1964 AUSTIN-HEALEY 3000 Mk III

Born from cooperation between the Donald Healey Motor Company and the Austin Division of the British Motor Corporation (BMC), in Longbridge, Birmingham, Austin-Healey was one of the most popular sports car in the world. Introduced at the Earl’s Court Motor Show in London in 1952, and first manufactured in 1953 with a body designed by Gerry Coker and featuring a 164.7 cu.in., 4-cylinder Austin A90 engine, the new Austin-Healey 100 was competition for Triumph’s TR range. In 1955, when BMC took over building the car’s body, the 100 was replaced by the 100-6 model: in 1957 the car received a 6-cylinder 158.5 cu.in. engine, and by 1958 was produced alongside the 57.7 cu.in. engined Sprite, the other Austin-Healey in our Museum. In 1959, it became the

Austin-Healey 3000: the new car had the same wheelbase and body, but featured new frontal styling with an oval grill and vertical bars. The 3000 Mark I was marketed from 1959 to 1961 with a 177.7 cu.in. in-line 6-cylinder twin SU carburetors, as open two-seater (BN7) and 2+2 (BT7) models. Manufactured from 1961 to 1962, the Mk II’s carried three SU HS4 carburetors and an improved camshaft. However, three carburetors proved difficult to adjust and they were replaced by twin SU HS6 carburetors for the 2+2 (BJ7) model introduced in January 1962. Using wind-up glass windows instead of curtains on the doors, a curved windshield and styling improvements to the hood, the Mk II was replaced by the Mk III in 1963.

Originally assembled using bodies manufactured by Jensen Motors, Austin-Healeys were later assembled alongside MG’s in BMC’s Abingdon factory. The 3000 series ended in 1967 when the car proved unable to meet strict crash-protection specifications in the United States. Very successful in races early in its life, these “Big Healeys” withdrew from racing when the Mini Cooper “S” offered better performance.