2011-07-18 19:22:07 | pauls writes:

Car was at auction 6/11
www.classic-auctions.com/Auctions/08-06-2011-ThePavilionGardens-1290/1960Austin- ...

Auction description:
Lot Number: 42
1960 Austin-Healey 3000 MkI
Sold For £30,800

Reg Number: 382 AOR
Chassis Number:HBT711813
Engine Number: 29DRUH4792
Cc: 2912
Body Colour: Colorado Red
Trim Colour: Red / Black
MOT ExpiryDate: April 2012

The right-hand drive BT7 on offer sports Colorado Red coachwork and a Black piped Red interior. It is equipped with the optional overdrive gearbox and chromed wire wheels. We understand it left the factory in August 1960, whereupon it was delivered to Austin main agents Carey & Lambert Ltd of Southampton. The Healey was registered as '382 AOR' in Hampshire in October 1960 and, though the number was apparently transferred to a Mercedes-Benz for a period, car and registration were subsequently reunited. There is currently no further knowledge of the Healey until 1975, when it was in the care of a W A Gumbrill of Bramhall, who is understood to have sold it to Wallmoat Ltd based in London W14. It then passed to D E Thatchers of London W6 who commenced a restoration but progressed no further than a rolling chassis before selling the project on to Tony Shaw and brothers of Granville Engineering in Barking, who evidently completed the task. The next keeper was a B Fitzmaurice of New Malden, who acquired the Healey in 1997, covering some 4,100 miles in it before selling it to the current owner in 2002, following a successful inspection by Steve Jowett of UK Healey.

The vendor informs us that throughout his tenure '382 AOR' has been kept in a heated, de-humidified garage and treated to regular maintenance. This work has apparently included the refurbishment of the gearbox, overdrive unit, propshaft and steering system, plus the renewal of the fuel pump, and been carried out by a mixture of specialist concerns including UK Healey, Merlin and Myddlewood Garage. The vendor currently considers the bodywork, interior and engine to be "excellent" and the paintwork and gearbox to be "very good". This nicely presented 'Big Healey' comes complete with original workshop manual, service parts list and handbook, plus a number of spares including a pair of painted wire wheels. Taxed until the end of May 2012 and MOT'd into April, '382 AOR' is all set to hopefully give a summer of fun to its next keeper.

PLEASE NOTE: The inteior for this vehicle is not leather as stated in the catalogue.