1959 Austin Healey Sprite

Description

The 1959 Austin Healey Sprite is lightweight sports car fun with a legendary name attached to it. That's why it's always so alluring. These first-gen Frogeyes have become truly desirable collectors, and so it's great to see one so expertly restored to have extra power and better usability.

The Sprites were all about the joy of driving, and these first-gens really did it the best. After all, you can't help but smile when you see the "Frogeye" styling that's unique to these first few years. And while the design is endearing, this had a much larger purpose. It's a featherweight machine that could even shed the roof, side curtains, and windshield for racing. And while the black vinyl top might be for temporary use, it's a crisp piece that looks striking against the metallic gray paintwork. In fact, as you start to look deeper at this car, you'll realize that paint was never something offered from the factory. It's a modern BMW Space Gray that has the kind of clearcoat to really showcase Sprite's curvaceous body every time the sunshine hits the sheetmetal. This is part of a thorough restoration, and it looks so fresh because there's only about 75 miles on the car since completion! They made subtle upgrades while still paying attention to details. For example, you see it in how the wheels were updated to classic minilite-style units, but they still have the classic AH center cap.

Another great upgrade was the reverse hinged doors. They make getting in and out of this machine a much easier process. You might also notice that this is a right-hand drive roadster. After all, when restored by a place called British Auto Restoration, you would expect them to relocate the steering wheel to the proper British side. It's just another touch of distinction this Healey offers. You get a fresh interior with great details, like white piping on the black bucket seats and a custom-made wood dash. But while this is stylish, we all really know the real purpose is to be a driver-focused machine. That's why you get a grippy leather-wrapped steering wheel, large Smiths gauges, and a gearshift that falls perfectly to where your hand wants to be.

The hood now hinges at the front for better access to the motor. This is a good thing, because it really gives everyone a chance to see the level of detail in the restoration. You can see they spent a small fortune detailing this motor. But the true secret here is added power. The Series I cars topped out at 948cc, but this has the 1275cc displacement of the final series. Plus, they added a Weber carburetor, Crane Cams FireBall ignition, and a header feeding the sweet-sounding dual exhaust. It's a true power advantage you can feel in this featherweight Sprite, and you are truly in full control of it thanks to a five-speed manual transmission upgrade. This delivers that ideal driver's moment where there's no better feeling than rowing through the gears at the exact right time to stay in the powerband. The last key to the Sprite being so good on the backroads is its unibody construction. It was revolutionary for a road car at the time, and it keeps the body strong in the turns.

The sale comes complete with a racing tonneau and storage bags for the side windows. This is a high-quality restoration of one of the most distinct classics around, so you know you don't want this to slip away. Call today!!!