Early 3000

[Marvin Gruber]

Looked at an early 3000 yesterday. Did they ever come with a ridged hood. Hood looks correct to car by the paint under neath hood matching inside of engine bay. I though the car was going to be a 100/6 when I saw the hood but owner says car is all correct. It needs restoration but sheetmetal is pretty decent.

Marv

 

[elrey]

Anderson and Moment make the claim that "Hoods with the crease were almost certainly never used on 3000's." They state that during the production of the last 100-Sixes hoods were intermingled creased and not creased.

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey Marv,
The hood with the crease was not produced for the 3000's according to Anderson/Moment and no record exists to show when they stopped being used on the 100-6's. Anders Clausager says the same thing, that no creased hoods were used on the 3000. The car you looked at probably had a creased hood put on sometime in the past and no way to know when or why. But the experts say not original.
Good luck with it,
Mike

 

[Duane_Rhynard]

Marv,

The records were not kept well in those days, and while unlikely that the ridged hood is original, it is possible on a very early 3000. (See link below.)

When you read the Concours guide, (Roger Moment and group) they are always updating the guide with newly discovered information.

https://www.healeysix.net/BN7 & BT7.htm

Duane
'58 BN6

 

[John Turney]

Does the hood have the body number stamped on it?

 

[elrey]

Marvin, the body number on the hood is stamped into the outside of the left side hinge bracket, roughly centered between the hinge bolt holes. The body number is also stamped into the hood latch bracket. The body number on the boot lid is stamped into the lower side of the prop rod bracket on the left side of the boot lid, visible when you open the boot.

 

[Marvin Gruber]

I didn't get to look that long at the car. Owner has some medical issues and is not sure what he is going to do with the car. I figure I will get another chance to inspect, wanted to have more info about the car. I had been told that Healey used up all their parts (like Triumph)when ending up a model. It does have the early style (like 100/6)grill. I forgot about numbers stamped on body parts. I will remember that for the next time. I like the ridged hood but if its not correct then it will have to go if I get the car.

Marv

 

[Bob Claffie]

Marv, you might get a clue on just how early a car it is. The earliest 3000's (which used the 100/6 grille DID NOT HAVE DUST SHIELDS on the disc brakes. I don't know how long that lasted but the 3000 I bought in May 1959 had no dust shields. Too bad I can't remember the hood configuration. Bob

 

[davidb]

The Healey Restoration Guide (Anderson/Moment) also suggets that "the first hoods installed on the BN4 had an internal brace welded across the rear at the hinge points, but did not have a brace across the front of the hood, and had a styling crease running from then grille opening to the rear of the hood..."

So if your hood doesn't have a brace across the front of the hood, it is likely a replacement hood from a '57 or '58 model

The Guide goes on to say that "Subsequently, hoods were produced with both braces but without the crease..."

Personally I like the crease, if originality is not an issue. They're quite rare, and you can always pick up a correct hood on eBay for a couple of hundred dollars.

On the other hand, why would you put a 100/6 grille on a 3000? Is the grille surround from a 100/6 as well, or just the grille itself?

Sounds like a "Bitsa" - bitsa this, bitsa that..

Cheers
DB

 

[elrey]

David, BOTH the 100/6's AND early 3000's shared the same three piece grill with the horizontal wavy bars. It was not until the advent of the Mark II 3000's that the two piece vertical barred grills came into play. These vertical barred grilles remained until Austin Healey ceased production entirely in March of 1968.

 

[davidb]

Elrey

You're absolutely right. For some reason I was thinking AH3000 BJ series. In fact, my neighbour has an early 3000 with the wavy horizontal grille. I have a later MK 2 with the vertical grille.

Anyhow thanks for pointing out my error. My mouth and brain are from different bodies, but it's all they had left. I have gone to my room with no dessert.

Cheers
DB

 

[elrey]

Just thought I'd clear it up. Don't miss desert on my account. I also have a Mark II 3000 BT7, a side shift.

 

[Marvin Gruber]

It may take a few weeks but I'll report my findings when I do. I need another Healey like I need another wife. Hope mine's not looking at this.

Marv

 

[tahoe healey]

There is a red BN4, 1957 100-6 with the crease on Ebay right now. Is that the one you are looking at?

 

[Marvin Gruber]

No, the one I am looking at is here in Ala, its in primer. Car was black with red interior originally. Its not listed for sale.

 

[Randy Forbes]

Pretty sure that in one (1) of Geoff Healey's books, he tells of a crate of ridged bonnets (hoods) being "discovered" and them being fitted to cars after the non-ribbed hoods were phased in. Those guys weren't going to waste anything that could still be used.

See what the body number stamp is, and base your next move on the results.

I'd look this up, but all my Healey books have already been packed up, waiting to be moved to their new location...

... operation: No More Offsite Storing of Cars!

1000SF attached garage (3-1/2+ car) & 1050 SF detached garage (6-car?/though machine tools, etc. will take up some floor space). Planning on doing a two-post lift in each garage.

 

[John Turney]

Looks nice!