1960 Austin Healey Sprite

Detailed item info

Thanks looking at my 1960 Austin Healey Bugeye or Frogeye Sprite.  Built for just a few short years. the iconic Bugeye is one of a kind.  This great car was rebuilt throughout to be as close to it's 1960 origins as possible in 2016/17 with some minor modern upgrades mainly for safety and reliability.  Every part was either completely rebuilt or replaced.

Rarity:

Increasingly rare in unmodified form. the Bugeye Sprite is a joy to drive and easy to own.  Hagerty values continue to soar as concours cars approach $40. 00

Exterior:

Correct English Antique white respray a few years ago. the paint buffs out nice and shiny.  

Trim:

 The chrome bumpers are fresh as are the stainless trim pieces.  Chrome door trim was taken off the car and buffed but retains a nice patina.  

Wheels and Tires:

13” standard wheels with new Austin Healey caps.  New premium tyres.  New spare tyre and cover.

Engine:

948 cc stock motor rebuilt to spec and showing perfect compression across all four cylinders.  Freshly serviced radiator. new water pump. belts and hoses.  Hardened valves for unleaded fuel. Electronic ignition.

Fuel:

New fuel tank and sender. Electronic fuel pump for reliability. All fuel delivery. cooling and electrical is new.  New heater core and all hoses. Polished carbs. Runs excellent.

Transmission:

4 Speed Rib Case Manual transmission is rock solid and freshly rebuilt. New synchros and gears.  New Clutch package. Correct shift knob

Braking. Steering:

Brakes are excellent and operating properly. Front disc brakes installed for safety. All have been rebuilt. lines and hoses are new. Lever shocks. bushings. etc. Front suspension rebuilt.  Fresh Alignment.

Battery:

Fresh Interstate battery.  

Maintenance:

This car has just had $6000 spent on it at the number one Bugeye dealer in the US! Everything is documented on a six page spreadsheet. You have peace of mind with this car.

Convertible Top:

The convertible top is brand new and made of better material than the original. It is unique in the fact it is red to match the car and really shows well. The tonneau too is new and red.  

 Brand new side windows which are $600 a set. Two sets of Bows are included.   I have the standard set  which stows behind the seats and the breakdown set that stows much easier in the boot.  Storage bags for the top. side windows and tonneau are included.  

Glass:

The glass is in excellent condition with some slight three slight pits on one side. Adds a little character and barely noticeable.  All weatherstrips have been replaced with new. The front lights are brand new Lucas units.

 Interior:

Excellent  upholstery. carpets. dash and door panels. Full wilton wool carpet set including boot. Gauges. lights. switches are standard and original with no additional holes or switches from standard.  Even the horn works!  The boot space has been painted in body color and has a spare wheel and cover. The seats are standard factory Sprite seats. red with white piping. refurbished and in great condition.

Odometer:

The odometer shows 11303 miles but I would say that this mileage is incorrect as the needle fluctuates and I cannot fully verify the mileage due to the age of the car. Mileage is not important with a car this well restored.  

DMV:

The title is clear and all documentation is included.  No back fees are due. Very low cost Antique registration for most US States. Title in hand.

Documentation:

A build book with documentation is included.  Receipts. photos and historical information. I have a six page spreadsheet from the US number one Bugeye specialist from February 2017. It details $6000 worth of work. Everything that needed doing to get it into tip-top condition mechanically was done. The last 10% is the expensive part of any restoration! He was so confident in the car he said. "I would drive it from Connecticut to Florida without hesitation". Spreadsheet available to view to serious buyers.  

Conclusion:

The car gets admiration wherever it goes. People wind their windows down at traffic lights to say 'cool car'. 'love your car' etc. Everyone has a story about owning one. At shows. so many people take photos of it.

There are cheaper cars out there. but they often are full of problems and run poorly leading to a frustrating owner experience. To get a car to this standard takes much time and money. As stated it has been gone-through by the number one US Bugeye specialist which gives peace of mind.  

I drove the car recently to the Amelia Island Concours D'Elegance. a trip of 185 miles in 80 degrees of Florida heat. The car did not miss a beat and had no heating or running issues whatsoever.  

I will be very sorry to see it go. Need it to go to a good home.

Call 941 266 2069 to discuss my car if you are interested in buying it.

Also published at eBay.com

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