Vehicle Description
1969 Austin-Healey Sprite MKIV Convertible
In 1952 the automaker Austin, then part of the British Motor
Corporation partnered with the Don Healey Motor company and began
producing and selling 2 door roadsters and although small cars by
today's standards, they were still out of the reach pricewise for
most people. As a result, the diminutive Sprite was born. In
subsequent years the car was refreshed with the Mark II in 1961,
the Mark III in 1964, and the final iteration, the Mark IV in 1966
which lasted until 1971 after which it was sold as the MG
Midget.
For consignment, a 1969 Austin-Healey MKIV Sprite convertible. It
has a title verified 55,181 actual miles and was lovingly adored by
the owner who bought it in honor of his mother who owned one when
he was young. It required the owner to learn how to drive a stick
shift and this special car is now available for the next caretaker,
awaiting new stories to tell.
Exterior
Everyone knows they're cute and this little Sprite provides even
more whimsy with its coat of Sunshine Yellow. The smiling face
begins with a grinning egg crate grille behind a pair of yellow
rally lights, and capped with the Austin-Healey winged logo. Rock
guards protect the round headlights, while amber marking lights sit
below and on the fender for side visibility. A luggage rack on the
trunk lid provides some extra storage on a car with limited
available space and the elongated tail lights occupy most of the
rear fender, while reverse lights are inset on the rear fascia.
Twin chrome exhaust tips protrude from under the car and provide a
race inspired view for those behind. That's also the case with the
roll bar which rises high above the seats and instills confidence
in turns just in case the 13-inch wheels with 155/80R13 tires break
loose with some spirited driving. Those black wheels have
Austin-Healey engraved dog dish hubcaps and silver rims and despite
the myriad of aftermarket wheels Austin owners might use, we like
the stock look of the 'dogs. Imperfections are few but include some
minor rust around bottom edges, more significant where the black
filler coats the rear fender bottom, a few paint chips here and
there, and an occasional touch up.
Interior
Clever door panels place the actuator towards the back of the door
allowing passengers to reach over their shoulder to open the door
and requires less hardware in the door to reach the latch. The
black vinyl panels are in great shape and have a hinged front
quarter window above. Black vinyl also covers the bucket seats with
patterned inserts and added headrests. The rear deck is carpeted
and houses a couple of speakers and the crossmembers of the roll
bar. Straight ahead a banjo style steering wheel greets the driver
and is emblazoned with the Austin-Healey crest in the middle, a
combination of the Lord Austin family crest and the Austin or
"noble" Coat of Arms. A 4 gauge pod is presented to the driver with
the ever important tachometer and speedometer, the larger of the
four. An original BMC AM radio is in the center just behind the
floor mounted shifter and its yellow #1 billiard ball shift knob.
Low pile black carpet completes the interior tour and we would
categorize the interior as one that shows the cars has been driven
and enjoyed and is entirely presentable.
Drivetrain
Driver condition under the hood as well where we find the 1275cc
inline 4 cylinder engine rated at 62 horsepower. The bay, as well
as the trunk, show some surface rust, pitted in some areas and ripe
for encapsulation and paint. Meanwhile, the engine is fed by SU HS2
1 barrel carburetors and put into motion via a 4-speed manual
transmission sending power to the rear wheels and 4.22 gears. Disc
brakes are found in the front and rums in the rear.
Undercarriage
The monocoque construction of the car results in some flat belly
pans with the single exhaust running below them, straight back and
entering a glasspack style muffler before passing the bumper with
the twin tips. Coil springs are up front and leaf springs are out
back. There are areas of surface rust, not unexpected and a few
drops of oil on the oil pan, but generally clean and dry underneath
and ready to hit the streets!
Drive-Ability
And hit the streets we did, or at least our short test loop where
the little yellow roadster buzzed along, wringing out the 62
horsepower which feels adequate on a car that weighs around 1,500
pounds. What it lacks in overall power, it makes up for in fun and
driving enjoyment. It's nimble, eager, and basically an overgrown
go kart. The only thing that didn't work on the car was the heater
blower.
Whether you have a collection, or a collection of one, a small
British roadster has to be on your shopping list. Sprites and
Austin-Healeys in general, have an enthusiastic following and clubs
all over the country and one can only imagine the good times ahead
with a group of fellow owners and events. You don't have to
socialize to own this car but be prepared to make friends wherever
you go!
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
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