The Austin-Healey Sprite came about as a result of the merger of several British car brands to form the British Motor Corporation in 1952. Austin, Morris, Wolseley, Riley and MG, were merged together, ensuring the survival of a number of British car names that would otherwise have quietly disappeared but also merging their designs.
As such, the new ‘Baby Healey’ that had long been planned would end up sharing much of its architecture with a new small MG (the Midget), albeit with a very different appearance – at least early on.
The Austin-Healey ‘Frogeye’ Sprite entered production in 1958 and was of interesting ‘unibody’ construction. One of the first monocoque structures from a British manufacturer, albeit in a rather rudimentary way, with the car built up around a central ‘tub’.
The mechanical components that the Austin-Healey Sprite was to be built around began with the Austin “A Series” engine of 948cc capacity and fitted with twin SU 1⅛” carburettors producing just 45bhp, though the light weight meant this was usually plenty. The rack-and-pinion steering was lifted straight from the Morris Minor, with semi-elliptic rear leaf springs and a four-speed manual gearbox.
Chief engineer Barry Bilbie’s unibody design was based around front and rear bulkheads joined by “Top Hat” sill sections, reinforced by body stiffeners and the central transmission tunnel, all mounted onto a central floor pan. The rear suspension forces were directed through the floor pan while the front suspension and engine/transmission were supported by two front chassis legs (meaning the design was not a full monocoque).
To obtain the right levels of stiffness the unibody was designed without an opening boot lid, so access to the boot was obtained by lifting the driver and passenger seats forward and then reaching into the luggage space.
The distinctive ‘Frogeye’ look, meanwhile, was unintentional. Healey’s body designer Gerry Coker, originally designed it with retracting headlights that would fold flat when not in use, but these became a victim of BMC cost-cutting.
Nevertheless, the Sprite was warmly received – its entertaining handling, willing performance and undeniable cuteness making it popular despite its cramped cabin and impracticalities.
VAS 259 comes with a British Motor Heritage certificate that shows it was originally registered as HYJ 843 to Lamb’s Garage in Peasmarsh, East Sussex, and was a Tartan Red Healey Sprite with Nevada Beige interior and options including a rev counter, Smith’s heater and windscreen washers.
It has lived a little since, having been owned by keepers in Birmingham, Somerset, Wiltshire and Dumfries and Galloway, before being purchased by its current owner in Norfolk in 2018.
It retained its original registration number until the early 2000s, but the plate was retained before it was sold in 2005. It does, however, have several bills that relate to both its current and original ID, proving it has been loved throughout its life.
At some point in the late 1990s, the car had an extensive body restoration and was also fitted with a fibreglass bonnet – a fairly common conversion that reduced both weight and the threat of rust. It was subsequently resprayed again in the 2010s, so the Tartan Red bodywork once again looks bright and fresh. It also received an interior retrim in the hands of its previous owner, so the seats are now red, but in excellent condition.
There is a box file of history with the car that includes MOT certificates dating back to the 1970s, a heritage certificate and several pieces of correspondence between previous keepers and owners’ clubs that back up its storied history. It also has rally plaques from classic car events dating back to the 1980s, which demonstrate just how long the car has been cherished and kept in preservation.
There are numerous old bills, along with some far more recent ones that document a brand new hood and tonneau cover, some mechanical work and general servicing, as well as a re-cored radiator and the interior retrim.
Documents from a restoration specialist in the late 1990s and early 2000s show several thousand pounds worth of work on the body structure, which has been cosmetically improved since. The car also comes with a current V5.
It’s a case of everything you need and nothing you don’t inside the Sprite’s rather cosy cabin, which feels especially confined with the roof up. It’s neatly finished, though, with the red seats and delicate wood-rimmed steering wheel really setting the interior off nicely.
The seats are finished in a light leatherette material with red piping, which isn’t original but really does look good, while new carpets and a transmission tunnel cover finish it off. A period radio is a lovely feature, though we were unable to get it to work. Otherwise, the dials are all in good order, as are the pull controls for the starter, choke, wipers and windscreen washers. And apart from the optional (and fully functional) rev counter, that’s about it.
A Tartan Red Frogeye Sprite on Minilite wheels is never going to be short of fans and we’re certain that this car is set to gain a few more – it’s cute, bright and cheerful, solid and very smartly presented.
It’s not concours. There are a couple of small scuffs to the paint, for example, notably around the bonnet closures, while some of the car’s chrome details are slightly tarnished. The bonnet also has some interesting panel gaps – a common issue when a fibreglass front is fitted.
Overall, though, it still looks fantastic and the paint finish is superb. It has some neat details, too, such as leather bonnet straps and Healey wheel centres. The roof is nearly new, the hood frame works fine and the tonneau cover also does the job, though the newness of the roof does make it a very tight fit, which will undoubtedly ease with time and use.
Underneath, it appears to be very solid with no visible corrosion on the floor pans or spring mount areas, while the front chassis section and inner wings have seen previous repairs but these appear to be fairly established and extremely strong.
The 1098cc engine is a typical A-Series, firing up with very little choke and eventually settling to a quiet and steady idle, though the twin carb arrangement does make it a little fussy when cold.
It sounds fine and healthy and the owner reports that the car is in good running order, with no areas of concern with the brakes, suspension or steering. Parts supply for the Sprite is plentiful and maintenance is ridiculously straightforward, making this an enjoyable and low-cost classic to run.IMG_0178.jpeg2.01 MB
The Appeal
Well, we’ll start with the looks. If you’re not drawn in by those puppy dog eyes, then you need a new career as a poker player or a movie hard-man, for there’s something utterly beguiling about the Frogeye. It’s a car with a face. A happy face. What’s not to like?
The good news here is that if this one does charm you to the point that you can’t resist it, it appears to be in rude health, with no structural nasties or mechanical maladies to speak of. Throw in a comprehensive folder of history and it’s hard to say no. Then just think of a name. A car with a face needs a name. And once it has one, don’t blame us if you find it hard not to bid.
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