1964 Austin Healey 3000 MkIII BJ8 Phase 1

This car was bought a few years ago by (in no particular order) astronaut, automotive engineer, Formula One race car designer and all-round good egg Adrian Reynard.  He has fettled it and enjoyed it however, it has mostly sat in his collection not doing many miles.

Restored and finished in Colorado Red with a Will Gollop engine under the bonnet, this classic British 2+2 sportscar is sorted and ready to fulfil whatever Austin Healey-shaped dreams you might have.

It has covered just 20-odd miles since the restoration, and was showing 66100 mile prior.

Especially if they’re Euro-based as we can’t think of many cars better suited to exploring the hotter regions of Europe than this left-hand drive convertible especially considering its provenance. Originally Florida Green, it was built to French specification and sent to Paris from the factory, possibly for display at the Paris Motor Show...

The quintessential British sportscar, the Austin Healey’s coachwork is everything you want in your beefy convertible classic – and this one’s specification reads like a petrolhead’s wish list: premium-quality Colorado Red panels set the backdrop for lashings of new and high-quality chrome, a set of new chromed wire wheels, and the sort of attention to detail that becomes more and more apparent the deeper you delve.

Good panel gaps are just the starting point because this one has it all: beautifully applied paint, straight panels (some of them new, including the hideously expensive aluminium bonnet) and some of the nicest chromework we’ve seen in a while.

There are also plenty of newer rubber seals of course, as well as new piping and beading between the wings and the main body.

The glazing, light lenses, and badges are all first-rate, as well they might be because many of them are new. Obviously.

The new Everflex hood opens and closes as it should. There’s also a matching black cover to keep it all neatly tucked away when you’re enjoying some al fresco fun.

The restored front seats have been built up with new bases, cushions, and squabs before being retrimmed in black leather piped in red to tie them into the car’s overall colour scheme. They, like the rest of the interior, are minty fresh and way better than they would have been when the car rolled out of the factory in 1964.

New rear seats and carpets lift the interior still further, as do the myriad new bits and bobs, including a new wiring harness, you can see recorded in the documents we’ve uploaded.

There’s the classic semi-vintage steering wheel too, plus a simple, unadorned gearchange and plenty of beautiful wooden veneer on the new dashboard.

It’s all been beautifully done; when an interior is this simple there’s no place to hide if you skimp on either the quality of the fittings or the care with which you install them.

As you can see in the invoices, the design includes a works competition distributor and a competition silver-top fuel pump, both of which hint at the thoroughness of the car’s mechanical specification.

For example, Will Gollop’s firm G-Tech Motorsport rebuilt the engine, gearbox, and rear-end in addition to the chassis and inner bodyshell. The car was then taken to have the exterior panels repaired and refitted before being completed at the former owner’s firm, Freewheelin’ Ltd.

It had painted the car before painstakingly reassembling it, meticulously installing a complete interior and all-new chromework to get it to the standard you see here.

Feast your eyes on the result – and the vast number of invoices – and it runs as well as it looks.

MoT’d until Sept'25, the Healey has a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate confirming its build specification plus a huge history file of photographs and invoices documenting its restoration.

Seriously, the file is considerable, so please do set aside the time to browse them as they go to the heart of just how well restored this example is. Or, better still, make an appointment to pop along to see it in person.

The recent Vehicle History Check doesn’t show anything of any concern.

In Nov/Dec'24 the seller had DA Cooper Vintage Restorations 'go through' the car comprehensively and £3000 later the car appears today in tip-top condition. Bills for the work done can be seen in the photo gallery.

Good cars are sold by good people, and Adrian and his gorgeous Austin Healey are a match made in heaven. This is an immaculately prepared and comprehensively restored 3000 MKIII and as close to a new car as you’re going to find for less than six-figures. We can’t find anything bad to say about it.

Being offered with an estimate of between £55,000 and £65,000, it’s worth bearing in mind that the market for the very best cars is always strong.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us the seller near Bicester; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.