
I’d put the original SUs back on pronto. Unless the engine has been treated to major interior mods, the HD6s will do the job.
If it hasn’t already sold, that means it either failed an in-person inspection, or people just aren’t paying attention. Either way, it’s worth checking out!
Well said. Bondo in the fender seams should be easy to overcome as long as it wasn’t put there to hide rust between the aluminum body and the steel fenders. Presently working on a Bugeye Sprite that the previous owner welded up the seams. Being steel to steel it’s pretty solid but it would have been better for me if he knew how to weld.
The bodywork is one hot mess. For starters, some genius removed the SS/chrome beading between the fenders and the inner aluminum shell panels and tried to fill the seams. There’s sloppy filler pictured on the right-rear fender. Interior’s a mess from what little we can see. The sloppy ‘paint’ conceals – – – what? Even painted over the badge in front of the hood. The word ‘restored’ is hardly relevant.
Where are the fender seams? They are supposed to be stainless steel beads between the body and the fenders front and back. Did someone get liberal with the bondo?
Bristol is on the border between Virginia and Tennessee.
Fully agree with the comments that the body seems pretty suspect. Poor panel fit, bondo over seams, dents… It would be both time consuming and expensive to get it done right. But why not just buy and drive it?
Buyer beware. The bondoed over fender seams already mentioned are the tip of the iceberg. If the engine was rebuilt, it was a while ago and not cleaned/painted, no fresh gaskets visible, the front carburetor doesn’t even have a throttle shaft in it and it’s not connected to the rear carb so not even ready to run (no radiator hose clamps ether). Beyond that the real question is the chassis/frame condition – no pictures of the underside and that is the most critical part of buying a Healey project – how much metal has to be replaced?
The car is on ebay and the owner was very surly when I asked for additional picture. Said if I was interested come see it for myself. The body is covered in bondo. Just because he said the floor and frame are solid I shouldn’t ask for proof. There could be some really bad work under there based on the top side.
If it seems too good to be true, Earl Scheib or not, it is… have been there and done that, and have no interest in doing it again. A surly seller should be a really big, red, and loud warning sign!
it is not a drophead. . .It is a Roadster!!!!
What gets me going is the huge uptick in estate sales !
So many have died
So many are popping up! ( estate sales)
What could have caused this ?
Cause? I think the calendar.
(1)Empty nest, Dad buys a toy, life intrudes, toy sits, Dad checks out, toy’s for sale.
(2) Folks inherit a car, store it, age out themselves, estate sale.
I’m sure there’s a dozen more scenarios, all revolving around owners’ aging.
What causes it? Too many birthdays.
If your time is worth fifty-cents per hour, plenty of Healy experience and money to burn on parts… this is your car.