Fw: Fast Sprites ...

[Walt & Zoe Harrison]

>From the Healey e-mail list.  Enjoy the video.

Walt

----- Original Message ----- 

Well, have a look at the first sprite in 1958:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe94HcpHyGU

It is screaming through through very wet turns.  no wonder the supercars had
trouble keeping up!!  Anthat was the first OEM sprite... definitely not even
tuned or set up suspension wise.


> ----- Message Reply #1 ----- 
> In the 1980  I was lucky enough to be taken to Riverside Historic races
> and was thrilled to see a standard looking Bugeye with hardtop and wire
> wheels blitzing Ferraris and other 'heavy metal' . They were faster on
> the straights but could not match the Sprites handling.
> If my memory is correct the car was from up Oregon way and owned by the
> late gentleman who ran Faspac ( may not be correct spelling) I was taken
> there by members (Bill where are you?) of the Southern California AH
> Club after they had been to the Australian National Rally.
> I have never forgotten that image.
> At that time big Healeys were not often seen in historic racing
> When Donald visited Australia in 1977 and was the Special Guest at
> Amaroo Raceway for an all Healey race he was asked his favourite car
> ---- answered Sprite!!
> There may have been a degree of politics in his response because the
> Austin Healey Owners Club did not accept Sprites. There was a longer
> running and seperate club, Sprite Car Club of Australia



>> ----- Message Reply #2 ----- 
>> It was Stan Huntley of FASPEC, who died within the past couple of years.
>>
>> I photographed him racing at Laguna Seca in the green  with
>> white top Bugeye... FAST is the correct word for that car.
>> I  understand his son still races it on occasion in the Northwest.
>>
>> Stan also had a streamlined Sprite that ran at Sebring.  It now  belongs
>> to
>> Tom Cotter.    Photo shows car as received from  Stan.  There were 9
>> boxes of
>> rare parts with the car!!
>> After Restoration.