The Austin-Healey 3000 Is the Definitive British Roadster. Here’s Why.

The Austin-Healey models are the embodiment of the British sports car from the 1950s and 1960s—a time when the region’s automotive industry was a big player on the world stage, especially as Americans embraced Europe’s stylish, nimble alternatives to heavy Detroit iron. Austin-Healey, established in 1952 in Abingdon, England, was begun as a joint venture between Austin, a subsidiary of British Motor Corporation (BMC), and the Donald Healey Motor Company. The Austin-Healey 3000 was the last of the “big Healey” models, distinguished from the diminutive “Bugeye” Sprite by its size, rakish profile, and its extra two cylinders.

The model 3000 was built from 1959 to 1967, concluding production as trouble started brewing on the horizon for British automakers. Sprite production continued through 1971 and it was the last car to wear the Austin-Healey badge. The 3000, though, is an attractive candidate for enthusiasts who want a genuine roadster or convertible in the Old English tradition.

When new, the model was a step up from Triumph’s four-cylinder fare, such as the TR3 and TR4, and a rung or two below the higher-priced—and more powerful—Jaguar XK-E. The first “big Healey” was the 100, powered by an inline-four engine and made from 1953 through 1956. New for 1956, the 100-6 variant featured a 2.6-liter inline-six. That model was replaced in 1959 by the first 3000, which featured front disc brakes and a 2.9-liter inline-six that made about 124 hp.

In race tune, Austin-Healey’s 3000 was a successful competitor, making a name for itself when one was driven to overall victory in the challenging Liège-Rome-Liège Rally in 1960, considered by many to be the most difficult European rally of its day. The 96-hour, roughly 2,175-mile route followed winding and often treacherous mountain roads in Germany, Austria, Italy, and Yugoslavia, and of the 90 entrants, only 13 finished the event. The winning driver was Pat Moss, sister of famed racer Stirling Moss, and her co-driver was Ann Wisdom. Remarkably, Moss drove nearly 90 hours non-stop. Two other works Healeys came in second and third place, claiming a hat trick for the manufacturer and cementing the marque’s place in motorsport.

The Austin-Healey 3000 eventually included Mark I, II, and III versions throughout its production. All Mark I cars were open roadsters, available as two-seaters or in a 2+2 configuration, both identical in dimension. Apart from an available detachable hard top for the 2+2, there weren’t many creature comforts, but it hardly mattered when a sports car looked so “right” and responded so brilliantly. In addition to a roadster, the Mark II became available as a sports convertible in 1962, offering roll-up windows and a quick-folding roof. By 1964, the Mark III, only available as a convertible, brought 150 hp to the table, taking the 2,600-pound car to about 121 mph.

With its inline-six engine, four-speed manual gearbox (available with overdrive), and a classic body that’s unmistakable for any other car, the “big Healey” was especially popular in the U.S. market, where most were exported. So many years on, the semi-monocoque steel body (with an aluminum hood and rear deck panels) can be a rust magnet, and as with any complex body/chassis design, repairs can be extremely costly. Mechanicals are relatively under-stressed, and restoration-quality body, trim, and interior parts are available.

Autocar tested a Mark III in its June 12, 1964 issue, prefiguring the future when the magazine concluded, “Tractable, capable of an immense amount of hard work with reasonable economy, it will still have its devotees long after production has ceased.”

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Mark I, II, and III iterations ascend in value accordingly. A concours-quality Mk III can command $125,000, with an excellent example selling in the mid-$70,000s. Driver-quality cars can be had in the mid-$40,000 range, but restoration can get expensive fast, so advice leans to buying the best example one can afford.

Click here for more photos of this 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III BJ8.