This 1959 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite was purchased by the seller on Bring a Trailer in March 2019 following a six-year refurbishment process completed by the prior owner. The car had previously been stored disassembled in a barn, and the overhaul included rebuilding the 948-cc inline-4 and the 4-speed manual transmission.
Finished from the factory in Old English White, the body has been repainted in Leaf Green and is equipped with a replacement dark green convertible soft top. A set of side curtains and a tonneau cover are included in the sale, and other equipment includes a luggage rack, chrome bumpers, a single exhaust outlet and chromed windshield-mounted side mirrors that were installed recently. The lighting has been converted to LED bulbs, a Hella air horn has been added beneath the front hood, and paintless dent repair and a paint correction were performed under current ownership. The seller attributes a blemish near the edge of the driver’s door to an imperfect stamp weld.
Trimmed in black from the factory, the cabin has been reupholstered in Sierra Green vinyl with dark green piping and color-coordinated carpeting. The seat foam was replaced at that time. Cabin equipment includes door pockets, a passenger’s grab handle, lap belts, a dash-mounted rear-view mirror, and a Motorola push-button radio. The seller notes bubbles in the dashboard vinyl as well as evidence that the driver’s floor pan has been replaced. Spare dashboard vinyl is included in the sale.
The two-spoke Bakelite steering wheel has been refurbished, and it frames Smiths instrumentation consisting of a 100-mph speedometer, a 6,000-rpm tachometer, and gauges for fuel level, oil pressure and water temperature. The five-digit odometer shows 78k miles. Approximately 325 miles have been added under current ownership, and total mileage is unknown.
Additional work under current ownership has included fluids services, replacing the tires, rebuilding the brake system to use DOT5 fluid, and refinishing and resealing the oil pan. The car has been fitted with a stainless-steel exhaust system, and additional equipment includes a luggage rack, 13-inch steel wheels, trim rings and hubcaps, and a Motorola push-button radio.
This Bugeye Sprite is now offered with a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate, a tonneau cover, a toolkit, an Austin-Healey-branded indoor car cover, records, spare parts, side curtains, a storage bag, literature and a clean Florida title in the seller’s name that lists the car as a 1960 model.
