1958 Austin Healey Sprite Frogeye

This is your chance to get your hands on a well sorted – and quick – Austin Healey ‘Frogeye’ Sprite. First built on the 29th of August 1958, it is a genuine UK right-hand-drive car that has been extensively, but not excessively, modified over the years and now produces a rolling road-verified 95bhp (remember, the original made 43.)

The owner prior to the current one bought the Sprite in 1986 as a project, and following restoration it was put back on the road in 1988. A second, more comprehensive restoration was carried out between 2009 and 2012 when it was also fitted with a tuned engine based on a 1275cc MG Midget unit, a five-speed Ford Type 9 gearbox, uprated suspension and brakes, and its original steel bonnet. 

The current owner bought it last year from the car’s original restorer, who said at the time, ‘as you’d expect given its specification, it’s very strong on the road and the modifications offer a complete package, making this a Frogeye that’s a delight to drive.’

The work carried out during the most recent restoration in 2009-12 included repairs to the original steel bonnet, replacement A-panels, new doors, new rear wheel arches, rear quarter panels, and a rear valance, a boot floor, main floor panels, and both inner and outer sills. The work was fully documented and a photo album of the work being carried out will be supplied with the car.

While the bodywork is good, the owner describes the Sprite’s paintwork as “fair” and goes on to say that it is “either appropriately patinated or ‘must be done’ depending on your view”, a summary we’d agree with. It’s a decent home-respray that has aged well but is far from perfect. No real rust that we can see, just a gentle deterioration over the years, something we in the office can sympathise with...

However, we would add that we think the majority of buyers would be very happy to leave it as it is and just enjoy driving one of the most well-sorted examples we’ve seen. If it were ours, we’d treat it to a professional machine polish and then not give it another thought. And, while the chromework has some slight age deterioration and pitting, like the paintwork, it would be easy to live with.

As would the MWS wire wheels, which are straight and true – and it’s nice to see that they’re not chrome-plated, a process that might look nice but does nothing for the longevity of the wheels.

They’re also shod with matching Firestone F590 tyres, all of which have decent tread. As we will never tyre of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection but it does give you a shortcut into the owner’s attitude towards maintenance.

The weather equipment is pretty good too, and comprises a black Everflex soft-top and matching tonneau cover, for the pared-down look. 

Oh, and it’s got a towbar as well as the luggage rack, making this one of the most practical, as well as one of the quickest, Sprites we’ve ever seen!

The dash was rebuilt with electronic instruments, including a retro-style but thoroughly modern GPS speedometer. The rest of the instruments look terrific and the whole lot has been wired in with a new, period-style loom. 

To finish it all off the interior was re-trimmed in a complementary light green and fitted with low-back leather bucket seats and Willans 4-point club harnesses. The seats are in an exceptional condition and their design suits the car’s intended purpose to perfection.

The rest of the cockpit trim is in a similarly good condition, and while there isn’t much to it what there is has been neatly done and has weathered the intervening years well; the Mountney steering wheel, for example, is perfectly judged, as is the painted gearlever mount.

The car’s specification reads like an enthusiast’s wish list and the engine builder has clearly read and absorbed David Vizard’s seminal work, Tuning BL’s A Series Engine.

The engine started life as a later MG Midget 1275cc unit but has been bored out to 1293cc, rebuilt and balanced before being fitted with a lightened flywheel, a set of Cooper S flat top pistons, a fast-road gas flowed head with larger valves (hardened, to unleaded spec), and a Piper 285 camshaft. It’s been tuned and tested on well respected A Series tuning expert, Peter Burgess’ rolling road, where it made 95bhp at the flywheel.

It’s ancillaries include a high-inertia starter motor, a sports coil, a programmable distributor, a heated inlet manifold, a single HIF6 carburettor (this flows much better than the original twin SU carbs) and K&N filter, a Kenlowe electric fan. The waste gases exit via a tubular LCB manifold and Competitions Slicencers RC40 exhaust system.

The transmission is a five-speed Ford Type 9 gearbox fitted with a heavy duty clutch, Peter May race half-shafts, and a Midget wire wheel axle with MWS wire wheels and matching Firestone tyres.

Suspension comes courtesy of an uprated front anti-roll bar, uprated front coil springs, uprated lever arm shocks all round, new kingpins and wishbones, and polybushes. Braking is taken care of via front disc brakes and rear drums, and Midget master cylinders or both brake and clutch.

The engine bay is very neatly finished, and shows plenty of recent expenditure on the (non-) oily bits. The underside of the steel bonnet does have plenty of peeling paint though, and this will need some attention if it isn’t to start rusting.

The underside itself is neatly finished but half-a-day with a tin of underseal and a brush would reap dividends in finishing it off.

The Sprite’s MOT certificate expires on the 23rd May 2020 and while this is a short MOT, the online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s low mileage. 

The car comes with a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years, as well as three workshop manuals and a variety of other books including its owner’s manual.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained in recent years to the very highest standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment. 

We like the contrast between the Sprite’s well-patinated, shabby chic exterior and the well-trimmed and comfortable interior; pair them with a well-fettled chassis and a genuinely quick engine and you’ve got one of the most usable Austin Healey Frogeye Sprites we’ve seen in a long time.

And, as an all-steel, genuine right-hand-drive Mk1 example that’s had an awful spent on over the years, it’s probably a safe place to put your money, too.

Not that it’s going to set you back a fortune; with a guide price of between £14,000 and £18,000, this is a very cost-effective Sprite you can just jump into and enjoy.

And, with the heavy lifting done on the interior and mechanical components, the new owner could undertake a rolling restoration of the bodywork if they would prefer it to match the rest of the car.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.