1964 Austin Healey 3000 MkII Roadster to Works Rally Specification

• Built with no expense spared
• Exceptional specification
• Only circa 5,100 miles since completion in 2015
• Denis Welch-prepared engine (circa 270bhp)
• Full FIA HTP, Class: GTS12 racing and hill climb, valid to 31.12.2025.

BMC's development of the Big Healey for rallying started in 1958 with the 2.6-litre 100/6 model which debuted in that year's Monte Carlo Rally driven by Tommy Wisdom. By the time the new 2.9-litre 3000 model took over mid way through 1959, the 100/6 had demonstrated considerable promise, achieving a number of leader-board finishes, the best of which was Jack Sears' class win in the '59 Tulip Rally.
Development was facilitated by the transfer of Austin-Healey production to MG's Abingdon factory in 1957 and the decision to base the works' rally programme at the Competitions Department there under Marcus Chambers. Benefiting from the attention of MG's experienced engineers, the 3000 was progressively developed over the course of the next six years, before a change in the FIA's Appendix J regulations at the end of 1965 outlawed many of the special parts that had been homologated for competition use.
Although the Big Healey retained a separate chassis and body in traditional sports car fashion, for rallying these two components were welded together to form a structure of greatly increased strength and rigidity. Wherever possible, body panels - wings, doors and bonnet included - were fabricated in aluminium rather than steel to save weight, while from 1960 the boot lid was moulded in glassfibre, gaining a distinctive upward extension to accommodate twin spare wheels. To protect the low-slung under-body, 'bash' plates were invariably employed. This lack of ground clearance was the car's greatest weakness, explaining the works' policy of running them 'nose up' to avoid grounding the sump. Lack of rear suspension travel was another disadvantage, not addressed until the introduction of dipped chassis side members from late 1963, a modification that later found its way onto the 3000 MkIII Phase II production model. Other essential competition modifications included four-wheel disc brakes, close-ratio gears and a limited-slip differential.
Early works 3000s used engines that retained the production version's cast-iron cylinder head, twin SU carburettors and full-length exhaust system, developing around 160bhp. The adoption of a short side-exit exhaust system was one of the earliest modifications, followed by triple SUs, fabricated tubular exhaust manifolds, aluminium cylinder heads and triple Weber carburettors. These latter two modifications arrived in 1962, and in this ultimate specification the maximum power output had risen to around 210bhp.
The Big Healey's first major success was gained in 1960 when Pat Moss, partnered by co-driver Ann Wisdom, having finished second in the Alpine, then made history by winning the gruelling Liège-Rome-Liège (Marathon de la Route) event outright. It was the first occasion that a woman had won a major international rally. The following year the Morley twins - Don and Erle - won the Austrian Alpine Rally outright, a feat they repeated in 1962. Big Healeys were regular class winners and frequently took the team ward, though in the face of increasing competition, not least from the Mini Cooper, outright wins were comparatively few. The car's final outright victories came in 1964 when Paddy Hopkirk won the Austrian Alpine Rally and Rauno Aaltonen the last Marathon de la Route held on public roads, which on this occasion followed a Spa-Sofia-Liège route.
Fast-forward to the modern era and we find that the Big Healey's popularity as a competitive entry in Historic rallying is firmly established. Originally a left-hand drive model, 'DFH 979A' comes with its first FIA papers, issued in January 1991, showing its current registration and right-hand drive configuration. It is not known when or by whom the left-to-right conversion was carried out.
A superb, full-house Austin-Healey 3000 rally car, 'DFH 979A' has a very competitive race engine producing circa 270bhp. Built by renowned marque specialists Denis Welch Motorsport, it incorporates a rally camshaft; steel crankshaft and con-rods; aluminium cylinder head; and triple Weber 45 DCOE carburettors. Finished in Ivory White with an upgraded (BJ8) red leather interior, this car has had a complete 'ground upwards' rebuild including a new heavy-duty and very stiff chassis and all alloy bodywork. According to our vendor, this well prepared car is probably the best example currently available, benefiting from in excess of £150,000 spent. Only some 5,100 miles have been covered since the rebuild's completion in 2015. Additional specification highlights include the following:

Tubular exhaust manifold with side-exit competition silencer
Sebring straight-cut gears in centre-change gearbox with competition overdrive
Lightweight hardtop
FIA-approved roll cage
Four-point Sabelt harnesses
Fire extinguishing system
Alloy long-range fuel tank
Full rally fuse box
Front shroud with cut-out for access to carburettors
Dual master cylinders with front/rear balance bar adjustment
Triple red top fuel pumps
Twin throttle cables
Mallory distributor
Uprated lightweight competition starter motor
Aluminium radiator with electric fan
Alternator electrics
Dual circuit brakes with discs all round
Safety quick-ratio steering box and column with twin knuckles
Original rebuilt Halda Twinmaster and Halda Speedpilot
5½" aluminium Minilite-style wheels with Avon ZZ tyres (including spare) and jack

Described by our vendor as super quick and ready to rally or race, this stunning looking Big Healey comes with a history file containing the aforementioned FIA papers of 1991; numerous receipts; and a full FIA Historic Technical Passport, Class: GTS12 racing and hill climb, valid to 31.12.2025.