Lot details
Year: 1960
Make: Austin Healey
Model: Frogeye Sprite
Registration: XAJ 784
Odometer: 46,975
Engine: 948cc
Transmission: Manual
MOT: exempt
ULEZ: exempt
HPI: clear
Location: Lancashire
The Austin-Healey Sprite, affectionately known as the “Frogeye Sprite” has been a firm favourite of sports car and latterly classic sports car enthusiasts for over 60 years; celebrated for its distinctive headlamp design, exciting & spirited performance and handling on the road along with all the appeal and charm of open-top classic motoring. Often described as the ‘little brother’ to the larger Austin-Healey 100/6, the lively 948cc engine offered an accessible but equally exciting sports car.
This charming example was first registered on 1st September 1960 and came into the hands of a metal fabricator in 1973 who undertook an extensive, ground up restoration. To improve the longevity, several of the metal panels were made with a thicker gauge of steel than was the norm and we believe was oil sprayed inside some of the key box sections.
Three major changes were also made to the car during this restoration. The metal bonnet was replaced by a glass- fibre front end, tilting forwards for better engine access and the car was painted from the original Old English White to Turquoise. The original gearbox was replaced with a later more robust 1275 type, with synchromesh on second third and fourth gears, rather than just the top two gears of the standard car. The 948cc A Series engine is believed to be the original unit.
It was re-registered onto the road in 1974 and regularly run until 1995, when it was sold to the family of the current owner.
Shortly after buying the car, the twin 1 1/8” SU carburettors were replaced by a single 1.5” SU carburettor and high flow aluminium inlet manifold, for easier maintenance and reliability.
The car was re-sprayed to its original colour of Old English White in 2013, and the interior was re-upholstered in black with cream piping and carpeted shortly afterwards. In addition to the existing soft top, the car unusually comes with an all weather compliment of full-width tonneau, a hard half-width “Le Mans” style cover for the passenger cockpit along with matching half width soft tonneau. A 70’s style steering wheel is fitted for improved accessibility, with the original steering wheel and twin Carburettors supplied with the car on request. Authentic and period correct 1970s vintage FIAMM Air Horns have also been fitted.
Over the past 30 years the car has been garaged at all times with little mileage covered, during this time a number of items have been replaced, including:
- Tyres
- Battery
- Radiator
- Brake and Clutch Master Cylinder
- Brake slave cylinders
- Half Shaft
- Kingpin
Around 10 years ago the Vacuum Advance mechanism developed a fault and as a replacement could not be found at the time, a new Vacuum Advance was manufactured from Aerospace grade aluminium.
The car has proved to be reliable over the past 30 years, with no bodywork repairs being necessary in the 50+ years since the 1974 rebuild; a testament to the quality of the restoration work carried out.
A feature that distinguishes a Frogeye from other Spridgets, is that the car has side-screens, rather than wind up windows and the absence of a winder mechanism means that the Frogeye has much more elbow room than the very cramped cockpit of the later Spridgets.
There are three issues that might potentially need to be addressed by a prospective owner.
1. The car comes complete with a set of side-screens, but some of the sealing rubber is in a poor state. Some replacement rubbers were purchased but not completely fitted.
2. It appears to be difficult to completely fill and empty the fuel tank. The reason for this is unknown and may require some work if longer journeys are anticipated.
3. The cylinder head has not been modified for unleaded fuel. Enquiries were made when leaded fuel was being phased out and the advice given by Austin-Healey/MG specialists was that, providing that the car was not used for extended periods over 3500 rpm, this should not be a problem. This can be further addressed by the use of a good quality E5 fuel such as Shell V-Power and a fuel additive/lead replacement.
These are wonderful motor cars to own; a pleasure to work on, easy to maintain, beautiful to look at and a joy to drive.
Thanks to the Vendor for providing and checking all information.
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