North West Casual Classics

What a perfect car to choose for our Valentine’s Month.

 The Austin-Healey Sprite is a small open top sports car produced in the UK from 1958 to 1971.  It was announced to the press in Monte Carlo by the British Motor Company 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.

This particular 1959 Sprite has had three owners, and it is thought that the original owner based in the RAF, bought it possibly in Germany and then had it registered in Northern Ireland when he was transferred.  Mike U, the present owner has had the car for over 55 years and bought it for £250 and then the fun began.  The open roads, constant maintenance yes, we all know the feeling, and then one too many breakdowns came when life – or was that wife – decreed that a practical car would be required! 

The Sprite was left in the garden for some time, yes he knew this wasn’t good but, he needed to hatch a plan to build a garage for it and then, there she sat in the garage for some years whilst the young family grew until the time came when he could once again turn his attention to his beautiful little red car.

Whilst rebuilding, fixing and bringing her back to life he found out that she had originally been a left-hand drive, and it is thought she was changed when the original owner transferred to Northern Ireland around 1961/1962.  The hard top allows her to be used in the inclement weather of the British Isles and has been a useful addition to this wonderful little vehicle. 

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