Restoring Bob Hill’s Austin Healey BJ8

Posted: Thursday, 6 November 2025 @ 12:09

Hill family in the 1980s with their red Austin Healey 3000 BJ8 registration HMO 991D.

A Healey Reborn: Four Decades of Family, Craftsmanship & Collaboration

The restoration of a very special Austin Healey 3000 MKIII (BJ8) is underway — and it’s a story that beautifully ties together family, friendship, and over forty years of Healey heritage.

Why This Restoration Matters

A personal family car owned by A H Spares’ former Managing Director, Bob Hill, since 1979
Restored by JME Healeys — the same workshop that first restored it over four decades ago
Handmade panels by A H Panels, ensuring perfect fit and finish
A living example of Healey collaboration between generations of Hills and Everards
Proof that true craftsmanship never goes out of style

The Hill family standing with their red Austin Healey 3000 BJ8 HMO 991D

A Family Car with a Family Story

Our former Managing Director, Bob Hill, has owned his beautiful Austin Healey 3000 MKIII (BJ8) since 1979. For Bob, this car isn’t just a classic — it’s part of the family.

His children, Jon (now Managing Director) and Rebecca (Director), have countless fond memories of growing up with the car. They fondly recall family trips to visit relatives and classic car shows — often squeezed into the back seats, surrounded by that unmistakable Healey sound and spirit.

Over the years, the BJ8 (registration HMO) became a symbol of the family’s shared love of Healeys — and the heart of many of A H Spares’ stories.

Austin Healey 3000 BJ8 body shell stripped to bare aluminium panels during restoration at JME Healeys.

A Full-Circle Restoration

Today, HMO is in the expert hands of our long-time friends and collaborators at JME Healeys — and this project has a wonderful twist of history.

Back in 1979, when Bob first bought his BJ8, it was the very first car restored by JME’s founder, Jon Everard. Fast forward to today, and Jon’s sons, Chris and Dan, now lead JME Healeys — continuing their father’s legacy of excellence in Austin Healey restoration.

It’s poetic symmetry: the same car, the same families, and the same shared passion for craftsmanship and authenticity — more than forty years later.

Bare Austin Healey 3000 BJ8 inner body shell on workshop frame before painting.

Interior rear seat section of Austin Healey 3000 MKIII BJ8 stripped and prepared for restoration.

Freshly painted Austin Healey 3000 BJ8 chassis in bright red at JME Healeys restoration workshop.

The Restoration Journey

The restoration of Bob’s BJ8 is now well underway. The car is fresh out of the spray booth, looking incredible, and now sits proudly on the ramp at JME’s workshop. Mick, one of JME’s skilled technicians, has started the exciting process of rebuilding the car from the ground up.

Every step is being carried out with care, precision, and respect for its heritage — ensuring that this Healey not only looks perfect but drives like it did when it first left the factory.

Technician at A H Panels shaping a front shroud for an Austin Healey 3000 BJ8 restoration.

Crafted to Perfection — A H Panels’ Contribution

All of the panels for Bob’s BJ8 have been handmade by our sister company, A H Panels.

Over recent years, A H Panels has made significant investments in improving our jigs, fixtures, and finishing processes to ensure every panel we produce achieves an exceptional level of fit and finish.

Working closely with internationally renowned restorers like JME Healeys, we’ve worked tirelessly to perfect a definitive shape for our full range of Austin Healey body panels — ensuring that they match original O.E. specifications and meet the standards expected by top restorers and enthusiasts worldwide.

This partnership between A H Spares, A H Panels, and JME Healeys represents the very best of what the Healey community stands for: heritage, craftsmanship, and collaboration.

Austin Healey BJ8 chassis in primer and red paint inside spray booth at JME Healeys workshop.

Follow the Build

Stay tuned for more updates on Bob’s BJ8 restoration in the coming months. Follow us for behind-the-scenes photos, videos, and progress updates from JME Healeys and our team at A H Spares.