The Austin-Healey was originally designed by Donald Healey and his son Geoffrey as a 4 cylinder sports car, badges as a Healey 100 based on the drivetrain of the Austin A90 Atlantic, being shown for the first time at the 1952 at the Earl’s Court Motor Show. At that show, Leonard Lord, the head of Austin saw the car and entered into partnership with the Healey to build, market and sell the car as the Austin-Healey, utilizing both company’s names. This worked well for Austin as the A90 was a flop and they had a surplus of engines, even pulling them from completed unsold cars to build more Austin Healeys.
The 4 cylinder was later replaced with the BMC C-Series inline 6 cylinder engine to create the Healey 100/6 which, when the engine displacement was increased in 1959 to 3 liters, the car was renamed the Austin Healey 3000. The final iteration of the Austin Healey 3000, often called a BJ8, due to its chassis designation, upgraded the car by improving the weather equipment and fitting roll up windows for the first time, as well as a veneered wood dashboard and other changes to make the car more practical for regular use.
My Austin-Healey 3000 is a BJ8 model and was one of the first cars I added to my collection. It was restored, though in non-original paint colours, by the previous owner and has proven itself to be a very reliable, very usable sports car.
In driving, the Austin-Healey is a capable sports car with very good acceleration due to its torquey motor while the gearing and overdrive make it very driveable at all speeds on all roads. The biggest downsides of the Austin-Healey are its low ground clearance and heavy steering, which makes it self apparent at low speeds and is largely brought on by the very heavy engine and its low ground clearance. Otherwise, it is a very capable car.
The improved weather equipment of the BJ8 works very well and the top goes up and down easily. Although there are technically rear seats fitted, they are almost completely unuseable as there really is no leg room. My Austin-Healey has proven to be a very reliable car with an active local club and is one that I’ve often opted to drive on long trips.
