Austin Healey 3000

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Want some extra fun or usability from your classic? Then here’s our top tips

There’s an army of specialists for parts. Names worth knowing include: AH Spares 01926 817181, A Head 4 Healeys 01788 565000, Bill Rawles Classic Cars 01420 564343, Rawles Motorsport 01420 23212, JME Healeys 01926 499000, Denis Welch Motor Sport 01543 472214, Murray Scott Nelson 01723 361227, DM Classic Cars 01772 614237, UK Healey Centre 01924 899007 and, finally, the Austin-Healey Club 0116 2544111.

Steering

Slight slackness is usual and usually adjusted out. If leak prone steering feels loose it’s because of worn bushes and kingpins. AH Spares has new CNC-made boxes are a worthy addition at £1500 or so

Wheels

Standard 48-spoke wheels are known to be fragile, many now have 72-spoke items instead. If wires are fitted, regularly check for play in the splines by raising then rocking while the footbrake is applied

Body

The entire bottom nine inches of the body is susceptible to rot. Front shroud is particularly hard to restore, as it consists of several alloy sections welded together. Inner sills are structural, hard to repair

Chassis

Body is welded to chassis, making proper repairs much harder with main rails and outriggers the worst areas. Floorpans and bulkhead also welded to the chassis but parts availability is very good

Brakes

Properly maintained with quality linings, the drum brakes suffice if you’re not a heavy driver. If you do go ‘3000’ discs and want to uprate further, Lotus Cortina callipers and pads work a treat

Front suspension

If you want to retain lever-arm dampers, you can buy upgraded ones but if you do, opt for quality types. Front damper mountings prone to working loose and those lever arm dampers are leak prone

Transmission

Four-speed ’box taken from Westminster. O/D works on the upper two ratios; problems are more likely to be due to faulty electrics rather than hydraulics or unit. You can also fit an upgraded overdrive kit

Bottom end

Can seep oil, usually rear; a crank seal kit (under £50 from AH Spares) cures it. Block beyond repair? C-series units can still be found, as they were used on BMC Westminster albeit in a detuned state

Engine

Oil pressure is about 10psi at idle to 50psi running. Overheating usually simply due to poor cooling; uprated rad and a later 3000 fan blade (or quieter AH Spares five blader for under £50) should fix it

Don’t dismiss a 100/6

Initial 100/6s were slower than the 94bhp 100/4, but engine was quickly unclogged from 102bhp to 117bhp care of a 12 port cylinder head and larger SU carbs. Before the 3000 was introduced, some ‘specials’ were built such as the 100/6 S, of which 50 cars sported 3000 disc brakes along with a higher-tuned 2.6-litre engine fitted (to homologate the car for racing purposes); it was all done at the Works to add to their appeal. Another rarity is the early Longbridge-built models, identified by their peculiar bonnet design