Pete Schumann has been in touch from Virginia, USA, with news of not one but two Sebring Sprites, and a very kind message about the new website.
“I have followed Martin’s awesome Sebring Sprite web pages since about 2012. After seeing these cool cars I had to have one. I want to thank you and those who may have helped with your new Sebring Sprite website, it looks great! Thanks again for taking over where Martin left off.”
Regular readers may remember Pete from earlier stories on the site. His first Sprite was a Bugeye, built the way he wanted with the help of Jack Merryman and his crew at Merryman Modifications of Hanover, PA. Pete sold that car in 2020.
The BRG Sebring Sprite, signed by Sir Stirling Moss
Pete then bought a BRG Sebring Sprite from Bill Prout, through David S., The Bugeyeguy. It was raced until 2016, last at Lime Rock, and it was at Lime Rock in 2014 that Sir Stirling Moss sat in the car and signed the dashboard.
The car needed a ton of work, but it came with some very nice goodies: a T-9 five-speed gearbox, disc brakes all round, a Weber DCOE 40, a stainless side exhaust, a Williams & Pritchard hardtop and a sway bar. Pete has cleaned up the engine bay and cockpit, fitted LEDs throughout, new seats and interior parts and some new graphics. Last November, after the oil pump failed, he and a friend rebuilt the 1275.
The ex-Peter White car
Pete had followed New Zealander Peter White’s Sebring Sprite build on Martin’s site (Peter White’s Fastback replica) until it was sold in 2013 to Mark Gagnon in the USA. As luck would have it, Mark turned out to be local to Pete in Virginia, and about two months after the sale the car turned up at their local Cars & Coffee, which is where Pete and Mark met.
In August this year Pete bought the car from Mark. Since then he has fitted LEDs throughout, a new helical-type limited-slip differential, new carb parts, a quick-release steering wheel, a new Kubota alternator and some graphics.
Neither car is raced these days. As Pete puts it, they are street cars and “so much fun”.
Thanks to Pete for the update and the kind words. If you have news of your own Sebring Sprite, we’d love to hear from you: send us your news.
