All original: engine (original engine rebuilt), transmission, overdrive, rear end, brakes, suspension, radiator (flushed), generator, starter, 5 original wire wheels, carburetors, all gauges, shock absorbers, steering components, wiring harness, electrical system, all emblems, side curtains, factory BN7 hardtop, jack.
clutch, clutch master, brake master, stainless steel exhaust, brake hoses, radiator hoses, engine mounts, sway bar bushings, correct thermostat, all rubber parts renewed, copper hammer for wheel removal.
New Heritage tonneau cover New Derrington wood steering wheel (Cape International, UK) New water pump New tires (Kumho, 2008) New OEM brass carburetor floats (Joe Curto SU rebuilder) New fuel tank (Moss; June, 2008) Modifications (all original parts can be reinstalled): Negative ground Pertronix electronic ignition Screw-on oil filter Alternator Hi-torque starter motor Universal Facet fuel pump BJ8 cam and modified head for unleaded fuel Rear engine seal to stop oil leaks (British Car Specialists) 12V Optima battery (replacing two 6V batteries) Coolant overflow system (Cape International, UK) Overdrive switch on shift knob (Cape International, UK) Rear view side mirror that screws into windscreen pillar (Cape International- this is great) Grose jets in carburetor float chambers Seat belts Additional scissor jack for low clearance |
| 1962 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark II BN7 The rarest regular production Healey: the triple carburetor, center-shift, 2-seater |
Finished car, 2008
The philosophy behind the restoration:
This is not a show car. It was restored to be driven, and all of the
bugs are out. The car was repainted in its original exterior color
(Ivory White), but I didn't like the original red interior color.
Therefore, I installed a dark blue leather interior from Heritage.
With regard to the originality issue, I purposely did not replace
original parts that were functioning perfectly, including the shocks
and springs, and the brake calipers. Nor did I paint the frame or
underside. The car is a relatively rust-free Arizona original, and I
kept it as close to that as possible. However, my overriding
consideration was to make it a reliable car. It has never been in
an accident, and it now has 47,600 original miles.
The British numberplate is from the 1967 Healey that my father
ordered in 1967, picked up in the UK and shipped back, but
which we sold a year later.
The car has a new convertible top that has been sitting unused
for 7 years, the original factory hardtop has been entirely rebuilt,
a new blue tonneau cover, original side curtains not rebuilt (one
half window missing), British Heritage certificate, driver's
handbook, parts catalog, and service manual. There can hardly
be a more complete, original, mostly unmolested, rust-free
example of this rare triple-carb BN7 anywhere in the world.
The photos below are of the underside, and with the hardtop.
Please remember: you are looking at a 46 year-old car that has
not been disassembled, welded, and perfected cosmetically.
This is not a show car. It was restored to be driven, and all of the
bugs are out. The car was repainted in its original exterior color
(Ivory White), but I didn't like the original red interior color.
Therefore, I installed a dark blue leather interior from Heritage.
With regard to the originality issue, I purposely did not replace
original parts that were functioning perfectly, including the shocks
and springs, and the brake calipers. Nor did I paint the frame or
underside. The car is a relatively rust-free Arizona original, and I
kept it as close to that as possible. However, my overriding
consideration was to make it a reliable car. It has never been in
an accident, and it now has 47,600 original miles.
The British numberplate is from the 1967 Healey that my father
ordered in 1967, picked up in the UK and shipped back, but
which we sold a year later.
The car has a new convertible top that has been sitting unused
for 7 years, the original factory hardtop has been entirely rebuilt,
a new blue tonneau cover, original side curtains not rebuilt (one
half window missing), British Heritage certificate, driver's
handbook, parts catalog, and service manual. There can hardly
be a more complete, original, mostly unmolested, rust-free
example of this rare triple-carb BN7 anywhere in the world.
The photos below are of the underside, and with the hardtop.
Please remember: you are looking at a 46 year-old car that has
not been disassembled, welded, and perfected cosmetically.
There's no comparison!
| Please email me if you are interested in the car. Price: $68,000 See bottom of webpage to compare with other BN7s tri-carbs currently for sale. This is the best car on the market, at the best price. If you buy it now, you'll have it when the economy recovers. If you wait, you'll lose it. But keep in mind that I might be a little biased. It's still for sale (updated 3 July, 2009) |
This is an incredibly original Mark II BN7 2-seater survivor; one of only 355 made. Of
the 355 Mark II BN7s produced, 214 were made in 1961, including side and
center-shift transmissions, and 141 were made in 1962, all center-shift
transmissions. Of these 141 cars, 125 were left hand drive for North American
export. This car is one of these 125 rarest of all regular production cars, completed
in late January, 1962 (car HBN7L/17240), one of the last BN7's made (BN7 production
stopped in March, 1962), and almost certainly the only one to be delivered originally
in dry, rust-free Arizona, and to have lived here ever since.
This one is too hard to believe, leading me to suspect that it is a onetime celestial
reward for something good that I did, although I don't actually remember doing
anything good. I took my 1949 Plymouth to my mechanic to fix, and told him that
what I was really looking for was an Austin Healey 3000, since I had one in 1967 for
less than a year and had missed it ever since. He said that I ought to buy the one
that has been "sitting in storage next door for the last 18 years." According to his
recollections, it had been brought in to be serviced, and the owner never picked up
the car, and was presumed dead. It was in good running order, with new oil and
silicon brake fluid, and virtually rust-free when it was parked in 1983. It was never
touched again until 2001, after I bought it.
At that time, I did not realize it was the rare triple carburetor 2-seater. I also did not
know its history until I took it to the local Tucson British car expert and Moss
distributor, who looked at it and immediately said, "hey, that was my Professor's
car in college!" He knew the entire history of the car because there could only be
one 1962 triple carb, Ivory White/red interior BN7 two-seater in Tucson. He knew the
man's name and I tracked down his wife, who told me that he had died 2 years ago.
Amazingly, she works where I work and his daughter was in my son's class. His
wife confirmed that he had lost the Healey long ago and was never able to find it.
His grandparents bought it for him new in Phoenix in 1962. It was a one owner,
completely original car, with 45,000 miles and it had the original exhaust system!
The owner had apparently stored the car at a friend's garage, and this friend took
this car and two others to the garage where my mechanic worked at the time to get
them running and serviced. He apparently picked up the other two cars but died
before picking up the Healey. Why they couldn't or didn't try to contact anyone to
return the car, I don't know, but clearly the original owner didn't know where the car
was.
The first set of photos below are after 18 years of sitting in a Tucson garage, prior to
getting it running. No evidence of accident damage, and barely a ding in the body:
the 355 Mark II BN7s produced, 214 were made in 1961, including side and
center-shift transmissions, and 141 were made in 1962, all center-shift
transmissions. Of these 141 cars, 125 were left hand drive for North American
export. This car is one of these 125 rarest of all regular production cars, completed
in late January, 1962 (car HBN7L/17240), one of the last BN7's made (BN7 production
stopped in March, 1962), and almost certainly the only one to be delivered originally
in dry, rust-free Arizona, and to have lived here ever since.
This one is too hard to believe, leading me to suspect that it is a onetime celestial
reward for something good that I did, although I don't actually remember doing
anything good. I took my 1949 Plymouth to my mechanic to fix, and told him that
what I was really looking for was an Austin Healey 3000, since I had one in 1967 for
less than a year and had missed it ever since. He said that I ought to buy the one
that has been "sitting in storage next door for the last 18 years." According to his
recollections, it had been brought in to be serviced, and the owner never picked up
the car, and was presumed dead. It was in good running order, with new oil and
silicon brake fluid, and virtually rust-free when it was parked in 1983. It was never
touched again until 2001, after I bought it.
At that time, I did not realize it was the rare triple carburetor 2-seater. I also did not
know its history until I took it to the local Tucson British car expert and Moss
distributor, who looked at it and immediately said, "hey, that was my Professor's
car in college!" He knew the entire history of the car because there could only be
one 1962 triple carb, Ivory White/red interior BN7 two-seater in Tucson. He knew the
man's name and I tracked down his wife, who told me that he had died 2 years ago.
Amazingly, she works where I work and his daughter was in my son's class. His
wife confirmed that he had lost the Healey long ago and was never able to find it.
His grandparents bought it for him new in Phoenix in 1962. It was a one owner,
completely original car, with 45,000 miles and it had the original exhaust system!
The owner had apparently stored the car at a friend's garage, and this friend took
this car and two others to the garage where my mechanic worked at the time to get
them running and serviced. He apparently picked up the other two cars but died
before picking up the Healey. Why they couldn't or didn't try to contact anyone to
return the car, I don't know, but clearly the original owner didn't know where the car
was.
The first set of photos below are after 18 years of sitting in a Tucson garage, prior to
getting it running. No evidence of accident damage, and barely a ding in the body:
After new tires, emptying and cleaning the fuel tank (a big mistake as a new
tank should have been put in then, rather than much later, after repeated
and unbelievably irritating fuel starvation experiences) and rebuilding the
triple carbs in preparation for new gas, it started immediately.
tank should have been put in then, rather than much later, after repeated
and unbelievably irritating fuel starvation experiences) and rebuilding the
triple carbs in preparation for new gas, it started immediately.
That's Ray of Ray's Engine Rebuilding, Tucson, AZ, the car's
original mechanic who told me about the car.
After running beautifully for 10 months, engine rebuilding in 2004:
original mechanic who told me about the car.
After running beautifully for 10 months, engine rebuilding in 2004:
The photos below of the engine bay without the engine show the original condition of the
factory-painted frame, virtually as new from the factory- no rust.
factory-painted frame, virtually as new from the factory- no rust.
Before and after engine rebuild and conversion to alternator:
Mechanical work done- ready for painting July 2004