Lot Ended
Description
Fully restored in 2023; a stunning example of this rare and handsome
saloon; gorgeous Blackberry paintwork; one of fewer than 100 still surviving in
the UK; find a better one!
While it might
not have been quite the success that Austin had hoped for, only the stoniest of
hearts would not concede that the 3-Litre does have a certain majesty about it.
Codenamed ADO61, it shared its centre section with the smaller, front-wheel
drive, Issigonis-designed ADO17 ‘Landcrab’, but the two models had little else
in common.
Almost 14ft long and 5ft 7” wide, the
rear-wheel drive 3-Litre was far more imposing than the 1800, with imperious
quad headlamps up front and more than a whiff of Bentley Flying Spur around the
handsome rear quarters (Rolls-Royce initially toyed with the idea of using the
ADO61 as the basis for a cheaper and more compact Bentley, although this didn’t
get beyond the clay model stage).
Blessed with a
superbly rigid shell, the 3-Litre also boasted wonderfully fluent suspension
thanks to a combination of interconnected Hydrolastic ‘springs’, semi-trailing
arms and self-levelling which meant that it rode and handled remarkably well.
Throw in a well-appointed cabin with oodles of space and legroom, and it made
for a quiet and effortless long-distance cruiser.
The only real downside was the somewhat underwhelming C-Series
engine, based on the one used in the MGC but with smaller carbs, a lower
compression ratio and a seven- rather than four-bearing crank. While this
enhanced low-end torque and refinement, it came at the cost of reduced high-end
power – down from 145bhp to 125bhp.
With over
1.5 tons to lug, this meant 0-60mph took a leisurely 15 seconds in the 4-speed
manual version and 17 seconds if you shelled out another £104 for the 3-speed
auto option, while a top speed of 98mph was also nothing to shout
about.
Although BMC did toy with improving the
car (taking even more luxurious Wolseley and Vanden Plas derivatives to the
prototype stage), it was low on their list of priorities as they were fully
engaged with developing the high-volume Morris Marina to compete with the might
of Ford.
A shame really, because the 3-Litre was
a strong and refined car with lots of potential, as demonstrated by Mini tuning
expert Daniel Richmond of Downton Engineering. A big fan of the 3-Litre who
owned one himself, he applied his gas-flowing magic to the cylinder head which
boosted power to 175bhp and added 15mph to the top speed (an upgrade he offered
to others for £213), making it the car it so easily could have been.
As things
panned out, the 3-Litre was quietly shelved in 1971 by which time just 9,992 had
been sold, most in De Luxe spec (as here) and a few in more basic spec
for commercial and taxi use. The strong shell, rear-wheel drive and
low resale value made it highly prized by banger racers and it is thought that
fewer than 100 still survive today, only 63 of them taxed and roadworthy and
only 10 of them with automatic transmission, which makes this particular car a
rare beast indeed.
As the Heritage Certificate
confirms, UVJ 494J left the factory in October 1970 finished in Carlton Grey
with a Cumulus Grey interior and optional automatic transmission. Destined for
British Leyland dealership HA Saunders Ltd of Hereford, it must have sat around
in the showroom for a while because it wasn’t actually registered until April
1971. Little is known of the car’s subsequent history, but in early 2022 it was
acquired by a Mr Hackman at which point it was still in running order but was
looking slightly tired.
Over the next 15 months
or so he treated the car to a full restoration, and while there are only a few
invoices to show exactly what was done, the whole process is amply detailed in
an album of photos on file (a small fraction of which are reproduced
here).
This included a full body restoration with
new front door skins and ‘new old stock’ rear doors, chromework replated as
required, followed by a high quality repaint in Blackberry. The engine and Borg
Warner 35 automatic gearbox were rebuilt, along with all other mechanical
aspects as required – brakes, steering, suspension, rear axle, differential
etc.
The interior was also fully restored with
refurbished woodwork, new carpets and headlining and careful refurbishment of
the original grey vynyl upholstery.
Finally
finished and back on the road in May 2023, it was then taken to various shows,
including a BMC event at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon in the summer of
that year where the car was inspected by an independent engineer who gave it a
glowing report and valued it at £16,000 (see last photo).
In October 2025 the Austin appeared at an auction in the West
Country which is where our vendor acquired the car. He has improved
it still further, including having the steering rack reconditioned and
replacing the two rear Hydrolastic suspension units and associated hoses as they
were leaking slightly (the original units have been retained and are stored
in the boot because they are repairable and replacements are very hard to find).
He has also fitted a hazard warning flasher
control, 12v windscreen washer fluid pump, a switch for intermittent wiper
control and a digital tachometer atop the steering column. The dash clock has
been refurbished and upgraded to quartz specification while daytime running
lights have also been fitted in the outer headlights along with LED bulbs in the
sidelights.
The original mechanical twin fuel
pump has also been replaced by an electric pump fitted in the boot behind the
side panel (the original mechanical pump is also included).
Documentation includes the current V5C; an older V5C; various
invoices; restoration photos; Heritage Certificate; factory workshop manual;
owner’s handbook; wiring diagrams; engineer’s report plus two old MOTs issued in
June 2023 and June 2024 when it passed with no advisories on each
occasion.
Our vendor has taken the car to various shows during his ownership,
stating that it runs and drives well and always draws lots of attention. As you
can see in the photos, it is in really super condition and has been starting
promptly and running very nicely as we have moved it around on
site.
As good an example as you could ever wish
to find, this rare and imposing machine is on offer here at a very modest guide
price which must barely scratch the surface of the amount of time and money
lavished upon it over the last few years.
Only
reluctantly for sale because it is too big to fit in his garage without leaving
his other classic car exposed to the elements, it is no doubt capable of
scooping some silverware on the show circuit, should the fortunate new owner
feel so inclined.
Consigned by James Dennison
– 07970 309907 – [email protected]