As I’ve noted on previous posts, I am a big fan of the races held at Sebring each year, most notably the 12 Hours endurance event. This prized Austin Healey Sebring Sprite is one of two that raced in the 1964 campaign and was later sold to private ownership, one of the very few works cars to do so. It has just 900 miles from new and is listed here on Hemmings, likely the best preserved example in the world.
Unfortunately, this particular car did not have the most illustrious showing at Sebring. There were two Sebring Sprites entered, and this one exited the race on just the ninth lap due to a failed axle. The sister car would go onto win its class. While the historical provenance is a bit light, it still ran at Sebring and is a properly-built works car, complete with the rare magnesium wheels, Dunlop racing-spec radials and plexiglass windows.
Donald Healey was famous for not ever selling competition vehicles, noting their hand-built status and thus more significant investment by the factory. However, when a dealer approached him about buying this particular Sebring Sprite, he made an exception. It went from Sebring back to the factory and then to Pennsylvania, where its first U.S. owner used it in hillclimb events, as seen here. It went to one other owner in that time, who recently passed away with the Austin Healey amassing just 900 miles.
As you would expect, it remains in time warp condition. The selling dealer says it is 100% factory correct, but Healey was known for rejiggering some items, like the Dunlop disc brake system. However, given the high levels of originality on display and the verified low mileage status, it’s hard to quibble with an example like this. There is no list price – simply, “Make offer” – which may drive most of us insane, but I can’t say I blame the dealer for a rarity like this.
Nice car. This lives up to the term rare.
The ad says it has an automatic transmission, I hope not.
Steve R
Great car! Thanks for sharing.
Now this is scarce, and it looks like the real deal. Google brings up a number of sites that seem to show this car.
Conceptcarz.com shows what looks like this car at the Amelia Island concours, but no year is given. It does seem to have an award under one of the windshield wipers in one of the pics. Stephen Pitcaim, a BMC dealer, is said to be the person who bought the car after Sebring. He did some hillclimbs in it and there are some photos of the car at speed, probably at one of the hillclimbs.
It was then sold to a friend in 1985, and then on to the current owner in 2015.It was said to have 795.5 miles at the Amelia Island event, so it has put on only just over 100 miles since then.
The car looks terrific in the pics. The interior seems consistent with its race car status early on, although it has nice door panels and other luxuries you wouldn’t expect in a race car, which might have been installed after Sebring.
I’m surprised its for sale on Hemmings instead at one of the major Euro auctions run by RM Sothebys of one of the other big auction houses. There is an error in the Hemmings listing: it says ‘Auto’ transmission, but the shift lever in the car says it’s a 4-speed, or possibly 5-speed because of its racing build.
The body design looks terrific—very Italian.
This is the kind of car that has few comps. It will probably sell for big $$, but how big will depend on how badly the new owner wants it.
I’m going out on a limb, Dolphin, but I believe this car was pictured in one of Geoffrey Healey’s books, which I used to have. The dashboard was bare metal (aluminum?), as were the floors and inside door panels. The ad says Healey “recommissioned it with some street equipment,” but who knows? Seems likely there would be a paper trail if that’s so.
Most likely the transmission was a standard four-speed BMC unit; among the racers built by the Healeys, I’m pretty sure only the 100S cars used “outside” suppliers for the gearboxes.
The following detailed article by Baird Foster provides the “paper trail” and more that you’re looking for:
http://sebringsprite.com/pdf-files/TheHunt4HealeyHistory.pdf
ps: Thorough research – mysteries solved – data authenticated.
Sprite and other Brit sporting cars had factory support for the average racer, you could buy a booklet on tuning them for a shilling, HD axles, HC pistons, close ratio gearsets, cams and the factory warrantee was still valid! These are a car that EVERY sports car enthusiast has had along with the MG-B
Ray, I got my Healey books and had a quick look (“Healey The Handsome Brute”, “Healey The Specials”, “The Story of the Big Healeys”).
…..nothing on this racing Sprite unfortunately, and close to no coverage of even the roadgoing Sprite. I don’t know whether there is a book dedicated to the Sprite. If so, it might be in there.
What you describe about the interior is what I would expect for a competition car. This car has probably been civilized for a bit more comfort since Sebring 1964.
I think you’re probably right about the gearbox. My 5 speed thought was just a guess. I have never seen a Sprite with a 5-speed. But I’m thinking the drivers might have wished for a 5th gear on the long Sebring track.
Why would you want this when you could have that green rust bucket posted earlier? Ok just kidding very nice car.
Nice car. Unquestionably genuine and perfectly preserved. Without question the most historically significant car I’ve seen on BF – Ever!
What about the Bimmer from 1939 a few months ago on BF? About as significant if not exceeding in significance. Don’t get me wrong, I love this Healey and recognize the cockpit immediately with that domed metal shift lever boot. Let’s hope this one has been upgraded to 5 gears instead of the factory 4. Somewhere I have a mint Corgi Junior toy of this car which includes a trading card detailing its specs.
Probably had the close ratio 4-speed. BMC had an extensive list of optional equipment that was primarily for track use, and issued a detailed build manual for racers.
What happened to the later factory Sprites, with the more chiseled nose and the 1300 cc. crossflow engine? Stan Huntley in Portland OR had one for years. When I saw it, the engine wasn’t in the car.
Its Tach is on crooked. :)
If the 1978 Indy Pace Car is worth $79K, this one should bring about $4 million. l I would trade all of the Indy Pace Caars ever made for this little bugger. Some of the pictures in the ad should be framed and hung on the garage wall.
The tach is supposed to be “crooked”. In a race, the driver wouldn’t care about idle speeds or the lower RPM readings, he wants the higher, red line revs closer to eye level and readable at a quick glance.
I got in touch with the seller and it does have a manual.
I had a “bug eye” sprint car “back in the day” set up for play day racing.
Tach was turned just like the one in this car. At shifting speed the tack needle pointed straight up. That little car was scary quick and I did not keep it long…
Now this car… don’t know the price, but WOW! Belongs in someones racing musuem. Sweet.
I’m in lust. Its worth more in England than the US or Europe, my guess is it goes home and the next time we see it as at Goodwood, pounding around in one of the race groups or charging up the hill. Value? $150k? $200K? What is a car like this really worth? If I had the funds I think I could easily pay $150k for it and not feel like I got taken to the cleaners.
This is not a Sebring Sprite. That is the recognised name for an earlier and different car, a small series of competition cars based on the 59-61 Mk1 Sprite, usually with aluminium fixed head (not fastback) and bonnet. Mainly associated with John Sprinzel and Stirling Moss.
If claimed history can be sustantiated (and there is so much knowledge out there that I am surprised at the sketchiness of the supporting evidence here) it is a later works Sprite as entered at Sebring in 1964. But it isn´t a Sebring Sprite.
It makes sense to be very careful on checking into that history before parting with a lot of money.
I remember this car and it’s sister car if I remember correctly, a roadster up on , was it Ebay about 5 years ago .
I have huge personal interest in them, because if it is the same car, and correct period spec still, they run 8 port heads with Lucas mechanical fuel injection.
This combination with modern fuel and solid engineering potentially could push around 160 HP.
The heads are fragile and prone to port cracking , particularly in early iterations – there are very few heads that are identical – it was a living design.
With modern cooling knowledge, some careful mods, and modern ceramic port and combustion chambers it can be built utterly reliable.
I have two of these heads complete with the PI ports, and some butterfly throttles (sadly modern) and the cam and other bits. Just too many projects to get to this ….. some day.
We flow tested the heads some years back and the flow rates where more than 30% up on the very best Longman racing 5 port Head – ouch !
Being a Classic Cooper guy we wanted to initial build a Cooper S with the 8 Port Head and quickly realized it would destroy the fragile bottom end. That was until Swiftune came up with the fo-5 bearing bottom end – brilliant !
Back to this car … if the engine is reverted to a 5 port it is nothing short of a pretty coupe version of a sprite and this worth a fraction of its true value …..