Car of the Week

Owner: Richard Spalding: Edinburgh

Austin-Healey was a British sports car maker established in 1952 through a joint venture between the Austin division of the British Motor Corporation, (BMC), and the Donald Healey Motor Company, (Healey), a renowned automotive engineering and design firm. BMC merged with Jaguar Cars in 1966 to form British Motor Holdings, (BMH).

Donald Healey left BMH in 1968 when it merged into British Leyland. Healey then joined Jensen Motors, which had been making bodies for the "big Healeys" since their inception in 1952 and became their chairman in 1972. Austin-Healey cars were produced until 1972 when the 20-year agreement between Healey and Austin came to an end.

The Austin-Healey 3000 is a British sports car built from 1959 until 1967. It is the best known of the big Healey models. The car's bodywork was made by Jensen Motors and the vehicles were assembled at BMC’s MG Works in Abingdon, alongside the corporation's MG models.

During its production life, the car changed from an open sports car, albeit with a child-transporting 2+2 option, to a sports convertible. In 1963, 91.5% of all Austin-Healey 3000 cars were exported, mostly to North America. The 3-litre 3000 was a highly successful car, which won its class in many European rallies and is still raced in classic car competitions by enthusiasts today. BMC ended manufacture in 1967.

Mark I BN7, BT7 roadsters
The Austin-Healey 3000 was announced in 1959 with a larger 3-litre BMC C-Series engine. The manufacturers claimed it would reach 60 mph in 11 seconds and 100 mph in 31 seconds. Weather protection remained minimal with a folding plastic roof on a light demountable frame and above the doors detachable side screens holding sliding perspex panels. Wire wheels, overdrive gearbox, laminated windscreen, heater, adjustable steering column, detachable hard top for the 2+2, and two-tone paint were available as options.

13,650 Mark I were built, 2,825 BN7 open two-seaters and 10,825 BT7 2+2s.

Richard purchased this 3000 BT7 in 2004 from the USA and imported it to Oman where he was working in the oil industry. The car was accompanied by 11 other classics purchased by fellow enthusiasts also working in Oman. This group formed a mutual support group and got trade discounts from suppliers and optimised shipping cost.

Under the blinding Omani sun, a full rebuild commenced. Richard benefited from a fantastic artisan workforce of ex-pat Indians, highly skilled in panel beating and automotive metal work. Further, there were also Indian leather work experts able to re-upholster the seats with quality leather imported from Germany. Other critical parts were imported from the UK. Richard’s young family lent a hand on the first respray, thankfully not the finished article! The car was registered in Oman in 2010 but then returned to UK with registration completed in Sept 2011. Richard has completed several tours of Scotland with the Austin Healey Club and on finishing the Perthshire Tour is heading straight to the Netherlands to participate in his next tour.

General information Source: Wikipedia