1965 Austin-Healey Sprite for sale $12,995
| 1965 Austin-Healey Sprite $12,995 | |
| Car Ad from: Hemmings View Original Ad | |
| Price: | $12,995 |
| Contact: | View Original Ad from Hemmings |
| Location: | Lithia Springs, GA |
| Details: |
The endearing bugeye look was gone by the time this 1965 Austin-Healey Sprite was builtand#44; but it meant that Austin-Healey was back on the road to profitability and the cars were pretty darned good. This 1965 Austin-Healey Sprite roadster offers a great sports car look and delivers on all the fun that its clean 2-seater lines promise. Its hard to get a sense of how small this car is from photosand#44; but its pared down to the bare essentials. Fortunatelyand#44; the essentials look pretty darned good with a low-slung two-seat body plenty of character. The restoration is a few years old and the car has been used enthusiasticallyand#44; so dont expect perfection here. On the other handand#44; you can drive it without worries and at this priceand#44; worry-free fun is the name of the game. The big clamshell style front end is goneand#44; replaced by a traditional set of fenders and a proper hoodand#44; giving good service access and a more mainstream look. Theres also a real trunk lidand#44; so the curvaceous rear end looks great and gains practicality (easy to see where the MG guys got their inspiration)and#44; and the little British details like chrome bumpersand#44; a luggage rackand#44; and that traditional license plate light all enhance the sports car look. And yesand#44; its really hard to resist this little car in a head-on view with that bright grille and headlights that seem to be smiling at you. The British have a fine way of building compact sports carsand#44; and they excel at interiors with no-nonsense personalities that make even diminutive cars like this seem serious. Twin buckets offer fresh seat covers with tidy pleatsand#44; and once youre settled (even if youre tall) youll be surprised how easy it is to get comfortable behind the wheel. And speaking of the wheeland#44; its a brand new three-spoke piece that looks racy in the minimalist cockpit. Handsome Smiths gauges are the embodiment of the English sports car industryand#44; and simple knobs and toggle switches on the dash are the extent of the controls. No radioand#44; no heaterand#44; just enough to deliver a ton of fun on four wheels. It does come with a folding top and proper roll-up windowsand#44; so weather protection is above average for the class and the trunk is deep and well-shapedand#44; even with a spare tire inside. The engine is an over-achieving 1098 cc inline-four that makes a whopping 56 horsepower. But dont write it offand#44; because the whole car weighs a fraction of todays sports cars and theres genuine joy to be found in driving a vintage sports car at speedand#44; and horsepower isnt even in the equation. Its correctly finished with Austin Green paint on the blockand#44; twin SU carburetorsand#44; and lots of authentic details that are the epitome of British engineering It starts easily with a blat from the single tailpipe (the exhaust system is brand new) and while it wont rev to 8000 RPMand#44; its a pleasure to row the gears of the 4-speed manual and listen to the engines song. The suspension and brakes were also servicedand#44; filling out an undercarriage thats in good order and ready for another 50 years of fun. Relatively fat 165R13 radials on the original steel wheels provide surprising agility and a more finished look. Properly maintained and ready to goand#44; this Sprite is traditional British fun thats enjoyable for reasons beyond its playful good looks. Call today! |