Frogeye or Bugeye?
The first Austin-Healey Sprite was unveiled in Monte Carlo in 1958 and, for generations (Mark I through Mark IV), was a hugely popular British car, finally retired in 1971. In the UK it quickly gained the nickname “Frogeye”, while in the US, a similar nickname, “Bugeye”, emerged, both in reference to the unusual placement and closeness of the headlights. The model, especially early-year versions, gained a reputation for low-cost performance and was a huge hit. This particular example was refurbished sometime before the current ownership in March 2024 and is listed for auction on Bring A Trailer.
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Europe’s other ‘Bug’ invades the United States.
While a British car, the Sprite was always made with a more global, or at least North-American, market in consideration. We do not know what the original color was to this particular ‘Bugeye’, but it has been repainted now in a lovely shade of red. A smiling fine-mesh grille sits overtop a bar chrome bumper with overrides, with an Austin roundel above it, and set far above and almost on the hood you’ll find round headlights, posted close together and inset into the fender considerably.
The rest of the body is pretty smooth, with little adornment or contour, just aerodynamics and practical curves. The rear foregoes a full bumper in favor of two vertical bumperettes that look almost like overriders without anything to ride. Small pointed taillights poke out of either side, with a single exhaust jutting out under the driver’s side rear. Red. The black soft top and tonneau cover, as well as removable side curtains, are all probably replacements, but could be original — please direct any questions about them to the seller. All four wheels are silver-colored steel 13″ with chrome hubcaps, shod in 155/80 Kumho Solus tires.
Simple, stylish, and a touch worn.
The cabin is done in black, with both bucket seats given black vinyl with white piping, the floor and center console done in black carpeting with a few vinyl accents, and the door panels also done in black. The dash, meanwhile, is body-color red and hangs off the body with a chrome accent piece framing it’s top. There are lap belts and a dash-mounted mirror installed for safety, while a passenger grab handle as well as heater improve comfort.
The slender two-spoke steering wheel is all black, with textured lines on the spindles. Behind the wheel sits a gauge cluster by Smith’s Instrumentation, with a 0-100mph speedometer and tachometer that redlines at 6,000rpm featuring prominently, and secondary gauges for fuel, oil, and water also present. While nothing seems functionally damaged, natural wear and weathering mean some of the vinyl, especially on the driver’s seat and door map pockets are showing age.
Two carbs are better than one.
Under the hood sits a 1,098cc (67ci) inline-four engine that came right out of the factory with dual SU carburetors; later additions include an aluminum radiator and a Carter electric fuel pump. While that engine might sound small, it’s worth mentioning that the Sprite is also quite small, meaning you can still get a surprising acceleration as well as top speed with that cubic liter or so of volume, especially with the aftermarket fuel pump.
That modest yet acceptable power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission, and all four corners use drums, since we’re not talking about incredible power or speeds here. The seller indicates that in preparation for sale both the generator as well as the voltage regulator were replaced, sometime in 2024. The odometer shows 67,000 miles, most from previous owners.
Whether you call her eyes buggy or froggy, she’s pretty.
British styling can be somewhat hit or miss, depending on who you ask, but as far as this author is concerned, this little machine accomplished exactly what it wanted to be, and did it in style. The headlights can be divisive, with few people having indifferent opinions about their placement and proportions, with those who like it truly loving it, and those who dislike it loathing it. You made it this far, so it’s a fair guess you fall in to the former camp, so why not check out the rest of the photos over on Bring A Trailer, maybe even place a bid if you can envision it taking up that extra spot in your garage?
