Austin-Healey Sprite Mk I (Frogeye)

The Austin-Healey Sprite is a small open sports car which was produced in the United Kingdom from 1958 to 1971. The Sprite was announced to the press in Monte Carlo by the British Motor Corporation on 20 May 1958, two days after that year's Monaco Grand Prix. It was intended to be a low-cost model that "a chap could keep in his bike shed", yet be the successor to the sporting versions of the pre-war Austin Seven. The Sprite was designed by the Donald Healey Motor Company, with production being undertaken at the MG factory at Abingdon. It first went on sale at a price of £669, using a tuned version of the Austin A-Series engine and as many other components from existing cars as possible to keep costs down.
Here we have a wonderful example of a UK supplied, late Mk I which has clearly be maintained and cherished without any exception from brand new. Paperwork has been meticulously separated into five files, one for each of the five keepers and they detail the extensive history of this car from new. Several invoices are certainly of interest to us, in particular a section where the little car was looked after by Arun Service Station Pulborough (!!) where in 1971 we charged £17.29 for a cylinder head rebuild and also paperwork from Kenning Car Mart where the founder of Arun worked as an apprentice. We think that he should keep this car for himself - given the condition and the way that it drives, it would sit well in any high end collection and brings a smile to all! Supplied with full wet weather gear, a tonneau and a fitted cover....