G'day
I thought I would throw something out to the list and see if anyone may
be able to make a contribution to a little piece of Healey history.
I have a long term friend (yes it's true I do have one) here in
Australia who bought his 1963 BJ7 back in 1974 from a bloke who had
brought it out from Northern Ireland. The interesting aspect about
John's car is that it is finished in a dark blue, almost a midnight blue
plus the engine bay was in a red primer. I recall meeting the previous
owner and that John was very pleased when he bought it.
Most concours and originality types amongst us will know that dark blue
was never an original colour on the six-cylinder cars but it didn't
concern John as he was just happy to drive his relatively new
Austin-Healey 3000.
I recall back then John remarking on the engine bay but he didn't take
it any further. That was until 1984 when he sent away for the
information held by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust. In the
response Anders Clausager stated that the car was a RHD home market car
and dispatched on 15 March 1963 to Donald Healey Motors Ltd. Warwick. As
far as colours go it had blue trim, blue hood but was delivered from the
factory in primer. Interestingly the delivering of cars painted in
primer is mentioned very briefly in Clausager's book "The Original
Austin-Healey".
Many of us would know that the Donald Healey Motor Company was an
Austin-Healey dealer and would sell you a car with any modification you
would like. This was especially prevalent with the four-cylinder cars.
The catch was that all you had to do was pay for it.
During the early 1990s John wrote to Geoff Healey, however he wasn't
able to assist which is understandable given GCH's role in the
experimental and competition side of the DHMC. Then a few years later
John wrote to Brian Healey who as he worked in sales may have known.
Brian wrote back saying that he did recall one 3000 that was delivered
in primer and painted dark blue.
I am writing an article on this obscure piece of Healey History and I am
wondering if anyone else has come across cars that were delivered in
primer or that have original engine bays finished in primer. By the way
I do know that the engine bay Joe Armour's Sebring 3000 BJ8 is mostly in
primer.
Hoo Roo
Patrick Quinn
Sydney, Australia
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