1961 Austin-Healey 3000 BN7 Roadster with Hardtop

• Rare BN7 variant
• Formerly part of the Tina and Denis Welch collection
• Comprehensive professional restoration in 2016/2017
• FIA papers valid until December 2027
• Ready to race
• Eligible for numerous Historic race series

Although as a competition car the 'Big Healey' is best remembered for its exploits in international rallying, the works also entered these robust and tuneable cars in circuit races, principally long-distance events such as the Sebring 12 Hours, Targa Florio and the Le Mans 24 Hours race. They were also immensely popular with privateers the world over and continue to be so today.

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. 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. In its final form the engine produced 210bhp.

An example of the rarer BN7 two-seater variant, this 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 race car has an FIA Historic Technical Passport (Appendix K) valid until December 2027. The car was comprehensively restored in 2016-2017 (including new paintwork) by Classic Performance Engineering at Bicester Heritage and has seen only light use since then. Once owned by Tina Welch, wife of Austin-Healey expert Denis Welch, this car was formerly part of their private collection and is presented in top condition and ready to race. 'NFF 341' is eligible for the best Historic race series including Masters, Gentlemen Drivers, Motor Racing Legends Pre-'63 GT, GT & Sports Car Cup, and Equipe Classic Racing Pre-'63 & Libre. Accompanying documentation includes restoration bills and photographs; V5 documents relating to previous owners; some older bills; a current V5C; and the aforementioned FIA papers.