SEBRING SPRITE HISTORY

When I first established this web site I intended it to celebrate only John Sprinzel's alloy bodied Sebring Sprite Coupé but as time has gone on and more and more interesting information has been forthcoming, often relating to other special Sprites, I have decided to expand its scope to include them.  I have therefore now divided the history into separate groups: the Williams & Pritchard bodied cars; the Peel bodied and others with special bodywork; and the standard-bodied Sebring Sprites. At a later stage I propose to add pages to cover the Speedwell GT, Lenham GT and Le Mans, and others. So just click below to open up these separate pages:

The definition of a Sebring Sprite has always been a topic for much debate so I give below a quote from John Sprinzel and Tom Coulthards' book "Spritely Years" (which was published by Haynes in 1994, but is now sadly out of print):-

 "The mechanical specification included many modifications and special parts, principal among which were disc brakes at a time when the standard car still made do with drums. A 'frogeye with discs' is a useful basic definition of what a Sebring Sprite was - and it may be as well to establish a simple definition, for confusion set in during the early 'sixties and is now virtually pandemic, with almost every Sprite book or article published seeming to add a little. The complications are undeniable, though: there were Sebring Sprites with standard-shape bodywork and Healey works cars with disc brakes; and there were other alloy-bodied Sprites. Put simply, not every Sebring Sprite was an alloy coupe nor every alloy coupe Sprite a Sebring. Clear?"                                                                                                                                                                                                     

                                    John Sprinzel                                                                             Their book                                                                                   Tom Coulthard

"In the Sebring 12-Hour race on 21 March, 1959 all three Sprites that took part not only lasted the distance but achieved a fabled class victory, finishing first, second, and third"   

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Tom Coulthard is maintaining a record of special Sprites under the banner, The Sebring Sprite Register, and he would be very pleased to hear from anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of such vehicles, whether they be standard shape Sebring Sprites, Speedwell GT's or Coupes by Williams & Pritchard, Peel Coachworks, or Classic Motor Crafts (who also made the tops for all the Speedwell GTs) .  (photo courtesy of Roy Standley)

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Photo Gallery below: - Hold the cursor over each picture to read the caption, or click to enlarge.