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Austin Healey Sprite Street Legal Ex-SCCA Road Racer

Sale price: $11,211.00 make an offer

Seller's notes: "This is a street legal Austin-Healey Sprite with a competition prepared Ford 302 Windsor V8 drive train. It was professionally built for SCCA Road Racing in the '70's, and has been well maintained and "upgraded" (downgraded?) to street legal since then. It is not new, it is not pristine, it is used, but well maintained. This will be apparent in the pictures."

Sale type: Fixed price listing

Technical specifications, photos and description:

Year:
1960
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Austin Healey Sprite Street Legal Ex-SCCA Road Racer for sale

Current customer rating: current rating for this car(2) based on 403 votes


Here's the deal. kids:
-This is a street legal Austin-Healey Sprite with a competition prepared Ford 302 Windsor V8 drive train.   It was professionally built for SCCA Road Racing in the '70's. and has been well maintained and "upgraded" (downgraded?) to street legal since then. This is not a luxury sportscar. or a maintenance-free disposable import. It is a solid car. low to the ground. with character - and a power to weight ratio to launch you into low-earth orbit.
-It's an older SCCA Race car. It rides like a race car. It drives like a race car. All of these are GOOD things.
-It is not new. it is not pristine. it is used. but well maintained. This will be apparent in the pictures.
-Yes. the air cleaner says "289 Hi-PO". but it's a 302W - engine casting number C90E-6015-C (from a 70's Ford Torino) - you can check it out.

-If you do not own a toolbox. have never changed your own oil. and are scared of tinkering: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
-If you think "Autocross" is something you do in church: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
-If you have been posting on facebook all about how excited you are for pumpkin latte season: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
-If you get offended easy and often. whine to your co-workers. and bitch a lot: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
-If you feel you are owed anything in the world & have a baloney job where you fail to produce: THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.
-If you are taller and/or fatter than average:  THIS VEHICLE IS NOT FOR YOU.

-If. however. you have SERIOUS GUTS and consider zipping around in all weather as an excuse to have fun: THIS IS YOUR MINI-COBRA ROAD ROCKET.

-Do you laugh at danger. and tempt fate?
-Have you ever uttered the words. "Hold my beer and watch this . "?
-Have any of your friends quit hanging out because you were too much fun?
-Do you have a number of a friends with cash who love to act crazy?
-Do you like roller-coasters that scare the crap out of you?
-When you pass an abandoned flatbed farm truck along a fenceline do you consider taking on another project?
-Is your ol' lady really sick of the random piles of parts. greasy footprints. and empty beer bottles in the garage? -could you not care less?
-Do you have Jalopnik saved on your laptop AND smartphone?
-Do you own a service manual for every vehicle you ever owned?
-Do you still miss your first ride?
-Can you carry on a two hour conversation discussing tools. scars. and hi-lift jacks?
-Remember when tool companies had the balls to put half-naked beauty queens on their calendars?
-Do you consider the Prius an abominable affront to the Gods of displacement. torque. and All Mighty Internal Combustion?


If you answered in the affirmative to the preceding: THIS IS YOUR "FRITE" (Ford-Sprite)

DETAILS:
-I bought this beauty as a fun car and worked on it quite a bit to upgrade it and make it street legal.
-I have remedied excessive caretaking with a pile of fun.   Very little. easy maintenance.
-Beautiful. professional. construction with attention to details - see photos.
-Miles ??? Odometer and all gauges replaced during custom build.
-The motor uses no oil.
-The transmission leaks a little from the rear seal. How much? Not enough for me to care or worry about. I think it's from being overfilled because I've never had to add fluid.
-Steel body is all in good shape.   Solid with no rust.
-Custom front flip-up fiberglass hood/fenders fits perfectly and in excellent condition - no cracks.
-Starts fine and runs strong.
-Tranny and shifting linkage operate perfectly.
-Custom center-zip tonneau cover.
-Ford 8-inch narrowed rear end with big Ford drum brakes.
-Big radiator with manual control 15" electric pusher fan.
-Auxiliary tranny radiator/cooler.
-High-output alternator (new/rebuilt).
-Edelbrock Performer intake manifold with big (600cfm) manual-choke Holly 4-barrel.
-K&N Air Filter.
-Hi-performance cam - "lopey" at idle. instant go-power.
-Fresh rebuilt starter motor.
-New battery.
-Manual adjustable front-rear brake bias valve.
-Sprite quarter-elliptic rear leaf springs with extra leaves (16 leaves - very stiff).
-Drilled front disk rotors with freshly rebuilt calipers. pads. and new braided steel lines/hoses.
-Front suspension and steering freshly rebuilt. including:
     -New spring pans
     -New heavy-duty coil springs
     -New heavy-duty anti-sway bar
     -All new wheel bearings
     -New offset negative camber bushings
     -All new poly suspension bushings
     -Rebuilt FAST steering rack (1. 25 turns center-to-lock)
     -Rebuilt lever-action shocks
-All new Sumitomo HTR200 Steel Belted Radials:
     -215/50 R13 on Ford rear wheels
     -185/60 R13 on matching Sprite front wheels


QUESTIONS:
-Why are you selling?
I can't justify owning it anymore. 8 cars. life. work. and taxes have consumed my time and money.
Someone else needs to appreciate the Frite for what it is: awesome mechanical artistry.

-What's wrong with it?
Nothing.   Everything works and it goes like a bat out of hell.

-Will you sell me the [engine / tranny / rear door / axle / etc. ]?
No. I'm not in the salvage business. Buy the Frite. Love the Frite. Give the Frite a good home.

 -Will you take [insert ridiculously stupid low number here]?
No. If I wanted [ridiculously low number] I would have asked [ridiculously low number] as a "Buy it Now".
Want a cheap car? Get your kid that lowered tuner piece of shit honda project down the road.
I think this bad mofo will go for plenty cheap.

-I'm taller and/or fatter than average - will I fit the cockpit?
This is a small car with a big engine - figure it out.

-Can I put a Supercharged Chrysler Hemi engine w/Nitrous into it and turn it back into a racer?
I don't give a damn. But be sure to use quality components and for God's sake get some life insurance!

-Would this make a good car for my son?
Hell NO! Not unless you pull off 2 spark plug wires and plug 2 of the carb's 4 barrels. Then it would be a good learning experience and he'll be the talk of all his friends. Introduction to vehicular maintenance and learn to work on older vehicles a plus.   Additionally. there's no back seat for him to knock-up that little cutie he's dating.   Remember when you were his age.

-Will you take a payroll check / cashier's check / Bank Transfer / Nigerian Promissory Note?
Would you take a ball pein hammer to the forehead?
No. I'll take PayPal. Cash. or a CLEARED personal check. Period.

-No. really. all I have is [lowball dollar amount]?
That's great. I don't give a damn. Unicef ain't running this deal. and until they do I want what the car is worth.
Why? Because I don't HAVE to sell this little beauty. Truth be known. I'd rather keep it.
But if it's going to a good home - I will sell. Unless you're an asshole - then no sale.

-Why are you such a dick?
Everything is relative; you should see my friends.

Any other questions. feel free to ask.

 

(I have to give credit (blame) for the tone of this ad to one for a Triumph Spitfire that I saw on CraigsList a couple of years ago. )

Also published at eBay.com

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