The Austin Healey is one of the most visceral British sports cars ever made: loud, fast for its era, and built with a mechanical simplicity that rewards proper maintenance with decades of reliable enjoyment. The “Big Healeys” (100, 100-6, and 3000) are genuine blue-chip classics now, with well-restored examples commanding strong six-figure prices.
Smyth Imports has been restoring British sports cars in Cincinnati for over 90 years. We understand the Big Healey inside and out, from the BMC four and six-cylinder engines that are conventional and easy to restore when you know the specifics, to the chassis and body structures that Ohio road salt attacks with particular enthusiasm.
We serve Austin Healey owners across Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Indiana, and our restorations have appeared at the British Car Club of Greater Cincinnati’s British Car Day and at regional shows across the Midwest.
The 3000 is the definitive Big Healey. The 2,912cc BMC C-Series six produces 124–150 bhp depending on the mark, and with proper cam and exhaust work, 170 bhp is common with no loss of tractability.
We do complete rebuilds including cylinder honing or re-sleeving (some factory blocks came with straight liners that can slip in service; we replace with proper flanged liners), crankshaft grinding and balancing with flywheel and clutch, pressure testing of both block and head to check for cracks from overheating, and cylinder head overhaul with hardened valve seats for modern unleaded fuel and bronze valve guide liners.
The Mk II’s triple SU HS4 setup has a reputation for being difficult to tune. It’s not; the carbs stay in tune well and are no less economical than the twin HS6 setup on the Mk III. We rebuild and balance all configurations.
This is where most of the money and time goes on any Big Healey. The chassis outriggers, inner sills, lower wings, floor pans, scuttle, footwells, A and B pillars, boot floor, and boot boxes (where the rear leaf springs attach) are all vulnerable to rust. Body panels were mixed and matched at the factory, so replacement panels rarely fit without modification; repairing originals is usually the better approach. The aluminium shrouds between the wings develop galvanic corrosion where they meet steel. We do proper structural metalwork on jigs, not cosmetic patches.
The overdrive units get tired with age: the pump, accumulator, and pistons start to leak, and engagement becomes slow when hot. We rebuild to proper specification.
Big Healeys run hot, which leads to the dreaded “Healey hot-foot” (a scorching driver’s footwell). The engines are comfortable running at higher temperatures (190°F is normal with the 7-pound pressure cap), but proper insulation, new firewall grommets, and a well-maintained cooling system make the car livable in Cincinnati summer traffic.
The original 100 used Austin’s 2,660cc four-cylinder (a long-stroke, low-revving unit with loads of torque), while the 100-6 introduced the six-cylinder in 2,639cc form. The early 100-6 had an inefficient two-port head with the intake manifold cast into it; the later 12-port head transformed the car’s performance.
The Sprite shares its DNA with the MG Midget, and we work on both. The “Frogeye” Mk I is the most collectible, but all Sprites are fun, lightweight, and increasingly valuable.
The chassis tells you everything. Door gaps are the Big Healey’s structural barometer. If they close up at the top, the chassis is sagging. We test by jacking the car at the rear of the chassis and checking if gaps are maintained under stress. A good, solid car holds its gaps.
Engine rebuilds are conventional but demand precision. The BMC engines aren’t exotic, but they require pressure testing (both air and hydraulic at temperature), Magnaflux inspection of the head gasket face, proper valve spring platform machining (variations of 2mm are common on these engines), and dynamic balancing of the complete rotating assembly including crankshaft, flywheel, and clutch cover.
Parts availability is excellent. With the exception of engine block, gearbox casing, and back axle casing, it’s possible to build a complete new Big Healey from reproduction parts. We source from major British parts suppliers including Moss Motors and maintain relationships with Healey specialists worldwide.
We serve Austin Healey owners across the greater Cincinnati region and beyond:
For owners outside driving distance, we offer enclosed transport services.
Call us at (513) 793-0434 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.
Smyth Imports has been Cincinnati’s trusted British car specialist since 1932. We also restore MG, Triumph, Jaguar, and other classic British marques. View all our services →
8773 Remington Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45242
By Appointment Only
Monday – Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
9 am – 5 pm
11 am – 4 pm
12 pm – 1 pm
Closed
