Lot Ended
Description
Original UK car; four owners from new, the current for 17 years;
restored to concours-winning condition in 1991 and expertly maintained since;
overdrive; lots of history; matching numbers; a wonderful example of
this iconic British sportscar
Last and best of
the ‘Big Healey’ line, the MkIII BJ8 came out in 1964 and was the final
evolution of a design that had spent over a decade morphing from a raw, spartan
roadster into a sophisticated grand tourer.
Under
the bonnet lurked the familiar 2.9 C-Series straight-six which now produced
150bhp thanks to a pair of big SU HD8 carbs and a more sporting camshaft. Power
assisted brakes were now standard, with improved Type 16 calipers on the discs
up front.
The Phase 2 models (as here) received some chassis tweaks
which gained much-needed extra ground clearance. The rear suspension was also
updated with radius arms and heavier six-leaf springs to replace the old
four-leaf setup, improving ride quality and stability.
The BJ8 also finally balanced the car's legendary brawn with some
touches of real civility. The interior was positively luxurious compared to the
early models, with proper wind-up windows and richly polished walnut in place of
the basic metal dashboard of the past.
While the
vast majority of Big Healeys were made in LHD for the booming American market,
this particular BJ8 Phase 2 is one of the few that stayed at home. The Heritage
Cerificate shows that it left the works in March 1966 and was originally Ivory
White with optional black leather seats (many were vinyl), overdrive, wire
wheels, laminated windscreen and a cabin heater.
The original BMC Service Book shows that it was supplied new via RJ
Evans of Birmingham to a Mr A Plackett of Oxford who clearly used it regularly
and maintained it meticulously, with no fewer than nine stamps in the book up to
September 1967 by which time it had covered 21,634 miles.
The second owner isn’t recorded
but they replaced the original registration number, FON 626D, with a private
plate, 960 KC, presumably their initials. The third
owner was a Mr J Pugh of Stratford-upon-Avon who acquired the car in 1986 by
which time it had covered 85,000 miles. He had it re-registered as KWD
335D and was to keep it for the next 23 years.
Early in his ownership he treated it to a total nut-and-bolt
restoration, as detailed in an album of photos on file (a couple of which are
reproduced here). It was clearly a top quality job and included a repaint in
Colorado Red and a full engine rebuild with what appear to be a few upgrades
including a ‘road rally’ camshaft supplied by Autosprint Racing Engines of
Birmingham. The engine is original to the car, making this a 'matching numbers'
example.
Finally finished and back on the road
in 1991, judging sheets on file show that it then won several awards later that
year, including Best Standard Healey at the International Austin-Healey
Club Concours, a class win at the Benson and Hedges Classics Concours and
Best Sixties Sports Car at The Evening Telegraph Motoring Festival Concours at
Stoneleigh.
Some 27 old MOTs show that Mr
Pugh covered around 15,000 miles in the car over the next 18 years before
selling it to our vendor in August 2009. He immediately sent it to marque
specialists JME Healeys of Warwick for a thorough check-over and spruce-up which
included some localised corrosion repairs to the bulkhead and wings and a bare
metal repaint in Colorado Red (including inner wings and inner
wheelarches).
During his 17-year ownership, our
vendor has also used the car regularly, adding some 25,000 fine-weather miles to
the clock and continuing to have it regularly serviced JME Healeys, the last
service being in April 2022 which included fresh gearbox and axle oils. There
are many invoices for upkeep and new parts fitted, highlights include:
2010 – uprated rear main crank oil seal
kit
2011 – full brake system overhaul, new fuel
pump and Dynalite alternator
2012 – new chrome
wire wheels
2017 – reconditioned gearbox and new
clutch kit
2018 – distributor rebuilt
2019 – steering box
overhauled
2020 – new chrome wheel spinners
2021 – uprated aluminium radiator and electric
five-blade cooling fan, new water pump, competition steel head gasket and Kevlar
coolant hoses, new front shock absorbers, overdrive overhauled
2023 – new high capacity oil pump and new Varta
battery
In April 2023 it was treated to new rear
wings and sills plus another top quality repaint and waxoil treatment, all by
Hillwood Auto Engineers of Tamworth (well-known in Healey circles) at a cost of
£6,300. You get the picture – this car has been maintained regardless of cost
and kept in tip-top running order.
Supplied with
an extensive history file from new, it also comes with a hood cover and tonneau
cover, tool kit, wheel changing kit and sundry useful spares. One of the
nicest Big Healeys we have seen, with excellent bodywork and an inviting black
leather interior, it has been starting promptly and running sweetly as we have
moved it around on site, with healthy oil pressure.
Beautifully restored and expertly maintained, it is only reluctantly
for sale due to the advancing years of the owner and is ready for a
proud fifth owner to enjoy right away.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are
planning on spending more than £25,000 during this auction, you will need to
increase your spending limit by leaving more than one deposit. Please refer to
your account.
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970 309907 – james.dennison@brightwells.com