The Austin-Healey 3000 is a British sports car built from 1959 to 1967. It is the best known of the "big Healey" models. The car's bodywork was made by Jensen Motors and the vehicles were assembled at BMC's MG Works in Abingdon, alongside the corporation's MG models.

During its production life, the car transitioned from an open sports car, albeit with a child-transporting 2+2 option, to a sports convertible.

In 1963, 91.5 per cent of all Austin-Healey 3000 cars were exported; mostly to North America.

The 3-litre 3000 was a highly successful car, which won its class in many European rallies in its heyday and is still raced in classic car competitions by enthusiasts today.

British Motor Corporation ended manufacture in 1967, intending its place to be filled by a car with a new, though similar, engine in a more recently designed monocoque MGB variant named MGC.

History
 

BN7, BT7 roadsters
Mark I

1959 Mark I BN7 open two-seater

1960 Mark I BT7 open 2+2
The Austin-Healey 3000 was announced on 1 July 1959 with a 3-litre BMC C-Series engine to replace the smaller 2.6-litre engine of the 100-6 and disc brakes for its front wheels. The manufacturers claimed it would reach 60 mph in 11 seconds and 100 mph in 31 seconds.

Other changes were minor compared to those between the original 100 and the 100-6. The wheelbase and body were unchanged as were the body-styles, a 2+2 or BT7 and a two-seater BN7.

Weather protection remained minimal, a folding plastic roof on a light demountable frame and above the doors detachable side screens holding sliding perspex panels. Wire wheels, overdrive gearbox, laminated windscreen, heater, adjustable steering column, detachable hard top for the 2+2, and two-tone paint were available as options.

13,650 Mark Is were built: 2,825 BN7 open two-seaters, and 10,825 BT7 2+2s
Road test

2+2
A BT7 3000 with hardtop and overdrive tested by The Motor magazine in 1960 had a top speed of 115 mph (185 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 11.7 seconds. A fuel consumption of 21.6 miles per imperial gallon (13.1 L/100 km; 18.0 mpg‑US) was recorded. The test car cost £1326 including taxes.
BN7, BT7 roadsters
Mark II

1962 Mark II BT7 open 2+2 showing sidescreens and fitted with optional wire wheels and hardtop
Engines fitted with three SU HS4 carburettors (total area 5.3 sq. inches) and an improved camshaft were announced at the end of May 1961.[4] Other changes included a vertical barred front grille. Optional extras were similar to the Mark I. From August 1961 a brake servo was also available as an optional extra, which greatly improved braking performance.

Road test
A 3000 Mark II BT7 (699DON) with hardtop and overdrive tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1961 had a top speed of 112.9 mph (181.7 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 10.9 seconds. A fuel consumption of 23.5 miles per imperial gallon (12.0 L/100 km; 19.6 mpg‑US) was recorded. The test car cost £1362 including taxes.

Last true roadsters
The BN7 Mark II was discontinued in March 1962, and the BT7 Mark II in June 1962

BJ7 sports convertible
Mark II

1962 Mark II BJ7 sports convertible
The 3000 sports convertible Mark II was launched at the end of August 1962. It was a true convertible with almost saloon car comfort, a new wrap-around windscreen, wind-up side windows, swiveling quarter lights and a quick-action folding roof. Twin SU HS6 carburettors replaced the triple SUs (total area 5.3 sq. inches, a 9.25% reduction). Austin-Healey claimed it could exceed 115 mph.

91.5 per cent of all 1963 Austin Healey 3000 cars were exported mostly to North America.

11,564 Mark IIs were made: 355 BN7 open two-seaters, 5,096 BT7 2+2s, and 6,113 BJ7 2+2 sports convertibles
BJ8 sports convertible
Mark III

1966 Mark III BJ8 sports convertible (North America)

The 3000 sports convertible Mark III was announced in February 1964 with power increased from 136 bhp to 150 bhp by a new higher lift camshaft. SU HD8 carburettors replaced HS6 units increasing the choke size from 1.75 to 2 inches, or total area 6.3 sq. inches, increasing by 30.6%). Power-assisted braking became standard instead of optional. The new car's fascia displayed its speedometer and tachometer directly in front of the driver. Upholstery was now in Ambla vinyl.

The Mark III BJ8 remained in production until the end of 1967 when manufacture of the Austin-Healey 3000 ceased.

In May 1964 the Phase II version of the Mark III was released, which gained ground clearance through a modified rear chassis. In March 1965 the car received separate indicator lights.

The Austin-Healey Sprite is a small open sports car which was produced in the United Kingdom from 1958 to 1971. The Sprite was announced to the press in Monte Carlo by the British Motor Corporation on 20 May 1958, two days after that year's Monaco Grand Prix. It was intended to be a low-cost model that "a chap could keep in his bike shed", yet be the successor to the sporting versions of the pre-war Austin Seven. The Sprite was designed by the Donald Healey Motor Company, with production being undertaken at the MG factory at Abingdon. It first went on sale at a price of £669, using a tuned version of the Austin A-Series engine and as many other components from existing cars as possible to keep costs down.

When the Mk. II Sprite was introduced in 1961 it was joined by a badge-engineered MG version, the Midget, reviving a model name used by MG from the late 1920s through to the mid 1950s. Enthusiasts often refer to these later Sprites and Midgets collectively as "Spridgets." The MG-badged version of the car continued in production for several years after the Austin-Healey brand ceased to exist.

The next upgrade was presented at the London Motor Show in October 1966.[9] Besides receiving the larger 1275 cc engine (which disappointed enthusiasts by being in a lower state of tune than that of the Mini-Cooper 'S'), the Mark IV and its cousin the Mark III MG Midget had several changes which were more than cosmetic. Most notable is the change from a removable convertible top, which had to be stowed in the boot, to a permanently affixed, folding top of greatly improved design, which was much easier to use. Separate brake and clutch master cylinders were fitted, as car manufacturers' thoughts began to turn to making their products safer.[10] On US market versions the larger engine sacrificed some of its performance from 1968 on, through the use of smog pumps and other modifications to comply with federal emission control requirements. 1969 was the final year the Sprite was exported to the US. At the same time reversing lamps were made a standard fitment and the cars' electrical system was switched to negative earth and powered by an alternator rather than a dynamo. This was also the first year that reclining seats were fitted.

A facelift was carried out for the 1970 model year (beginning in September 1969) after Austin-Healey (and MG) became part of British Leyland. These largely cosmetic revision were to update the appearance of the car (now 10 years old) and minimise the difference between the Sprite and Midget versions to reduce production costs; both cars now had the same cosmetic features, differing only in their badges. Alongside a new range of body colours, both cars now had the same grille, based on the plainer square-mesh design of the MkII-onwards Sprite but now finished in satin black with the addition of a chrome embellisher. The body sills were painted satin black with a chrome strip between them and the upper bodywork and the name "SPRITE" was applied in chrome capital letters on the sill just behind the front wheelarch (MG Midgets had their own badge in the same style).

1970 Austin-Healey Sprite Mark IV with revised grille and cast-alloy wheels

Slimmer bumpers were fitted, with those at the rear changing to two quarter-bumpers with the gap in the middle filled by a square number plate. Rubber-capped overriders were standard fitments front and rear. The seats were now a slimmer, flatter design with a more modern upholstery pattern. Some body colours could now be ordered with the option of the seats, door trim and floor carpets in beige rather than the standard black. 1970-model year Sprites were fitted with new cast-alloy looking ventilated wheels although they were still made of steel. However, the option for wire-spoke wheels remained. As launched the 1970 Sprites had their windscreen frames and windscreen wiper arms painted 'anti-dazzle' matt black as was popular on modern American muscle cars and rally cars of the era but these features were expensive to produce and unpopular with buyers so only a few hundred cars were produced before these reverted to the original polished metal appearance. In 1972, the rear wheel arches were remodelled to give a circular shape. This was known as the RWA version (Round Wheel Arch) and is the most popular and highly prized version amongst enthusiasts. The flat rather obviously fake "Alloy" wheels were dropped at this time and the "Rostyle" wheel, a narrower version of Ford's Cortina 1600E wheel but in painted silver and black, not chrome like Ford's iconic embellishment, were introduced. When the later 1500 cc version, using the Spitfire engine and all-synchromesh gearbox was introduced in 1976, the older square wheel arches had to be re-introduced as well as an increase in ride height and rubber shock absorbable bumbers, to comply with US safety and crash test requirements.[11] 22,790 Mark IV Sprites were made.

Engine:

1966–1971: 1275 cc A-Series I4, 65 hp (48 kW) at 6000 rpm and 72 lbf·ft (98 Nm) at 3000 rpm
The Healey connection was discontinued in 1971, so the final 1,022 Sprites built were simply Austin Sprites.[12] This was a cost-cutting move of Donald Stokes', enabling British Leyland to stop paying royalties to the Donald Healey Motor Company.[13] There was no direct successor, as BL's extensive range already contained the MG Midget, which was identical to the Sprite except for badging, and the similarly dimensioned and priced Triumph Spitfire.

Competition
The Sprite (and its MG Midget sibling) have been successful club level race cars since their launch and continue to race in various events to the present day. International events were entered throughout the 1960s and surprisingly good results were achieved, including a 12th-place finish at Le Mans in 1965. The works cars began with use of a commercially available fibreglass-bodied Sprite (with a Falcon body) before utilising lightweight body panels of standard appearance. By the mid-60s, use was made of the wind-tunnel at Longbridge. Barry Bilbie (the chassis designer) utilised the results to produce a streamlined body, built in Birmabright alloy at Healey's Warwick workshops by Bill Buckingham and Terry Westwood. These cars were powered by BMC's Courthouse Green's tuned engines and eventually produced a reliable 110 bhp, which enabled a top speed of around 150 mph on the Mulsanne Straight. One-off gearboxes were also made at Courthouse Green, with MGB gearboxes modified with an externally mounted 5th gear and overdrive in some cases. BMC works entries recorded class wins at Sebring with drivers including Stirling Moss, Bruce McLaren and Steve McQueen, as well as competing in the Targa Florio and Mugello sports car races.