1963 Austin Healey 3000 Mark II (BJ7)

Welcome to our latest auction, this time for a wonderful Austin-Healey 3000 BJ7 from September 1963. Fully restored both cosmetically and mechanically, it is finished in Reno Red with a contrasting navy blue interior.

With an extensive history file, the car was re-imported into the UK in 2005 after spending its life overseas. It is believed to have been used ‘as is’ for three years before being the subject of a comprehensive, bare-chassis restoration – and while the bulk of the work was carried out a few years ago, it has been professionally completed recently with a new interior and boot trim in addition to some detailing and finishing work that has left it looking splendid.

As such, it’ll be a great buy for someone because the later convertible Austin-Healey 3000s offer a more refined driving experience than their earlier siblings thanks to wind-up windows and a proper hood while still retaining much of the 50’s feel and sporting lines of the original.

Fully serviced and MOT’d, it is now fighting fit and ready to meet its new owner with a sensible guide price and only a modest reserve.

The bare chassis restoration included stripping the body panels of paint by dipping them and applying an electrophoretic coating for anti-corrosion protection.

The body was then repaired and rebuilt with many new panels, most of which were supplied by Kilmartin. It was also converted from left- to right-hand-drive. De-bumpered too, for extra style points, a modification we think works very well, summoning up the Healey’s illustrious rallying heritage.

And it has all been beautifully executed. Just take a look at the way the offside door fits in its aperture; it’s tight and utterly consistent - and that sort of precision doesn’t come about by chance.

The chromework is very good too, as is the glass, the light lenses, and the badges. The car sits on very good painted wire wheels, wheels that are shod with four very expensive 180x15 Michelin XAS tyres, all of which still have good tread.

As we will never tyre of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The folding roof is described by the seller as being “as new” and furls and unfurls as it should. It fits well too, something that isn’t always the case with cheaper aftermarket items, although it does sit a little high when folding down, a corollary of the refurbished frame still being a bit tight.

Work still to do? Well, there are a few stonechips and a couple of touched-in scratches, but nothing significant and nothing that needs attention.

The only thing that strikes us is the passenger’s door, which doesn’t fit as well as the driver’s. Given how good the rest of the panel alignment is, we can see that the new owner might want to finesse it a little. Other than that, it looks glorious and is in need of nothing other than regular maintenance and the odd coat of polish.

The interior and boot have both been freshly trimmed using proprietary kits. The interior, just like the exterior, has been done very well and the whole thing has a cohesive look to it that demonstrates the impeccable taste of the commissioning owner.

The low-back sports seat still look like new and grip like a hungry python. There are, of course, two small occasional seats in the back as well. They’re small though, so would only really be suitable for young children or adults on a short journey - or, more likely, a couple of soft bags and your coats when you’re undertaking your next pan-European tour in it.

Encouraging a splayed, straight-leg driving position, the huge wooden Mota-Lita steering wheel is slightly patinated and all the better for it. Distinctly antiquated in feel, it sets the semi-vintage tone that is so central to the Healey’s overall character.

The dashboard is another real feature of the car; home to some wonderfully designed Smiths’ instruments, we especially love the toggle switch for the car’s over-drive. The door cards are good too, as is the carpet – and lifting the latter shows only clean, well-painted metal that is completely free of corrosion.

The boot is home to the car’s battery and spare wire wheel. Recently trimmed, it looks as fabulous as you might expect.

Coltec Racing Engines of Woodbridge in Suffolk rebuilt the engine, work that included fitted a lead-free cylinder head conversion, along with some careful porting. The invoices (attached) also show many new or rebuilt parts being fitted to the car, along with a number of upgrades including new springs and poly-bushed suspension.

The Healey was MOT tested and roadworthy by 2011, even though it was still far from being fully finished. Since then it has accrued very few miles; the owner suggests only around another 350 to date.

The Healey was purchased from the previous owner and restorer earlier this year, and the refurbishment has now been completed following a £10,000 programme of work.

This work has left the engine bay very neat and tidy; the owner describes the car thus: “it starts easily and pulls away with a lovely exhaust note - an additional BJ8 rear silencer is fitted - and the engine feels strong, eager to rev and has plenty of torque, just as a Healey should!”

“The gearbox and overdrive are positive and slick, the steering is nicely responsive and the servo-assisted brakes (with discs on the front) pull her up positively and straight. Overall a very nice Healey driving experience, the car feeling reassuringly ‘strong’ and very ‘together’.” And he should know having been professionally involved with Healeys, and other classics, for years

The underside of the car is painted rather than undersealed, and looks terrific. The exhaust still looks like new, although if we’re being hyper-critical, it doesn’t sit quite level when viewed from behind.

The Healey’s MOT certificate expires in September 2020, and the online MOT history confirms the car’s low mileage since being restored.

The car comes with a ring binder full of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it since being reimported, as well as a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate confirming its original build specification, a certificate confirming that all UK import duty has been paid, and a full photographic record of its original restoration in addition to a UK V5 registration document. Please also note the significant professional expenditure of over £8k spent finishing the Healey with copious new parts and attention – this is a very good example.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been restored and maintained in recent years to the very highest standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give the owner a call and ask if he can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like him to concentrate on.

Your dream of owning an Austin-Healey 3000 is one that almost certainly stands up to rigorous financial scrutiny, too; while the price of the very best Austin-Healeys might have dropped in the past year from a high of £80,000 to around £70,000, it seems to have steadied now.

Which makes the guide price for this of £40,000 to £50,000 a bit of a bargain; it would be just about impossible to find and restore one yourself for this sort of money - and the fact that your automotive investment should perform better than the paltry interest you’ll receive from a savings account makes this example one not to be missed…

And remember, when the market falters it looks to cars it knows and loves, cars with a pedigree and mass-market appeal - and the British public holds few cars as close to its heart as this.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor near Tewkesbury; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.