Page 31 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

Warning Signs
In the midst of this success, however, dark clouds soon appeared over the American market as the end of the decade approached. After consumer advocate Ralph Nader had fomented a public panic over automotive safety, a host of new governmental regulations appeared that threatened severe consequences for the automotive industry, particularly for small sports car concerns like Austin-Healey. The first rule to appear dictated that all manufacturers selling cars in the United States had to comply with certain safety requirements by 1968, which would be difficult and expensive to meet due to the 3000’s aged design. Almost as troubling were proposed emissions standards that threatened to erode the model’s performance, one of its most important virtues in a hotly contested market.
As the deadline for compliance approached it became obvious that it would be impossible for the Big Healey to meet the new standards. There was an attempt to install a Rolls-Royce Princess R engine in a widened body to create an Austin-Healey 4000, but that idea failed to materialize beyond the prototype stage, while
The 100-Sixes and early 3000s, like the 1961 BN7 pictured here, offer less effective weather equipment and more austere interior trim, but provide a more interactive driving experience than the more luxurious cars that came later.
other proposed replacements for the 3000 fell by the wayside for various reasons. One of the most beloved sports cars ever built, the Big Healey was gone for good by 1968, but not forgotten by those who remember its masculine demeanor and unforgettable driving experience.
There are still plenty of opportunities to enjoy the experience, however, with 15,144 examples of the 100-Six built and 42,925 examples of the 3000, comprising 13,650 Mark Is, 5,450 Mark IIs, 6,113 Mark IIAs, and 17,712 Mark IIIs.
TOP: The 3000 Mk III BJ8 featured the most comfortable and attractive interior ever seen in an Austin-Healey with an attractive wood veneer dash and a proper glove compartment. The large center console adds a luxurious touch while the Ambla seating surfaces were added to reduce costs and improve quality.
ABOVE: The 3000 Mk III BJ8 introduced the most powerful engine
to appear in a Big Healey with 148 horsepower at 5,250 rpm and an overwhelming 173 lb ft of torque at 3,000 rpm. This prodigious output was made possible by a revised camshaft profile, less restrictive exhaust, and larger 2-inch SU HD8 carburetors.
The 100-Six has always suffered from a lack of respect, not just from British sports car fans, but the rest of the classic motoring world too. Fair? Not really. After all, it takes an expert to distinguish between them and the first 3000s that followed, and they emit the same beautiful noises from the exhaust pipe and deliver a similar driving experience from behind the wheel, even if they are not as fast, or as valuable as an investment.
However, the 100-Six’s status as the middle child of the Healey clan is a definite plus for the enthusiast that has always lusted after a Big Healey but can’t afford to buy an earlier or later car. After all, except for the six-cylinder engine, it retained the same masculine spirit that marked the 100, making it a far more macho machine that the BJ7 and BJ8, which some enthusiasts deride as too soft and refined.
Even better than the affordable pricing that has always been a part of its life as the forgotten sibling, 100-Six ownership provides some benefits that aren’t available to owners of the later cars. Want to go on some of the more prestigious touring events like the California Mille or Colorado Grand? Sorry, but cars from the 1960s, including the more popular 3000s, are persona non grata, making the 100-Six almost seem like the smart choice. Value for money is not something normally associated with Donald Healey’s big roadsters, but the 100-Six is about as close as it gets. Hurry up, however, because everyone knows that sometimes the middle child winds up as the best of the brood.
THE DRIVE
The Bargain Beast
Wayne Carini  Affordable Classics  29