Lot 234: 1961 Austin Healey 3000 Mk I Rally Car

The Austin Healey 3000 has endeared itself to enthusiasts the world over, not least for those who remember the sight and sound of this muscular British sports car roaring to spectacular success in international rallying. It was not long before the 3000 proved highly competitive, displaying both pace and great strength on its 1959 Alpine Rally debut. The Austin Healey heralded the dawning of the golden age that British rallying was to enjoy in the Sixties, the fast, hairy-chested, good-looking Healeys were paving the way. For instance, Healeys were first and third in the Marathon, second in the Alpine and second and third in the RAC Rally. The results continued on into the following year; the Morley twins won the Alpine outright and were awarded with the only Coupe des Alpes while other major results included a second in the RAC Rally and third in the Acropolis. The results continued into 1963 and in 1964, a Healey won the Marathon for the first time, the last one held as a road event, as well as coming second on the Tulip. Big Healeys scored numerous successes with great drivers such as the Morley brothers, Pat Moss, Paddy Hopkirk, Peter Riley, Timo Makinen and Rauno Altonen.This particular Healey, with its original registration of 869 TPB was manufactured in 1961 and is an original right hand drive UK car.869 TPB has always been, to the present owners knowledge, a race car and has been campaigned successfully throughout its life, most recently in the Scottish historic championship, combining in three Scottish championship wins in 1992, '93 and '94 as well as the road going class of the Austin Healey club race championship during the mid 1990's, culminating in the Moray Motor Museum Trophy award for the outright class winner presented by David Coulthard in 1994. The car is finished in red and is described by the vendor to be in good condition with the chassis being very original and extremely sound. The engine is a Ruddspeed running on triple Webers feeding through a centre change gearbox - mechanically the car is described as excellent. The car is also fitted with a roll bar, works style hard top, fire extinguisher, rear spotlight, cut-off switch, twin fuel pumps, oil cooler and race harnesses. The car also comes complete with a V5 certificate, a file of bills and receipts, a works rally style boot lid, original seats and a Halda Speed Pilot trip computer, originally fitted to ex-works Healey 67 ARX which, incidentally, is also part of the private collection where 869 TPB currently resides. This car represents a very good opportunity to purchase an original race prepped Healey that is eligible for many important international events on the historic calendar.