Healey owners – most of them from the U.S. - forgave the nuances as the car was quick and handled better than a lot of other sports cars on the market in the early 1950s. The reason for this was simple: Donald Healey had been designing sports cars since 1945, he was an automotive engineer and also drove in rallies. It is not too far fetched to draw some parallels with Australia's Sir Jack Brabham, the difference being Brabham strutted the biggest stage of all, Formula One - while Healey was a sports car maker.

The Austin-Healey 100/4 was a hit in the U.S. The 2.66 litre, 90 hp all-iron four was mated to a 4 speed gearbox. In reality first gear was locked out and there was an electric overdrive fitted to third and second gears giving experienced drivers five gears. This gearbox was replaced by a four speed with optional overdrive in the BN2 of 1955. The vehicle gained its 100 designation by virtue of the fact it could top the magic `100 mph' mark.

But buyers wanted more room. By 1956 the 100/4 was becoming dated so a complete re-think was undertaken for the 100/6 or BN4 model. The wheelbase was stretched by two inches, and parts of the the boot reconfigured to facilitate and extra two seats, although the word `seat' is a little optimistic. They were tiny. Healey stuck with the tried and loved design of the 100/4 in overall terms. It was then – and is 50 years later history tells us – a classic, elegant, timeless shape.

The oval grille was changed, there was a fixed windscreen, a choice of wire spoke or steel wheels and a blossoming hood with a small functional air intake on the extreme front of the bonnet. Passengers also luxuriated in internal and external door handles and perspex side screens. Alas the top still required considerable work to erect. The attributes that today's Healey owners love: the rawness, the basic motoring lust, caused sales to slow, despite the new model. Comfort and practicality were priorities for many buyers. The new engine was a 2.64 litre six sourced from BMC's C-Series large car plant. It too was cast iron, meaning it was heavy, but was more powerful than the Austin engine it replaced. The overall package was much heavier with the 100/6 weighing in at 2435 pounds compared to 2150 pounds for the 100/4.Overall the early 100/6 was slower than the 100/4.

Other changes were to come as the car was tinkered with over the years. 1.3/4” SU carburettors were added to the 2+2 plus a six port head was fitted and in 1958 the BN2 was upgraded to the 100/6 as the BN6, a two seater. It was in 1959 a significant change came to Austin-Healey naming. The 100 identity was dropped and the 3000 name – after the engine size - adopted. These became known as the `Big' Healeys and all were capable of far more than the magic 100 mph of the four cylinder models. The 3000 was similar in many ways to the 100/6 and in reality was the same car with bigger engine and brakes. All six-cylinder Healeys became known as Big Healeys.

The six cylinder Healeys had a life span of nine years, from 1956 to 1967 which became a period of evolution for the model culminating in the best known Healey of all, the BJ8. The Austin-Healey 3000 (2912 cc engine) was introduced in March 1959 and with it came a number of variants: the Mk 2, convertible, then Mk 3 models. Within those cars the upgrades took place: engine, chassis, gearbox and minor body construction. Yet, the formula, the car's character, it's charisma and style remained.

The initial 3000 came in two styles the two-seater BN7 and four seater BT7 2+2. These cars remained in this form until two years later when BMC released the 3000 Mk2. This variant is best known because of the addition of three SU HS4 carburettors. The engine was rated at 132 bhp. Anyone who has had anything to do with triple SUs will tell you they can be a handful to tune and stay tuned. The U.S. market – the largest by far for Austin-Healey – did not like the triple carburettors, although they loved the car.

A year later BMC dropped the triples in favour of a twin SU HS6 system. Minor changes were made to the gearbox. In late 1962 the BN7 Mk2 became the BJ7 Mk2 convertible. The windscreen was now slightly curved, it had roll up side windows in the doors, and a top that could actually be folded back with relative ease from inside the cockpit. The two seater was no longer and the car became an exclusive four seater or 2+2. The reason for the change was simple. Just 355 BN7 Mk2's were sold in 1961-62. The BJ7 Mk2 sold 6113 units between 1962-64.

The Big sports car's evolution was headed just one way: to the ultimate Healey - the BJ8 or Mk 3. This was the last incarnation of the Big Healey, a car as revered today as it was at launch in 1964. BJ8 got 148 bhp from the same size engine and the interior was upgraded with a restyled wood-panelled dashboard that included a lockable glove compartment. A centre console was installed between the seats and a parcel shelf was added behind the rear seats. BJ8 also received – at long last – an exhaust system with better ground clearance. A/H owners knew too well the sounds of a scraping exhaust pipe. This `Phase One' version sold 1390 units before a Phase Two variant was released with modifications to the rear axle location using radius arms and chassis changes for more suspension articulation and less axle hop. Top speed grew from 115 mph to 120 mph. Between 1964 and the end of 1967 16,322 BJ8 Phase Twos were sold. Production ceased due to the U.S. imposing new safety and emission levels.

The U.S. had an insatiable appetite for sports cars and this where the majority of Austin-Healeys ended up, in left hand drive configuration and competing for sales against the likes of Chevrolet Corvette. We found these BJ8s at the MacLean's Bridge meet near Brisbane in 2009.

(BN – two seats; BT 2+2 and BJ 2+2)

BT7 3000 Mk1 (1959-61) 10,825

BN7 3000 Mk1 (1959-61) 2825

BT7 3000 Mk2 (1961-62) 5095

BN7 3000 Mk2 (1961-62) 355

BJ7 3000 Mk2 (1962-64) 6113

BJ8 3000 Mk3 (1964) Phase One 1390

Engine: Straight Six 2912 cc OHV

Bore/Stroke: 83.36mm x 88.9mm

Compression: 9.0:1

Fuel: Twin SU HD8.

Power: 148 bhp (108 kW) at 5250 rpm

Torque: 165-lb ft (223 Nm) at 3500 rpm

Transmission: Four speed manual, optional overdrive

Brakes: Front: disc; Rear: drum

Suspension: Front – coil spring, wishbones level shock absorbers and sway bar.

Rear – live axle, semi-elliptic springs, lever shock absorbers, radius arms

Wheels/tyres: Optional wire and standard pressed steel 4.5” x 15” /Dunlop R55

Wheelbase: 92 inches (2.3368m)

Length: 157.5 inches (4.005m)

Width: 60 inches (1.524m)

Height: 50 inches (1.27m)

Weight: 2390 lb (1084 kg)

Track: F- 49 inches. (1.2446m) R – 49.5 inches (1.2573m).

0-60 mph: 9.8 seconds

Top speed: 122 mph (196 km/h)

Standing ¼ mile: 17 seconds