1966 Austin Healey 3000 Mark III BJ8

Description

This 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark III BJ8 has that beautiful classic British look – right down to the color. As you dig deeper, you'll even see a few subtle upgrades to enhance the pure driving experience. So this one is calling you out to the open road.

British Racing Green is always the color of choice on a proper English sports car. And this one truly is fitting of it elevated status. The Big Healey, one of the most gracious styles of its time with a style line that started at the headlight and had a gentle arc that flowed through the door. The rear fenders are just as artful as they rise above the trunk line. You can see all of this so well because of the exceptional panel fit of this example. There was just the right amount of brightwork to attract an American audience on places like the wide grille, mirror-like bumpers, and door tops. This example also retains all the great European details, too, like the fender-mounted side mirrors and bright trunk hinges. And of course, it's not a true classic European sports car without wire wheels with genuine knock-off hubs.

These cars are meant to be open to the world, and so the black interior looks terrific against the dark green exterior. The BJ8 series was the final run for this storied design, and these are sought-after today for some of the upgrades given to this swan song. The walnut veneer trim is exclusive to these later cars. So is the comfort of the center console in-between the bucket seats. Owning a later Healey also adds in plenty of practicality. After all, these have a full convertible top and roll-up windows. The rear seats are a nice occasional use for children or luggage. There's even been an upgrade to an AM/FM/cassette stereo. But even with this level of sensibleness, nothing gets in the way of the pure driving experience. The gearshift is in that perfect resting position for your right hand. The thin a grippy sports steering wheel will make your pulse race at first touch.

Another example of why the final series of this car is so desirable is the motor. The 2.9-liter inline six was upgraded with larger twin SU carburetors. This yielded a 14% boost in power to push it to 150 HP - the most powerful Austin-Healey ever. So it's great to have what's believed to be the original unit still under the hood today. And you get to take full advantage of this one better than the rest thanks to a strategic upgrade. The four-speed transmission with electronic overdrive has been replaced by a sturdy five-speed sourced from Toyota. It allows for crisp shifting and a genuine extra gear. But purists will also be happy to know the original gearbox comes with the sale, too. Plus, nimble handling, modern tires, and front disc brakes all come together to create a stellar vintage driving package.

Tradition, beauty, and an all-around great driver make this Austin-Healey 3000 a true gem. Don't let it slip away, call today!