AH 3000 for sale... Please offer your thoughts

[JeffKeryk]

A friend's hubby is selling this Austin Healy 3000. I lusted after these cars in high school.
What's it worth and are they an electrical headache like my brother's Bugeye Sprite?

Austin Healey 3000

By the way, this is very near my neighborhood. A few blocks away.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Nice patina, perfect as is, maybe some PDR for the fender dent.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Prince of Darkness lives!

 

[Shel_B]

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/austin-healey?

 

[TheLastWord]

The hardtop adds significant value. No doubt, some will offer to buy it only.

 

[wings&wheels]

Funny, I am also looking at one AH3000 BritBits

I consider them the quintessential English sports car. Love the baleen whale grill and little scoop above it.

They are relatively easy to own for an old sports car, but have a few weaknesses such as rust, a very vulnerable and $$ exhaust system, and the prior owners legacy which can be the worst one. Otherwise, they are durable, fun, quick for their day, but they drive old..even for their vintage; live axles, lever shocks and leaf springs are what they are.

The Lucas faults are more related to the prior owner than anything else, either way a few hours effort with contact cleaner, fine sandpaper or similar and dielectric paste will deal with most minor issues.

Parts are available, NOS, used and repro, but be careful w/ modern production parts...many are simply craptastic.

I'd do it, but I am probably the wrong guy to ask.

 

[drtyler]

They are great British roadsters. The 6 is nice, although heavy. Really cool cars.

 

[wag123]

It looks like a good project car for someone, but, unless you are able and willing to do most of the work yourself (and have someplace to do it), a car like this can quickly turn into a major nightmare and money pit. If you are going to have to pay someone else to do the work, first you will need to find someone that can actually do the work and knows what they are doing (not easy), then you are going to have to spend an enormous amount of money to get it done right. If you just want to make it into a driver at minimal expense, forget it. There isn't going to be anything minimal about the expense of doing anything to this car. You can see listed just how many things have been done recently, and these items are just normal everyday repairs to keep it running, and there is a much longer list of items that can and will wear-out or break. The Lucas electrical system is responsible for some problems, but it is basic/simple and relatively easy to fix. The electrics are only responsible for a small fraction of the things that can and do go wrong on British cars. For example, they list a bad 2nd gear synchro, this is a common problem on these, and not an inexpensive fix. Furthermore, there are a long list of parts that are extremely difficult (or impossible) to source and ungodly expensive. I know what I am talking about as I have owned/restored/repaired/maintained a couple of British roadsters from this era. I hate to rain on your parade JeffKeryk but it is what it is.

 

[Passport1]

I had a Bug Eye Sprite and my brother had an early 3000. The electrical systems are as primitive as an shark's nervous system. Because they are so simple they aren't difficult to Dx and fix. Lucas electrics get simply apoplectic in the wet. Silicone spray helps. As Wings&Wheels mentioned the exhaust systems are very low and easily damaged. Engines and transmissions are stout but synchros must be respected when shifting. SU side draft carbs are primitive like the electrics but usually not difficult to synch. The dashpots should have very light weight oil.

The bodies are really well made and durable.

The AH 3000 is a very attractive British roadster.

 

[Passport1]

I really love old British sports cars and grew up with them during their halcyon days so add these to videos of the AH 3000 to your ruminations:

 

[ka9mnx]

62 AH Sprite and 70 MGB-GT in my younger life. Lovely cars and fun to drive but be prepared to drive 50% of the time and work on them the other 50%. And that was when these cars were 50-60 years younger.

 

[JeffKeryk]

If I were younger, then I might give it a shot. But I have too many cars now and my days of bench pressing transmissions are over.

I appreciate all the guidance.

 

[RDMgr]

I found fair condition at ~$27,500; good condition at ~$45,400; excellent condition at ~$65,000

 

[AZjeff]

4 place cabin

Seems like a big engine, was this a hot car in the day?

 

[JeffKeryk]

4 place cabin

Seems like a big engine, was this a hot car in the day?

Well, some people swapped small block Chevy engines in them...

 

[HankHill]

At 43 years old I just rode in my first convertible last fall. The feeling of being that open and free was addicting for me, and I have to constantly stop myself from looking at used ones.
If a convertible in a modern sized car felt that good, I can only imagine how it would feel to ride in one, probably the closest thing to riding a motorcycle there is.
I'm imagining how great it would feel to be in one.. The sound and feel of the engine, exhaust note, being that low to the ground, and the unfiltered road feel.
I know all my free time would be consumed with restoration, maintenance, searching for parts..

 

[wings&wheels]

At 43 years old I just rode in my first convertible last fall. The feeling of being that open and free was addicting for me, and I have to constantly stop myself from looking at used ones.
If a convertible in a modern sized car felt that good, I can only imagine how it would feel to ride in one, probably the closest thing to riding a motorcycle there is.
I'm imagining how great it would feel to be in one.. The sound and feel of the engine, exhaust note, being that low to the ground, and the unfiltered road feel.
I know all my free time would be consumed with restoration, maintenance, searching for parts..

There are worse vices...

They, being vintage sportscars, are addictive but they have to be in your blood; they are work to own. Also, they are not especially fast. most of the mainstream ones at least, plus the ride, braking and handling are from a bygone era. Not saying they are not nimble and a heck of a lot of fun, they most certainly are, but to be happy you have to want one and realize that driving is only part of the experience. Get to Central Mass, we can arrange a fun afternoon.

britBits You're welcome.

 

[JeffKeryk]

At 43 years old I just rode in my first convertible last fall. The feeling of being that open and free was addicting for me, and I have to constantly stop myself from looking at used ones.
If a convertible in a modern sized car felt that good, I can only imagine how it would feel to ride in one, probably the closest thing to riding a motorcycle there is.
I'm imagining how great it would feel to be in one.. The sound and feel of the engine, exhaust note, being that low to the ground, and the unfiltered road feel.
I know all my free time would be consumed with restoration, maintenance, searching for parts..

How about a 427 4 speed Roadster?

 

[Cujet]

The front suspension on that era of Brit cars was interesting. The use of upper and lower control arms (Today they call it double wishbone) and what is in essence, a "kingpin" for steering. They had not yet moved to ball joints, so all suspension movement was done via greased steel pins. They can be a bit odd for a modern mechanic to maintain. However, the suspension did provide enough accuracy (if not worn out) for the cars to be really fun, and competitive on the track (way back when).

I truly enjoy driving them! Yes, they kind of crash over the bumps, and are not up to modern standards. But they feel great, and encourage sporty motoring.

 

[ArPix]

I love big Healys but what scares me about them is the steering arrangement. The steering gearbox is located in front of the engine and the shaft to the steering wheel has no energy dissipation qualities at all. So in a frontal collision the wheel is rammed back towards the driver who is probably only restrained by a lap belt. This is a well known negative issue with these cars.