I’ve seen one of these in person and they are really beautiful. This one looks a little awkward because it’s sitting up quite high with the drivetrain out, and the red-painted late MG Midget wheels aren’t helping either. The little spyder is located in Ames, Iowa and is offered here on eBay where bidding is currently at $1,200. The Innocenti was constructed by BMC sending a partially completed Sprite unibody to Italy, where Innocenti installed their body panels, electrical wiring and interior, all of which were considerably more upscale than the Sprite. This car has been partially restored with the body completed. Bumpers are said to be good, and there are some other new items. I don’t think the Midget seats or wheels are accurate, and I’d want to make sure all the trim that isn’t on the car is still there. Finding Innocenti specific parts might be tough, but this is a nice chance to pick up a car that would be welcome at both British and Italian car events. It’s a shame the seller has run out of room—maybe a Barn Finds reader has the space for this beauty?
More like a Spitfire ….
Well, the wheels and seats are too new to be correct. I had no idea this existed
No top or top bows. No original interior panels.
http://www.innocentispyder.com/
You will see the car for auction on the last image, with the notation “finding all the parts to finish the grey car would take a very long time and a lot of money.”
Anglo-Italian-Japanese Hybrid. Yes, that’ll do. Normally in favor of originality especially for those Oily-Rag (survivor) cars that need only a little fettling. Restoration of course makes sense for so many machines in need.
But there is another avenue or narrow country lane that works for Sprites particularly for Italian dressed Sprites w/o the getting underway and on the road power plant. It’s not as if it hasn’t been done before – to a Sprite. In fact an Englishman working in the States began his ’58 Frogeye project in California installing a Suzuki 1300 Twin Cam from an ’89 GT coupled to a 5 speed Suzuki Samurai gearbox (apparently from a rwd Samurai). Rick Pearmain’s ’58 is over the top with two 40 DCOE Webbers and a narrowed ’84 RX7 rear axle 4:11 gears, LSD and disc brakes.
A straight forward installation of the 1300cc twin cam & 5 speed will require some fabrication, but 100 hp should put a smile on the face of a Sprite…er…Innocenti driver.
The swap & more is covered in the July 2009 issue of Practical Performance Car — available here on eBay UK.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Practical-Performance-Car-Magazine-July-2009-Issue-63-/221749269089?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item33a1495261#shpCntId
Looks to me like a mini TR 6!