2023-07-02 09:30:06 | pauls writes:

Car offered at:

www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1960-austin-healey-3000-nRw6L4

Seller's description:

1960 Austin Healey 3000

Colour White and Red

Odometer 87,881 Miles

Engine size 2900

Seller Type Private

Town Labaroche

Country France

Stylish BT7 roadster in red and white

Left-hand drive example

In current ownership since 2018

Mechanically overhauled and always kept in dry storage

Valid Controle Technique until July 2027

First built for American Export in March 1960

Registered in San Francisco

First imported to France in 2018

In current ownership since

Undergone an extensive mechanical overhaul

Currently indicates 87,881 miles on a five-figure odometer

Sadly we can’t verify this as an authentic mileage

Paperwork file includes:

British Motor Industry Heritage Trust factory record

Controle Technique certificate, valid until 2027

Certificat d’Immatriculation

The Interior

Original black leather interior with red carpets

Leather covered dashboard

In need of light cosmetic restoration

The Healey 3000’s interior is completely in line with what you’d expect from a British 60s roadster. Not enormously luxurious, but loaded with patina.

This example has seen some modifications over its life, but is still loaded with British milieu, with a leather-wrapped dashboard, black leather seats and a simple, uncluttered arrangement of instruments. 

The dashboard has lost some of its covering, exposing the metal underneath. The instruments show some light patina but are still bright and easy to read, with no known faults save the heating being purposefully disconnected. The vendor observes that the car’s engine heats the cabin pleasantly enough without the need for the heater unit.

The steering wheel has lost some of its finish, with some cracking and wear, and there are a few signs of scuffing, marks and scratching elsewhere in the interior’s finish. All the same, it’s highly usable, and the car’s natural character is still all present and correct. 

The seats are in good order, with plenty of creasing and patina, but no rips or tears. The carpets are in a similar level of upkeep, still carrying plenty of colour and showing no faults we’ve been able to spot.

A peek into the lining of the soft-top shows no major faults, with the folding metalwork in good order and only your standard levels of staining and discolouration, commensurate with the car’s advancing age.

The boot is in good, solid order, with a spare wheel and no significant areas of corrosion or perforation.

The Exterior 

Impressive Colorado Red paintwork

Highly original and free of any perforating corrosion

Black soft top 

The aesthetics of the Healey 3000 are unmistakable. With its ‘friendly face’, the chrome-capped hood scoop and that distinctive two-tone paintwork, it’s surely amongst the most characterful of the English sports cars.

This example, still carrying factory-accurate Colorado Red paintwork, is still a very handsome looker. While the paintwork carries some blemishing, the panel fit is still very good, and we can’t spot any signs of perforating corrosion. 

The chromework is all present and correct, with only a gentle smattering of age-commensurate patina. The glasswork and lenses are all clean and well-kept with no cracks or chips, and the car is sitting comfortably on its original wire spoke wheels. These are shod in a full set of Hankook tyres, which appear in good order.

The car’s soft-top appears in good condition with no significant rips or tears we’ve been able to spot. Underneath, the car is in pretty sharp fettle - with a fair bit of surface corrosion and paint loss, but nothing structural or perforating on display. 

Ultimately, this appears to be a superb candidate for bringing up to Concours - for all intents and purposes, it’s a superb, stylish example of a mid-century British classic. 

The Mechanics 

Impressive 2.9L C-Series I6 power plant

4=speed manual transmission

Mechanically overhauled by the current owner

Spirited and with plenty of grunt, the I6 in the BT7 is a very well-respected one. This example looks in fine fettle, kept in a nice clean engine bay. We’ve been given no reports of leaks, knocks, bangs or smoke, and the car has been mechanically overhauled.

This includes:

Rebuild of the engine

Refurbished carbs

Overhaul of the fuel pump

Replacement of water pumps

Radiator restoration, with a more efficient beam for cooling

Work has been carried on the brakes to ensure good performance

The car reportedly starts first time whether in cold or warm state, this BT7 is ready and waiting to hit the road with a new owner. 

2024-04-20 07:42:00 | pauls writes:

4/20/24 Apparently still available:

www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1960-austin-healey-3000-gZ6Omg

Same location