1959 Austin Healey Sprite

This is an original UK-supplied, right-hand drive Mk 1 Sprite and it’s always been Cherry Red. It also boasts its original engine block (though now rebuilt, and more recently upgraded with a big-valve ‘head) and bodyshell, which went through a comprehensive restoration in 2004.

After that, the car later changed hands and was again the subject of significant expenditure in 2018, when the engine upgrades took place alongside interior and exterior cosmetic improvements, brake and suspension work and new chrome wire wheels.

The bills for the first restoration total some £14,500 and for the second period of work, around £9000. In addition, there are many other bills in the extensive history folder for service, repair and maintenance work in regular use.

It’s now faster (60bhp vs 43bhp) and somewhat jazzier than standard, already wearing most of the upgrades people like on Frogeyes: wire wheels, headlamp guards, foglamps, piped seats, wood-rimmed wheel and so on. There is also a highly desirable and practical Speedwell hard-top for year-round use.

This immensely appealing Frogeye Sprite is in A1 mechanical and cosmetic condition, needs nothing and should provide miles of smiles for the next owner.

It’s very bold and bright, with your first impression dominated by the combination of shiny chrome with equally glossy red paint. The finish is holding up well all over the car and there are no bubbles, cracks or blisters in the paint to worry about. In fact, we could barely find a scratch – the car has clearly led a pampered existence in recent years.

From the front, we’ll detail what’s new from the 2018 upgrades:

The front bumper and irons were replaced and an original metal bonnet was sourced and converted to a front-hinged mechanism. This is a common mod for Frogeye owners who would like better access to their engine bays, and who are sick of the bruises and wounds on the back of the head! New driving lamps set off the front end.

Five new chrome wire wheels are shod with Firestone Multihawk 2 tyres together with new inner tubes. On the tail is a chrome boot rack, and Monza fuel cap. The rack is a very handy addition because Frogeyes have no opening bootlid, so whatever you want to bring with you must be stashed in the small boot by tilting the seats forward – it’s much easier to get the picnic hamper off the rack.

The vinyl roof and tonneau are very smart but it’s the white Speedwell hard-top that really sets it off, raising thoughts of classic rallies into the Alps…must calm down! Overall, nothing looks worn, scratched or scruffy and the car would surely be a rosette magnet in most classic car show-fields.

It’s equally red and dazzling in here, with white piping to set off the seats. Some of the re-covering jobs, for instance on the dash panel, dash-top and door cards, feature the odd bump or bleb. The carpets were new in 2018, as were the seatbelts. There is a small cut on the outer edge of the driver’s seat-back.

At the same time the seats (which are original) were rebuilt with Dunlop bases and back pads, so it’s more than a re-trim. The car gained its handsome Moto-Lita wheel at the same time, along with the chrome map light on the dash. There is a battery cut-off switch for safety and anti-theft security.

Other dashboard additions include a clock and an ambient temperature dial. Some dials and switches wear dabs of red paint, either to distinguish one pull-switch from another or to mark change points, normal temperature readings or speed limits. There is a chicken-head knob on a bracket to control the function of an electric cooling fan – On, Auto or Off.

 The tonneau cover is the excellent sort with a zip that allows the passenger side to remain covered, which is ideal for those solo blasts on bright winter days when you’re glad to keep some heat in. Speaking of which, there are new-looking sidescreens to help keep the weather out.

Turn it on, pull the starter and the gruff little A-series bursts into life. It sounds fit and healthy immediately, with a distinct sporting edge as you blip the throttle. On the road, it skips away with rather more eagerness than any standard Frogeye, thanks to the Stage 2 engine upgrades providing almost 100bhp per ton.

The money spent in the engine bay is quite easy to spot – there are braided steel hoses for fuel and oil, which now passes through a remote cooler, plus a handsome ribbed rocker cover, two black-painted SU carbs behind pancake K&N filters. The manifold is a 4-2-1 system that feeds a Monza sports exhaust. The brake servo is new.

Inside the distributor there’s now Hall-sensor electronic ignition, explaining why it starts so promptly, while other recent work included a new Duplex timing chain, that electric fan and its thermostat. The stuff you can’t see amounts to a Burgess Stage 2 head with 1:4 ratio steel rockers, bigger valves and ports matched to the new SUs. The compression ratio is up from 7.5:1 to 9:1.

Away from the impressive engine bay, you’ll find the Frogeye’s hull entirely sound under a judicious coating of Waxoyl. There are new springs, dampers (which are slightly uprated to give a 10% stiffer feel), brake shoes, drums and anti-roll bar.

Printed history for the last 20 years is voluminous, and while there’s nothing much from earlier times, it’s the restoration in 2004 and the subsequent upgrading in 2018 that make this car what it is.

There are hand-written accounts of the work by previous owners, plus receipts that add detail to the large overall sums: exactly what was repaired on the shell, plus photos from that first restoration when the car was stripped to bare metal and refinished, plus many other points.

There are some older MoTs (the car is now MoT exempt) and we also find some useful and appealing books, including a Speedwell performance parts catalogue, a workshop manual and an original Sprite running and maintenance instruction book. There’s plenty to support the car’s 90-odd thousand miles as original and there is a V5C showing the date of first UK registration when new (1959) and 5 former owners.

It’s a really eye-catching car that goes better than most Sprites and needs nothing at all for immediate use. With prices for restored examples typically above £20,000, and sometimes a long way above, we think the estimate of £15,000 to £25,000 leaves a generous range for this excellent Frogeye to find a fair value.

If it were ours we might be tempted by a bit of classic rallying, and would therefore seek out wheels that were easier to clean than the chrome wires. And while the front-hinged bonnet is handy for engine work, we’d perhaps get it fettled for a better fit (the gap is too large on one side) and the catches that hold it down are not quite in keeping with the period look.

All in all, it’s likely to represent excellent value. You’d need another £10,000 to buy a Mini Cooper in equivalent condition and not much less to trade up to a TR3 or MGA…which won’t achieve as many smiles and waves from passers-by, or get away from this nippy device on a twisty B-road.

Ever wanted a Frogeye, but didn’t fancy the hassle of a needy, worn-out old car? Then this is the one to bid on.

Viewing is always encouraged, and as stated this car is located at THE MARKET HQ near Abingdon; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’