2023-05-20 15:19:28 | pauls writes:

Car on BAT

bringatrailer.com/listing/1966-austin-healey-3000-bj8-mk-iii-47/

Auction description:

Seller: DownTheLine

Location: Tustin, California 92780

Chassis: HBJ8L32002

34k Miles Shown, TMU

2.9-Liter Inline-Six

Four-Speed Manual Transmission w/Overdrive

Refinished in Silver

Black Upholstery

15" Wire Wheels

Black Soft Top

Front Disc Brakes

Push-Button AM Radio

Owner's Manual

Spare Keys

Service Records

Private Party or Dealer: Private Party

Lot #108558

This 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 BJ8 Mk III was acquired by the seller’s father in 1974 from the car’s reported original owner in Southern California. Work performed over the ensuing years has included repainting the car in silver, refurbishing the interior with black upholstery, and overhauling the engine. Service in 2018 is said to have included lubricating the chassis and replacing the radiator, water pump, thermostat, oil-pressure flex line, valve-cover gasket, and cylinder-head studs. Power comes from a 2.9-liter inline-six linked to a four-speed manual transmission with overdrive, and other equipment includes 15″ wire wheels, a black soft top, chrome bumpers, a heater, and a push-button radio. This BJ8 is now offered by the seller on behalf of her father with an owner’s handbook, a service manual, service records, a tonneau cover, spare keys, and a clean California title in the owner’s name.

Originally finished in British Racing Green, the car is said to have been repainted in silver following an accident that occurred in 1980. In 1998, the car was stripped and refinished again in its current silver. The vehicle features a replacement black soft top and tonneau cover along with chrome bumpers and trim, a driver-side mirror, a hood scoop, vent windows, an antenna, and twin exhaust outlets. Blemishes include a dent on the left-front fender and chips in the paint on the driver’s door and at the rear of the car.

Silver-finished 15″ wire wheels are secured with two-eared spinners and mounted with 165/80 Steel Radial Metric TR tires up front and Nankang CX-668 rubber out back. The car is reportedly equipped with a power brake booster, and stopping power is provided by front discs and rear drums. Some braking and suspension components were replaced in 2012, and the front suspension was lubricated in 2023.

The cabin was refreshed under current ownership and features low-back front bucket seats and rear jump seats trimmed in black upholstery with contrasting piping. Refurbishment work under current ownership is said to have included reupholstering the dashboard, refinishing the burl wood trim, and replacing the carpeting and floor mats. Additional appointments include crank windows, a locking glovebox, a dashboard-mounted rearview mirror, front lap belts, a heater, a wooden shift knob, and a Le Chaperon push-button AM radio.

The banjo-style steering wheel features an aftermarket wrap and frames Smiths instrumentation consisting of a 140-mph speedometer, a tachometer, a fuel-level gauge, and a combination gauge for monitoring oil pressure and coolant temperature. The five-digit odometer shows 34k miles; approximately 90k miles reportedly have been added under current ownership, and the odometer has rolled over. The seller notes that the oil-pressure gauge reads low and the labels for the heater controls have worn off.

Rebuilt in 1984, the 2.9-liter inline-six is equipped with twin SU carburetors. Work conducted in 2018 is said to have included cleaning and repairing the oil pan as well as replacement of the cylinder-head studs, valve-cover gasket, radiator, water pump, thermostat, oil-pressure flex line, PCV breather hoses, spark plugs, and ignition wires. The battery was replaced in 2022, and an oil change was performed in preparation for the sale. The car’s previous green finish is visible in the engine compartment, as is corrosion on some components.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission with overdrive. The clutch line was replaced in 2012, and the clutch master cylinder, slave cylinder, and hose were replaced in preparation for the sale. Work performed in 1998 consisted of repairing body damage in various areas and straightening the frame along with rust repairs to the trunk floor, fuel tank, and the right front fender and inner rocker panel.

The chassis number is partially illegible. The VIN listed on the title is HBJ8L32002, which is correct for an Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III BJ8 built in 1965.