2022-10-25 09:59:35 | pauls writes:

Car at auction 10/22:

www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1960-austin-healey-3000-8brJX8_aaid=a5ce63ed-6419-48b8-adb6-8692f74daf04&bsft_eid=e63dbf22-cfe5-49ad-a64 ...

Auction description:

1960 Austin Healey

Colour Healey Blue/White

Odometer 135 Miles

Engine size 2996

Town Leicester

Seller Type Private

Location Leicestershire

Country United Kingdom

Incredible concours restoration

Over £80,000 spent since 2016

Complete nut-and-bolt rebuild

Rare factory hard-top

Matching numbers

Desirable and original colour combination

Only 135 miles covered since rebuild

Imported to the UK in 2016

RHD Conversion

Original US pink slip and title certificates

Previous US owner since 1974

V5C showing just one UK owner

MOT and tax exempt

Stacks of invoices from renowned restorer RH Classics documenting comprehensive total rebuild

Every single part refurbished or replaced

THE INTERIOR

Retrimmed in blue leather

New carpets

Refurbished steering wheel

Refurbished dials and switchgear

Retrimmed in blue leather with matching brand-new carpets, the Healey is a lovely place to sit. Old in terms of its traditional styling, but new in terms of the materials – the seat covers, door cards, carpets, headlining and rubbers are all new, while the original steering wheel has been professionally refurbished to match the quality of the rest of the build. It’s a special car, in lovely order, and a four-seater to boot.

THE EXTERIOR 

Rare factory hardtop

Near-perfect on top and underneath

Knock-on wire wheels

Triple-plated chrome

Walk up to this car and you can tell, even from a distance, that it’s something a bit special. It sits perfectly, the paint is flawless and the chrome (triple-plated for extra protection) gleams at you. It’s a fine-looking thing in truly glorious order. 

But then it should be. The car was stripped to bare metal, dipped, shotblasted, repainted and rebuilt with all fresh components. The underside is as shiny as the upper body, the chassis painted in matching Healey Blue. There’s not a mark or dent anywhere, and since it was completed the vendor has kept the car in a dehumidified chamber to make sure it stays that way.

It also comes with a rare and sought-after factory hardtop, which gives it a classy coupé-style appearance. We couldn’t remove it for the photos as it was bolted in place, but the vendor tells us the car also has a brand new soft-top in perfect condition.

THE MECHANICS 

3.0-litre six

Four-speed manual with overdrive

Complete rebuild

All ancillaries replaced and renewed

The big BMC C-Series is a sturdy engine with lots of torque, and this one has been completely rebuilt as part of the documented restoration. It has covered a mere 135 miles since, so if you do buy it don’t drive it hard until it’s properly run-in – not that you’d want to thrash a car like this. 

It’s mechanically spot-on. The brakes are new, the suspension is new, the bushes, rubbers, mounts are all new. There’s a high-quality stainless exhaust system, the gearbox has been overhauled. It’s as good as new, if not better.