1961 Austin-Healey Nassau Sprite Roadster

This prototype car is a factory Healey lightweight driven by John Celgate and Ed Levens. At Sebring, it was hit by another car so they wired a flashlight and continued to a class win. They also won the Nassau Governors Cup, which was a very important race in the 1960s. The car also raced at Goodwood and Watkins Glen.

The current owner heard about this car in 1974. Fifteen years later, he decided to pursue the car and found the owner in northern Georgia. He then purchased the car with three motors and had it restored.

This car was vintage raced six times in the 1990s with the S.V.R.A and H.S.R with three class wins. John Celgate drove with the current owner at Mid-Ohio.

The car sat idle until Euro Coach reworked it in 2007.

The Sprite was introduced in 1958 and lovingly referred to as the 'Bugeye' or 'Frog-eye' due to its hood-mounted headlamps. Helping to fuel sales, Healey and BMC campaigned 'works' Sprites in important and strategic racing events such as the Sebring 12-Hour endurance race. The Sprites that competed were homologated under FIA guidelines and comply with safety and mechanical rules by incorporating four-wheel discs, and various other mechanical and engine upgrades. These cars were race-prepared under the supervision of Geoff Healey at the Donald Healey Motor Co. in Warwick.

At Sebring in March of 1959, four standard-bodied Sprites were entered in the Under 1.5-liter class. They would emerge victorious, having finished in first, second, and third place. Success would follow again in 1960, with Stirling Moss taking first in class and fourth overall in the four-hour race, while John Sprinzel and John Lumkin took first in class in the 12-hour event. For 1961 at Sebring, the Sprites took six of the eight top places in the four-hour race. In the 12-hour event, two 'works' cars were entered. The Sprite with UK registration number 8427 UE had an alloy hardtop body by Les Ireland and would finish second in class. The other car, UK registration 8426 UE, was fitted with an alloy roadster body by Healey Experimental Department, under the direction of Roger Menadue. It wore race number 65 and was co-driven by Ed Leavens and John Colgate. It would finish third in class and 25th overall in this grueling endurance event.

After racing at Sebring, 8426 UE remained in the United States though much of its history from that point forward is unknown. It was purchased by Mark Flanders of Weston, Florida in 1986 and given a frame-off restoration in 1990. In 2008, it was freshened with new paint and mechanical work. It was then brought to the SVRA Spring Fling event where it took first, and earned another first in the HSR night race. It won first place awards at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance and the Boca Raton Concorus d'Elegance.

The car is powered by a four-cylinder engine that displaces 1275cc and produces an estimated 100 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual gearbox and an independent front suspension with upper and lower A-arms and coil springs. In the rear is a live axle with double trailing links and quarter-elliptic leaf springs. At all four corners are hydraulic disc brakes. The wheelbase measures a mere 80-inches.

In 2009, this rare Sebring Sprite was offered for sale at the Automobiles of Amelia Island auction presented by RM Auctions. It was expected to sell for $65,000 - $85,000 and offered without reserve. It sold for a high bid of $69,300, including buyer's premium.