Description
Offered for sale is a striking, extensively refurbished, entirely solid, mechanically excellent, numbers matching 1967 Austin-Healey 3000 MKIII BJ8 Phase II with a believed 67k original miles and finished in beautiful and understated Metallic Golden Beige over a black interior.
The car was sold new by Imported Auto Sales & Service of Montgomery, Alabama to a Mr. James Davis of nearby Greenville, AL, this Healey would remain in his care for the ensuing 47 years, when old age finally forced him to part with it. Mr. Davis’ acquisition is exceptionally well documented, including the original B.M.C. (British Motor Corp.) window sticker, the original invoice from Imported Auto Sales, Mr. Davis’ original financing agreement with Greenville Bank (paid off in 1968) and old Alabama registration cards. The car also comes with the original Driver’s Handbook and Mr. Davis’ metal BMC warranty data card, as well as a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certified factory record and technical data sheet, confirming the car’s numbers matching status.
Throughout Mr. Davis’ nearly five decades of ownership, the car was always garaged, well maintained and used sparingly, resulting in a very original, handsome, structurally rust-free and strong running survivor, which is the condition it was in when we first acquired it from its second owner in 2016. We subsequently sold the car to a buyer in Ontario, Canada a little over two years ago, and he set about bringing the car from driver quality to its gorgeous current condition, enlisting well-regarded restoration shop The Guild in Ontario (known for their show Restoration Garage on Velocity Channel), as well as other local craftsmen, to perform the following work on the car:
- Stripped to bare metal and completely refinished in Metallic Golden Beige at a cost of more than $25k.
- Restored seats
- Refinished wood dash
- Rebuilt original AM radio
- Restored steering wheel
- Repaired convertible top frame to full functionality
- New tonneau cover
- Rebuilt original carburetors
- Replace starter with rebuilt original Lucas unit
- Repair trafficator for full turn signal functionality
- New knock-off wire wheels
- New BF Goodrich tires
With work costing more than $45k USD, the car was a labor of love for the third owner and it was his intention to enjoy the car for decades to come, however unforeseen storage issues prompted him to send us the car on consignment, which is why it’s being offered here today.
The Metallic Golden Beige finish is show quality – deep, lustrous, consistent and completely devoid of any imperfections – cloaking an entirely straight original body with excellent panel fits and gaps. All of the brightwork is in excellent condition and, as mentioned above, the chrome knock-off wire wheels are new and wrapped in BF Goodrich tires with less than 500 miles of use. The car’s interior is equally as clean, with original front seats having been correctly re-stuffed, the rears replaced correctly, correct new carpets throughout, excellent original interior panels and a gorgeous restored wood dash. The car’s convertible top has a perforation that has been repaired from the inside (photo included), the boot cover is brand new and the car’s trunk clean and original, retaining the original spare, as well as a new knock-off hammer and wooden knock-off wrench. Notable imperfections include a small rock-chip in the windscreen, a hard to see imperfection on the driver seat bottom and some scratches on the side windows. The undercarriage is entirely solid and original to the car with no structural rust whatsoever – any surface rust that’s visible requires no attention, but is something that a dedicated afternoon with steel wool would nip down entirely.
The car is mechanically excellent, the original 2.9L I6 engine starting effortlessly, idling consistently and pulling strongly and smoothly through each of the transmission’s gears, with fully functioning overdrive. Oil pressure is consistent, as is compression across all cylinders, and the engine runs cool with a six-blade fan. Aside from the rebuilt carburetors and basic maintenance, the car has newer rear springs and front-end suspension parts, newer brakes, a new brake servo and a new polished stainless steel exhaust. The car is a joy to drive with great power, handling and ride quality, ideal for touring events or weekend cruises.
This is an excellent opportunity to acquire an absolutely gorgeous, entirely solid, numbers matching, mechanically strong, cosmetically refurbished, final year Phase II Austin-Healey 3000 BJ8 finished in a refined livery with an excellent, essentially one owner provenance. If you’re looking for a final year “Big Healey” that you can drive, tour, show and enjoy, this car deserves your serious consideration.
