2012-11-24 17:58:47 | Lofty writes:

For sale on e-bay: cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/

The car that you are now considering, was nicer than I was originally aiming for and cost more than I was budgeting to spend. I was even looking for a different color. However, when I saw this car, it took my breath away. When I drove it, I was drop dead in love. I stretched to buy it and I'm glad I did. That was the best decision I ever made.

Again, that is not to say that it is perfect, because it is not. However, as you have seen by its trophies, nobody likes any other one better than mine, and it's darn near about as good as they come for "regular people and car enthusiasts" - people who do know cars. It has been on the cover of Austin-Healey Magazine and won serverl awards.

If you know the automotive judging terms of a "one-footer," "two-footer," "five footer," "ten footer," these relate to the view that the car looks perfect from one-foot away, two-feet away, etc. Very few cars, even brand new cars, rarely are considered one or two footers as those are typically Pepple Beach Concourse - better than new, never driven total restorations. Now to many casual or average people, my Healey is pretty close to a two-three footer and that is in my very picky opinion.

In another judging term they use the number "1" as absolutely perfect (again Pebble Beach) and the number "5" as a wreck - needing total restoration. In this scale, I'd say that mine is a "2.25" - and again - I'm being so picky that I doubt that I've seen more than five "Number 1s" in my entire life, and rarely any "2s" either. That is with more that 100 shows behind me (as a spectator).

In overall impression, the paint, chrome, glass and top look fantastic. She is just plain beautiful. Under the hood, the engine bay is first class and is well maintained. That said, I have used her a little, and she does have some very minor signs of wear. I typically detail twice a year (spring and fall). She could use a good detailing now to bring her from great to showroom. Again, most people would look at her, sitting in my garage, under a cover, and think that she is show perfect right now.

The paint is a deep, rich color that has great depth. It looks deep green with a touch of blue at times in bright light, and at other times it looks almost green black in softer afternoon sunset light. It is a flat paint, no metallic color tricks, it just takes on different shades in the different light. She waxes up spectacularly to a wet-look shine.

The chrome also comes up to excellent, but not perfect - in my opinion - because it is not just replated brand new. Again, I'm giving you my highest picky level of opinion. That said, the chrome is really great.

The 60 spoke chrome wheels are gorgeous and I typically wipe them down before I ever put the car to bed after a drive. Brake dust is easy to remove if you never bake it on drive after drive after drive. I have jammed my fingers cleaning those babies, but they sparkle.

The interior is first class as well and has about the nicest looking burl wood dash (original but refinished) that I have ever seen. I keep two sets of floor mats in the car. The rugged rubber AH mats for use, and another pair of carpeted mats for showtime - no feet have ever been on those. The frame for the convertible top is nearly perfect and is in the proper gray paint. I replaced the top with the most original English top (Robbins) vs. choosing a cheaper version, or incorrect canvass version (that are mostly on German cars) - not English ones. Interestingly, some people look at the fuzzy trim gasket on my car (where the top meets the windshield and over the windows and on the doors) and ask, why don't you replace the faded gray trim with new black? Those who know Healeys, know that the original trim is gray, not black, so people who really know, nod approvingly that my car is "correct" and not just looking pretty, but wrong. This is a personal choice at times as does that matter not? Some people feel ,"owner's perogative," while other's feel, "do it by the book." The seats and interior are very nice but do have a tiny bit of normal wear (just a little use).

The trunk is completely clean and was refit when restored so it looks fresh and not grungy or gross. The spare tire is on a perfect 60 spoke chrome wheel as are the main tires and wheels.

The car drives as good as she looks. She has a strong engine, a solid transmission, excellent brakes (discs in front / drums in rear), excellent suspension (sits well-balanced and evenly at all four corners) - well-aligned and runs straight and true. The radiator is fine and the car has never overheated on me. However, if it is 95*F and you are in stop and go rush hour traffic that is not its best way to be used and that is asking for trouble for any car of this generation and cooling system. Some people add oil-coolers, electric fans, etc. to aid cooling, but my wrench says, you are asking for more trouble when you start modifying a good set-up like these had. Add an oil cooler, and now you have additional places for oil leaks. Add an electrical fan, and now you have additional potential for electrical problems. My wrench / mechanic is a purest.

Choke works, heater and fan works, all lights work including extra driving lights on light bar / badge bar. Period correct AM/FM radio works. Some people consider getting the new trend that is to put modern guts in a period correct radio case so that you get improved music with more power, but it still looks proper.

First gear is non-synchro on these cars and that means that you can only start in first and you never downshift back into first while moving. It is also a rougher gear than most people are used to on modern cars. Shifting to 2nd, 3rd, 4th is smooth and effortless (at least as effortless as it ever gets with these cars). Overdrive works on top of 3rd and 4th gear - effectively making it a 6 speed. Reverse works perfectly. You do know that you are driving a car from a different period that is for sure, but that is also what is so much fun. You are much more "in-touch with the driving experience." You are involved, feeling it, listening to it, becoming a part of it, so to speak. Hell, just writing about it gets me psyched.

As to the mileage, I'm told no one knows for sure about classic car mileage, and all I can tell you is what I was told. I was told that the car was "retired from use" sometime in the late 1970s for some minor reason (i.e. fuel pump or water pump or something easily repaired). It had a little over 25,000 miles on it from 1967. Then a collector bought it and had it fully restored. While I don't have photos of the restoration, I do have most of that paperwork. I even went so far as to drive to the restoration shop (outside of Baltimore around an hour from me) and there I did see their photo album of the restoration. The guy who had the restoration performed had a collection of nearly every car a guy could dream to have from the 60s (Vettes, Ferraris, Healeys, etc. etc.). He sold the Healey after completion of the restoration to the guy ahead of me, who also had a Mercedes 300 Gullwing. My point here is that people who had cars worth many hundreds of thousands of dollars, included this beauty among their toys. My mechanic says that "he thinks the mileage is original based on the limited wear that is shown on the bushings."

Since I've owned her, I've corrected and improved little items that took her from 3rd place to 2nd place to 1st place. Such items included a new rubber gasket at the base of the windshield (it was drying out), replaced some trunk interior trim that was showing some wear,

replaced a chrome finisher next to the trany tunnel that had been dented by someone just being too casual, installed three-point seat belts and even rear seat belts (my wife insisted). I replaced the battery once with an Optima Red dry cell. I replaced turn-signal lights on dash board that were worn (little green plastic nipples over the tiny bulb that nobody, and I mean nobody but me would notice!) I replaced the front grill as the original one had minor wear and with the car as nice as it is, I figured let's keep her pretty! So I have maintained her with love and attention and have taken a very nice car even a little further.

2016-04-17 15:47:17 | Steve Byers, BJ8 Registry writes:

Wow! Anyone reading the description above might conclude that this car is pretty near perfect. But any car that has the VIN plate from another car is a bit less than perfect. This one actually has the original VIN HBJ8L34876 stamped into the right front shock absorber mounting tower, and also has the original body number plate for 34876. The car that claims to be 34876 is currently in Sweden and has the body plate for HBJ8U/42911G. It's VIN plate is a poor reproduction with the number HBJ8L/34876 on it. Evidence indicates that both cars passed through the same set of hands while in the USA. Coincidence?

2021-08-09 09:32:56 | Steve Byers - BJ8 Registry writes:

An update to my previous comments:

A car purporting to be HBJ8L/37558 was offered for sale at the Gooding auction in January 2021. Due to discrepancies in the factory identity plates indicating that the car was not actually 37558, I contacted the auction representative for more information. Working with him, we determined that EVERY serialized item on the car (INCLUDING the original VIN stamped into the right front shock absorber mounting tower, and excepting the 37558 VIN plate) matched chassis 41854. Photos from the auction compared with the car shown in the photo above say that the above car is not 41854. Its correct identity remains undetermined at this time, but based on its history it is suspected to be HBJ8L/34876.

2022-02-11 11:03:21 | Steve Byers - BJ8 Registry writes:

With a new owner of this car in Utah who was willing to work with me to determine its true identity, we have verified that it is, in fact, HBJ8L/34876.

2022-03-25 16:26:51 | pauls writes:

Car at auction 3/22
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/fl22/fort-lauderdale/lots/r0007-1967-austin-healey-30 ...
The correct VIN for this car has been established by many other serialized parts on the car as well as the body number. It would seem the VIN plate was accidentally exchanged from another car HBJ8L37558 some time ago, thus the confusion and the state assigned VIN NH0013171.

Auction description:
1967 Austin-Healey 3000 MK III BJ8
$65,000 - $75,000 USD
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 26 March 2022
State Assigned VIN NH0013171
Body No. 86793
Documents US Title

Final production-year MK III benefitting from a previous restoration
Finished in green over black with black soft-top
Powered by a 3.0-liter, inline, six-cylinder engine paired with a four-speed manual transmission
Equipped with folding soft-top, roll-up windows, push-button radio, and wire wheels
Accompanied by period tool kit, Brexton picnic set, and spare