1966 Austin Healey 3000 Mk3 Phase 2

This Austin-Healey 3000 was made in 1966, making it a ‘phase two’ Mk3. That means it’s powered by the full-fat 148bhp 2912cc engine. It also benefits from the 1964-on chassis revisions that went some way to curing the Big Healey’s Achilles heel, its low rear ground clearance. Finished in a fabulous and traditional combination of British Racing Green and tan interior, this 3000’s wire wheels – and copious amount of chrome – perfectly compliment the car’s flowing curves.

in the last owner‘s custody for 12 years with only 6 previous owners, the car appears to have been fastidiously maintained over the years. Subject to several sessions of remedial bodywork and mechanical overhaul in the past two decades, this example seems to present in very fine order throughout.

As British as a warm summer’s afternoon on the village green, this Austin-Healey 3000 remains just as charming. It’s an enduring image of the best of our motoring heritage – every bit as iconic as any Jaguar and just as thrilling to drive. The overall condition appears to be very good though there’s obviously there’s the odd age-related mark here and there. For example, a chip in the paint to the bonnet roughly half way up on its nearside. There’s also a scuff to the paint under the chrome, along the top of the headlight nacelle.

That BRG finish remains gleaming but there are a few areas where it’s less than perfect. The offside door has a slight orange peel finish and there are some runs in the paint on the nearside A-post (visible with the door open). Some light swirls are also present on the boot lid. There’s some very slight bubbling to the paint under the offside of the central bonnet vent. Other than these minor complaints, the exterior appears to be in great health. The hood seems nice and tight without any obvious signs of damage, it’s frame also appears to be in great shape.

The tan vinyl interior appears very good indeed. There’s barely a mark to the seats and centre console worthy of mention. Just a few dirty marks from oily fingers here and there, without too much else that a wet wipe can’t cure. Some inevitable signs of wear are present to the driver’s seat outer bolster but these are far from advanced. The dashboard top doesn’t show any unsightly staining or cracking and a peek under the front carpets seems to reveal very solid floors indeed.

The rear bench can either be used as seats for the kids (a pair of lap belts have been added) or as a storage shelf. Its mechanism still works as it should and it appears that everything else in the cabin also operates as intended. The four-speed transmission has an overdrive switch on the dashboard that drops the revs as intended, which helps turn this sports car into a legitimate five-speed cruiser. If you find yourself stuck in slow moving traffic, there’s an additional switch for engaging the Kenlowe electric fan. There are a few stains to the underside of the hood but in general this interior appears to be in top order.

The sturdy full-length chassis members both appear to be in great order. There doesn’t seem to be anything more than some light surface corrosion to worry about. Plenty of underseal remains in place, which will no doubt keep the rest of the metal good for years to come. The exhaust back boxes have taken a few small dents and their mounting hangers could do with a session in the shot blast cabinet and a repaint, but we’re being picky now.

The chassis member under the radiator has been subjected to some jacking in the past, as its bottom is now concave, but it still appears to be sound. Generally, bushes around the car appear to be older, but not excessively worn. The front anti-roll bar bushes and drop links have all clearly been replaced – they’re blue rather than black – and seem in tip-top condition. It’s clear from even a brief scoot underneath this Healey that it seems to have been kept in great mechanical order.

The tachometer currently shows 81,153 miles with MoTs going back to the late 1990s showing just over 60k. Some more invoices from the 1970s show incremental increases from 40k to 56k, so we suspect the mileage is genuine, though there’s very little early history.

Plenty of mechanical work was undertaken in 2004 with the prop-shaft being removed and its universal joint replaced. The opportunity was taken at the same time to replace the front shock absorbers. In 1998 the rears were swapped by Rawles Engineering, who were also tasked to service the car and replace its trunnion bolts and bushes.

As for bodywork, the offside door and rear wing were repainted in Sept ’99, but there’s another big from December 2009 when £2906.05 was spent on restoring and repainting both doors. An itemised spend sheet covers all of the previous owner’s expenditure on the car from 1997 to 2005. This incredibly detailed spreadsheet shows everything from the aforementioned restoration work to club membership fees and MoTs.

The Austin-Healey 3000 is rightly considered to be one of the most popular classic British sports cars out there. These machines are hugely rewarding to drive and repay fastidious care with hours of thrilling top-down motoring.

This 3000 appears to have been very well cared for with excellent mechanical and bodywork to show for it. This mean that we’ve little doubt it’ll hit its £50,000 - £65,000 estimate.

Viewing is always encouraged and as stated this car is located at THE MARKET headquarters near Abingdon; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.