THE BIG HEALEYS - AUSTIN-HEALEY 3000's

THE BIG HEALEYS - AUSTIN-HEALEY 3000
– Models BJ7 and BJ8 -Mark III
(Produced from March 1962 to December 1967).
The Model BJ7 was 2+2 seater with roll-up windowsand wrap around windshield. It had a convertible top, a 6 cylinder 2912 cc engine and Twin 1 ¾’’ SU’s. This model was at the beginning actually badged as a MK II
The Model BJ8 was launched in October 1963. It was similar to the 3000 BJ7 except for “restyled interior with wood dash, more creature comforts and revised exhaust system and twin 2’’ SU HD carburetors. It had Servo assisted brakes and a new exhaust system. Standard interior trim was Ambia vinyl; leather was optional.
The 3000 Mark III launched in October 1963, remained in production until the end of 1967, when manufacturing of Austin-Healeys ceased. Only one further car was built in March 1968.
Designated the BJ8, the 2+2 Mark III was the most powerful and luxurious of the big Healeys, with a standard walnut-veneer dash, wind-up windows, and a 150 hp (112 kW) engine. Added power came from a new camshaft and valve springs, twin SU 2" HD8 carburettors, and a new exhaust system design. Servo-assisted brakes were also standard. Options remained otherwise the same, except that the standard interior trim was downgraded to Ambla vinyl, with leather as an extra.
In May 1964 the Phase II version of the Mark III was released, which gained ground clearance through a modified rear chassis. In March 1965 the car received separate indicators.
A total of 17,712 Mark IIIs were made.
Some of us older Healey enthusiasts may know about the differences and history of an Austin-Healey 100, a 100-S, a 100-M, 100-6, 3000 Mark I, 3000 Mark II and the Mark III. On the other hand, younger folk, AH enthusiasts or not, may not know about them. To remedy that and, to refresh my own knowledge, I have composed albums with illustrations and summarized information about production dates and characteristics of each model found in the internet.
Austin-Healey was a British sports car maker established in 1952 through a joint venture between the Austin division of the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and the Donald Healey Motor Company (Healey), a renowned automotive engineering and design firm. Leonard Lord represented BMC and Donald Healey his firm.
BMC merged with Jaguar Cars in 1966 to form British Motor Holdings (BMH). Donald Healey left BMH in 1968 when it merged into British Leyland. Healey then joined Jensen Motors, which had been making bodies for the "big Healeys" since their inception in 1952, and became their chairman in 1972. Austin-Healey cars were produced until 1972 when the 20-year agreement between Healey and Austin came to an end.
The name Austin is now owned by Nanjing, which bought the assets of MG Rover Group (British Leyland's successor company) out of bankruptcy in 2005. After Donald Healey sold his original business, Donald Healey Motor Company, the Healey brand was registered to a new firm, Healey Automobile Consultants, which the Healey family sold to HFI Automotive in 2005..
In June 2007, Nanjing and Healey Automobile Consultants / HFI Automotive signed a collaborative agreement that aims to recreate the Austin Healey and Healey marques alongside NAC's MG. No timeline has been given as to when the Healey and Austin-Healey brands will return, although MG, is said, will be back on the market in China and the UK by the end of 2017.
(Info and photos found in the web by Jaime Molina)