This adorable (sorry, but it’s cute!) Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite racer was submitted by Barn Finds reader Jim S. It’s located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is up for sale here on eBay, where bidding begins at $6,500 and the buy-it-now is $12,500.
The seller and his wife both race Sprites in vintage racing now, but have decided not to add a third car to their team. They’ve had the car for seven years, but have decided now to sell it on. It was a front running car in SCCA racing in the 90’s, setting a lap record for H-Production cars at Gingerman Raceway in 1996.
While the fiberglass bonnet (hood) the car currently wears is not legal in many vintage race organizations, the car also comes with a steel one that is painted in the same color scheme.
The interior is all business, with no real rust showing. There’s also a picture included of the underside of the car, which also looks pretty clean, especially for a race car.
Under that aforementioned bonnet is a built 948cc engine with twin SU’s. I really like the fact that the seller talks about recently recommissioning the car and “terrorizing the neighborhood” with it. They still recommend a thorough servicing before tracking the car, of course. This isn’t one to try to put back on the street; it won’t even come with a title, and civilizing this car back to streetability would take a lot of the fun out of it. A great way to go vintage racing without a whole lot of effort needed. Anyone interested?
This Sprite looks like a lot of fun. Unfortunately my racing days are over, and I’d rather be outside the slammer than inside so there will be no terrorizing the neighborhood either.
Looks like an OK build except for those roll bars, which is a bit over the top in more ways than one.
Actually, the roll bar gives extra rigidity to the little car and makes handling more solid.
I’d have to sneak it back on the streets somehow. Very nice design, I have always like the “bugeye”.