2016-11-11 20:53:06 | pauls writes:

Car to be at auction 11/16
www.brightwells.com/classic-motoring/auctions/classic-vintage-november-2016/cata ...

Auction description:
Estimate £28,000 - £32,000
Registration Date 1962
Registration Number 924 DUL
Make & Model Austin-Healey 3000 MkII
Colour Red
Chassis No. HBT7 17387
Engine size 2,912 cc
Engine No. E29E - 4116
Documents V5C; MOT January 2017; eight old MOTs; FIA papers dated 2001; large number of bills

This purposeful MkII was purchased in 2000 by the vendor to use in Historic Motorsport. A Heritage Certificate shows that it is a UK market car, originally painted in two-tone black and pearl as a special order, with wire wheels, overdrive, heater and a hardtop. Despatched from the works at the end of January 1962, it was sold through Car Mart in London, being one of the last MkIIs to be equipped with the triple carburettors.

Shortly after acquisition, the vendor entrusted it to Healey experts Dennis Welch Motorsport who gas-flowed the head and fitted hardened valve seats to take unleaded petrol. Bills for this and general preparation amounted to some £5,700. In addition, a further bill on file from around this time shows that a Halda Twin-Master was installed at a cost of £900.

FIA papers were duly acquired which date from 2001, the vendor then entering various national and international rallies. Alas on a dark mountainside in France, the vendor entered a corner too quickly, wisely opting for the bank rather than the abyss on the other side of the road which was the only other option. The car was repatriated to the UK damaged, although the massively strong structure had ensured that the driver and navigator remained relatively unscathed.

The car was returned to Dennis Welch, who rebuilt the car as an insurance claim, the bill amounting to £14,500 which included the necessary chassis straightening (on their specialised jig), a front suspension and steering rebuild, several replacement panels and the inclusion of a safety steering column. The car was duly classified as a Category C (damaged repairable) on the insurance register in 2002.

924 DUL continued to be actively campaigned, Bill Rawles Classic Cars looking after the care and maintenance as witnessed by the numerous bills on file. More recently, Blakeney Motor Sport have done the honours, bills totalling £3,800 from 2015 for general service work and four new tyres, and another £6,600 being spent this year on further improvements.

Sensibly estimated, this smart 3000 MkII will appeal to the 'get up and go' driver looking to enter the world of Historic Motorsport or upgrade to something more effective and powerful. Only offered for sale due to the arrival of a historic and highly original pre-war family heirloom which now occupies the precious London storage space formerly taken up by the Healey, this well-prepared rally weapon looks exceptional value at the guide price suggested and a lot of fun into the bargain!