The Austin Healey Sprite was designed by the Donald Healey Motor Company as an entry level sports car to suppliment the Austin Healey 100 series that Austin was already producing. The design of the Sprite, aside from the complete bonnet with its attached front wings, was a unitary bodied design, where the body was comprised of sheet metal and the stresses of the suspension and drivetrain were distributed through the body’s structure rather than relying on an underlying or integrated frame, like the larger Healey 100s. As the bonnet and front wings were separate it isn’t a true monocoque design. When originally designed, the Sprite was intended to have headlamps that hinged down flat into the bonnet when not in use, but to reduce costs they ended up fixed, giving it the characteristic appearance which disappeared on the succeeding generations of Sprites. In order to keep production costs down and minimize the expense of the new model, the car was designed to borrow heavily from other Austin products, primarily the Austin A35, which lent its front suspension, and most of the drivetrain to the Sprite. The steering, however, utilized the steering rack from a Morris Minor, giving the car precise, excellent steering. The rear axle, though the same as that on the Morris Minor and very similar to that on the A35, but utilizing different brakes, is located on quarter-eliptical springs, which provide springing but, along with a trailing arm, locate the axle under the car. Following the Mark 1 models, subsequent sprites were also badge engineered and sold as MG Midgets, but the MG Midget name was never applied to the first series. Originally fitted with a 948cc engine, 4 speed manual gearbox, and drum brakes all around, this example has been upgraded significantly by being fitted with the more powerful 1275cc engine and front disc brakes from the last A-Series engined Sprite. This has been coupled to a modified Datsun 5 speed gearbox, which, along with a change to a 3.9:1 final drive gives this Sprite a significant improvement in power and higher speed driving without any obvious changes to its appearance, either externally, or under the bonnet. The Sprites, whether in stock trim or as modified, like this example, really are excellent cars to drive with wonderful handling and decent performance given the limitations of its small size and displacement. Though a little car, once one is seated, they are a comfortable car to drive, even for taller drivers. Without roll up windows and with an occasional top that must be completely removed and folded away when not in use, as well as without a proper trunk, the Sprite really is not and was never really intended to be a daily driven car, but was intended and served very well as an occasional use and track day car which did more to introduce people to the hobby of racing than almost any other car of the era.