Vehicle Description
OUTSTANDING, STRONG-PERFORMING "BIG HEALEY"RARE AS 1 OF 947 LHD BN7
2-SEATERS PRODUCEDEXPERT CONCOURS RESTORATION BY TOM ROCKE2-STAGE
URETHANE BLACK OVER COOL VANILLA FINISHPROVENANCE INCLUDES
LONG-TERM ORIGINAL OWNERSHIPORIGINAL 132 HP 2.9L INLINE-6
ENGINE4-SPEED MANUAL GEARBOXACCOMPANIED BY BMIHT
CERTIFICATEINCLUDES FULL RESTORATION PHOTO-DOCUMENTATIONONE OF
BRITAIN'S FINEST POSTWAR SPORTS CARSDebuted at the 1952 London
Motor Show, Donald Healey's "Hundred" gained immediate acclaim for
its proven Austin/BMC-sourced mechanicals, sleek envelope-type
bodywork, and electrifying performance. Competition use and success
on the international stage were immediate, including some of the
most punishing long-distance rallies and fabled endurance races of
the era. Development was relentless, with a succession of updates
resulting in the definitive, 6-cylinder Austin-Healey 100/6 by
1956. Uprated with a new 3.0-liter powerplant for 1959 and a name
change to the 'Austin-Healey 3000 Mk I,' this design continued with
steady refinements through 1967. Today, while all variations are
highly collectible and enjoyable, early examples of the
Austin-Healey 3000 Mk I are particularly coveted for their purity,
incomparable open-air experience and "first of line" status. One of
only 947 left-hand drive BN7 two-seaters produced, this extremely
attractive 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk I roadster was completed on
June 10, 1960 and dispatched six days later to Dusseldorf, Germany,
where it was purchased new by a USAF Wing Commander serving with
the Strategic Air Command in Germany. Upon his return Stateside,
the original owner had the Healey airfreighted home via a C-47
transport. According to the late Healey expert, Tom Rocke, of
riverside, California, who recently acquired and restored the
vehicle, it remained with the original owner's family for some 40
years before it was eventually found by Mr. Rocke in a barn in
Fairfield, California. A total restoration was subsequently
performed by Mr. Rocke at his Healey Lane shop in riverside,
California, with the body fully prepped and then handsomely
refinished in black over Cool Vanilla, complemented by a new soft
top and tonneau cover, plus new side curtains and a storage bag for
them. The original, matching numbers engine was rebuilt, as was the
4-speed manual gearbox. All mechanical systems were new or rebuilt
items and the instruments were rebuilt, calibrated, and certified
by the experts at palo Alto Speedometer. All new electrical
components and lighting, new 60-spoke chrome wire wheels with
re-chromed original brass knock-offs, and new correct-size radial
tires were installed. In addition to a British Motor Industry
Heritage Trust (BMIHT) certificate, documents accompanying the
Healey include full restoration photographs and a list of the
restoration work performed by Mr. Rocke and an email account of the
vehicle's prior ownership. Carrying fascinating provenance and
benefiting from the restoration prowess of Tom Rocke, this 1961
Austin-Healey 3000 Mk I BN7 is a wonderfully preserved British
sporting legend throughout, ready for continued enjoyment and
appreciation. See it for yourself by contacting us for viewing
arrangements and complete details today.
