History of Austin Healey
Sebring Sprite DD-55-63
The
Austin Healey Sebring Sprite (AN5-L/3182) was manufactured in July 1958
and immediately shipped to Stokvis at Rotterdam. Originally the Mk1
Austin Healey Sprite was old English white with a red interior. The
Sprite was an early production car which was strengthened with
additional plates welded into the rear bodywork. Mr. Frank van
Suchtelen purchased the car in 1958.
In early
1960 Tonio Hildebrand bought the Sprite and sent it to Speedwell in
London (John Sprinzel) for an aluminium Monza bonnet (one of only five
made); Ashley (Mk1) fibreglass hardtop, aluminium doors (one of only six
pairs made) and suspension modifications. The Sprite was painted leaf
green with a central yellow stripe. The car then went to Downton
Engineering (Salisbury) for a competition engine. Hildebrand made a
deal with Speedwell and Downtown to use the Sprite to promote their
performance products.
On 22nd
May Ies Langestraat (the best BMC salesman in Holland) was loaned the
Speedwell Sprite to compete in a national sporstcar race at Zandvoort.
On the tenth lap whilst in the leading group of three cars, Langestraat
rolled the car whilst exiting “Bush” destroying the hardtop, and luckily
only causing light damage to the bonnet and panels. Later the tell-tale
on the rev counter indicated 8,500 r.p.m., and as Langestraat had been
told under no circumstances to go over 8,000 r.p.m. – Speedwell and
Downton were not impressed!
Following
the crash the Sprite was repaired locally, and in June competed in the
SLS rally finishing tenth overall. Prior to the start of the 1961 racing
season the Speedwell Sprite was air freighted back to Speedwell were it
was prepared to Sebring Sprite homologation. The Sebring Sprite was
primarily raced at national level race meetings during 1961 at Zandvoort.
The Sebring Sprite was also used by Mr. Maus Gatsonides in conjunction
with the Zandvoort police to test his early speed cameras (Gatso
meter).
In 1962
Mr. Wim Booker bought the car and campaigned it very successfully in
hillclimb and sprint meetings recording many class victories in the
sportscar class up to 1000 cc. Mr. Booker repainted the car in “his”
racing colours of red with a white central stripe. In 1964 Mr. Jan
Kanters purchased the Sprite, racing for the final time at Zandvoort;
then selling it later that year to Mr. Dirk Kuiper.
Mr. Kuiper used the car as a
road car until 1969 and sold it to an unknown owner who lived in the
Amstelveen area. The car was repainted in old English white. In 1972
the Sprite had a road accident which damaged the left front side, was
bought by Klaas van Dijk from Ketelaar Garage. in 1983 it was purchased
by Mr. Guus Visser who planned to do a full restoration.
At the end of 2004 Robert
Visser (the nephew of Guus Visser) acquired the Sprite and completed a
full restoration returning it to the Sebring Sprite specification as
prepared by Speedwell in 1961.
The coloured picture 2nd up on left only
recently came to light, and was taken at Zandvoort, Holland in June 1960, by the late Joe Green and
kindly supplied to Rob by his son, Barry.
[I would imagine it was
driven on that occasion by Tonio Hildebrand- not confirmed] The
black and white photos right and left, bottom have also recently been
discovered and, again show the car competing at Zandvoort. |
