Sebring Sprite at Lime Rock

[HealeyRick]

On page 9 of the February issue of Healey Marque, take a look at picture #3.
Note the wire wheels, rhd, modified grille, front anti-roll bar and, most
importantly, the modified fender line right above the meatball. Unless I miss
my guess, that's one of the 1961 factory Sebring cars. Another tell-tale is
the bonnet latch at the top of the scuttle. These are the metal ones as used
on the 100S. You can just make one out on the left side of the steering wheel
looking from the front. Now compare this to the pics on pp 128 and 130 of
"More Healeys". Wonder if the car had made it into the hands of a privateer
at this point? And to make matters more interesting, Healey collector
extraordinaire Bill Wood, whom you might remember brought the 1967 factory
Sebring car to Spritefest, found a factory 1961 Sebring Sprite in a body shop
close by Lime Rock a number of years ago. Maybe the same car?

Rick

 

[aeronca65t]

I wonder if that was the Dan Leonard #409 Sebring Sprite built by Speedwell?
The car is based in Maryland.

Anyway, if it's the same car, I'm familiar with it and have raced against it a few times.
Graham Hill used it as his street car when he worked at Speedwell.

Presently, it's being run with a 1275 but otherwise, it's all original.

In fact you can see this car in my somewhat crappy video from Summit Point.

~Video-Click Here~

It's the white coupe

And here it is at Summit

And ~Here Is~ some history on the cars.


I love this picture (below) because it shows the <span style="text-decoration: underline">real</span> start of Speedwell when they were racing A35s (I'm building a racing A35 right now). That's John Sprinzel on left and Graham Hill is third from left.
The "Speedwell" name came from the name of the local telephone exchange!

 

[drooartz]

I noticed that photo in Healey Marque as well, and did catch the modified bonnet line. Certainly could be one of the original Sebring cars.

 

[HealeyRick]

This isn't a Speedwell coupe I'm talking about, but one of the cars built at the Cape. Here's a picture from sebringsprite.com:

 

[aeronca65t]

Oh....a roadster.

And I see what you mean about the "modified fender line".