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Test drove an AH3000 yesterday

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gjh2007

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While taking my visiting cousin for a tour around my area in my TR250 we stopped by a shop that deals in LBC's. His father was orig an MG dealer. Anyhow he usually has some used customer's cars out front & there was a '66 AH 300 for sale. Older amateur resto (re-painted, some chips, overspray on the air filters, underside hood paint flaked & rusty...& so on)Asking $25,000.

He had not even been through the car recently, but threw me the keys. It started right up & sounded good.

Anyhow went for a short test drive (mostly interested because I never drove one) & one of the backing plates to the rotor must have been rubbing; made a good awful sound so I didn't go far.

To be perfectly honest even though it was a short drive I just can't see that kind of money for a car that really should be re-stored properly. I love the look of the cars, but I could buy 3 of my TR250's & get them in the same shape for the price of this one 3000. It felt so much bigger & heavier than my 250 & lot less tight.

Please; not bashing them by any means, but how/why are the prices they are getting for these cars justified? (supply & demand?)
 
Re: Test drove an AH300 yesterday

Hi, Gary -

Seems to me that the attraction is the looks of the car. The 3000 is one of the "classic" designs, and it was one of those cars that were highly desirable back in its day.

I've driven a 3000, as well, and really love the feel and the sound. But I'm with you as for pricing. There are too many others out there that will deliver most of the goods for much less money. Mind you, if money weren't a consideration, I'd be after one!

Mickey
 
Re: Test drove an AH300 yesterday

Mickey:

To tell you the truth the sound of my TR250 with the stock (but worn insides exh) sound almost as good. as for the feel, I know I should give it some more roadtesting, but it really felt big & heavy..

You would have loved this place, he had 4-5 chrome bumper B's being worked on, plus a TD in for full resto & another in for service.
 
Re: Test drove an AH300 yesterday

The looks and sound of them are wonderful.. Those attributes by themselves are worth at least 5 grand?
A friend of mine found one cheap (far worse than your specimen) had it restored to his specs and still came out smelling like rose. As for the rest of the car, (performance and handling) they are ok. I'll covet the car for the first elements but drive my TR and be happy.
Pete
 
Re: Test drove an AH300 yesterday

Can you name and address the shop? I'm from RI and would like to take a ride over there one day with my TR-6.

Thanks,

Paul
 
[ QUOTE ]
It felt so much bigger & heavier than my 250 & lot less tight. (supply & demand?)

[/ QUOTE ]

The cars are bigger and heavier. Comparing them to a 250 or a TR6 is not really fair to either marque. The early 3000's were a child of 50's technology. The TR's were brought out 10 years later and showed the time difference.

Then again, after the BJ7 run that ended in 1963 I feel that the car ceased to be true to its beginings and was just hanging on. I think the same case could be made for the TR6 after the true 74 model year (We own three after that run so please, no nasty notes!)

As for value, not only is it supply & demand, but the nostolgia is huge. I think that there are still a whole lot of guys that remember the neighbor down the street with that big Healy as a part of their childhood. They were the first roadsters that many of us saw or owned.

The supply side shows even stronger in the fact that there were only about 47,000 3000's built as compared to the 95,000 TR6's or 125,000 MGB's. But using that logic does not explain why the Bugeye Sprite at 50,000 units does not command a higher price.

Would I run out today and drop $35 - 40k on a Mk II Healy? Only if it was that Healy Blue over Ivory White example that consumed my life in the late 60's and has haunted me since.
 
At our annual British car show, the Healey guys pretty much stick to themselves and ignore the rest of us. That might explain some of the appeal of these cars. I like them anyway (cars and owners). You just got to get to know them.
Mephisto boat shoes, Bill's Khakis, double Polos and Rolex are not my style. Except for Dave, I would bet that most of them had their cars restored. I think they are one of the sexiest LBCs on the planet. Just out of my league.
Bill
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It felt so much bigger & heavier than my 250 & lot less tight. (supply & demand?)

[/ QUOTE ]

The cars are bigger and heavier. Comparing them to a 250 or a TR6 is not really fair to either marque. The early 3000's were a child of 50's technology. The TR's were brought out 10 years later and showed the time difference.

Then again, after the BJ7 run that ended in 1963 I feel that the car ceased to be true to its beginings and was just hanging on. I think the same case could be made for the TR6 after the true 74 model year (We own three after that run so please, no nasty notes!)

[/ QUOTE ]
So true. - The weights did increase, which totally changes the feel & handling of the cars.
For comparison, some of the listed curb weights;
Early Healey 100-4 2240 pounds
Mid Healey BN7 2380 pounds
Late Healey BJ8 2550 pounds
EarlyTriumph TR250 2270 pounds
Mid Triumph TR6 1974 2370 pounds
Late Triumph TR6 1976 2624 pounds

The Healey BJ8 would somewhat compare in weight to the late TR6's. The Healey 100-4 would compare in weight to the TR250. Seems like "all" car models stray away from the original designs as the years go by, usually for the worse, as they add "garbage" to the original design. Usually, the added weight is on the front end, to the detriment of handling. Surprisingly, to me, many folks prefer the later models. I guess there is something for every taste.
D
 
Well Dave, you know them BJ8's were so bloody fast they had to add some weight to keep em on the ground.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
At our annual British car show, the Healey guys pretty much stick to themselves and ignore the rest of us...

[/ QUOTE ]

In fairness to Healey owners I don't think that's a universal trait. Our local club is all-marque (smallish town) and the Healey guys are second only to the Triumph crowd in their enthusiasm for driving and working on the cars. May be because they got theirs before the prices went north and bought the car for all the right reasons.
 
Re: Test drove an AH300 yesterday

Knock you self out, it's about 1 hr North of Boston Just take the Tobyn Bridge to Rt 1/95 North -128 to Rt 1a Hamilton Wenham about 10 miles. Ask for Don or Don Jr.

Burnett's Garage Inc
60 Maple Street, Wenham, MA 01984
(978) 468-4011


https://yellowpages.superpages.com/superm...8&map.y=121
 
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