1962 | Austin Healey 3000 MKII

Austin Healey 3000 MKII BT7 fully restored spring 2016. The car underwent a full ‘nut and bolt’ restoration to the highest standards. The customer tells us he is very pleased with our work and we are proud of the finished car.

As an original North American export car, freshly imported to the UK prior to restoration this car represented a good restoration candidate with significantly less rust then UK cars. Despite this panel fit was poor and major repair and rust remedial work was required. This is a total numbers matching car.

The car was totally stripped, the bare chassis shotblasted and all panels with tailored shot blast media to each surface utilised to remove rust and contaminants. The chassis required some repair, although there was no significant accident damage. To improve the ride, handling and the composure of the car we strategically strengthened the tub in key areas while making our repairs. The chassis is painted separately to the body.

To ensure excellent panel fitment our metalworkers spent hundreds of hours to ensure all gaps across the car are small as possible yet consistent, with doors which shut softly and that all shapes and surfaces are well formed. This requires continuous fitting and unfitting of all panels with great alteration of panels to achieve a high standard of finish.

Once chassis and bodywork was completed, over 300 hours were spent painting the car from bare metal with multiple layers of high build and etch primers before 5-6 coats of colour, flatted down to 2000 grade and machine compounded to a full gloss. It is the multiple layers of primer, additional seam sealing and high quality of paints we use which ensures our restorations last. We strive to achieve the highest level of finish with no unsightly ‘rippling’ across the surface of panels as seen on poor quality jobs with our work instead displaying a clean, deep and glass-like finish which shows the contours of the car as best possible.

The engine was stripped down, chemically clean then fully rebuilt to our upgraded Rawles Motorsport ‘Fast Road’ specification with a 30% increase in power and torque made more accessible through a broader spectrum of the rev-range. This includes our specially developed fast flow manifold and sports side exhaust, both of which greatly increase performance without compromising comfort. The engine is fully balanced, has an uprated camshaft, unleaded conversion and much more.

Our leather artisans hand-made the complete interior of this MKII using high quality Red leather hide and Red Wilton carpet to fully re-trim the car to the original design and pattern. In addition, thermal insulation has been added to the interior to reduce cockpit heat.

All our restorations (unless concours required) include basic upgrades to improve the longevity and reliability of the cars. This car also features many upgrades from our ‘Rawles Revival’ range which either improve the dynamic performance and roadholding capabilities of the cars or add further refinement.

• Strengthened Chassis
• Colour : Aston Martin British Racing Green
• Rawles Motorsport Fast Road Engine (30% increase in power and torque, inc. alternator conversion & cooling upgrades)
• Full leather interior (original seats were half leather with vinyl trim panels
• Thermal Insulation in cockpit
• Black Mohair Hood & Tonneau
• Original Works Hard Top supplied, restored and colour coded
• Colour coded wheels
• De-bumper and add ‘bumperettes’