1959 AUSTIN-HEALEY SEBRING SPRITE

CURRENT OWNERS PAUL AND RICHARD WOOLMER

The Austin-healey Sebring Sprite, registered 46 BXN, started life as the works demonstrator in Jamaica and its early racing took place there and on the east coast of the US. Initially, as is the case with all Sebrings, it was a standard frog-eye Sprite that was converted into a Sebring-bodied car.

In 1961 it returned to the UK with its then-owner Peter Jackson, who had been working at the Canada Dry bottling plant in Jamaica. Having won races in Jamaica and the US, Jackson was blown away on UK tracks because the cars were more developed. The Sprite went to John Sprinzel and had a lightweight spaceframe back end and aluminium hardtop fitted, as well as engine and gearbox work. Jackson raced it in the UK and Europe in 1961 and even drove it to the Nurburgring, finished third in the 500km race, and then drove it home.

At the end of 1961 the car caught fire on a rally in Wales and was badly damaged. It went to Peel Coachworks and had the body fitted that is still on it now. Jackson kept the car until ’65, by which time he was racing sportscars for Lotus.

It then went through five owners, who all raced it at club level, and it has never had a significant accident. One of those owners was Stuart Radnofsky, who was marketing manager at Benetton F1. The Woolmer family has owned the car since 2006, but has been involved with it for more than 30 years. They looked after it and raced it for two previous owners, with considerable success. This quick little BMC A-series-powered car remains very close to period specification.

The aluminium body wraps around the sill, which is quite unusual as most Sebrings have flat sides. When the Woolmers took the body off during a restoration, they found charred paint from the 1961 fire.

Paul Woolmer has raced it regularly over the years, but has now handed it over to his rapid son Richard, who has starred several times at Goodwood with his exuberant style.