“I have had a pair of Bob Ridgard’s seats in my Sebring since 1993 and my wife says they are the most comfortable seats she has sat in, in a car. Very expensive in leather now, but not too dear in vinyl. Always best to contact Bob by phone – he’s not great on email. His website is at Ridgard Seats Martin Ingall”
SEATS – FROM BOB HINCHLIFFE
” Hi Martin, I have a question for you or your web audience. I would like to replace the standard Sprite seats in the Austin Healey SSR as I find that they are not supportive enough, especially as I have three point full harnesses for driver and passenger.
The replacements would be for normal road use but also suitable for track days and events. The other requirement is that they should be available in red with white piping to match the rest of the interior trim and be in keeping with the car. This may be a tall order but the only ones that I’ve found on the internet cost the best part of £1000 for a pair and I’m sure there are cheaper alternatives somewhere. I hope that you or your readers will be able to help, thanks in advance. Best wishes, Bob” Bob can be reached via email.
FROM DAVE WOOD OF ORDSON EQUIPMENT:
” Hi Martin, Couple of things: Front hubs will be started shortly. We are offering spinners for these as well. We are also able to offer the spinners with the following on the face. “Sebring” [Sorry cannot reproduce exact font here] Or any other font – unless there is a logo for the car. These we would offer at £35 each – price includes artwork for the script. We will need to have 3 sets to be able to do this. We also have hub pullers available for the Sebring. A tool which allows the user to remove the stub axle from the front hubs with little effort – will also fit any type 42 12tpi threaded hub. These retail at £80 each. Dave Wood, Orson Equipment Tel : 01902 906290
SEBRING REAR HUBS
Buy them now
on ebay £360 per pair
THE FROGEYE ROLL-HOOP DIALOGUE CONTINUES BELOW:
“Daniel, You are right in that if you cut through the front lip of the shroud it will immediately lose its profile / rigidity. When you fit a Sebring coupe top that actually helps get a snug fit. For you I’d say cut 2 oversized holes in the shroud behind the lip in about the right spot. Once you have your cage in situ, minus rear legs, mock up a straight bar with elongated u shaped section in the middle and that will enable you to locate the holes (above). Hope this is clear! Mike”.
“Thanks Mike, I agree. I looked at Frogeye Spares design and felt the leverage on the back stays was too much. How did you go about supporting the rear shroud when you chopped it? Or do you have a bonded coupe top? Current plan is to have Caged make a custom rear hoop with perforating rear struts and diagonal that complies to msa regs (they thought they could sleeve the rear struts but were double checking the regs). I’ll either later cut the shroud back and bond support ribs into it and fabricate a new lip for the flashing or keep it and put some rubber grommets around the roll bar sections that perforate the shroud. Any thoughts gladly appreciated. Biggest concerns are vibrations trashing the rear shroud if cut it back and don’t have a bonded couple top (have a lightweight hardtop I’d like to keep) Best wishes Dan”
MIKE CURTIS ON DANIEL’S ROLL CAGE QUERY
“I looked into this before I cut back the fibreglass rear deck completely in my Sebring replica. Safety Devices do an option – see following link: http://www.safetydevices.com/motorsport/products/roll-cage/Austin+Healey+Frogeye+Sprite-1958-1961-2-door/377/1205/ I am not that keen on this arrangement and had I kept the rear deck I was going to make up my own rear legs for the main hoop, in one piece and jointed closer to the top, in line with MSA Blue Book guidance (sleeve & bolts). It will be tricky to get the holes in the deck in the right place exactly, but you should be able to get them 90% right. Then you can just make up a fillet / trim to cover any slight gap. Personally I don’t like the other option pictured [Mike Heath’s option below] – the angle of the rear hoop looks like it would just give way in a serious roll over…just my personal view! Also, is it Blue Book compliant – assuming you want to race? Hope this helps, Mike Curtis”
SEBRING SPRITES ON DISPLAY AT THE SHOWS?
Is anyone displaying their car at the NEC Classic Car Show or the show at Alexander Palace, London? The Brian Archer Shield provided by the late Ian Ashfield will be presented to the owner whose car is considered to be the best turned out on the day.
“Re: roll-hoop in Daniel Paul’s car. I got the attached from Gordon Elwell (I haven’t fitted mine yet but it looks good) – the picture is of one of Gordon’s. Doesn’t perforate the rear deck at all. May do the trick. Cheers Mike Heath”.
HELP/ADVICE REQUIRED IN FITTING ROLL CAGE TO A FROGEYE WITH FIBREGLASS REAR END
Daniel Paul: “Am in the process of trying to get a roll-hoop put into my ‘Sebring’ which is much like 132 XUU in terms of Sebring bonnet and hardtop design. Do you have any further photos of Jim’s car or contact details for him? [Unfortunately I don’t] Trying to work out how best to perforate the rear shroud to avoid cutting it back if can, or if cut it back how best to reinforce it as I have a fibreglass rear for weight saving”. Please contact Daniel if you can help – email.
SEBRING SPRITE SPLINED FRONT HUBS
Dave Wood of Orson Equipment is gearing up to produce a further batch of front hubs.
There are no plans for more rears at the moment. They can also supply (the fine thread) spinners for these if anyone wants them – at £20 each (£80 per set) + VAT.
I have a list of 5 people requiring front hubs. If anyone is interested before machining starts please contact me via Feedback in the next few days, or contact Dave Wood direct at Orson Equipment, Camco House, Dale Street’ Bilston, WV14 7JY. Tel : 01902 906290 www.orsonequipment.co.uk
At BO’NESS SPEED HILL CLIMB
(Scotland) 9th Revival Meeting on 3rd/4th September
[Facebook]
CONSULTATIONS ON ROADWORTHINESS TESTING OF CLASSIC CARS.
Have your say.
AUSTIN A70 HEREFORD AIR INTAKES
From Pierre Lequeux: “Yes, I have seen this on your website, unfortunately I have no source for them as they came with the car and I had them re-chromed. I would think the best would be to get in touch with the Austin Counties Car Club and keep an eye on ebay. I have seen a few going through. We had great fun with Camelia at Firle Hill (you can see a few great pictures of the event there – LINK ) Camelia now wants to do the Brighton Speed Trials next year…and here enter the next generation of Sprite custodians and addicts! ” [The Austin Counties Car Club has a spares dept at: Austin Counties Spares, Tudor Cottage, Ilkley Road, Otley, West Yorkshire LS21 3DW]
SELECTARIDE ADJUSTABLE SHOCK ABSORBER SYSTEM
Jeffrey Daigle says: “Found this information, which appears to be the same system: LINK ” but using telescopics on the Bristol 409.
THIS (OUR) WEBSITE
is currently receiving on average 90 hits per day
(in excess of 30,000 a year).
THANK YOU FOR VISITING AND FOR ALL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS
SNIPPETS FROM FACEBOOK: David Nutland refers to the photo (left): “Number 72, on the slow road to completion”. Dave Marriott responds: “I’m kit 97 and still not as far on as you! It’s looking nice so far though”. and Peter Fletcher: “Looking good, I own number 85 Speedwell Sprite. I also have number 103 one of the last (Archers) Sebring Sprites – looks similar to yours but no paint yet. Good luck”.
FROM CCK Historic: “We’ve made another custom 6-point bolt-in roll cage for a Sebring Sprite. We’ve slotted the front dash/scuttle to allow the front legs to pass through giving better clearance for the steering wheel”.
“An extract from the August 1965 edition of ‘Safety Fast’ featured information on Armstrong shock absorbers – [click the image, right] There has been information written about the manually adjustable Adjustaride variety, over the last few years, and I wonder if anyone has any experience of the electrically operated Armstrong Selectaride shock absorbers fitted to Sprites? Obviously, fewer numbers of adjustments are possible but they can be done from inside the car. The (above) images show a pair, complete with wiring and switch, I have ‘unearthed’.” Tim Spencer Feedback?
BRETT PRUITT (Hawaii): “I wanted to add to John Sprinzel’s answers to Ken Grasing”s questions. I had to make the rubber mats myself, as I could not find anyone with a set that would part with them. Attached are a couple of photos that were shot for an upcoming article in Healey Marque magazine.
Someone was looking for a Mk1 Midget hardtop and Angelo, in Holland, has this one for sale. It has no sidewindows (a bit hard to find) or front brackets, but the rest is complete and in good condition, just needs to be painted. 250 Euros
Email him if interested.
HALLS GARAGE & SEBRING SIDE-SCREENS
Jason Elliott of Halls Garage (Tifosi) comments: “[To make side-screens] we would need a template off an Archer’s car or better still one of the Archers cars at our Open Day so then we could try on of our side screens. We can also supply side-screens in kit form as well”.
“However, for those currently on my list for side-screens, we do have an engineer working on these. He has had some difficulties with the machine which swages the aluminium to give it the correct external shape but work is going ahead and we hope to have the outstanding orders completed soon” MEI – webmaster..
“IN SUPPORT OF ANDREW (Forster)”
“Just a short reaction to some of the comments about Andrew. Maybe people could remember that Andrew has had to close Archers Garage due to various problems including the non-payment of his invoices. He now has a fulltime job with a lot of responsibility and shall still have to sort out a lot of left over problems from Archers. I, as many people, have always asked him for all type of advice at all times and always got helpful reactions. But he does not work full time for Archers anymore and I would expect now and again gets sick of the constant comments and still expected fast reactions. I should add that this is my opinion and I hope not out of place.
Reference the side-screens. While you are waiting for your side- screens you can always make Perspex ones as fitted originally to some of the Sebrings and as I had on both my Sebrings and Michael (Meerlo’s) replica. You can make a simple cardboard mould and use this to cut the Perspex or Lexan. You can make your own brackets or use the standard ones part no for the set AHA5894SET. We can always send photos from Michael’s showing fitting etc. With these you can at least use the car and stay dry until the new ones are ready.
Reference Inlet Manifolds for Twin H4 SUs. I have just got 2 sets machined for myself and friends. We hope by the end of November to have 2 more sets finished. And before the end of the year new castings that we can get machined and flowed etc. These will not be finished tomorrow! A friend of mine has just had the spacer made for in the Sebring pedal box and this is in the computer and more can be made if needed. Thinking about production and delivery of parts for our Sebrings it must not be forgotten that most of the work is done by semi-retired professional people who do this in their free time for low amounts or the machining is done after the day’s work. If you look at the prices in the 20 odd years these have not changed much. Compare this to a Heritage bodyshell which I bought from Moss 23 years ago for £1650 and now costs £6970. Kind regards, Stephen Bowen” [Feedback]
PRESCOTT HILL CLIMB – PHOTOS BY DAVID MORYS
Above left with miniscule windscreen is Joseph and Claire Giles’ Frogeye. I think 
the others are all fairly familiar to us all. On right – Stephen Casson has commissioned some ‘Keeping Healeys Racing’ patches suitable for race overalls.
They work out at £8.50 for a small patch or £22 for a large one (incl p & p) and will come in red or black. If you want one let me know as they need to order in batches of 12. Feedback
STEPHEN BOWEN comments: “I have noticed several people have been looking for rear springs for the early Sprites I have somewhere here at least two sets if not three. [Let me know if you are interested and I will put you in touch with Steve – Feedback] Also, you had about bulges on the bonnet and as John (Sprinzel) said this was to clear the top of the carbs. Also in the 1960s there was a wide range of inlet manifolds for the Minis available and these were higher than the Sprite to clear the front bulkhead. For me in ’66 for the Sebring I needed an inlet manifold but the correct one from BMC Competitions of which we at Nerus were dealers still cost one and a half week’s wages. Our Mini manifold cost 3 beers, one for the foundry Cowshed Castings we called them, but I think they were really called Rother Ironworks, one beer for the machine dept and one for the flow man so I made a big bulge in my bonnet”.
FROM SIMON HUTCHINSON
This was my note to Simon after I published his earlier message in ‘Latest News’ last month:
“Hi Simon, Many thanks for your message and photos which I posted on the website. The bonnet was originally designed and built by Williams & Pritchard and called Sebring GT2 to go with their fastback hardtop – not unlike the Ashey one. The Davis brothers decided to use this bonnet when marketing their comeback Ashley GT in recent years calling it the Silverstone. In Australia there has never been a Lenham bonnet imported so all their Lenhams use the W & P bonnet – hence perhaps the confusion with the Lenham name as well. Your contribution is much appreciated. Cheers Martin”
– prompting this further note from him:
“Hi Martin, Thanks for posting (my earlier message) and the history lesson. I lived a few miles from the old MotoBuild shop in Hounslow back in the day so knew Rea and Darryl to speak to but can’t remember the third brother’s name although I think they’ve gone their separate business ways. Was at the MGCC meeting at Snetterton this weekend and saw some nice streamliners there. The Midget Challenge had two wet races but a lovely white Lenham GT was second overall in both, very well driven. Pic of Ian Hulett’s Midget (W & P Sebring GT2) wearing the same front end and roof (although it’s got a weird boot and doesn’t sculpt around the rear scuttle so guess it could be the W&P item you mentioned). I’ve just managed to get an original late model Ashley hard top with rear glass that needs some restoring, plus a lowered rear roll hoop and only paid £130 for both (hurray for the Ashley Facebook page). With regards to BGJ 840B I found the Williams and Prichard receipt for the fibreglass wings and bonnet in amongst the heaps of results and write ups, if only it was £37 pounds today! Other photo is of my 18 yr old son’s Blaze Midget parked next to an equally lowered powder blue example. Keep up the good work, regards Simon Hutchinson, TSG Engineer Propulsion, Military Aerospace (Mil-A).”.
888 HPA
I have started assembling information about this Lenham GT now owned by Tom Coulthard. Can you add anything – see the new page. Feedback?
Paul Slangen: “Reading all about Halls Garage. ( I contacted them before by email regarding whether their side-screens fit on our cars, but never got a message back). I wonder if they fit on our Archers Sebrings due to the Tifosi having no roof gutters. They look alike but I assume they won’t fit. I asked Andrew before, but also no reply. Perhaps you can contact Halls/Tifosi and ask them, before some owners are spending a lot of money on the wrong side screens ?!
P.S. In the attachment Sebring against Marcos !!”
“Fabulous day with 9253 WD at Castle Combe’s ‘Autumn Classic’. On track with Nick Mason’s Ferrari 250 GTO and Stirling Moss’ 1960 Monaco Grand Prix winning (Rob Walker) Lotus 18, to name but a couple. John Willetts who raced 9253 WD between 1965 – 1968 was my passenger. He was last at Castle Combe 50 years ago in 1966. Photos courtesy of Neil Thomas” JWB
Wm Severin Thompson asks “Can anyone identify this hardtop?”
Feedback
SPRINZEL’S AIR BRAKES!!!
“In reply to Ken’s questions. Yes, the vents were from the Austin. I imagine Moss or someone now supplies the mats. Yes we had the bulge to prevent the larger SU’s from being damaged. Stock disc wheels as this was an event just a short time after the car’s introduction so no time to mess about with other wheels or indeed other than stock brakes. Incidentally we did get brake fade on some of the longer Alpine descents. so Willy and I held open the doors as air brakes after Mercedes idea. And Yes that worked quite well. Take care… JS”
DEREK STEWART CONTINUES HIS CONVERSION OF HIS SEBRING REPLICA TO COVENTRY CLIMAX ENGINE WITH TOYOTA T50 GEARBOX
His latest news is: ” The chassis modifications are at last completed. After removing a chunk of cross member and cutting away some of the steering rack support bar, the altered support bar could be fabricated but this is a route that many have trod in the past. The engine sits lower than in the Brabham installation, probably because of the Toyota gearbox fit but this was a plus point as the Sebring bonnet profile appears to have a lower line and I wished to avoid any carb clearance issues. I also wanted sufficient clearance at the crankshaft pulley to access an easy change of the generator/waterpump belt. The altered rack support was welded onto the cross member and hopefully restored some of the original rigidity. Thanks must go to Paul Webb for his suggested pattern for the engine mount. The dummy fit goes back into the car during the next few days and its off to the exhaust fabricator for the next phase. Its certainly a project that requires time! I’ve also attached a couple of photos of the radiator that show the main alterations for the Climax installation. More to follow as progress creeps forward! Cheers Derek
PS. I believe Brabham Conversions completed seven Heralds (2 coupes, 4 saloons and 1 estate) and five Sprites/Midgets – David Bruzas’s 751 VPF and 4736 PL still exist)”.
DAVID BRUZAS’ RESTORATION OF THE ORIGINAL BRABHAM MIDGET DEMONSTRATOR
“Good morning Martin, Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Four days at Goowood after a marathon before to get the car ready for display. It was great result. Most of the time the car was surrounded by people. I was kept busy answering questions . One elderly gentleman was interested in the car, he had worked at Jack Brabham’s in the early ‘60’s. He was very interested in the rebuild and confirmed the various mods they carried out to install the Climax engine in my car. Both of Sir Jack’s sons were there; they were fascinated with the car and asked for some pictures, which I will forward on. They also posed for some pictures, in similar poses to the original photos of their father. I have just got back from a well-earned holiday and now can get back into completing the build. I have a small issue with the clutch release. It means engine out!! Classic and Sports Car mag have asked if I would give them permission for them to write an article. Regards, David”.
JOE ARMOUR: “Re: Lew McAllen’s enquiry on the source of rear splined hubs – these are used on wire wheeled TRs and the rear of ‘big’ Healeys”.
FROM
LEW
McALLAN:
HEALEYS large and small being prepped for shipping to the Sebring races in Florida, 1962.
[Facebook]
“Just read Alistair Ross’s comments regarding the above. I also had an early version of these hubs on a Bugeye “Greeny” which I sold 15 months ago. This car also had early bolt-on wire wheel adapters on the rear and an early wood rim wheel which I kept for another project. Can anyone ID these parts? best regards, Lew McAllan”
FOR SALE – SEBRING SPRITE REPLICA (1960), LHD. Comes with a recently FIA HTP papers, 2016. Ready to race. Based in France (near Paris). [I await a price guide] For more information and photos, etc please contact Sylvain Proyart by Email
SEBRING FASTBACK REPLICAS RE-EMERGE IN AUSTRALIA
” Hi Martin, I hope you all enjoyed your summer motoring activities and we on this side of the world are just exiting winter and heading into spring, so lots of good motoring weather just around the corner for us. You recently mentioned “will there be any more Sebring Sprites”. I have an Archers fastback body and Sebring front which I purchased from Archers garage in 2014 – it arrived here in Australia in August that year. This I feel is possibly one of the last few made prior to Andrew closing Archers Garage and putting the moulds into storage. I would appreciate it if you could add it to the list of Sebring Replicas. [I have allotted the car No.106 – Ed]
I was contacted by a local chap Peter De-Vene here in Brisbane, Queensland who was trying to obtain a fastback body so he could build a Sebring Fastback Sprite. He had no luck with Archers Garage and as we now know Andrew had more pressing issues to deal with than making body mouldings at that time. He also contacted CCK regarding a body but they did not answer any emails so he assumed they are only interested in supplying completed cars. When Peter was reading your site he discovered that I had imported a fastback body and Sebring front. So Peter contacted me some time back and asked if I had fitted the body to a chassis yet? I had not at that time as I was still deciding which of the cars that I had acquired that I was going to use. Peter asked ‘could he come to Victoria and make a moulding of the body so he could produce a body for himself’. I agreed to allow him to take a moulding from Archers body which he did last week and he also has a mould for the Sebring front made by a boat builder in Melbourne from an Archers front that Tony Bennetto brought back from the UK when he and his car travelled there. Peter purchased the mould of Ebay and shipped it to Queensland. Peter made another front for me as part of the arrangement and is also supplying me with another fastback so I will be able to construct two cars now instead of just one. It just goes to show Sebring builders will go to great lengths to build a car as Peter and his wife travelled from Brisbane to Kyneton and return, a total of 3700 kilometres plus a weeks work making the mould. Attached are some photos of the front that Peter made which does not have grille opening cut out yet and is beside the Archers front with the opening and grille installed. Also there are some photos of the mould being made and being separated from the original Archers body when it was completed. Regards Alan Mead, Kyneton, Victoria, Australia.
