1960 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk. I BT7 Competition

For sale by auction on Saturday 06 June 2015 with Historics at Brooklands. Brooklands Motor Racing Circuit. Weybridge. Surrey. Call 01753 639170
There is little doubt that the Big Healey occupies a significant
chapter in the annuls of historic rallying. Few cars can compete
with the elegant lines and formidable three litre engine that took
so many of these to victory at stages all over the world. The BMC
competitions department rallied the 3000 from its introduction but
the development of the works cars effectively ended in 1965 mainly
because of the success of the Mini Cooper 'S'.

Such luminaries as Pat Moss and Tommy Wisdom. Nancy Mitchell. br/>John Gott and Peter Riley took these cars into the public eye where
they remain just as competitive with modern day warriors such as
David Grace Simon Kidstone. Chassis number H-BT-H/12122 was built
in March 1960 and dispatched to Imperial Motors in Bournemouth. The
equipment specified at the factory included a black hardtop. br/>roadspeed tyres. a laminated windscreen. disc wheels all round. br/>adjustable steering column and over drive. No heater was
requested.

Whilst the first owner is unknown. a paper-trail does exist
detailing its history with the second owner from 1968. A change of
ownership took place at that point to Brian Turner of West London
with another change in 1972 to John Seymour in Essex.

He took the original registration number. OTK 76. off the car
replacing it with the current number. APU 122A although still raced
with OTK 76 right through to 1989. It is believed that the original
number was not sold but attributed to his tow-vehicle while he
raced the Healey. In 1972/73. it was fully converted to its current
racing specification before selling to Roger Byford in the early
1980's. It is thought that during John Seymour's ownership. the car
was taken back to Donald Healey in Warwickshire to be converted to
a race car.

To the trained eye. there are also another few details that
stand out; primarily. all the body panels are aluminium. including
all four wings and doors. normally the preserve of the works team
cars. including the dished rear lid. so shaped to take a spare
wheel. Additionally the throttle assemblies and rocker cover are
also of the works type.

The shock absorbers are Armstrong adjustable units to the rear
and Armstrong up-rated to the front. The gearbox contains straight
cut. close ratio gearing of the type used at Sebring. Donald
Healey's most successful circuit. mated to a 2912cc engine with
oversize valves. a racing camshaft by Rees and a Tuftrided drilled
crankshaft fitted to a lightened and balanced flywheel. The
competition distributer keeps things in time and the triple DCOE's
ensure the fuel is flowing correctly. The brakes are servo-assisted
by Bob Green with a limited slip differential and new crown wheel
and pinion with a 4. 1:1 ratio. There appears to be much on this car
that speaks of more than the sum of its parts.

In 1982. the car was sold to a German owner where it was raced
on the continent until 1989 when the vehicle was parked up and for
the past 25 years it has been dry stored. Recently recommisioned. br/>it now has excellent oil pressure and runs well. It has just been
through a UK MoT test; albeit with a borrowed set of wheels and
tyres.

Indeed. reading between the lines. it may be argued that this
car has enjoyed a career in racing that is not fully documented
here or understood. A little more research may open a few pleasant
surprises or form the basis of an easy rebirth to rallying.
Furthermore. it is supplied with FiA papers dated July. 1988 as
well as a British Motor Industry Heritage Certificate.

The future of this Healey is still to be written and could
easily be as interesting as its past.

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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