Vehicle Description
The 1959 Austin Healey Sprite is lightweight sports car fun with a
legendary name attached to it. That's why it's always so alluring.
These first-gen Frogeyes have become truly desirable collectors,
and so it's great to see one so expertly restored to have extra
power and better usability.
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 "Frogeye" 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 black
vinyl top might be for temporary use, it's a crisp piece that looks
striking against the metallic gray paintwork. In fact, as you start
to look deeper at this car, you'll realize that paint was never
something offered from the factory. It's a modern BMW Space Gray
that has the kind of clearcoat to really showcase Sprite's
curvaceous body every time the sunshine hits the sheetmetal. This
is part of a thorough restoration, and it looks so fresh because
there's only about 75 miles on the car since completion! They made
subtle upgrades while still paying attention to details. For
example, you see it in how the wheels were updated to classic
minilite-style units, but they still have the classic AH center
cap.
Another great upgrade was the reverse hinged doors. They make
getting in and out of this machine a much easier process. You might
also notice that this is a right-hand drive roadster. After all,
when restored by a place called British Auto Restoration, you would
expect them to relocate the steering wheel to the proper British
side. It's just another touch of distinction this Healey offers.
You get a fresh interior with great details, like white piping on
the black bucket seats and a custom-made wood dash. But while this
is stylish, we all really know the real purpose is to be a
driver-focused machine. That's why you get a grippy leather-wrapped
steering wheel, large Smiths gauges, and a gearshift that falls
perfectly to where your hand wants to be.
The hood now hinges at the front for better access to the motor.
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 detailing this motor. But the true secret here is
added power. The Series I cars topped out at 948cc, but this has
the 1275cc displacement of the final series. Plus, they added a
Weber carburetor, Crane Cams FireBall ignition, and a header
feeding the sweet-sounding dual exhaust. It's a true power
advantage you can feel in this featherweight Sprite, and you are
truly in full control of it thanks to a five-speed manual
transmission upgrade. This delivers that ideal driver's moment
where 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
body strong in the turns.
The sale comes complete with a racing tonneau and storage bags for
the side windows. This is a high-quality restoration of one of the
most distinct classics around, so you know you don't want this to
slip away. Call today!!!