Description
Kelham Hall | Newark, Nottinghamshire Viewing: Tues 22nd September 2026 from 12pm Auction: Weds 23rd September 2026 12pm Location: Kelham Hall Main Street, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG23 5QX Registration No: Un-Registered Chassis No: T. B. A. MOT: Exempt Finished from new in Red with matching Red interior upholstery Supplied with the original buff logbook Reputedly purchased into the Ronald White Collection in the 1970s Believed just two previous owners Thanks to its prominent, bonnet-mounted headlights, the original Austin-Healey Sprite quickly became known as the ‘Frogeye’. The little two-seater, designed by the Donald Healey Motor Company and built by BMC at the MG factory in Abingdon, was launched in Monte Carlo immediately prior to the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix. The unique, one-piece bonnet covered a mildly tuned, twin carburettor, 43bhp 948cc version of the BMC `A’ series engine already found in the Austin A35 and Morris Minor. The suspension featured coil springs and wishbones up front, quarter elliptic springs to the rear and lever arm dampers all round. Today, the Sprite is legendary as one of the best-handling Sports Cars of its time and regularly lives up to its reputation with many of them still finding use in competition events internationally. Beautifully presented in its original colour scheme of Red paint and Red upholstery, the textured patina adds even more to this Sprite’s charms. It originally belonged to Oliver Norman Thompson of Appleton, near Warrington, but in 1967 he moved to Portadown, County Armagh, and took it with him. A second owner is listed as Wilfred Woods of Dromore, County Down, and it is thought that Ronald White was only the third owner when he acquired it in the 1970s. Already a seasoned rally driver with years of experience in Minis and his Sebring Sprite, it is thought that Mr. White campaigned the Frogeye to some degree, though it remains pleasingly standard and unmolested, down to the desirable steel bonnet. In more recent years, it has been a static display piece in Mr. White’s private museum, so recommissioning will be required before use. In such original, unrestored condition, we believed this would make a fine ‘oily rag’ to preserve, though it could be a basis for a more extensive restoration. Either way, we are sure it will delight its next owner. It is supplied with the original buff logbook. About the Ronald White Collection: A lifelong enthusiast, Ronald White inherited his interest in motor cars from his father, Joshua. Joshua was still an adolescent when he took over a small bicycle repair shop and grew it into a successful family-run garage as private car ownership became more commonplace after the Great War. Father and son alike caught the collecting bug, and Joshua started the collection with a Bullnose Morris, which he displayed at the garage, and it grew from there. One of the White Collection’s gems is a delivery-mileage Morris Minor, which Joshua had the foresight to preserve from new, astutely identifying it as a landmark in the post-war Morris range. Another was the Alvis, which was sold new to a local gentleman, Nevill Bond, who lived at a stately home called The Argory. Joshua bought it back after Mr Bond had suffered an assassination attempt while driving it! The Whites also developed a personal friendship with Harry Ferguson; hence, the White Collection came to feature Ferguson tractors. By the 1950s, Joshua White Ltd. was well-established as a large BMC, Ford, and Ferguson dealership. It was around that time that Ronald—known to friends as Ronnie—started competing in tests, hill-climbs and rallies with his local motor club in Northern Ireland, always displaying the proud sponsorship of Joshua White Ltd. Upon his father’s retirement, Ronald took over the business and also set up Armagh Garages to sell Fiats. Come the 1960s, his competition career blossomed and took him all over Ireland and into England and Scotland. He was successful in many events, including the Circuit of Ireland Rally. In the late 1970s, his interest turned to rallycross, again competing in Ireland and England. It was a testament to his amiable personality that many of his employees at the garage would work through the night to prepare his cars for their sporting outings, and several continued to maintain his collection after he retired from running the garage. While his father had collected significant production cars, Ronald’s particular interest was competition cars. Naturally, many of his own race and rally cars found their way into his collection, and perhaps the most significant is ’52 LPH’, one of eight Austin-Healey Sebring Sprites prepared by John Sprinzel. Ronald bought it in November, 1962, and campaigned throughout the 1960s with his sister as navigator. He never lost his enthusiasm, and even in his twilight years, he was taking his cars to venues such as Goodwood and Beaulieu to demonstrate them and share his passion with others. ** Bidding will take place...
