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Potentially new AH 3000 owner, needs opinions ]

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DavidRulon

Freshman Member
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I posted this in the new members section too, they suggested I visit here...
I'm on the research side of a 1967 Mark 3 AH that has been sitting in a garage in California for 29 years. Last started in 84, complete, first look for rust was promising, just a little lower fender and trunk lip bubbles, but the car has spent most it's life in Calif. 120K miles, it's melted a bit from sitting, the interior has what I believe to be vintage green 'shag' carpeting, but the black uphostered seats are intact as well as the dash area. Engine isn't going to turn over, pushed on the clutch which was stuck, and the pedal stayed on the floor, and the brakes.. lets just imagine that a complete workover there is waiting to happen too. Soft top, pearl white paint, wire wheels,etc.. Basically a possible great restore, 1 to 2 year project. Has a clean title. Trunk area solid.
I've restored two Alfa Romeo GTV"s , In the middle of a 72 Citroen DS, and a few others in my backround, so the car and I will get along after a few early battles.
I am wondering....an offering price range of a car in this shape? I know the middle prices and top prices of cars that run and shine, but this car does neither right now, but a great candidate to do so. I expect little more rust than Ive found, the frame looked solid from what little I could see.
I've guessed 4K to 7K to get the car, trying to be fair to the seller, but being fair to me and all the surprises and costs that will come up. Plan is to keep and drive the car along with my Alfa's and sell it only when they can't pour me into the drivers seat..
thanks for any input... and... after 4 other forums, I am very impressed with both the cars and the people that work/love/help each other with the Austin Healey line..
regards
David R
 
I'm going to guess you do not have access to go and look at things that folks on the forum might point out. That won't stop me. On the face of it 4K soulds like it might be a decent deal. Rust is certainly the biggest issue (frame, body, and engine). Are the fender flanges and shroud flanges where they meet solid? You can't see all of them, but you can see most of them with lights and mirrors. Way more body work if they are corroded from dissimilar metal corossion. Do the doors open and close with reasonable door gaps (i.e. is there any sagging of the frame). Is the frame seriously rusty? You never know how much bondo might be on the panels until you strip them. With your restoration background the only aspect that might be new to you are the above mentioned flanges. They can be repaired, and it may be easier than fitting new panels or panels from another car, but it is harder than welding in fender dog-legs or rocker area repair panels. Can you disconnect the driveshaft to see if you are able to turn the engine? The good thing is that it sounds complete. Be sure you have a horn/turn signal buttion, shock absorbers, and other hard to find items that people will surely point out. Sounds like a good "barn find". Good luck.
 
What's your objective? Full restoration or a "rolling restoration?" Next, what's your budget? And how much of the work can you do? One to two years is pretty optomistic unless your either are just interested in getting it safely running, or you've got a boat load of money to pay others to do a lot of the work.

I'm closing in on four years on my '66, and more money than I care to admit, doing most of the work myself.

If it's complete, it's certainly worth the amounts you suggested, especially if the body panels fit. My guess is that if you pass on this car, you'd get a lot of pm's begging for the owner's address.
 
Re: Potentially new AH 3000 owner, needs opinions

Hello David and welcome to the forum,
If you could post a few pictures, it may help you get " more informed " feed back. I didn't have to buy mine so I can't give you any experience on prices. I have seen what I would describe as piles of rust that somewhat still resembled a big Healey go for more than your top estimate of 7 K. I wouldn't take on something like that myself nor pay that much money for a pile of iron oxide but some folks apparently have. It sounds like you have a good deal available for 4 to 7 K if it is a complete car
without too much rust.
 
Welcome David
If the pictures in your gallery are of the car you are looking at 4-7K is a steal. Watch ebay for current pricing of similar Healeys in various conditions. Good luck on your 2 year endevour, I have been working on mine now for over 30 years and still have a few odds and ends to take care of.
:driving:
 
Re: Potentially new AH 3000 owner, needs opinions

The doors close perfect, hood and trunk gaps are good. I realized that they mounted a tow hitch to the front of this car, and if I remember right, they used to tow this behind a motorhome in the 70's before parking it in the garage...
With my other cars, 2 Alfa GTV"s and Citroen DS, I can keep myself sedated with... this would be a full restoration, money changes every year, but all my previous restores end up at least A- type restores, I drive them, take a lot of proactive care, and make a few modifications to make them more reliable, a little faster and fun.
I posted three pic's, wasnt' able to get much more than this, but I did look over the car pretty well. I DO think the rust is not going to be a big issue.. ( he said while coming out of a coma... ) But if/when the deal happens, I'll be spending more time under and around and beyond carpeting to make sure... I learned and got lucky on my Citroen...
thanks for the continuing input. Hope this happens...
Dave
 
Re: Potentially new AH 3000 owner, needs opinions

If you can get the car for 4-7K, go ahead. If you have the time, money and patience, what you are proposing will be well worth it.
 
Re: Potentially new AH 3000 owner, needs opinions

Cutlass said:
If you can get the car for 4-7K, go ahead. If you have the time, money and patience, what you are proposing will be well worth it.
Click to expand...

As long as you're not intending to make a profit.... :devilgrin:
 
Re: Potentially new AH 3000 owner, needs opinions

Dave's right. These cars are quite expensive to restore. When I said that it would be worth the effort and expense, the "worth" is not measured in dollars.
 
Re: Potentially new AH 3000 owner, needs opinions

Point well taken... I consider my toy's, my boy's. :smile: Just ask my right index finger, OK, the half that is still attached after GTV #2 snarfed it in a slipped jack incident... :smile: I'll keep these until I can't be poured into them.
I love the process, the effort, the swearing and temptation to occasionally set fire to my garage, 'just to show' the car who's boss... they are.
The value for me is in the figuring something out, making it better, cleaning little tiny parts no one will see, staying off my OCD medications and reassembling the car, and it works.
I do know that the AH could very well cost more than the two Alfa's put together.. Thats what robbing banks is for. And I hear that tellers are much less likely to put that exploding green bomb in with the loot if they know its for a AH3000 restore...
So.. thanks for the inputs, I should know if the owner is ready to let go and move on with his life, and let this car come back to life...next week.
best
David
 
Re: Potentially new AH 3000 owner, needs opinions

DavidRulon said:
Point well taken... I consider my toy's, my boy's. :smile: Just ask my right index finger, OK, the half that is still attached after GTV #2 snarfed it in a slipped jack incident... :smile: I'll keep these until I can't be poured into them.
I love the process, the effort, the swearing and temptation to occasionally set fire to my garage, 'just to show' the car who's boss... they are.
The value for me is in the figuring something out, making it better, cleaning little tiny parts no one will see, staying off my OCD medications and reassembling the car, and it works.
I do know that the AH could very well cost more than the two Alfa's put together.. Thats what robbing banks is for. And I hear that tellers are much less likely to put that exploding green bomb in with the loot if they know its for a AH3000 restore...
So.. thanks for the inputs, I should know if the owner is ready to let go and move on with his life, and let this car come back to life...next week.
best
David
Click to expand...

Well, it sounds like you've got the right attitude, give him $4K and push the mess aside in the garage and let's get started.

Oh, and it's better than oweing the Sands $400K.
 
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