AH 3000 for sale... Please offer your thoughts

[wings&wheels]

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.

...and the damper (a/k/a shock absorber) is the upper control arm. I always thought that was clever.

Nice work,,,yours?

 

[Marcozi]

When does a British car stop leaking? When it runs out of oil. My first car was an AH Sprite (rebadged MG Midget). Never again.

 

[2EHA]

When it runs out of oil.

BMW in profile picture

peak comedy

 

[Motu]

...and the damper (a/k/a shock absorber) is the upper control arm. I always thought that was clever.

It was a BMC thing - the Morris Minor and Oxford used one for the top arm with their torsion bar suspension, and Austin used the shock as the top A frame in most of their cars in the '50's. What was called a steering knuckle before ball joints, and some used a stepped kingpin, a tricky one to ream.

So, if your top inner bushes are worn on a BMC car, that is a complete shock absorber replacement, and was expensive as you'd expect. With my A40 pickup, a front end rebuild was going to cost 3 times what I paid for it, so rigged up a couple of reservoirs under the bonnet with copper pipe down to the shock fill plug. Every few weeks I'd top up my shock oil.

 

[Marcozi]

BMW in profile picture

peak comedy

Yeah, bimmers can leak oil My previous car was a 2001 330Ci with the M54 engine. Leaks, we got them! The oil filter housing gasket was a joke. The valve cover gasket was temperamental and the plastic valve cover eventually cracks, giving both oil leaks and vacuum leaks! Oh, the 3l M54 is know for consuming oil once it has about 50k miles on it. Why? Low tension oil control rings and tiny oil drain holes in the piston grooves.

 

[Trav]

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.

I would be all over that if thats what I wanted. The good thing is you will need to buy a bunch of BSW tools. LOL

 

[Motu]

BMC were one of the first to change to SAE in the early '50's, but there will still be some BSW and BSF there from other suppliers.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I would be all over that if thats what I wanted. The good thing is you will need to buy a bunch of BSW tools. LOL

I take it that's the Whitworth that I used to use on an old BSA 650?

I would love to own the 3000, but no room and no time and money only spends once... Sheesh.
I had a friend who put a Chevy 327 and 4 speed in one back in the early 1970's. They were the every man's Cobra.

 

[gman2304]

They were the every man's Cobra.

Nah….That would be the Sunbeam Tiger!

 

[JeffKeryk]

Nah….That would be the Sunbeam Tiger!

Maxwell Smart for the win!

 

[Trav]

I take it that's the Whitworth that I used to use on an old BSA 650?

I would love to own the 3000, but no room and no time and money only spends once... Sheesh.
I had a friend who put a Chevy 327 and 4 speed in one back in the early 1970's. They were the every man's Cobra.

Yes Whitworth, I have a decent amount of them for the old English stuff. The old BSA probably used BSC (British Standard Cycle) and BSF, Whitworth wrenches and sockets will fit all of them.