The 1959 Austin-Healey 3000

UJB 140 is one of the four works Auston-Healey 3000s that were built by the factory for use in the 1960 Sebring 12 Hours. The car was used as a spare at that meeting, which at the time was the only American race on the calendar that counted toward the World Sportscar

Championship. Previously to this, British motor sport legend Jack Sears had driven the 3000 for BMC at Silverstone in order to test three-piston Girling brakes.

Directly after the Sebring event the car was sent to Hambro Automotive Corporation, the New York importer of Austin-Healeys. From here in August 1960 it was bought by Richard Ecklund, the first actual owner of UJB 140. He raced the 3000 in SCCA events at Harewood Acres in Canada and Watkins Glen in New York state.

In 1986 Bob Deuell, a close racing friend of Richard’s who shared the car on occasion, bought UJB 140. At that stage, there were only 20,000 miles on the odometer. Bob prepared the Austin-Healey and raced it in Historic events until he sold it to Jerry Bensinger, a dealer friend, in around 2007. The 3000 then passed to Craig Hillinger, and on to Peter Jaye in 2009, who implemented an outstanding restoration to its 1960 Sebring configuration. The picture above is the one I took of the roadster at the Concours of Elegance 2020, with Racing Green paint and hardtop.

ENGINE

2.9-litre, straight-six, overhead valve, 200bhp, twin carburettors

CONFIGURATION

Front-engine, four-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive, separate chassis, coil-spring front suspension, semi-elliptic springs rear, discs all round