This imported, left-hand-drive 1962 Austin Healey 3000 BT7 started its life as a production car owned by famed West Coast distributor, Kjell Qvale and his British Motor Car Distributors in San Francisco. To promote the Austin Healey brand, with the hopes of boosting recognition and sales, Qvale commissioned an up-and-coming racer and tuner, Joe Huffaker and his Huffaker Racing, to prepare and race the car in SCCA D-production. They hired Ed Leslie, a local of Carmel, as the primary driver, and the Huffaker Healey would become a formidable “giant killer” in period.
Joe Huffaker inspecting the carburetors of the Huffaker Healey – 1968
Huffaker Racing/Engineering enjoyed a lot of success in the competitive Northern California racing scene, and after three decades of success, Joe would be inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame.
Meanwhile, Ed Leslie and several of his fine performances, would be recognized by Carrol Shelby and Ken Miles, who offered Leslie a 289 Shelby Cobra to drive in the 1964 USRRC series, which he went on to win. The following year, Leslie was a part of the famous Shelby team that drove the Cobra Daytona coupe to victory in the 1965 FIA World Championship.
Weak stub axles – a weak point in period – could not handle turn 3 at Sears Point.
SCCA DP – Battling a Triumph – Laguna Seca (Don’t get any ideas, Bob Kramer)
The Huffaker Healey continued to appear in regional competition with its next owner through much of the 1970s before being sold again in 1977. It was acquired as a project in 1997 by a subsequent owner, who initiated a refurbishment that included a repaint recreating its 1960s black-and-white livery as well as a rebuild of the 2.9-liter inline-six by West Coast engine builder, Butch Gilbert.
Joe Huffaker (left) admiring the remains of the Huffaker Healey, in need of restoration.
After the completion of the refurbishment/restoration by the previous owner, the car participated in the 2012 Rolex Monterey Historics and was later shown at the 2021 Niello Concours at Serrano, where it received a 2nd in Class Award within the Race Car classification.
I purchased the car at auction on Valentine’s Day of 2022, and it has been a tumultuous love affair (the best kind?) ever since. While the car looked fantastic, it needed a lot of mechanical work to get back into a track-worthy condition. Since the car was located in Northern California, I decided to send it “back home” to Huffaker Engineering, at Sonoma Raceway (previously Sears Point), for an 8-month long refurbishment, which included a new cooling system, a new VTO wheelset along with fresh tires, race-type stub axles, suspension work, and new differential.
In good company at Huffaker Engineering – Sonoma, CA – 2022
The car finally made its way to Texas and debuted with CVAR in 2023. With the help of Speedstar Competition Services and Bill Rawles Classic Cars, I’ve since upgraded the engine, transmission, exhaust system, roll cage, and fire suppression system.
I’m proud of the beautiful, competitive car that this historic racer has once again become. Today, the Huffaker Healey holds the D-production track record at a few of the venues on the annual CVAR calendar, and best of all, it has proven to be a very reliable package. It has never failed to finish a race weekend, which admittedly, I’ve started to take for granted! Best of all, as with many classic cars, the Huffaker Healey has sparked countless, wonderful conversations and forged life-long friendships with other Healey admirers and historic race car enthusiasts…and to me that’s, well, priceless!
Diego Iturbe and son Luca, forging memories at ECR 2025 – photo credit – Michelle Wiggington
Submitted by Diego Iturbe
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