1967 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III (BJ8) GOLD

AUSTIN-HEALEY 3000, Mark lll, Phase ll Series BJ8 1967
This metallic golden beige, 15th Anniversary, 552 car "Special Edition" was purchased new from Fellmer’s Foreign Cars in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1967 by a local attorney.
The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate number 2010/20422 (from the factory build-sheet) specifies the build date as May 2-3, 1967 and the date of export to the U.S. as June 29, 1967. It verifies metallic golden beige being the original, factory color and having "all matching numbers". A very comprehensive file of the owner and official, etc., documented history of this very rare car is available.
Several years later it was sold to the second owner in Iowa, and subsequently to a past President of a chapter of the Austin-Healey Club of America from whom the current owner purchased the car.
He owned her for 35 years. Prior to current owner buying the car, he had a COMPLETE, "ROTISSERIE" RESTORATION carried out (please see the photographs).
The car was completely disassembled. The frame and substructures were "rotisserie" restored, plastic bead blasted with defective areas removed and refurbished. It was then acid-etched and primed.
All body panels were stripped to bare metal and refurbished. The aluminum panels were acid-etched prior to primer being applied. Steel panels were also stripped, acid-dipped, zinc-plated and chromate-converted prior to primer being applied. All body panels were re-assembled with all new and factory-correct fasteners and fender beads. New shut-pillar parts and piping was added.
The re-assembled car was re-finished in accordance with the following procedures, PPG products being used throughout; Etch priming was followed by a two-part epoxy primer as sealer. Urethane fill primer was followed by PPG Global base-coat/clear-coat processes with color codes traced back to the original ICI factory paint codes.
The suspension, front and rear, was rebuilt and restored using urethane suspension bushings. Rear springs, front wheel bearings, tie rod ends and steering links were replaced. The steering box was re-built with new bushings and seals. Both front and rear brakes were re-built with new caliper pistons and pads (front), new shoes and wheel cylinders (rear). Brake lines throughout were replaced and a new brake servo fitted. Both front and rear shocks were refurbished with new shock links to the rear.
The engine was completely re-built including: block and crankshaft magnafluxed and new pistons, rings and bearings were fitted. The oil pump was re-built with new gears and a new timing set and water pump were fitted. The cylinder head was re-furbished for unleaded fuel use with all new valves, guides, seats, springs and retainers including a three-angle valve-grind. The carburetors were re-built with new throttle shaft bearings (by a specialty shop for $400). The exhaust manifold was ceramic-coated and the radiator back-flushed and pressure-tested.
The exhaust system was completely replaced with all stainless components per factory specifications at a cost of over $700.
The transmission and overdrive unit were disassembled, inspected, re-furbished as required, re-assembled and tested.
The brake and clutch master and slave cylinders were re-built and filled with Castrol LMA fluid.
The electrical system was restored as necessary with a new battery with the polarity switched to negative grounding.
To retain as much of the original appearance of the car as possible, the restoration of the black interior with gold piping was kept as original as possible although modern heat-shield and sound deadening materials were used where applicable.
The mileage reflected on the speedometer is 71,540 miles but the car had only covered about 70 post-restoration miles when it was purchased earlier last year and it has been driven for approximately another 100 miles.
It was entered in the Gold Coast British Sports Car Club’s 18th Annual British Classic Car Show earlier last month and she was voted FIRST IN CLASS by an overwhelming majority!
The car was factory-fitted with the following optional extras; Wire Wheels, Adjustable Steering Column, Overdrive in 3rd and 4th gears, Laminated Windscreen and Black Tonneau and Boot Covers. She has the Original Tonneau Cover Support Rods, King Dick Jack and a Battery Cover, etc.
She has since been fitted with Pirelli Cinturato tires, Vintage Racing Safety Belts and added Xenon Headlights (I have the original head lights); a Pair of Genuine Vintage, 7" Lucas Driving Lights; a Chrome-plated Badge Bar and a Full, Original, Supplementary Tool Kit in a Reproduction Tool Roll with additional Grease-Gun similarly protected. She comes complete with the Handbook, a Workshop Manual and two competitive Parts Lists (Moss and Victoria British); a Wire Wheel Brush and an Antique, Pyrene, Brass Fire Extinguisher fitted in front of the passenger seat (for effect ONLY but required, visually at least, at Car Shows).
Included with the car is a custom, Chronograph-style Wrist Watch which was commissioned with an actual photograph of the car reproduced across the watch face.
The car is registered with the North Carolina Chapter of the Healey Club of America, the BJ8 Registry and the Metallic Golden Beige Registry.
This very unique, rare and fabulous car is a pleasure to look at, listen to and drive in the time-honored tradition of the true British Sports Car. Please remember that the overall costs-to-date of this car total a considerably higher number. As with most classic car offerings, the car is to be sold on an "as is, where is" basis with no warranty.