Healey Frogeye Isle of Wight (Sprite Mk1) 

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Here we have a very rare beast!

This car is a Healey Frogeye as manufactured by the Frogeye Car Company on the Isle of Wight (who are no longer in business so you cannot buy one anymore!)and unlike kitcar replicas it actually looks like a real frogeye. In fact put next to a real frogeye and it is hard to tell the difference (The main giveaway being the wider tunnel to accomodate the chassis) The car body is fibreglass over a tubluar steel chassis so no problems about rust, you can use it all year round.

Unlike kitcar replicas these cars were built under license from the Healey Family (It has a plaque under the bonnet)

The plan was that you bought one of these restoration assemblies (for about £4500!) and rebuilt a rusty frogeye or later sprite/midget using the donor cars running gear.

This car is based on a 1275cc 1971 Sprite so not only is it tax exempt and registered as a sprite but it also performs much better than an original one and has disc brakes fitted to the front.

I have covered a grand total of about 2000 miles in the car since completion.

The gearbox was reconditioned when the car was built and is a ribcase unit.

The engine is a 1275cc unit which has had the following:

Rebore Pistons & Rings Crankshaft grind and all new bearings Oil pump Reground camshaft (original profile) New Oil and water pumps Cam followers Unleaded metro head fitted (Valves reground)

The interior was all new and came as part of the kit.

I purchased the car two years ago as an unstarted project, I built the car and have covered a couple of thousand miles in it but am now working on another project and so reluctantly offer this car for sale.

As with all projects there are a few bits that require attention and these are as follows:

1. Rev counter not functioning 2. Scratch on lower front section of n/s front wing I will try to post a picture. 3. The tonnau cover does not fit particualy well. 4. There is a vibration which starts at 60mph may be wheel balance or propshaft balance. 5. There is a tear in the back of one of the seats where the hood frame mounting bracket touches it.

The car was featured in Practical Classics in October 2003