Discovering an original example of a great British sportscar is always quite an event. One of our long-term customers phoned the other day to ask if an original and never restored Austin-Healey 3000 Mk3 BJ8 was something we could sell for him. This sounds like very good news, but then usually we find a car which is in need of restoration and looks like a proper barn find (which is surprisingly becoming ever more popular in auctions around the globe...). When the gate of the garage opened, we saw a fantastic looking and impressive sounding Big Healey. This car has some signs of use, but was still exactly as it left the factory 50 years ago, apart from a repaint in its original colour some years ago. The original upholstery in red Ambla has just the right amount of patina, and the hood is just perfect. The engine feels and sounds like it is ready for a big continental trip, the gearbox feels surprisingly slick, and steering and brakes are very good as well. There are no signs of any damage done to the car during its life, and the chassis is still in great and bumpfree condition. Of course, this exceptional Healey is matching nrs and colours, and comes with a decent history file. There is even a picture of the car with its first owner.

This is a rare opportunity to obtain an original Austin-Healey 3000, which looks and rides just like it left the factory in 1964. There is no comparison with fully restored examples, which are without doubt much improved but can not provide that original driving feeling of a non-restored car. This is a genuine classic sportscar !