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  • Austin-Healey 3000 MkI MkII (1959-1963)
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Austin-Healey
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History

Austin-Healey 3000 MkI MkII

Austin-Healey 3000 (1959-1967)
Manufacturer Austin-Healey
Production 1959 to 1963 
Assembly Abingdon, England
Class Sports car
Body style 2-door roadster
Layout FR layout
Engine 2,912 cc (2.9 L) C-Series I6
Wheelbase 92 in (2,337 mm)
Length 157 in (3,988 mm)
Width 60 in (1,524 mm)
Height 46 in (1,168 mm) (Hood down) 49.5 in (1,257 mm) (hard top)
Curb weight 2,550 lb (1,157 kg)

 

The Austin-Healey 3000 MKI and Mk I British sports cars built from 1959 to 1963, and is the best known of the "big" Healey models.

History

Jensen Motors created the car's bodywork, and the vehicles were constructed at the BMC Abingdon plant. In its prime, the 3000 was a popular car that won its class in several European rallies, and it is still raced by fans today. The Austin-Healey 3000, which replaced the Austin-Healey 100-6, was debuted in 1959. Despite the naming change, the differences between the original 100 and the 100-6 were rather small. The wheelbase and body remained identical, and two variants, a 2+2 and a two-seater, were available.

The 3000 was an unrivalled export success: of the 51,315 cars built (including some 100/6) between 1957 and 1968, 45,596, or 88.8%, crossed the Atlantic and ended up in the United States.

The Mk III will also be the last Austin-Healey of large displacement: the continuous mergers between the British car groups meant that the Austin-Healey brand had "in-house" rivals, such as MG and Triumph . To replace the 3000 Donald Healey proposed to mount a 4-liter Rolls-Royce engine and Borg-Warner automatic transmission on a chassis and an enlarged Mk III body by 15.24 cm . However, this solution proved costly to implement and inadequate for the American market due to the safety regulations that would be introduced in 1968 . Without American customers, the Healey -Rolls-Royce operationit would certainly have been a failure and so the 3000 legacy was taken up by the MG C , an MG B adapted to accommodate the Austin-Healey six-cylinder engine.

The engine power was calculated, as for almost all British sports cars of the time (except the MG and some Triumph models), with the American method SAE Society of Automotive Engineers , which gave an engine more powerful than on the road, since measured on the bench, without the accessories that absorbed power, such as mufflers, carburetor filters, etc .;therefore 10/15% must be removed from the SAE power to obtain the actual horsepower, defined with the DIN (CV) method, ie with cars on the road.

The Austin Healey 3000s have had a long and important history in racing and raced in the most important rallies of the period and still continue to be used in historical reenactments today. The BMC racing department immediately used the 3000s (in all versions) in rallies until 1965 , when they were slowly phased out due to the regulation change favoring the more modern Mini Cooper 'S' . The best known factory pilots who achieved success with the 3000 were Pat Moss (sister of the better known Stirling ) and Ann Wisdom, the twins Erle and Donald Morley, Bill Shepard and Rauno Aaltonen .

In the USA, while the "old" 100 had set several land speed records on the salt lakes of Utah, the 3000 participated in numerous track competitions, thanks to permissive American regulations, including the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring with John Gott, Clive Baker and John Chatam. 

Mark I

The original 3000 was built from March 1959 to March 1961 and became known as the Mark I only after the Mark II was released. Compared to the previous 100/6 the MkI is equipped with the same 6-cylinder in-line engine with rods and rocker arms but with displacement increased to 2912 cc (bore increased to 83.36 mm), compression ratio 9: 1 and 2 SU HD6 semi- carburettors. reversed, with 124 HP of power at 4000 rpm and 22.4 Kgm of torque at 2700 rpm (calculated using the SAE method ). With this engine (type 29D) the car reached 183 km / h. The other differences concern the brakes, with the Girling disc front .

Like the 100/6, it was initially available in 2-seater (internal code BN7) and 2 + 2-seater (internal code BT7) versions and among the options included spoked wheels, overdrive, laminated windscreen, heating, adjustable steering column, hard- fiberglass top and two-tone paint.

An automatic starter was adopted between July and November 1959 , abandoned because it proved unreliable, in December 1959 an oversized radiator was fitted, in June 1960 Dunlop RS5 tires were adopted as standard and in December of the same year the rear reflectors were revised and enlarged headlights.

In total, 13,650 Mark I (2,825 BN7 and 10,825 BT7) were produced

Mark II

In March 1961 the new 3000 Mark II was put on sale, like the MkI in both 2-seater (BN7) and 2 + 2 (BT7) versions.

The 3000 Mark II adopts 3 SU HS4 carburetors in place of the previous 2, a modification probably made to allow the adoption of 3 Weber carburetors in the race , and a re-profiled camshaft to obtain 132 HP (SAE) at 4750 rpm and 23 Kgm of torque (SAE) at 3000 rpm and reach 180 Km / h. The body was also modified with a new complete oval grille with vertical bars and seat belt attachments while from August 1961 the brake servo became available as an option, which significantly improved braking performance, and from November of the same year it was modified. the position of the gear lever, which became central instead of to the left of the transmission tunnel.

In January 1962 the new version of the 3000 was launched, the more luxurious 2 + 2 seater Sport Convertible (BJ7) which replaced both the BN7 MK II, in March 1962, and the BT7 Mark II, in June 1962.

The most important changes concerned the new folding top from the passenger compartment (until then the top could only be mounted when the car was stationary with a complicated procedure), descending windows and a more enveloping windscreen. The engine (type 29F) on which the triple SU carburettors , difficult to adjust, were replaced by two SU HS6, developed 131 HP (SAE) at 4750 rpm and 21.8 Kgm of torque at 3000 rpm which pushed the 'car up to 188 Km / h. The options were similar to those of the Mk I but when the BJ7 came out the factory hard-top was eliminated .

PERFORMANCE: Mark II

  • engine capacity: 178.10 cu in, 2912 cu cm;
  • fuel consumption: 19.9 m/imp gal, 16.6 m/US gal, 14.2 x 100 km;
  • max speed: 107.5 mph, 173.1 km/h;
  • max power (SAE): 136 hp at 4750 rpm
  • max torque (SAE): 167 1b ft, 23.0 kgm at 3000 rpm
  • max number of engine rpm: 5500
  • specific power: 46.7 hp/l
  • power-weight ratio: 18.1 lb/hp, 8.2 kg/hp
  • acceleration: standing 1/4 mile 17.8 sec, 0—50 mph (O—80 km/h) 7.8 sec
  • max speed in 1st gear: 35 mph, 56.3 km/h;max speed in 2nd gear: 49 mph, 78.9 km/h; max speed in 3rd gear: 79 mph, 127.2 km/h; max speed in 4th gear: 107.5 mph, 173.1 km/h

after 11,564 MkIIs were produced: 355 BN7 Mark II, 5,096 BT7 Mark II, and 6,113 BJ7. A total of 11,564 were made: 355 BN7 Mark II, 5,096 BT7 Mark II, and 6,113 BJ7.

Technical

  • Austin-Healey 3000 MkI MkII Technical details and specifications (1959-1963)

    Austin-Healey 3000  MkII


    ENGINE
    location front
    4 stroke; cylinders: 6, in line
    bore and stroke: 3.28 x 3.50 in, 83.3 x 88.9 mm
    engine capacity: 178.10 cu in, 2912 cu cm
    compression ratio: 9.0:1
    cylinder block: cast iron
    cylinder head: cast iron
    crankshaft bearings: 4
    valves: 2 per cylinder, overhead, with push rods and rockers
    camshaft: 1, side
    lubrication: gear pump, full flow filter
    carburation: 2 SU type HS 6 semi-downdraft carburettors
    fuel feed: electric pump
    cooling system: water

    TRANSMISSION:
    driving wheels: rear
    clutch: single dry plate
    gear box: mechanical; gears: 4 + reverse
    synchromesh gears: 2nd, 3rd, 4th
    gear box ratios: (I) 2.930, (II) 2.053, (III) 1.309, (IV) 1, (Rev) 3.780
    gear lever location: central
    final drive: hypoid bevel
    ratio: 3.545 : 1.

    CHASSIS:
    type integral
    front suspension: independent, wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar, lever dampers
    rear suspension: rigid axle, semi-elliptic leaf-springs, transverse linkage bar, lever dampers.

    STEERING:
    cam and peg
    turns of steering wheel lock to lock: 3.
    turning radius (between walls): 17.5 ft, 5.3 m

    BRAKES:

    front disc, rear drum.

    ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT:
    voltage: 12 V
    battery: 58 Ah
    dynamo: 25 Ah
    ignition distributor: Lucas

    DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT:
    wheel base: 91.72 in, 2330 mm
    front track: 48.75 in, 1238 mm
    rear track: 50.00 in, 1269 mm
    overall length: 157.50 in, 4000 mm
    overall width: 60.00 in, 1524 mm
    overall height: 50.75 in, 1289 mm
    ground clearance: 4.73 in, 120 mm
    dry weight: 2460 1b, 1116 kg
    distribution of weight: 49.8% front axle, 50.2% rear axle

    © Motor car History

    Technical characteristics - Austin-Healey 3000 MK III

     

    Configuration

    Bodywork : spider

    Engine position : front longitudinal

    Drive : rear

    Dimensions and weights

    Overall dimensions (length × width × height in mm ): 4000 × 1524 ×?

    Minimum turning diameter :

    Wheelbase : 2329 mm

    Track : front 1238 - rear 1269 mm

    Minimum ground clearance :

    Total seats : 2 + 2

    Trunk :

    Tank : 55

    Masses

    empty: 1080  kg

    Mechanics

    Engine type : 6 cylinders in line

    Displacement : 2912  cm³

    Distribution : 1 lateral camshaft, 2 overhead valves per cylinder

    Power supply : 2 SU HD 8 carburettors

    Engine performance

    Power : 148 / Torque : 23.9 Kgm at 3000 rpm

    Ignition : coil and distributor, 1 spark plug per cylinder

    Electrical system : 12v

    Clutch : dry single plate with diaphragm spring

    Gearbox : 4-speed manual + overdrive

    Chassis

    Car body

    with longitudinal and cross members with central reinforcement x

    Steering

    screw and roller

    Suspensions

    front: independent wheels, lower triangular wishbones, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, stabilizer bar / rear: rigid axle, longitudinal leaf springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, Panhard bar

    Brakes

    front: disc / rear: drum

    Tires

    5.90 x 15 / Rims : 5.5 x 15

    Performance declared

    Speed : 195  km / h

    Acceleration : 0-100 Km / h 9.8 sec 0-1000 m 30.5 s

    Consumption

    14.2 l / 100Km

     

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Service

  • Austin-Healey 3000 MkI MkII Maintenance and Service Guide (1959-1963)

    Fuel: petrol, 98-100 Oct
    Engine oil change: 6.0 imp qt, 7.2 US qt. 6.8 1, SAE 1OW-20 (winter) 20W-30 (summer), change every 3000 miles, 4800 km
    Total lubricating system capacity: 6.8 imp qt, 8.1 US qt, 7.7 1
    Cooling system capacity: 9.2 imp qt, 11.1 US qt, 10.5 1.
    Gearbox oil: 2.5 imp qt, 3.0 US qt, 2.8 1, SAE 30, change every 6000 miles, 9600 km
    Final drive oil: 1.5 imp qt, 1.8 US qt, 1.7 1, SAE 90, change every 6000 miles, 9600 km
    Greasing: every 3000 miles, 4800 km, 18 points
    Tappet clearances: inlet 0.012 in, 0.30 mm hot, exhaust 0.012 in, 0.30 hot
    Valve timing: (inlet) opens 10° before tdc and closes 50° after bdc, (exhaust) opens 45° before bdc and closes 15° after tdc
    Tyre pressure (normal load): front 20 psi, 1.4 atm, rear 25 psi, 1.8 atm.
    Tyres: 5.90 - 15, tubeless
    Fuel tank capacity: 12.00 imp gal, 14.26 US gal

    © Motor car History

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  • Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III (1963-1968)
  • Austin-Healey 100-6 (1956-1959)
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British Automotive 1960s | British Automotive 1950s | Vehicles launched in 1959 | British Sports cars | SU carburettor | Convertible | Heartbeat | Sports Cars

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