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Refurbished 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III heads to auction in California
A 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 BJ8 Mk III, originally exported to North America through the factory's Personal Export Delivery scheme, has been restored over seven years and is now offered with a full documented history.
By Charlotte Redford · 3 min read
A 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 BJ8 Mk III is being offered for sale after a seven-year refurbishment completed in 2014, presenting one of the more thoroughly documented examples of the British sports car to reach the market. The car was originally delivered in the United Kingdom under the company's Personal Export Delivery programme and went on to North America, where it is now registered in California. The current owner acquired it in 2017, and the car is being offered on the owner's behalf.
The restoration work was extensive. The bodywork was media-blasted, an antenna hole was filled, and the front fenders, bonnet and boot lid were replaced before the car was repainted in Healey Blue, the colour it left the factory in. The front bumpers and trim were re-chromed, the grille and rear bumper were replaced, and a blue leather interior was fitted following replacement of the transmission tunnel, toe board, floor panels and seat frames. The dashboard vinyl, wood veneer trim, centre console and door hardware were also renewed. A blue Robbins soft top, LED headlight bulbs, dual Lucas driving lights mounted on a badge bar and a tonneau cover complete the exterior and cabin fittings.
Mechanically, the 2.9-litre inline-six has been rebuilt and fitted with dual SU HD8 carburettors, which the factory rated at 150 horsepower and 173 lb-ft of torque. The engine work was completed in 2009 and included electronic ignition, a negative-ground electrical system, a replacement timing chain and new water and oil pumps, while the carburettors were rebuilt in 2013 and tuned in 2014. Power reaches the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox with overdrive, rebuilt in 2008, and a differential with 3.54:1 gearing. The brakes include four-piston aluminium calipers, cross-drilled rotors and EBC pads at the front, with drum brakes at the rear. Armstrong Performance shock absorbers, a repaired A-arm assembly and new kingpin bushings, leaf springs and steering gearbox were also fitted, and the car runs on 15-inch knock-off wire wheels with Michelin XAS tyres.
The car is presented with a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate, which records that it was built in October 1965 and dispatched via Personal Export Delivery to the United States. A four-page build summary, refurbishment photographs, a tonneau cover, spare parts and a clean California title in the current owner's name accompany the sale. The odometer shows just over 4,000 miles. The seller notes two issues: the right headlight does not work and there are chips in the paint, with paint-meter readings included in the gallery. The instruments are refurbished Smiths black-dial units reading to 140 mph, alongside a 7,000-rpm tachometer, a fuel gauge and a combined oil pressure and water temperature gauge.
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