Summary: 1275cc / disc braked, all-steel car, currently under 10yr ownership. Not concours but a good example and priced to sell. New mot in April2024. Location: Kent

I have been fortunate to own this little Sprite for the last 10 years. It has given my wife and I a great deal of enjoyment and I have loved working on it and keeping it running as much as our trips out throughout the years. My view has always been that if I can’t work on it I wouldn’t keep it and sadly my age is now limiting my flexibility to the extent that the physical maintenance work is becoming beyond my capability. Sadly, it has to go.

This Frogeye left the factory in October 1958 and was sold to its original owner through a garage in Bromley. Like the majority of its contemporaries, it has undergone repairs in one form or another, changes and improvements to meet the expectations of the owners along the line.

The original engine has been replaced by the 1275 A-series engine (rebuild by Ivor Searle in 2005) which has been increased to 1310cc at some point. The head has been gas flowed and the original high compression reduced to a more suitable level of approx. 9. 7. A fast road AC Dodd cam has recently been fitted with new timing chain, followers, and refurbished rocker set. An electric fan is fitted.

The carburation was originally provided by a Weber but this has been replaced by a single hif44 on a Titan manifold. The exhaust uses Maniflow equipment. Ignition is programmable (Aldon) and electronic although this can easily be replaced as the new owner may not have a laptop available if he wished to try a different profile.

The car has been completely rewired using Autosparks loom and additional relays (headlamps) and fuses added. A battery isolator is fitted and the battery was replaced recently. It has been wired with led bright running lights and led bulbs in indicators. A hazard warning circuit is incorporated together with a 12v socket.

The hydraulic circuits use separate reservoirs so the brake circuit is independent from the clutch. The brake circuit is split front and rear so a failure in one will leave some braking power in the other. The front brakes are disc brakes.

The instrument panel has the correct instruments and a voltmeter has been added. Seats are the correct style for the car. “Minilite style” wheels are fitted (including spare). Tyres are good. Suspension is standard lever arm.

Sidescreens, hood and tonneau are provided although I have never used the hood.

I am not aware of any panel replacement because of rust. The bonnet is steel. The car has been resprayed in its previous life. The underside can be inspected on my ramp if required.

The list above includes items and work, prior to my ownership, as well as some of the improvements and replacements I have made. I have spent around £2. 5k on replacement/ additional parts.

MOT until April 2025 (although not a legal requirement)The Austin Healey Mk1 Frogeye was a ground-breaker in introducing a cheap to buy sports car using new construction techniques which did not rely on a chassis for rigidity. It became very popular and continued in other forms for around 21yrs. It was exported to the USA in large numbers.
VYO epitomises the way these cars have been loved and developed by their owners. In the 60's it was custom and practice to make your own mark and so most now have changes from the original Specification. VYO has had a larger, tuned engine fitted which creates a big boost to power so the little sports car can keep up comfortably with modern traffic. It has front discs to aid braking.
The handling of Sprites is legendary , which, with the greater engine power makes them fun to drive. Parts are readily available and the work to keep them on the road is straightforward and rewarding.
I have owned VYO for 10 yrs and kept up with maintenance and improvement. The engine, originally to a quite high state of tune, has been made more flexible by installing a milder (but still fast) cam and reducing the compression ratio from over 11 to around 9. 7.
I have invested over £2500 in my 10 yrs ownership and in return it has proved reliable. There is scope for a new owner to introduce their own touches or to leave very much "as is" and enjoy the experience.
It isn't concours or perfect, but very competitively priced, it's useable and ready to be enjoyed.