1965 Austin Healey MK 111 3.0L Petrol · APO 373C

A pattern of structural corrosion risk and recurring fluid leaks defines the roadworthiness profile of this 1965 Austin Healey Mk III, with the most recent recorded test on 2023-08-21 returning a clean pass after a six-year testing gap. The earlier 2017 test produced the most serious outcomes, including an excessive corrosion failure on the nearside rear suspension spring mounting prescribed area, which is a structural item that demands close physical inspection even though the vehicle subsequently passed without re-flagging it in 2018 and 2023. The intervening years also show a 2022 test pass carrying multiple advisories relating to oil leaks at both the front and rear of the engine and gearbox, plus a minor exhaust gas leak and defective rear mounting at the central section, followed by a 2022 failure solely on an inoperative registration plate lamp. The overall picture is one of an older vehicle that has managed to pass tests intermittently but carries a consistent advisory footprint around sealing components, exhaust integrity, and previously identified corrosion. With recorded mileage of 95,014 miles spread across approximately 61 years, the average annual accumulation works out at roughly 1,558 miles per year, which is exceptionally low and strongly suggests extended periods of standing rather than regular use. The MOT history confirms this, with only seven tests spanning from 2014 to 2023 and substantial gaps between events, including a near four-year void between 2018 and 2022 and a further five-year interval before the 2023 pass. Long stationary periods on a classic of this vintage typically produce their own mechanical consequences, with brake calipers binding, master cylinder seals drying, hydraulic fluid losing effectiveness, hard brake and fuel lines corroding internally, and gaiters and seals perishing even when external mileage is modest. The recorded 95,014 miles should therefore be read as a figure that may understate actual wear on suspension joints and brake friction materials if the car has been exercised vigorously only in short bursts. A prospective buyer should treat the 2017 nearside rear suspension spring mounting corrosion failure as a live concern rather than a closed chapter, because a structural pass on a six-decade-old car can mask sub-surface rust that re-emerges quickly. Physically inspect the spring seats, shock absorber towers, and surrounding body panels for bubbling paint, flaking under the inner wings, and any previous welded repair, and pay particular attention to the offside equivalent as corrosion of this type is rarely symmetrical. The 2022 advisories on front and rear oil leaks mean the engine and gearbox should be examined on a warm start for active drips onto the undertray or road surface, and the central exhaust section should be checked for hiss on a cold start alongside the security of the rear mounting bracket, while a careful listen for metallic knocking from the rear dampers may indicate the previously noted light oil misting on the offside shock absorber has progressed. On a road test, the 2017 advisory of slight play in the nearside front axle king pin bush should be re-evaluated by pushing laterally on each front wheel with the car jacked and listening for clonking over uneven surfaces, as king pin wear on a Healey directly affects steering precision and can quickly escalate. Brake pedal feel should be firm after the first firm application, as long standing periods allow corrosion inside wheel cylinders and caliper bores to cause a soft or sinking pedal. Given the multi-year lay-ups, all fluid systems warrant scrutiny before reliance is placed on them, and the test drive should include a steady cruise on a motorway stretch to expose any high-speed vibration, exhaust drone from the central leak area, or pulling that may indicate the steering geometry has shifted since the last geometry check.