Austin-Healey 3000 Mk II
The Big Healey: a hairy-chested six-cylinder rally winner.
The story
Low, loud and hot inside, the Big Healey was the classic British sports car of its day. Works cars won the gruelling Alpine and Liège rallies, and Pat Moss drove one to victory against the men.
Inside
A snug cockpit with a big wheel close to your chest and the gearbox tunnel warming your leg. Later cars gained wind-up windows and a wooden dash.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
It sits so low that exhausts were often knocked off on bumpy roads.
Meanwhile, in 1961
Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space, and Tottenham Hotspur won the league and cup double.
Best-selling single of 1961: Wooden Heart by Elvis Presley
Before you buy a 1960s car
- Check the sills, floorpans, wheel arches and the bottom of the doors for rust.
- Ask for any old MOT certificates, service records and bills.
- Parts for popular cars are often available from specialists, but trim and body panels can be hard to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.