Introduction
The most famous and perhaps most loving function of Austin-Healey Sprites was the creepy resemblance to the Kermit Frog: and in fact both the car and the doll were introduced into production and his first public performance made in 1958.
Despite the sports car and Kermit, who shares a similar sweet "frogeye" character at our best, Kermit has never had or driven a property, but perhaps he will one day.
The background of the history of Austin-Healey Sprites
In 1952 a number of British car manufacturers, including Austin, Morris, Wolesley, Riley and MG, were combined to form British Motor Corporation.But also came at the expense of a merger, not only from the companies, but also of a design.
This meant that BMC would produce a number of largely identical models, but would put different name tags on it with different schedules and decorations and thus rationalized the production of production and new model development costs.The first iteration was made as a unique model, only to be "Badge constructed" for Mark II and the subsequent models.
Austin-Healey Partnership was also found in 1952 from London Earl's Court Motor Show that year.Leonard Lord van Austin tried to find the right car for Austin to build and export them to the US to experience a lot of nice money, while the independent sports car producer Donald Healey has made a very wise to a sports car, mainly based on generally available and affordable Austindele.
Donald Healey's car was called "Healey 100" and when Leonard Lord saw it and realized that he and Donald Healey met during dinner and a partnership to build the cars under the Austin Banner as Austin-Healey 100. The TheVarden Partnership, the Way made the way free to create the smaller and much cheaper Austin-Healey Sprite.
Image: Leonard Lord (left) and Donald Healy were in an Austin-Healey 100/4.
Although Austin-Healey 100 was a beautiful powerful car, it was also expensive and understood the BMC management that they needed a budget model that would sell in a much larger number.
To this end, the Donald Healey team was involved in making a smaller sports car based on parts that are available at existing Austin and Morris models.On chassis design such as Austin-Healey 100.
Austin -Healey Sprites History begint —1958 tot 1961
The mechanical components where Austin-Healey Sprite had to be built around, started Austin "A Series" engine of 948cc capacity and equipped with double SU 1⅛ "carburetor, which produces 43 hp @ 5,200 rpm with a torque of 52 lb/ ft@ 3300 RPM.
This engine was the same as used in the decreasing Austin A35, which may not seem to be an inspiring vehicle, unless you realize that the A35 trolley was a favoriteFormula 1legendJames Hunt.
The gearbox was a stock of four-speed gearbox with BMC device with synchromesh on the top three gears, while the excellent rack and rounds of round came from Morris Minor 1000.
The suspension came from Austin A35, who had a completely independent front with spiral feathers and shock absorbers and half an elliptical leaf spring lifelong axis at the back, which had top bindings for stability.
These mechanical components were the basis that was transferred to Healey's Body and chassis designer Barry Bilbie.bilbie was given the task of creating a rigid open sports car -Unibody and making it affordable.
His design would be the first mass production sports car with a unibody, and his basic design was used for Austin-Healey Sprite (and his badge constructed brothers and sisters MG Midget) until the end of the production of the latest model.
Afbeelding: Austin-Healey Sprite Unibody Chassis.
Barry Bilbies Unibody -Design was based on the front and rear shots connected to the "top hat" sector sections, reinforced by bodystruuts and the central transmission tunnel, all mounted on a floor pan.The rear forces were corrected by the floor pan while the floor pan while the front wheel suspension and motor/transmission were supported by two bones for chassis for the front (which means that the design was not a full monocoque).
To achieve the right levels of stiffness, Unibody was designed without an opening dish lid, which makes access to the trunk possible by lifting the driver and passenger seats forward and then reaching the trunk.
This was somewhat awkward, but at least meant that there was no hull for thieves to open, even if the car was equipped with a hard top, it could not be protected under any circ*mstances.The hood was made as a piece and hinged at the back, so that it all lifted to make access to the engine as easy as it becomes.
The styling of the alcohol was done by Healey's body designer Gerry co*ker, and the small car was made as aerodynamically as possible, complete with withdrawal of headlights that would be folded flat if they were not in use.
Unfortunately, the withdrawal headlights were one of the first losses of BMC cost savings, and then the brand got its Kermit -Kikker -look alike "eyes" together with a nice friendly smiling pre -stock.The film "Pinnochio", that's why they decided to call it a "bugeye".
BMC's second effort for cost savings included reducing the thickness of the steel in structural areas of Barry Bilbie's design for the first prototype.Steel, suffering from distortion, and therefore the BMC therapy had to admit that Bilbie had done well and they restored its original design specifications.
The Little Austin-Healey Sprite was first published on May 20, 1958 in Monaco in the aftermathMonaco Grand Prix.Graham Chapman(by Lotus Cars) Both had started their motorsport careers.
Although the implementation was not crushed, with its low seating position and decreasing proportions, the drink felt quick and quickly sounded, making it almost fun to drive.Km / h in 20.5 seconds, so acceleration was not exactly neck button.
Although these performance figures may not be impressive compared to expensive sports cars with a high driven, the Little Sprite was an affordable way to get to a club level in motorsport, just likeAustin 7has been.
A bit of an industry was established to produce performance parts for Sprite, especially by people such as John Sprinzel, Speedwell Motor Company and WSM.BMC were very fast to promote the car to Motorsport by introducing the Alpine Rally from 1959 and a class benefit tooachieve.Then it was a journey "over the pond" to the United States, where they won first, second and third and third Trifecta class victories in Sebring.
Sebring spriterne
Sebrits from 1959 were specially prepared by the son Geoffy van Donald Healey at Healey's Cape Works in Warwick.
The gearbox for the cars ran close conditions on even cut crash boxes and the cars were equipped with double plate couplings.
Subsequently, Donald Healey started to offer a special "Sebring" adjustment package to Austin -Healey Sprite, aimed at those who would use their car in competition.
These cars were equipped with a new girl hydraulic braking system with "Type 9 ″ 8½" disc brakes and 8 ″ drums on the back.In Grosvenor Street.
Various sets and special equipment have been made for Sprite, such as the Speedwell GT version, which contained an aluminum scoupe organ made by aerodynamist Frank Costin and made by Williams & Pritchard.
John Sprinzel emphasized prominently in these cars, who had been a joint partner with Graham Hill in the Ltd.Van Speedwell Performance Conversion before working for a while with the responsibility of the division of the Nele equipment quickly located in Lancaster Mew's Idecember 1960.
Sprinzel SeBrites was in great demand at that time and became a rare collector item in the decades ago.
Austin-Healey Sprite Mark II en Mg Midget-1961 tot 1964
Austin-Healey Sprite Mark II was introduced in May 1961, and although it was not mechanically very different from the original Sprite, it got a clear different appearance, a look that the brand would keep until production ended in later years.
Kermit The seed look had disappeared and Mark II received conventional front wings/mudguards with the headlights in it and a separate hood/hood.This made access to the engine less light, but made the appearance of the car much less controversial.
On the back, the car had conventional back and a trunk, making the process of storing and picking things up from the trunk much easier and not at all in a small dark cave that had been the case before.
Offering an opening shoe required some structural changes, including square rear wheel arches to offer enough steel for sufficient stiffness of the back of the car.The fronts were disc while they were back, drums and wire wheels were available as an optional extra.
The engine was kept the same, apart from mounting a larger 1¼ ”SU -carburetorer and supplied 46 hp @ 5,500 rpm with a torque of 53 LB/FT @ 3000 rpm.from Austin "A Series", which produced 56 hp @ 5,500 tpm and torque of 62 LB/FT @ 3,250 rpm.
For Mark II, the gearbox was changed with four gears and the new was equipped with "Baulk Ring" Synchromesh on its upper gears, left outside for the first time in the days that the British were quite cautious about a driver synchromesh on the firstaccelerate.
From the beginning, this version of Austin-Healey Sprite was also sold "badge engineered" as a MG Midget, which breathing into a name new life that had been used on MG models since the 1930s.The fact that the two cars were largely identical, except for badges on it.
Mark III Sprite en Mark II MG Midget - 1964 tot 1966
Mark II Austin-Healey Sprite and it's closeidentical brothers and sistersMark II MG Midget was subject to subtle changes and was made from 1964-1966.
The suspension of the car usually remained the same, but with the change in semi-eliptic rear leaves to the rear axle and the elimination of the upper left.From direct intercourse.
Motor power was somewhat improved by being 59 hp @ 5,750 rpm with a torque of 65 lb/ft @ 3,500 rpm.
Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite to Le Mans 1965
BMC was very active in motorsport in the sixties, when the Morris Mini became a dominant force on the International Raw Ridge.Fifth place, despite the fact that it is against the V8 "Supercars" of Australia in the form of a few GM Holden Monaros and Ford Falcon GTs.
But neither Morris Mini nor "Land Crab" Austin 1800 were suitable candidates for a crack of 24 hours of Le Mans, because BMC decided to make a special version of Austin-Healeey Sprite (aka the MG Midget).
The bodywork for Le Mans cars was made by Barry Bilbie using the new wind tunnel facility in the Longbridge factory of Austin.LandroverLiil Bilses Bones Bones.
The engine of the Le Mans cars was increased in capacity to 1,293cc and rather considerably fine by the stomach in BMC's Green workshop of the courthouse, so when they were ready, it produced almost twice as large as the factory in theFactory road car at 110 HP.
This engine was linked to a targeted MGB gearbox, some of which were equipped with an external fifth gear overdrive.In the Le Mans -Run.Austin -Healey Sebrite, driven by Paul Hawkins and John Rhodes, a 12th place that was reached directly on Le Mans 1965.
Competition drawn up Austin-Healey Sebrites would continue to achieve class wins on Sebring Driven by such notables asSteve McQueen, Sir Stirling Moss en Bruce McLaren.
Mark IV Sprite One Mark III Mg Midget - 1966 Tot 1971
Mark IV Austin-Healey Sprite and his Mark III MG Midget Stablemate were introduced in October 1966 at the Motor Show of London Earl's Court and had a number of important changes to the previous models.Soft top that did not have to be removed and stewed in the trunk/trunk.
The engine was changed to the same basic engine as used in the Mini Cooper with high performance, but in a somewhat crushed version, as BMC said was to guarantee better reliability.Melody as an aftermarket improvement.
OfMotorWas still a "a series" by Austin, but with a capacity of 1,275cc, which produced 65 hp @ 6,000 rpm and torque of 72 LB/FT @ 3000 rpm.With power -tipping smog pumps, etc.
In response to regulatory movements in the United States, the braking and link of hydraulic systems had improved.
In 1968, the merging of BMC to the British Leyland-Aglomaterate had, with the result that Mark IV Austin-Healey Sprite and Mark III MG Midget had some stylistic changes in 1970.The best described as "Spridgets".Bodywinds were painted matte black, something that actually gave the car an even more dazzling silence.
In 1971 the port of Donald Healey and Austin, and therefore, after the time, cars with the name Austin-Healey stopped, but instead was marked as Austin Sprite made for the last 1,022 cars.Until 1980.
Conclusion
Austin-Healey Sprite was a "small car that could do it" and it turned out to be a unpretentious truck load pleasure, an affordable access to the world of motorsport and an affordable sports car that a man could not only hold in his bikes, but alsoOne car that he could get a great pleasure from nice tuning and repair.
This was a car that really gave an owner a portal to adjust and personalize his car to really make it into everything that could accommodate their imagination and wallet.Gives the same potential for simple joy, whether you just want to run or personalize or use or use it for motor sports or competition at a higher level.
The old saying says: "Good things come in small packages", an Austin-Healey Sprite is a lot of car in a fairly small package.
Photos with the permission of RM Sotheby's, BMC and British Leyland.
Jon Branch
Jon Branch has written countless official purchasing guides for eBay Motors over the years, he is also written to Hagty, he makes a long contribution to Silodrome and the official SSAA magazine, and he is the founder and senior editor for revivals.
Jon has done radio, TV, magazine and newspaper interviews about various questions and has asked a lot after living in the VK, Australia, China and Hong Kong., and the most challenging was a trailer from the 1950s with unexpected braking failure.
