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Overdrive45
Member
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Warm greetings to forum members,
I have just purchased a 1964 Austin Healey 3000 Mark 3, red in colour, which was the original colour. It has been beautifully restored by
Todd Cathcart, of Sports Car Parts Calgary, body off, new frame. Hope you don't mind a couple of photos.
I retired almost 6 years ago, but am busier than I ever thought. Although I was a professional for all of my adult life, in 1964 I played drums in great weekend bands. The music charts were fabulous, and so were British car designs. My father had a red Wolseley,and then a new Rover TC 2000. Like most kids, I couldn't afford a sports car, and even through all the years of work, I never felt that such a thing was suitable. I do remember wondering why so many old guys bought sports cars.
Fast forward to living in Germany in 2018-2020. The Mercedes museum has Gull wing Mercedes, and I sat by one for a long timer admiring the sheer beauty of the lines. I wondered if I could ever buy one, until I found out the price. So I bought a small plastic model.
But the big Healeys have the same kind if appeal, and this was growing on me. I found one on Kijiji in Ontario, a nice Healey Blue, in a well-lit display room with a Gibson ES 335 on the wall. My kind of people. But it sold before I could type, "I am interes..."
So I have researched quite a bit and finally found one here in Alberta. the price seemed a bit high but when I made a couple of calls, I realized what an effort had gone into restoring it, but just as importantly, there was a compelling story behind it.
The owner is a really nice guy, and he was having it serviced at the restorer's shop. When I saw it on the hoist, I could not believe the beauty of the craftsmanship. And when it landed, like a chariot of fire, it was even more stunning. The owner took me out for a spin, and I became a kid, back in 1964 again. Overdrive was smooth, beautiful muffler tone, strong pull from the engine. Then it was my turn. I almost needed a can opener to get settled in on the driver's side. I have big feet, I guess, and I took one shoe off to fit my feet into place without bumping into each other. The steering was quite tight, and hitting the binders is a phrase I now understand a bit better now, and I had to get used to the two mirrors. Getting out was not as bad as that viral Instagram Lamborghini old guy, but close.
I absolutely loved it. So we settled on the price and the purchase was made. The drive home through urban traffic and onto larger highways was fine as far as the performance of the car, but it was hairy with no seatbelts and I on anticoagulants. That will soon change.
What I am finding is that Healey owners are, up to this point, a great group, willing to advise and help.
I have many questions that I feel can best be answered here, and I promise to help in any way that I can when I learn more.
So swapping out to LED's would make the driving lights much brighter, think, but are there problems beyond needing a kit to include a new flasher? Should I convert the reflectors to LED's? What should I get to ensure I manage the knockoffs ideally? What sort of really low profile jack? I'll read through the topics first, then pose questions as needed.
All the best!
I have just purchased a 1964 Austin Healey 3000 Mark 3, red in colour, which was the original colour. It has been beautifully restored by
Todd Cathcart, of Sports Car Parts Calgary, body off, new frame. Hope you don't mind a couple of photos.
I retired almost 6 years ago, but am busier than I ever thought. Although I was a professional for all of my adult life, in 1964 I played drums in great weekend bands. The music charts were fabulous, and so were British car designs. My father had a red Wolseley,and then a new Rover TC 2000. Like most kids, I couldn't afford a sports car, and even through all the years of work, I never felt that such a thing was suitable. I do remember wondering why so many old guys bought sports cars.
Fast forward to living in Germany in 2018-2020. The Mercedes museum has Gull wing Mercedes, and I sat by one for a long timer admiring the sheer beauty of the lines. I wondered if I could ever buy one, until I found out the price. So I bought a small plastic model.
But the big Healeys have the same kind if appeal, and this was growing on me. I found one on Kijiji in Ontario, a nice Healey Blue, in a well-lit display room with a Gibson ES 335 on the wall. My kind of people. But it sold before I could type, "I am interes..."
So I have researched quite a bit and finally found one here in Alberta. the price seemed a bit high but when I made a couple of calls, I realized what an effort had gone into restoring it, but just as importantly, there was a compelling story behind it.
The owner is a really nice guy, and he was having it serviced at the restorer's shop. When I saw it on the hoist, I could not believe the beauty of the craftsmanship. And when it landed, like a chariot of fire, it was even more stunning. The owner took me out for a spin, and I became a kid, back in 1964 again. Overdrive was smooth, beautiful muffler tone, strong pull from the engine. Then it was my turn. I almost needed a can opener to get settled in on the driver's side. I have big feet, I guess, and I took one shoe off to fit my feet into place without bumping into each other. The steering was quite tight, and hitting the binders is a phrase I now understand a bit better now, and I had to get used to the two mirrors. Getting out was not as bad as that viral Instagram Lamborghini old guy, but close.
I absolutely loved it. So we settled on the price and the purchase was made. The drive home through urban traffic and onto larger highways was fine as far as the performance of the car, but it was hairy with no seatbelts and I on anticoagulants. That will soon change.
What I am finding is that Healey owners are, up to this point, a great group, willing to advise and help.
I have many questions that I feel can best be answered here, and I promise to help in any way that I can when I learn more.
So swapping out to LED's would make the driving lights much brighter, think, but are there problems beyond needing a kit to include a new flasher? Should I convert the reflectors to LED's? What should I get to ensure I manage the knockoffs ideally? What sort of really low profile jack? I'll read through the topics first, then pose questions as needed.
All the best!
