The Austin-Healey Sprite was announced by the British Motor Corporation in Monte Carlo on 20th May 1958, just two days after the Monaco Grand Prix. Fitting really, as the nippy little lightweight went on to become hugely popular on both the road and racetrack, claiming class victories in many rally and endurance events.
The entry level Sprite was born out of a parts bin rummage at BMC in the 1950s, where this low-slung, affordable lightweight sports car utilised the Austin ‘A-Series’ engine and many car components in the BMC line-up. Offered at launch for just £669, the intention was to bring in a low-cost model that would succeed the pre-war Austin Seven Nippy.
The striking design was the work of the Donald Healey Motor Company, while production was handled by the MG plant in Abingdon, where this British sports roadster was produced between 1958 and 1971.
The mk1 which ran from 1958 to 1961, is affectionately known as the ‘Frogeye’ (or ‘bugeye’ in the US), owing to the bonnet mounted headlights. Originally intended to have retractable headlights, the target price point of around £600 meant that the final design had them as a fixed items. Subsequently, this became the most distinctive feature of the mk1 Sprite.
The Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite was an instant hit, bringing fair performance and excellent handling to the masses, all for the price of Morris Minor. Austin-Healey had just redefined the sports car.
The 1960 mk1 example we have here, looks stunning in its beautiful red paint, having received a fully documented ground up restoration in 2007. This included a larger 1275cc A-series engine, full stainless exhaust system and disc brakes upfront, to give this Frogeye more usable performance in the modern day.
The car is believed to have had just 3 owners from its first registration on the 18th May 1960 until 1991. In the years that followed, the story goes that the Sprite then spent a number of years sat outside a pub, in slow decline due to its constant exposure to the elements.
In 2007 the owner decided to save the car from getting beyond repair and set about a meticulous and all-encompassing restoration process. No part of the car was left untouched, whether that was by way of new replacement parts, or refurbishment such as shot blasting and repainting. The car received an uprated engine, ancillaries, more modern brakes, a rewire, new body panels where needed and a full body respray. All of the restoration work was photographed and accurately recorded, which accompanies the car as part of its service history.
The current owner has had the car since 2017, acquiring the car locally from the Beaulieu Garage in the New Forest. During his period of ownership, the car has received regular maintenance, a yearly MOT (despite being exempt), new tyres, a new tonneau cover and new carpets. The current owner also corrected a fault in the wiring, with a completely new loom and rewire throughout.
While the car has given much enjoyment over the years, most recently the owner has had little opportunity to drive the car and so the time has come for the next chapter in this little Frogeye’s journey.
Accompanying this Sprite is a ring binder that provides an extensive record of the full restoration in 2007, including a dated timeline of events, work and parts and a CD of photographs taken at various points throughout the rebuild. The paperwork also includes various bills of work, parts, MOTs and previous ownership across the car’s lifetime.
The full story of this mk1 Sprite’s history is extremely well documented and provides confidence that the car has been subject to extensive work and maintenance, ensuring there are many more miles of smiles for the future owner.
The interior throughout this Sprite is reflective of the restoration, where the overall condition of the cabin is beautifully, albeit basically appointed. The red leather and paintwork naturally compliment the exterior colour and make for a truly lovely place to be. The chrome work of the dials, dash and and aluminium door tops is all in excellent condition and really add to the period features of the interior.
On the subject of door tops, the sidescreen/windows are the only part of the car that remain untouched by the restoration, but present very well and detach with ease as intended, when converting the car into open-top motoring mode.
The red carpets are bright and clean with very little signs of wear, having been a new addition during the current owner’s tenure. Wear and tear throughout the inside is generally minimal, with touch points such as the white piped vinyl (faux-leather) seats, steering wheel, gear stick, door handles and various switches, all in brilliant condition. Equally other areas of typical wear or aging, including door seals, pedal rubbers, seat belts and door thresholds all present extremely well and owing to the restoration, defy the car’s age.
The inside of the soft-top hood, which was new following the car’s restoration, is still in superb condition.
The design of the Sprite is such that there is no traditional externally accessed boot or rear storage. However, the open internal access to the storage area behind the seats, houses the spare wheel and is also in a clean and tidy condition.
On the whole, it’s an attractive cabin and there’s very little to fault with any part of this Sprite’s interior.
The exterior shape and design of the mk1 Frogeye Sprite is extremely attractive. This is accentuated by the still fresh-looking red paint across the bodywork. The brightwork of the grille, headlights, wheels and various pieces of exterior chrome, work in perfect harmony with the exterior colour.
The extensive restoration has resulted in the current fabulous condition throughout. Again, you’re hard pushed to find fault as you work around the car. Some very minimal pitting of the chrome, the odd stone chip and a few light scratches to the paint if you really go looking. Reassuring signs that this Frogeye has been driven and enjoyed by its owners, but always put back into dry storage after an outing.
The number plates are period-correct metal pressed and the badging front and rear are both original and in great shape. The glass of the windscreen and lights present in a nice clear condition, with only the original windows in the door tops showing some signs of age.
Keen eyes will note the lack of bumpers, which was a personal choice by the owner. However, the fixing locations remain, to allow for bumpers to be reinstated.
The under-bonnet mechanicals, and the underside of the car has benefitted from a sheltered life in a dry garage since the restoration. As you’d expect, there is only the slightest signs of surface rust on the underside components, in keeping with the maintenance and care lavished on this car.
Finally, the wonderfully bright chrome capped wheels underwent a shot blasting during the work in 2007 and as such are still in a very attractive state. All four tyres were bought new by the current owner. They haven’t covered many miles and appear in very good condition, with plenty of remaining tread.
Originally the mk1 Sprite was given a 948cc A-series engine and while the drive was always engaging and fun, it has been noted by owners to have been lacking in power, particularly on inclines. Fortunately, when this Sprite underwent its complete refresh in 2007, the owner at the time elected to upgrade the engine to a 1275cc block. Still an A-series engine and in keeping with the period and heritage, it is believed to have been sourced from an MG Midget. It also benefits from an alternator, rather than dynamo.
The new engine, associated ancillaries and service history back up what presents as a generally brilliant mechanical condition car. It starts without hesitation and has no concerning sights or sounds when on the move, coming to a stop or shutting off the engine. Mechanical servicing intervals have been maintained by the current owner and as such the Sprite is in excellent running condition.
Under the hinged bonnet, the extensive mechanical work is evident including the previously mentioned recent rewire. Thumbing through the supporting documentation and the timeline of the restoration, practically everything was either new or refurbished with several parts shot blasted and repainted.
This beautiful little Austin-Healey Sprite is striking in appearance and mechanically sound throughout.
It may not win you a concours event, owing to the larger 1275cc engine, disc brakes and the bumper delete, but make no mistake, this is an eye-catching example that will attract countless admirers.
This classic little sports car is capable of modern-day motoring, while reminding you of a bygone era of simpler times and the back-to-basics enjoyment of driving just for the pure thrill of it.
The extensive and well documented restorative and maintenance work provides assurance that this adorable little Frogeye has many more miles of classic touring ahead and will have you confidently planning idyllic open-top road trips.
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1960 Austin-Healey ‘Frogeye’ Sprite
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