1963 Austin-Healey 3000 BJ7 MkII Convertible

Description

By the late 1950s the original Big Healey had evolved from the beautiful but primitive 100 BN1 of 1952 to the rather more sophisticated 3000 series introduced in 1959, with a powerful six-cylinder engine in place of the original’s four pot motor. The 3000 saw Abingdon adopt Girling disc brakes on the front wheels, while the stylish body was once again available in both two-seater (BN7) or two-plus-two (BT7) guises, the majority optioned with wire wheels and overdrive transmission. The C-series six-cylinder’s capacity rose from 2639cc to 2912cc, achieved by increasing bore size from 79.4mm to 83.36mm (stroke remained 88.9mm), resulting in a noticeable jump in both power and torque. In 1961 BMC further revamped the 3000, adding a third SU carburettor and raising power even further to 132 bhp at 4750 rpm. Shortly after the Mark II’s introduction a revised gearbox casing was adopted, resulting in a more positive gear-change. The following year saw perhaps the most radical revision of the 3000 yet, one aimed squarely at a new breed of buyer for whom comfort was just as important as performance. The new BJ7 Convertible saw the original flat glass replaced with a proper wraparound windscreen, wind-up windows, a decently constructed hood plus the BT7’s 2+2 cockpit layout. Responding to criticism that the triple carburettor set-up was hard to keep in tune, BMC reverted to twin SUs but, thanks to revised manifolds, peak power remained virtually unchanged. Sometimes referred to as the Mark IIA, the BJ7 sold well in its two years of production, with 6,113 leaving the Abingdon factory, the vast majority destined for the USA. Demand for the Big Healeys has always remained strong and values remarkably buoyant, but the real pleasure is to be had behind the wheel of these classic British sports cars.