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Thread: Austin Healey Sprite

  1. #1
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    Austin Healey Sprite

    Quoting the official Austin Motor Company Annoucement:


    NEW AUSTIN HEALEY SPRITE ANNOUNCED

    Confidential until May 20th. 1958

    An Inexpensive Sports Car with many Outstanding Features

    Today the Austin Motor Company makes motoring history with the announcement of a completely new small and in­expensive sports car. It is the Austin Healey Sprite powered by a special 948 .c.c. B.M.C. ‘A’-type engine (developing 42.5 b.h.p. at 5,000 r.p.m.) and costing £455 plus £233 17s. Purchase Tax in Great Britain.

    It is some twenty years since Austin made a small sports car but the “Sprite” lives up fully to the fine tradition established in the 1920's and 30's and more recently by the Austin Healey 100. It has a maximum speed in the eighties and rapid acceleration but with a fuel consumption ranging from 30-45 m.p.g.

    POWER UNIT

    The power unit is a tuned version of the well proven A35 engine, fitted with twin S.U. carburetters, and special valve springs; compression ratio is 8.3 to 1. Mechanical specification includes a four speed gearbox, independent front wheel suspension by wish bones and coil springs, quarter elliptic springing at rear with trailing arms (giving a low unsprung weight). A hypoid 3/4-floating rear axle, ratio 4.22 to 1, provides overall gear ratios of: First 15.31, second 10.02, third 5.96, and top 4.22 with 19.68 reverse. Steering is by rack-and-pinion, with 2 1/3 turns from lock to lock. Tyres are 5.20 x 13 in., tubeless. The Sprite has a two-seater body with all-weather equipment in the form of sidescreens and a detachable P.V.C.-coated hood.

    Ease of maintenance has been given considerable attention; the entire front of the body is hinged from the scuttle giving excellent access to engine, suspension and steering unit.

    A selection of bright finishes for body exterior, trim and hood range from cherry red to primrose. A wide range of extra equipment is available including heater and demister, windscreen washer, rev-counter, tonneau cover and laminated windscreen.
    The tale says that Healey turned to his engineers on a certain meeting and told them they had to do something completely different from what they had until then. He said he wanted a kind of a insect on 4 wheels. Something that a kid could store next to his bike. Something sporty yet not fancy because it had to be very cheap.

    The car was indeed cheap. But they had to sacrifice simple things as winding windows (they could only be there or in the trunk), opening trunk (bagage and even the spare wheel had to pass throught the narrow space between the seats and the body of the car) and they also had to sacrifice the original project of mounting pop-up headlights in favour of the strange looking round pair that was the reason to the FROGEYE nickname.

    The MKII was technically the same car, but the more common design made him less interesting car.

    I had the pleasure of having rides on 2 of this cars (one being the featured on the first 2 photos) and they are incredibly fun! They jump on every surface, but the whole experience is fantastic. Specially the sympathy from you get from people on on traffic and sidewalks, when you pass sitting almost literally on the floor.
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    Money can't buy you friends, but you do get a better class of enemy.

  2. #2
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    and very popular classic racers too
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    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  3. #3
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    i've been in one. my uncle fixed one and i saw it. really cool. had a big inline 4 engine. looked liek you coulda stuck a V8 in it
    Gone:
    09 Ducati Monster 696
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    03 Infiniti G35 Sedan
    07 Honda Civic Coupe LX 5spd

    Current:
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  4. #4
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    Do you mind if I post later models too?

    Quote Originally Posted by coolieman1220
    i've been in one. my uncle fixed one and i saw it. really cool. had a big inline 4 engine. looked liek you coulda stuck a V8 in it

    You must be thinking of another car...
    "We went to Wnedy's. I had chicken nuggest." ~ Quiggs

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