Current Auction: Sun Valley Auction 2016 on September 3rd, 2016
92
Lot #:
92
Year:
1961
Make:
Austin-Healey
Model:
Sprite MKI
Body Style:
CVT
Exterior Color:
Red
Interior Color:
Black
# of Cylinders:
4
Engine Size :
1098cc
Mileage:
25179
Mileage Type:
Exempt
Description:
Restored 1961 Austin Sprite 'Bugeye' in Red with Black interior. Upgraded 4-cylinder 1,098cc engine. 4-speed manual transmission. Performance headers and exhaust. New tires. Updated sound system. This fantastic little Bugeye is ready to go.
This fantastic 'Frogeye' has been completely restored. It's brilliant red paint over black interior is the favored combo for a sporting roadster, and both are in as-new condition. The engine used in the early cars was a 948 cc producing 43 HP, this example holds a peppier 1,098 cc engine out of a later car, along with updated fuel and ignition systems, and performance headers and system. This car is a blast to drive --- nimble and quick with instant acceleration.
The Mark I Sprite made from 1958-1961, became affectionately known as the Frogeye in the UK and the Bugeye in the US. The initial design intended for the headlights to be retractable but cost cutting deleted that idea, therefore the headlights were simply fixed in a permanently upright position, giving the car its most distinctive feature. Thanks to the grinning grille and those bulging headlamps, the car was dubbed the "Bugeye" Sprite, or "Frogeye" in the U.K. The Sprite quickly gained a following and they could be seen racing for several decades. Approximately 50,000 Sprites were sold, introducing many to the world of sports cars.
