The Quintessential British Sports Car – Timeless Style, Six-Cylinder Performance and Open-Top Motoring at Its Finest.

Few British sports cars capture the romance, excitement and unmistakable character of 1960s motoring quite like the magnificent Austin-Healey 3000. Affectionately known as the “Big Healey”, this iconic sports car represents a golden era of British automotive engineering, when elegant styling, spirited performance and the simple pleasure of driving took precedence over modern-day complexities. With its beautifully sculpted bodywork, long sweeping bonnet, distinctive grille and purposeful stance, the 1963 Austin-Healey 3000 MkII (BJ7) remains one of the most recognisable and admired British sports cars ever produced. Its combination of sporting pedigree, timeless design and unmistakable exhaust note has earned it an enduring place in the hearts of enthusiasts and collectors worldwide.

Introduced in 1962, the BJ7 represented an important evolution in the Austin-Healey story, combining the sporting character of its predecessors with greater comfort and everyday usability. Known as the MkII Sports Convertible, it introduced wind-up windows, a more substantial folding hood and improved weather protection, while retaining the powerful 2.9-litre straight-six engine and engaging driving characteristics that made the Big Healey famous. The result was a beautifully balanced grand touring sports car, equally at home cruising along winding country roads or covering longer distances in effortless style. With its wonderful combination of mechanical character, responsive performance and unmistakably British personality, the BJ7 delivers a driving experience that modern sports cars simply cannot replicate.

Today, the Austin-Healey 3000 MkII BJ7 occupies a particularly desirable position in the classic sports car market, appealing to enthusiasts who appreciate both its historical significance and its exceptional driving character. Produced for a relatively short period before the introduction of the MkIII, the BJ7 offers an attractive combination of traditional Big Healey styling, six-cylinder performance and the added practicality of the later convertible body. Its international following, strong enthusiast community and established reputation among collectors continue to support its appeal as a genuine British motoring icon. More than six decades after leaving the factory, the Austin-Healey 3000 remains a wonderful reminder of an era when driving was an adventure, sports cars had genuine personality, and the journey was every bit as important as the destination.

Our 1963 example is a beautifully presented and thoroughly enjoyable classic, offering an excellent balance of condition, character and driving pleasure.

First registered in the United States before making its way to New Zealand, where it was registered in 1997, the car has benefited from restoration work and ongoing maintenance over the years. Presented in attractive overall condition, with excellent road manners and a wonderfully spirited driving character, this is a Big Healey that can be driven and enjoyed rather than simply admired.

Vehicle Highlights

• 1963 Austin-Healey 3000 MkII (BJ7) – the desirable 2+2 Sports Convertible, combining traditional British sports car character with improved touring practicality.
• 2,912cc inline six-cylinder engine, delivering strong, flexible performance and the unmistakable Big Healey exhaust note.
• Twin SU carburettors, providing responsive throttle characteristics and traditional six-cylinder performance.
• Four-speed manual gearbox with Laycock de Normanville overdrive, allowing relaxed cruising and improved long-distance touring.
• Front disc brakes, providing reassuring stopping performance and representing an important improvement over earlier drum-braked Healeys.
• Independent front suspension and rear leaf springs, retaining the traditional sporting characteristics of the model.
• Attractive bodywork and paintwork, presenting very well and reflecting previous restoration and maintenance.
• Restoration work undertaken by Upper Classics in Christchurch during 2021, with approximately $13,000 spent, principally on bodywork, paintwork and associated improvements.
• Additional receipts available, documenting ongoing maintenance and engine-related work over the years.
• Originally registered in the United States, subsequently converted to right-hand drive.
• First registered in New Zealand in 1997, establishing a lengthy history of local ownership and use.
• Odometer reading: 129,585 miles.
• Soft top and interior upholstery in good order, complementing the overall presentation.
• Chrome wire wheels, including a matching spare, adding to the car’s traditional sporting appearance.
• Good tyres and battery, contributing to its ready-to-enjoy condition.
• Excellent driving characteristics, with strong performance, lively throttle response and a wonderfully rorty exhaust note.
• Modern JVC CD player discreetly fitted beneath the dashboard, fully functional and easily removable should the next owner prefer a more traditional appearance.
• Accompanied by useful accessories, including the driver’s handbook, spare wheel, jack, tonneau cover, Thor hammer and first aid kit.

A Proper British Sports Car

What makes this particular Austin-Healey especially appealing is the way it drives. The engine feels strong and willing, delivering the characteristic surge of torque and distinctive exhaust note for which these cars became famous. There is a wonderfully mechanical quality to the driving experience, with direct steering feedback, an engaging manual gearbox and a lively character that encourages the driver to enjoy every gear change and every bend in the road.

Unlike many modern sports cars, the Big Healey makes no attempt to isolate its occupants from the experience of motoring. You hear the engine, feel the road and become part of the machinery. It is precisely this raw, analogue character that makes these cars so rewarding to own. Yet the BJ7 offers enough refinement to make longer journeys genuinely enjoyable, particularly with the benefit of overdrive, improved weather protection and the added practicality of wind-up windows.

Importantly, this is not simply a beautifully presented classic that looks the part. It is a motor car that drives exceptionally well, offering the sort of spirited, engaging performance that made the Austin-Healey name famous. Whether enjoyed on a Sunday morning drive, a classic motoring event or an extended touring adventure, it delivers an experience that is increasingly difficult to find in today’s automotive world.

Condition, History and Presentation

This example presents in very pleasing overall condition, with attractive paintwork, tidy bodywork and a well-maintained interior. The restoration work undertaken by Upper Classics in Christchurch during 2021, together with accompanying receipts for further maintenance and engine work, provides useful evidence of the attention the vehicle has received during its time in New Zealand.

The chrome wire wheels complement the classic styling beautifully, while the good condition of the soft top, upholstery and general fittings contributes to its appealing presentation. The car retains the charm and character expected of a six-decade-old British sports car without losing the enjoyment and practicality that make these vehicles such rewarding classics.

The accompanying driver’s handbook, tonneau cover, spare wheel, jack and other accessories are welcome additions, particularly for an enthusiast who appreciates having the appropriate equipment with a classic of this nature.

An Opportunity to Enjoy a British Motoring Icon

The Austin-Healey 3000 MkII BJ7 occupies a particularly appealing position within the Big Healey family. It retains the beautiful styling, mechanical simplicity and engaging performance of the earlier models while incorporating meaningful improvements that make it more comfortable and practical to use.

With its attractive presentation, documented restoration expenditure, established New Zealand history and thoroughly enjoyable driving characteristics, this 1963 example offers an appealing opportunity for anyone seeking a genuine British sports car with personality, heritage and timeless appeal.

A wonderful classic for the enthusiast who believes a sports car should be driven, heard and enjoyed, rather than simply polished and admired.

The Austin-Healey 3000 has long enjoyed an enviable position within the international collector car market, recognised as one of the most glamorous and desirable British sports cars of the post-war era. Its association with the golden age of open-top motoring, international motorsport and the fashionable grand touring culture of the 1960s has given the Big Healey an appeal extending well beyond traditional classic car enthusiasts. With its unmistakable British identity, elegant proportions and sporting heritage, the model continues to attract collectors throughout Britain, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. Unlike many classics whose popularity remains largely confined to their country of origin, the Austin-Healey benefits from an established international following, providing a broader and more enduring market for well-preserved examples.

Within New Zealand, the Austin-Healey 3000 occupies a particularly respected position among collectors of classic British sports cars. New Zealand’s longstanding enthusiasm for British motoring, established classic car clubs and strong culture of recreational touring provide a natural environment for these iconic motor cars. However, the domestic market is relatively small, and opportunities to acquire well-presented Big Healeys with established New Zealand histories can be limited. Importing a comparable example from overseas also introduces additional considerations, including exchange rates, international freight, GST, compliance requirements and the uncertainty associated with purchasing a vehicle without personal inspection. Consequently, an attractive, locally registered example with documented maintenance and restoration history offers practical advantages to New Zealand buyers. The BJ7 is especially appealing in this respect, combining the prestige and collectibility of the Big Healey name with a level of comfort and usability particularly suited to New Zealand’s scenic touring roads and established classic motoring events.

From a longer-term investment perspective, the Austin-Healey 3000 has demonstrated substantial appreciation over the decades, establishing itself as a recognised collector car rather than simply an ageing sports vehicle. Although values fluctuate with economic conditions and changing buyer sentiment, the combination of limited surviving numbers, international recognition and considerable restoration costs continues to support interest in quality examples. In New Zealand, where the pool of available vehicles is naturally smaller, condition, provenance, mechanical integrity and presentation can have a significant influence on desirability and eventual resale value. Importantly, the Big Healey also enjoys an international audience, offering owners potential access to overseas buyers should local demand prove limited. For the New Zealand enthusiast or collector, the Austin-Healey 3000 BJ7 represents an appealing combination of British sporting heritage, international collectibility, nostalgic glamour and genuine driving enjoyment, with the added attraction of owning a recognised classic whose desirability extends well beyond our shores.

New Zealand Sales
Unless otherwise stated, vehicles sold for use in New Zealand will be supplied with a new Warrant of Fitness (WoF) and 12 months New Zealand registration at the time of sale.

Transport & Shipping
New Zealand transport and worldwide shipping can be arranged on the Buyer’s behalf and at the Buyer’s cost and risk. Any freight, shipping, insurance, customs charges, duties, taxes, import costs, certification or compliance costs are the responsibility of the Buyer unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Export Sales
For vehicles purchased for export, the Buyer is responsible for determining and satisfying all import, registration, certification, compliance, tax and regulatory requirements applicable in the destination country.

Viewing
All vehicle inspections and viewings are strictly by appointment only.

Applicable Law
All sales are subject to applicable New Zealand law. Nothing in these Conditions of Sale excludes or limits any statutory rights or obligations that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

For more information about this vehicle, please contact us Monday to Friday between 9:00am and 6:00pm (New Zealand Standard Time) on +64 (0) 3 310-6485. Alternatively, you may email us at [email protected] anytime, or contact us through the form below.

The Purchaser is encouraged to personally fully inspect the vehicle and also to have the vehicle inspected, and fully assessed by an experienced, independent, specialist garage - before committing to purchase. While the Purchaser is entitled to rely on statements given by Waimak Group Ltd as being correct, where goods such as vehicles are concerned, with so many moving parts and rust being an issue with older vehicles; a Purchaser who chooses not to seek independent professional assistance when assessing the quality of what they propose to buy is considered as buying at their own risk, and if the vehicle then turns out to be of less than the represented quality, or not up to the Purchaser's expectation, or in the Purchaser opinion not fit for purpose; then the Purchaser is considered to have contributed to their own loss and should not expect any refunds or betterment from Waimak.

NOTIFICATION AS TO NATURE OF GOODS IN TERMS OF THE CONSUMER GUARANTEES ACT 1993

Waimak Group Ltd is a New Zealand registered company and accepts that the vehicle being sold must be of “acceptable quality” in terms of section 7 of the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (the Act) having regard to “the nature of the goods”. Waimak Group Ltd is not aware of any specific defects with the vehicle, however (a) such a vehicle being a classic vehicle may have mechanical breakdowns, electrical failures at inconvenient times and maintenance costs being part of and parcel of ownership of a classic vehicle; (b) reliability is a combination of the particular nature of the classic vehicle, how it is being driven, how it has been maintained, and to a certain extent luck; (c) because of the age of the vehicle, and its propensity to rust, it is likely that the vehicle would have been fully or partially restored, or at least repainted at some point in its life, maybe even more than once. Waimak Group Ltd does not know, and cannot give advice on how good any restoration work on the vehicle had been.

The Purchaser acknowledges that the vehicle is being sold as a classic car; that in terms of the Act and the nature of the goods, the vehicle is an old car, bike or boat, that may have visual and hidden faults, unlike a new motor vehicle.

The Purchaser is encouraged to personally fully inspect the vehicle and also to have the vehicle inspected, and fully assessed by an experienced, independent, specialist garage - before committing to purchase. While the Purchaser is entitled to rely on statements given by Waimak Group Ltd as being correct, where goods such as vehicles are concerned, with so many moving parts and rust being an issue with older vehicles; a Purchaser who chooses not to seek independent professional assistance when assessing the quality of what they propose to buy is considered as buying at their own risk, and if the vehicle then turns out to be of less than the represented quality, or not up to the Purchaser's expectation, or in the Purchaser opinion not fit for purpose; then the Purchaser is considered to have contributed to their own loss and should not expect any refunds or betterment from Waimak Group Ltd.

The Purchaser acknowledges that they have read and fully understand this notification and the nature of a car which is many years old.