2014 The year for Frogeye Restorations

Ollie Rawles own Frogeye undergoing a weekend restoration

So early into 2014 and we already have 3 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprites in need of restoration. The Austin Healey Sprite is the smallest member of the Healey family, designed by the Donald Healey Motor Company and built at the MG Sports car factory at Abingdon. The British Motor Company announced the launch of the Sprite in 1958, marketed as a low cost model, a successor to the sporting version of the pre-war Austin Seven, priced at approximately £455.00 before purchase tax. Being advertised as ‘a car a chap could keep in his bike shed’ it became an immediate success on both sides of the Atlantic and in Australia.  Today its appeal and popularity is still evident when over 1000 cars of this Marque celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2008, at the British Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, Warwickshire.

We have 3 Frogeye Sprites that are currently in need of restoration – albeit at various stages of the process

The little MK I Sprite soon became affectionately known as Frogeyes in the UK and Bugeyes in the USA because of the prominent position of the headlights mounted on top of the bonnet, inboard on the front wings giving the appearance of eyes and an animal like character to the cars.  Over 48,000 Frogeye Sprites where produced, the largest volume of any Austin Healey car during the almost 16 year life of the marque.  Donald Healey envisaged a car that was inexpensive and fun and the success of his vision was probably the reason that an MG version was created and why we saw the birth of the MG Midget. Today Austin Healey Sprites and MG Midgets are collectively known as Spridgets and can still be picked up for a reasonable price, driven around as a fun vehicle, as well as becoming a popular choice of car to race in classic and sports car motorsport events.

February 2014 – Frogeye tub and bonnet restoration underway for an Austin Healey Club member

In the workshop, February 2014, we have an Austin Healey Frogeye tub and bonnet restoration being carried out for an Austin Healey Club member, who already has an Austin Healey 3000 MK III and an Austin Healey 100-4 in his collection. We look forward to seeing all 3 marques of cars lined up for a photo-shoot. Bill Rawles Classic Cars collected the chassis in September 2013 and to date the chassis has been sandblasted and painted as well as work being carried out to the sills, floor sections, bulkhead and wheel arches. Throughout any restoration the Bill Rawles Classic Car team uses sourced manufactured parts as well as having in-house capability to fabricate and produce their own when needed.

All our workshop activities, classic car events and motorsport accomplishments are regularly documented on our Bill Rawles Classic Cars Facebook Page. If you would like to follow the progress of the current Frogeye restoration in the workshop please take a look at our Frogeye Restoration Facebook Album.