1962 Austin-Healey 3000 MKIIA

Lot details
Registration No: 744 GON
Chassis No: HBJ721662
Mot Expiry: None

In October 1952 the Donald Healey Motor Company showed a stunning open sports car at the Earls Court Motorshow, which in four cylinder, six cylinder and later three litre configurations were rugged sports cars in the best British tradition. Austin Healey, as they were known, were assembled at Abington but the marque name disappeared altogether in 1970. There were many ' works cars' that were used for both racing and rallying, very successfully, and of course we sold the ex Sebring car last year for an very healthy £90,000.
744 GON was built as a Mk2A BJ7 in October 1962 and was sent to the competitions department to be rebuilt into a Liege-Sofia-Liege Rally specification car. John Wheatly, 30 years with BMC as an engineer and a research and development man recalls seeing it at Longbridge driven by Umberto Pizzigalli. He was the resident engineer for the Innocenti Motor Company, in other words B.M.C. in Italy, and based at Cowley and Longbridge, and reputedly used this in his regular commutes to Italy at full tilt as if he were running his own rally each time. The full specification details are in the history file along with its Heritage Trust Certificate but suffice it to say that it did not lack for much that was available at the time (lightweight side curtain doors & alloy body panels, Tulip straight cut gearbox with o/d, 14 leaf springs, chassis stiffening, comp engine with special 3-carb manifold, etc., etc.) and to be honest it probably received more than the official documents could reveal.
The history file contains a wealth of information and photographs and there are letters from previous owners. The first states that the car was issued with the registration number 744 GON through the Oozells Street registration office so that it could be sold as purchased tax paid vehicle for Mr Pizzagali. The second letter is from Charles Wand Tetley who remembers it in 1971, when he owned it for about eight months, then in British racing green, the colours of the ex-World Rally car. He recalls being the last owner in the original logbook, the first owner in the logbook being the Works, and that earlier owners he'd spoken to then had in fact raced it in the 1960's.
Over the years it has seen the loss of its original rear facing spotlight, its cowl vent filled in (though the opening can clearly be seen under the dash), two of its original vented front alloy wings replaced with steel wings, its competition Tulip gearbox with competition overdrive on all gears taken out and rebuilt along with its competition differential, all of which come with the car. A street gearbox and differential were put in, perhaps in an attempt to tame the beast for daily use. Now in red livery with its original competition seats in blue piped red, resplendent on its mini light wheels and still sporting its original registration this car will be much admired wherever it goes; perhaps to the events surrounding the 50th anniversary of the marque, or thundering again down the Continent in historic races and rallies.
PLEASE NOTE: For the sake of clarity it could read as though the rear facing spotlight and the alloy wings are with the car which they are not. We apologise for any confusion.