Description
WGD 383
1959 AUSTIN HEALEY SPRITE MK 1 – ‘Frogeye’
(2400 miles in 23 years)
Between 1958 and 1961 nearly 49, 000 Frogeyes were built of which about 13, 000 were in Right Hand Drive format. All shared the 948 cc ‘A’ series engine which developed a massive 43bhp.
This Frogeye was first registered in Glasgow on 28th February 1959 bought by a Mr William Jarret for less than £700. The original colour was Austin ‘Nevada’ Beige. In 1959 Road tax was £12. 00!
It was bought and sold several times and appears to have had been in an accident in early 1963 as it had a new chassis number allocated. At some point in time, it has had a BMC ‘Silver Seal’ exchange engine fitted which is a 1098cc still retaining the twin SU Carburettors.
I purchased the vehicle in May 2001 by this time in Iris Blue, with 61, 214 traceable miles on it as MOT’s show a recorded mileage of 61, 130 in 1993 and it covered only 100+ miles in 8 years!
When assigned abroad for work between 1995 and 2010 the car was in dry storage the majority of the time and hardly ever driven. Returning to the UK in 2011, it was again off the road ‘Sorn’d’ and in storage, but I had an MOT performed in late 2013 and the mileage then was only 61, 689.
I did place it back on the road in 2014 and took it to the Le Mans Classic and no issues were experienced as 600 miles were covered, many, many, more than it had encountered in the previous 20 years! I returned it to storage after that trip until 2021.
In 2021 and 2022 it went through a considerable renovation program with the body taken down to bare metal with new floors, sills, A pillars, engine and gearboix rebuild, with many ancillaries either uopgraded or replaced. It comes with a good Tonneau cover, side screen and a softtop. It has also been fitted with disc brakes and a 1275 ribbed gearbox which is a much stronger unit and many ancillary parts have been reconditioned or replaced.
After the renovation it was MOT’d in April 2022 with a true mileage of 62, 865. Mileage is currently 63, 599 and will be MOT’d in next couple of weeks.
I am pleased to say that with more time available and being fully dependable it subsequently had a couple of run outs, but only driven in the dry, and these included the Welland Valley Wonder and the Milton Keynes Classic Tour.
I returned to Classic Rallying in an MGB GT last year and need the space and the funds to build another classic rally car, hence the reluctant sale and I think it is very well priced for its condition compared to many advertised at the moment. This is an opportunity to buy a ' Frogeye' with all major work having been completed and at a very rersonable price. Ready for those Springtime drivbes and club meets.
