Descrizione
For sale with a brisk 200hp and beautiful body lines is this 1959 Austin Healey 3000 MkI two-seater. One of just 68 UK right hand drive cars HSV 285 was first delivered to Prynn & Stevens Limited of London on 21stAugust 1959 in the exact same colour specification the car remains in today; Ivory White with Red leather seating plus Red carpet and interior trim.
In late 2021 a major mechanical restoration was carried out at a cost of £20, 000 including a full engine rebuild, gearbox rebuild and suspension overhaul. The original engine was totally rebuilt with specification including:
chemical clean to bare metal, machining to fast road specification with fast road camshaft, upgraded cylinder head including lead free conversion, oil seal upgrades front and rear, porosity kit, triple Webber carburettors with fast road manifold, large bore straight through exhaust, high torque starter motor, alternator conversion, large core radiator, Revotec additional electric fan. The result is 200hp on both an engine dyno and rolling road – very big power for a road going Austin Healey and more impressively still the car remains exceptionally well mannered and tractable.
At the same time the gearbox was fully rebuilt to original specification with some small upgrades. The suspension was fully stripped down with all new components including springs, dampers, bushes, the underside was stripped and recoated and upgraded 4-piston brakes were added behind new Black 72 spoke wire wheels shod in ultra grippy soft compound Avon ZZ tyres.
Since its mechanical overhaul HSV 285 has covered around 1, 000 miles – just enough to be fully broken in and ready to go but remaining otherwise mechanically as new. To drive this is one very complete car with the newly overhauled suspension providing sharp and direct body control, the very sporty engine providing very enthusiastic power and a sonorous roar delivered through a slick gear change and with stopping power to match from the upgraded brakes.
Cosmetically HSV is a very smart car but not over restored. All original panels make for very nice body fit with good shape all around. The engine bay was taken back and repainted at the time of the engine rebuild in 2021 and the remaining outer bodywork remains very sound but with some patina and usage since its prior restoration in 1988 by JME Healeys.
On the inside this Healey is very smart but also original with its original seat upholstery giving character to a otherwise fully restored interior with trim panels and carpet more recently replaced. A Moto-Lita steering wheel provides a sportier look to the cockpit over the larger originals.
Sold with MOT, British Motor Heritage Certificate of Authenticity, large paperwork history file in a fun leather bound book/ binder plus some photographic history, spare wheel, jack and hammer.
