Vehicle Description
Lightweight sports car fun with a legendary name attached to it is
why this 1961 Austin Healey Sprite is so alluring. These first-gen
Frogeyes have become truly desirable collectors, and so it's great
to see one so expertly restored.
The Sprites were all about the joy of driving, and these first-gens
really did it the best. After all, you can't help but smile when
you see the styling that's unique to these first few years. And
while the design is endearing, this had a much larger purpose. It's
a featherweight machine that could even shed the roof, side
curtains, and windshield for racing. And while the tan vinyl top
might be for temporary use, it's striking against the deep aqua
green paintwork. That beautiful hue continues the tradition of bold
colors on British roadsters, and it looks particularly impressive
because of a recent professional application that makes this
sunshine-friendly car shine even brighter. In fact, the restoration
really took its time to get this one looking like its fresh off the
boat from England. You see it everywhere from the straight body
panels, to the delicate rear bumpers, to the factory "AH"
hubcaps.
If you love the way the tan top looks against the green paint, then
you'll love the interior, too. You can tell this was a thoughtful
restoration by the way the supple leather buckets have piping to
match the exterior color. And with the carpeting, side panels, and
dash all in a coordinating tan, this is a very fashionable and
fresh machine. But while it's stylish, we all really know the real
purpose is to be a driver-focused machine. That's why you get a
grippy steering wheel with dual spokes that make it easy to see the
clear Smiths gauges. This one doesn't need a center console because
your right hand rests perfectly and naturally on the gearshift.
The unique hood fully opens up the front end. This is a good thing,
because it really gives everyone a chance to see the level of
detail in the restoration. You can see they spent a small fortune
rebuilding and detailing this motor. The 948cc engine has a dual
set of rebuilt SU carbs, and it works with the weight-saving diet
to deliver a spirited performance. Combine this with the close
ratio four-speed manual transmission, and you begin to understand
why people love these cars. After all, there's no better feeling
than rowing through the gears at the exact right time to stay in
the powerband. The last key to the Sprite being so good on the
backroads is its unibody construction. It was revolutionary for a
road car at the time, and it keeps the featherweight body nice and
stiff in the turns. It even handles quite nicely thanks to a fully
rebuilt suspension and modern Kumho tires at all four corners.
The sale comes with build receipts and photos. But you can already
tell from the photos that everything (including the undercarriage)
was carefully restored on this Healey. So when it has this total
quality level, all you have to do to enjoy it is be the first one
here to snap it up. Call today!!!