Driven | Bugeye Sprite
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- In this episode Richard Owen of Owen Automotive shows me this lovely 1960 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite. It's currently for sale, for more details contact Richard at 250-655-4338.
Music selections by:
Don Alder: Sayonara.calm (Not A Planet)
Finger's Fingers (Not a Planet)
www.donalder.com
128-ntraaikES.mp3
As a young teenager in 1963-63, a friend had one and we had a great time running around in Prescott, Arizona and nearby towns. So small. So zippy. We went. Wherever we wanted doing everything that was fun. It was a very happy time for us.
Had one in the early 70's, had to get down on my knees to fix it.
I was just to tall for the little buss box.
Hood down looked over the screen, bum on a cushion.
Hood up, I was bent double.
But good fun for a short time.
Swapped it for a Velocette Veeline Clubmen, that some prick had stuffed up.
Looks like the one I bought in Beaverton, OR for $300 in 1970; Sold it for $875 to get married. Drove it on sidewalks and roads in College Place, WA and SE Portland, OR. Great car; wish I still had it for our 50th class reunion at Walla Walla University this April. Got 42 mpg, with a 10 gallon tank
You sure about the 10 gallon tank ? I had a 67 Sprite and it held 7.5 gals.
Yeah, back in the day, my first sportscar was a Frogeye. It also was the first car I bought myself after I moved away from home. Zipping around the country lanes outside Exeter (where I had gone for work) was a blast
glad i was recommended this video! the Bugeye sprite is one of my favorite cars ever!
Awesome, that makes it all worthwhile!
Windshield frame, body interior opening surrounds are polished aluminum alloy, not chrome! Original cars used a color-keyed rubber floor/driveline tunnel mat, no longer available, thus carpet. Bugeye is the typical term of endearment for North American cars, Europe is Frogeye. I fully restored a '59 but replaced the 948 with a modified 1275 motor from '72 MG Midget along with a 5-speed full syncro trans from an '82 Datsun, also suspension and brake upgrades, etc. GREAT little go-kart, and a lot of fun! They're a 'happy car', just look at that grille! Makes me smile every time I see it!
Good effort well done getting it all working, that is very time consuming. Huge fun if you don't expect much from the ancient very modest mechanicals and go easy on the equipment. Great colour combo like a happy little egg!
Thanks for checking out our 1960 Austin Healey 'Bugeye' Sprite. Perfect timing as this should be available on Bring a Trailer shortly.
I hope we're able to look at many more classics together, Richard! I'm going to be a little jealous of whomever gets this car... it's a gem!
43hp, my 1976 Suzuki GT500 2 stroke produces more power and my 78 Kawasaki KZ1000A2 more than twice that with a few tweaks, it's incredible how hp and performance has changed over the years. What a fantastic looking classic car though, so much more character than anything available new.
The only car you could drive flat out on the street and not beak any traffic laws.
Apparently this car has either 43hp, or 48hp? Which one is it?
That last music was nice, but the loud disco garbage with the "torture" clapping was unbearable - had to keep turning it down. The car is beautiful. The demonstration was great and in general, with all the driving, I enjoyed the hell out of the video. I noticed, when you were passing the beach, there were three guys checking the bug out. That was very cool. Thanks for a very good time .
I have one. It’s as fun to drive as it looks!
It's completely restored to perfection
There's one of these in Cape May County... it has an alfa 2-liter with dual solex sidedraughts and a five speed transmission.
Watching from Borneo.
Amazing!!!
Don't you just hate those videos that have music over the sound of the vehicle?
Our neighbors had a couple of sprites in the late 60s and a Mini Cooper such cool cars drive slow and take in the sienery you’ll live longer!
Nice shop, Richard.
This is a AH 'Frogeye' Sprite - probably in Old English White
I remember those SU Carbutters. You tuned the air intake by sound. Toilet paper tube worked best...
As perfect as they were when they came out , you have too think about that .
Beautiful! I love it!
The actual name of this icon British car is a Frogeye Sprite
Make: Austin Healey
Model: Sprite Mk1
You stand corrected.
Nope
It’s 948 cc not 950 cc. Also the steering wheel is not original
He said so.
Actually, it's a 'Frogeye'.
Depends where you are. Both names are used!
USA: Bugeye - Europe: Frogeye
Don't worry David , the Americans always have to butcher names. That's why they call braces , suspenders. Sidewalk, Aluminum, dressing table becomes a Vanity. The list is endless.
@@englishmaninfrance661 If you're so hard-core English, what are you doing in FRANCE? I thought Englishmen HATED the French and wouldn't be caught dead in France!
@@robfrye4664 Well mate. England and France have roughly the same populations - around 60 million . England is a tiny island & France is a huge country . Therefore England seems stuffed with people but here in France there is plenty of room to move . As for hating them - why should I ? The French have their ways & when you get used to being kissed all the time they are actually very friendly . Finally , I've been here nearly 20 years now . I love my country but I would never move back . The wine here is just SOO good
Good job like the easy music as well🤓
Thank you so much!!
Frog eyed Sprite
Depends on the region. Aussies also call them 'Bugeyes'. :)
Make: Austin Healey
Model: Sprite Mk1
You stand corrected.
OLD ENGLISH WHITE !!!
Austin/MG got it right with the Mk1. The Mk2, not so much.....
I own an MK2 Sprite. All stock, it's a brilliant car. Still crazy fun to drive, not quite as goofy looking. For those unfamiliar with Sprites, an MK2 actually looks very smiley.
I highly recommend any of them.
950cc????? I don't think so.......
SAFETY GAUGE HAS WRONG BEZEL
Shame you didn't research the car more. It is a 'frog-eye' Sprite.
LOL, You say frog-eye, we say bugeye. Depends on whether you're British or North American.
www.pinterest.ca/beatniks0936/bugeye-frogeye-sprites/
www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/austin-healey/bugeye
Graeme Peters we say bigeye in Australia
Autocorrect! Bugeye!!
@@WestCoastSupercarsandClassics Make: Austin Healey
Model: Sprite Mk1
You stand corrected.
Sports Car and 43HP dont deserved to be mentioned in the same conversation. Even the worst Yugo had 45HP.
These are lawn mowers. Drop an LS3 in there with side pipes. Recess the front lights.
You completely miss the point of this car. I have both a 996 Turbo and a F430 Spider yet love to take my Frogeye out on a summer evening.
You are entirely wrong sir. Please revoke your enthusiast licence at once.
...sure...and make it worth $150.
Better than a mazdorito miata
Typical English roadster from the early sixties, achingly small, narrow...butt ugly, tragically under-powered...and at its current age, no parts to be found...No redeeming qualities whatsoever...
What? great little car! all spares available!
Everyone is entitled to their subjective opinion but to say no parts to be found is completely inaccurate. You can practically restore these from a catalog alone.
Lots of new repro parts are still available in England. The A series engine was also used in the mini, so heaps of aftermarket and original parts are readily available.
At 3:17 "...not original..." Haha, yep, an original would have rusted away completely. Yes, no doubt there are specialty houses all thru the UK that have parts, both "original" & reproduction...everywhere else, no dice. 1960?...as a little kid I still remember my fathers brand new candy blue 60 Impala 2dr....this thing here is truly pitiful in comparison...
Guess what? I would still rather drive this cute little thing than the majority of land yachts tooling about on our roads during this time, the Chevrolet Impala included. This is coming from someone who actually drives an American car, a Studebaker GT Hawk!
I want.