A Brief Austin Healey History

This model often causes confusion for those shopping for an Austin-Healey because there are actually two very different models with this same model name. The first "3000 Mark II" was basically the same as its 3000 predecessor except that power was increased by the addition of a third carburetor (previous big Healeys had two) and the grill was changed from horizontal to vertical bars. Otherwise it's very much the same car. This model also came in a four-seat version still called Series BT7 (5,096 built) and a two-seat version still called Series BN7 (just 355 built, making it the rarest production Austin-Healey and the last strictly two-seater). Note however that the three carburetors proved troublesome to keep tuned, and even the British Motor Corporation made a tacit admission of this when, in early 1962, they offered a kit to convert the triple-carburetor cars to two carburetors. Also in early 1962, a Series BJ7 car (6,113 built) was introduced which had the marque's first roll-up windows and a curved, wrap-around windscreen and pivoting wing windows. It retained the vertical grill bars but reverted to two carburetors. Also very importantly, this model was the first big Healey with a more or less permanently attached folding top that provided real weather protection. It is sometimes referred to, especially in Great Britain, as a "Mark IIa" to differentiate it from the earlier version of the Mark II, but "IIa" was never an official name. Therefore, you have a choice of a 3000 Mark II roadster that came with three carburetors and either a two-seat or four-seat configuration, or a 3000 Mark II convertible with two carburetors and four seats.