The ex-works; Donald and Erle Morley 1959 Austin-Healey 3000 MkI...
1959 Austin-Healey 3000 MkI Rally Car
Registration no. 2754 DK (formerly SJB 471)
Chassis no. HBT7/101
Engine no. 26DRUH113
• The first Austin-Healey 3000 off the production line
• In-period competition history
• Known ownership history
• Present ownership since 1983
• Displayed at many important motoring museums in recent years
"A classic competition car among the all-time greats in motoring history," was how The Autocar magazine summed up the works Austin-Healey 3000 in 1963. Yet at the time of its arrival in 1959, few would have guessed that the low-slung 'Big Healey' would triumph over its apparent shortcomings so effectively that it now rates as one of the most successful rally cars of the 1960s.
BMC's development of the Big Healey for rallying started in 1958 with the 2.6-litre 100/6 model, which debuted in that year's Monte Carlo Rally driven by Tommy Wisdom. By the time the new 2.9-litre 3000 model took over mid way through 1959, the 100/6 had demonstrated considerable promise, achieving a number of leader-board finishes.
Development had been 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.
The Big Healey's first major success was gained in 1960 when Pat Moss, partnered by co-driver Ann Wisdom, having finished second in the Alpine, then made history by winning the gruelling Liège-Rome-Liège (Marathon de la Route) event outright. It was the first occasion that a woman had won a major international rally. The following year the Morley twins - Donald and Erle - won the Austrian Alpine Rally outright, a feat they repeated in 1962. Big Healeys were regular class winners and frequently took the team award, though in the face of increasing competition, not least from the Mini Cooper, outright wins were comparatively few. The car's final outright victories came in 1964 when Paddy Hopkirk won the Austrian Alpine Rally and Rauno Aaltonen the last Marathon de la Route held on public roads, which on this occasion followed a Spa-Sofia-Liège route.
This car was built by BMC in the MG factory at Abingdon, then in Berkshire, in March 1959. Chassis number 'HBT7/101', it was the first Austin-Healey 3000 made and was registered on 10th April 1959 as 'SJB 471', the latter being a Berkshire registration mark issued in or after March '59. Originally used as a company demonstrator, the car was transferred in March 1960 to the then BMC Competitions Department, also based at Abingdon. As a works competition car, it took part in the following rallies:
1960 Tulip Rally, drivers Donald and Erle Morley, 3rd in class and 21st overall.
1960 Alpine Rally, drivers Donald and Erle Morley, 3rd in class, 14th overall and team prize.
1960 Liege-Rome-Liege Marathon, drivers Peter Riley and Tony Ambrose, retired when leading but qualified for team prize.
1960 RAC Rally, drivers Donald and Erle Morley, 3rd overall and outright win in class (GT category).
After the 1960 season, the car was sold to Derek Astle, who entered it privately in a number of races and events. It is believed that Mr Astle put his personalised number plate on the car, which he sold around 1962; it was subsequently re-registered with the present registration mark '2754 DK', which was issued in Rochdale.
The car was stored for a number of years but in 1981 was bought by the motoring writer and rally driver Philip Young, who entered it in the Himalayan Rally from which it retired while leading the field. Following this, Mr Young entered the car in the Lombard RAC Golden Fifty Anniversary Rally, where it came 6th overall and won its class. For both these events, the Healey was prepared and sponsored by Unipart and in 1983 Unipart bought the car from Mr Young. Since then the Healey has been displayed in various museums, firstly the Heritage Motor Museum at Syon Park in Middlesex, then the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust at Studley, Warwickshire, and in recent decades at the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust at Gaydon, Warwickshire.
Numerous publications refer to this historic rally car, in particular: The BMC/BL Competitions Department by Bill Price; Big Healeys In Competition by John Baggott; Austin Healey 100-6 & 3000 by Graham Robson; and The Himalayan Minor by Philip Young. There is also a Vanguard 1:43 scale die-cast model (VA57000) of this car in Unipart livery.
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1959 Austin-Healey 3000 MkI Rally Car
Registration no. 2754 DK (formerly SJB 471)
Chassis no. HBT7/101
Engine no. 26DRUH113
• The first Austin-Healey 3000 off the production line
• In-period competition history
• Known ownership history
• Present ownership since 1983
• Displayed at many important motoring museums in recent years
"A classic competition car among the all-time greats in motoring history," was how The Autocar magazine summed up the works Austin-Healey 3000 in 1963. Yet at the time of its arrival in 1959, few would have guessed that the low-slung 'Big Healey' would triumph over its apparent shortcomings so effectively that it now rates as one of the most successful rally cars of the 1960s.
BMC's development of the Big Healey for rallying started in 1958 with the 2.6-litre 100/6 model, which debuted in that year's Monte Carlo Rally driven by Tommy Wisdom. By the time the new 2.9-litre 3000 model took over mid way through 1959, the 100/6 had demonstrated considerable promise, achieving a number of leader-board finishes.
Development had been 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.
The Big Healey's first major success was gained in 1960 when Pat Moss, partnered by co-driver Ann Wisdom, having finished second in the Alpine, then made history by winning the gruelling Liège-Rome-Liège (Marathon de la Route) event outright. It was the first occasion that a woman had won a major international rally. The following year the Morley twins - Donald and Erle - won the Austrian Alpine Rally outright, a feat they repeated in 1962. Big Healeys were regular class winners and frequently took the team award, though in the face of increasing competition, not least from the Mini Cooper, outright wins were comparatively few. The car's final outright victories came in 1964 when Paddy Hopkirk won the Austrian Alpine Rally and Rauno Aaltonen the last Marathon de la Route held on public roads, which on this occasion followed a Spa-Sofia-Liège route.
This car was built by BMC in the MG factory at Abingdon, then in Berkshire, in March 1959. Chassis number 'HBT7/101', it was the first Austin-Healey 3000 made and was registered on 10th April 1959 as 'SJB 471', the latter being a Berkshire registration mark issued in or after March '59. Originally used as a company demonstrator, the car was transferred in March 1960 to the then BMC Competitions Department, also based at Abingdon. As a works competition car, it took part in the following rallies:
1960 Tulip Rally, drivers Donald and Erle Morley, 3rd in class and 21st overall.
1960 Alpine Rally, drivers Donald and Erle Morley, 3rd in class, 14th overall and team prize.
1960 Liege-Rome-Liege Marathon, drivers Peter Riley and Tony Ambrose, retired when leading but qualified for team prize.
1960 RAC Rally, drivers Donald and Erle Morley, 3rd overall and outright win in class (GT category).
After the 1960 season, the car was sold to Derek Astle, who entered it privately in a number of races and events. It is believed that Mr Astle put his personalised number plate on the car, which he sold around 1962; it was subsequently re-registered with the present registration mark '2754 DK', which was issued in Rochdale.
The car was stored for a number of years but in 1981 was bought by the motoring writer and rally driver Philip Young, who entered it in the Himalayan Rally from which it retired while leading the field. Following this, Mr Young entered the car in the Lombard RAC Golden Fifty Anniversary Rally, where it came 6th overall and won its class. For both these events, the Healey was prepared and sponsored by Unipart and in 1983 Unipart bought the car from Mr Young. Since then the Healey has been displayed in various museums, firstly the Heritage Motor Museum at Syon Park in Middlesex, then the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust at Studley, Warwickshire, and in recent decades at the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust at Gaydon, Warwickshire.
Numerous publications refer to this historic rally car, in particular: The BMC/BL Competitions Department by Bill Price; Big Healeys In Competition by John Baggott; Austin Healey 100-6 & 3000 by Graham Robson; and The Himalayan Minor by Philip Young. There is also a Vanguard 1:43 scale die-cast model (VA57000) of this car in Unipart livery.
Please note that this vehicle is subject to VAT on the hammer.
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