1959 Austin Healey Sprite Mk1

This charismatic little BMC beauty was originally supplied to an exporter in Weymouth, Dorset in September 1959. The car was destined for an overseas territory and as the wheel remains on the right-hand side, this must have been one where the first owner drove on the left. Thanks to a highly detailed British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) certificate, we know that this Sprite was fairly well appointed with options including; a toughened windscreen without washers, sliding screens, a heater, rev counter, front bumper and black hard top. Thanks to the same certificate, we also know that the car’s original colour was Iris Blue, the shade it’s since been returned to (having been painted white in between).

A wealth of paperwork accompanies this Sprite from its original BMC driver’s handbook – with licence stamps showing prior owners (up to 1967) – a great photo record of the car’s restoration and MoT certs back to 1978 (showing a mileage of 30,522). Those early documents suggest this Sprite’s clock has likely ‘been round’ at least once, though MoT certificates show a confusing array of figures from the 1980s and 1990s. What we can be sure of it that the current figure on the odometer is 24,694.

This car has always been a great starter and always starts on the button! No smoke and no oil or water usage.

Returned to its original shade around 2010 (with an invoice for paint showing a date of 10 March), this Sprite still presents very well. The panels are almost totally free of imperfections or damage and the paint finish remains even and highly reflective. The luggage rack on the boot lid is a welcome addition that gives a nice nod to period touring. The rest of this Sprite appears to present as BMC intended.

Looking closely, we did find a few minor imperfections. There’s a small scratch to the paint on the rear panel, just next to the nearside over rider. In a similarly near insignificant vein, there’s a small dent to the offside sill, midway along its length. Overall however, the bodywork covering this Sprite seems to be in great shape. The hood looks a little tatty here and there, with a couple of tape ‘repairs’ over two of the rearmost fixing points, though it seems to still be capable of keeping the worst of the weather where it belongs, on the outside. 

Some mild corrosion can be seen on the wheel rims, along with a couple of cracks to the paint finish on the front clamshell between the indicator and the grille (both sides). The majority of these mild imperfections should however be considered more patina than defect.

There’s so little to a Sprite’s cabin that it’ll likely come as no surprise to hear there’s not a lot wrong with this one. The big beautiful Smiths dials, common to all BMC models of the era, still seem to work as intended and present clearly. The trim looks good with a nice ‘settled in’ feel, suggesting an older but well-executed retrim. There are plenty of cracks to the windscreen seal however, (inner edge on top of the dashboard) that suggests this wasn’t swapped when the car was last painted.

Seats and trim remain highly presentable and complete, with just a few scuffs to the lower portion of the door cards and some fading to the pile on the carpet (transmission tunnel) the most obvious signs of age. There’s also a Radiomobile err, radio on the passenger side of the dashboard, that shows a few light scratches and some mild corrosion. Looking a little closer at the base of the front seats, we noticed a small tear to the fabric on the rear of the driver’s side. Both bases also show some surface corrosion, yet the overall impression, as with the exterior, is that the cabin of this Sprite remains in great shape.

With that whole front end hinged out of the way, there’s almost unrivalled access to a Sprite’s engine bay. In this instance, said access reveals a lovely patinated engine bay with very familiar late-1950s BMC components on show. The engine is, of course, an A-series unit that Mini owners will know inside and out. This 948cc unit has a few spots of paint peel to its rocker cover and some light marks here and there throughout the engine compartment, but nothing that seems unsightly. It’s looking largely original under here too, right down to the twin ‘pancake’ gauze air filters feeding a pair of SU carburettors. There’s also what looks to be an original dynamo is still in use.

The radiator has quite a few bent fins and yet appears to still be holding coolant, with no obvious sign of leaks. The same can be said of the rest of the components under here. Underneath the Sprite’s floors and sills, we couldn’t see anything to cause us too much concern. The panels seem straight and strong with a good covering of wax protection and paint still doing their job. The wheel arches seem very solid with only a couple of flaking paint sections beginning in let mild surface corrosion take hold. Suspension, steering and braking components all appeared to be in top health, with a nice presentable black-painted appearance.

There’s far too much to cover here, as this Sprite’s history can be traced way back to the late 1970s (via invoices and MoTs) and back to the late 1950s in handbooks and dealership literature. The following should therefore be considered the very brief set of recent highlights, though we’d suggest it’s well worth studying the rest of the images for a clearer picture.

• Radiator grille replaced in 2001 (£129.50).
• Iris Blue (BU12) paint and thinners bought in March 2010 (likely most recent respray).
• A number of panels were purchased in 2004 from Frogeye Spares (bodywork repairs prior to repaint?). These included; rear bulkhead, boot floor, boot floor to wing, floor pans, floor strengtheners and front bulkhead.
• Brake refurb in 2018 (invoice for £97.82 from Frogeye Spares).
• Reconditioned front shocks in 2014.

There are numerous older (and therefore less significant) bills for MoTs, parts and maintenance going back decades, the vendor also pointed out the following: “Purchased in 2021 from Classic & Sports Cars and serviced by the above in 2021. Rebuilt gearbox. New clutch. Wishbones replaced. Matching numbers.”

The Sprite might not have the performance cache of its larger 100 and 3000 siblings but it’s regardless a charming and collectible classic in its own right. The cute looks and easy to maintain mechanical components make it easy to live with and its low weight and nimble chassis make it an entertaining (if not adrenaline pumping) little sports car. 

Having a great history that’s easy to chart, for the majority of this car’s 64 years, this Sprite certainly ticks a lot of boxes and the fine condition it appears to present in today should provide further reassurance for its next keeper.

We are happy to offer this vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £12,000 - £16,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, 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, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.