I knew a woman who had an early 60s Bugeye Sprite in the late 1990s. The car was hard to keep running then, and she had a terrible time finding parts. However, she really enjoyed running it through the various canyons between Malibu and the north end of the valley and used it as a daily driver on the west side for as long as I knew her. I was allowed to drive it once, and it felt like a go-kart.
This 1958 is from the first year of production and might be especially nice to restore.
This 1958 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite is finished in Cherry Red over red upholstery and powered by a 948cc inline-four paired with a four-speed manual transmission. Equipment includes a black soft top, chrome bumpers and trim, a fender-mounted mirror, 13″ wheels with polished hubcaps, latch seatbelts, and a heater. The car was reportedly first registered in California and was acquired by the seller in 2018 and relocated to Wisconsin. The engine was rebuilt in 2017, and the radiator was rebuilt in November 2022. This Bugeye Sprite is now offered in Wisconsin with recent service records, side curtains, a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate, and a clean California title.
I remember being entertained by the side curtains. They are impractical and only work to keep stuff out of a parked car. Driving with them in is stupid.
Images via Bring A Trailer
