1960 AUSTIN HEALEY SPRITE MK1

Lot 137
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Estimation :
15000 - 18000 EUR
1960 AUSTIN HEALEY SPRITE MK1
Serial number AN5L22928 Good cosmetic and mechanical condition  Light and agile  French registration  The archetypal small and affordable convertible, the aptly named "Frogeye" is an Austin Healey model at odds with the brand's big and powerful roadsters of the time.  The idea of making it small and uncluttered came from the Panhard Junior and was instilled in Mr Healey by Leonard Lord who wanted to conquer all classes of society in search of thrills.  The car is stripped down: no carpet, no heating, no door handles, no boot, a front bonnet that encompasses the wings and opens as a single unit, a minimalist dashboard and no windows.   So the Frogeye is a lightweight that doesn't need a big engine to be playful. The decision was made to fish around in the Austin catalogue and pull out the small 948cc A35 and Morris-Minor 1000, which only developed 45bhp, but which allowed a top speed of 130km/h, more than enough to put a generous smile on the faces of its occupants.  The Sprite's design was deemed too divisive and was abandoned for the MKII model to be closer to that of the MG Midget, the Triumph TR4 or the MG B.  First registered in June 1960 in the USA, our Frogeye model is in beautiful cosmetic and mechanical condition.  Purchased in April 2015 by its current owner, he set about giving the little roadster a sporty look with Minilite wheel replacements and the removal of the bumpers.  Its little engine roars like a beautiful devil in curves and straights, a small mechanical revision is to be expected in order to take the road serenely.  Delivered with a large number of new parts:  -Front bumper  -Front and rear bumper strips  -Complete stainless steel exhaust system  -Bonnet  -Sidescreens  A perfect little convertible for the summer, this Frogeye is a little piece of sport and keeps its original promise: affordable and fun. 
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