1960 Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite

Lot details
Registration No: WJB 707
Chassis No: AN5/47083

- A Works entrant on the 1960 Tour de Corse (Pat Moss/Ann Wisdom).

- Rebodied by Williams & Pritchard for Ian Walker and nigh-on unbeatable in 1961.

- The most original of the Sprinzel Sebring Sprites and owned since 1966

Further Info:

First registered as `WJB 707' on 7th October 1960, this famous Austin-Healey began life as a Works Rally Car. Prepared by the BMC Competition Department for Pat Moss and Ann Wisdom to use on the Tour de Corse a few weeks later, the two-seater boasted Girling disc brakes, uprated suspension and wire wheels etc but retired from the event due to gearbox failure. Published in the September 1990 issue of Classic & Sportscar magazine, a letter written by next custodian Ian Walker recalled how: `Late in 1960, with the approval of John Thornley, I purchased WJB 707 on the understanding that it was to be converted to a Sebring Sprite and would be driven by myself, in a team of three organised by John Sprinzel, during the 1961 season. Each of the owners was to be responsible for his own conversion, the common denominator being Williams & Pritchard who were responsible for stripping the original bodies and replacing them with the aluminium version'.

Having spent six years in the RAF including two-and-a-half as a Lancaster bomber rear gunner during WW2, Walker had a somewhat sang froid approach to personal safety. A capable circuit racer who had previously campaigned a Lotus Eleven, Elite and 17, he also appreciated the virtues of `adding lightness' to a car (indeed, his links to Colin Chapman would later result in the formation of the highly successful Ian Walker Team Lotus). Thus, when compared to the other Sprinzel Sebring Sprites `WJB 707' sported an even sleeker profile and lower kerb weight. Fitted with a smaller windscreen than its siblings - glass being heavier than aluminium - the two-seater also kept usage of steel to a bare minimum. The front inner wings and footwells were alloy as was much of the floorpan and bulkhead (though, the original steel was retained on the driver's side to mount the clutch and brake assemblies securely). The boot floor was cut out and there was precious little sheetmetal between the rear inner wings which were held in position by a brace bar, while the fuel tank was located via Dexion strips!

Better funded than many of his contemporaries Walker treated `WJB 707' to a special engine. Assembled by legendary tuner Don Moore and incorporating a Harry Weslake gas-flowed cylinder head, the nominally 1-litre powerplant helped make the two-seater nigh-on unbeatable in its class during the 1961 season. Debuting at the BARC's Oulton Park Spring Meeting on 15th April, the reconfigured Austin-Healey enabled Walker to take GT1.0 honours behind Graham Hill (Jaguar E-Type), Innes Ireland (Aston Martin DB4GT), Roy Salvadori (Jaguar E-Type), Jack Sears (Ferrari 250GT SWB) and Peter Arundell (Lotus Elite) etc. More class victories, lap records and memorable drives followed at: Crystal Palace, Brands Hatch, Aintree and Silverstone. Part of John Sprinzel's Sebring Sprite Team for the 750MC Six-Hour Relay and Nurburgring 500km races, `WJB 707' managed to lap the Silverstone Club Circuit faster than the ex-Le Mans Austin-Healey 3000 `DD 300' during the former (1min 14 secs 78.23mph vs 1min 15sec 77.15mph) and contribute to scooping the Team Prize against Fiat-Abarth opposition in the latter.

Having won an estimated fifteen races aboard `WJB 707', Walker made the transition from driver to team principal for 1962. Rumoured to have been bought by the wife of a level crossing keeper in Suffolk as a birthday present for her husband, the Austin-Healey is known to have belonged to Leslie Stuart Osborne of Walton-on-Thames, James Peter Stovin Warne of Abinger Common and Alastair K. McHardy of Portsmouth before entering the current ownership during 1966. Held that July, the BARC's last ever Goodwood meeting had seen the two-seater entered for the Special Grand Touring Car Race and the Marque Race by Mr McHardy (its colour being noted as grey and its cubic capacity as 998). Purchased by the vendor, Stephen Bowen, from an advert which read as follows: `Last week I offered my genuine Sebring Sprite for only £350. Miss it? It's the greatest. Phone for details. Three customers, two with horrible exchanges, the other offered £270. It's robbery. Best offer over this buys bargain of the year', the engine-less `WJB 707' cost some £285. Becoming everyday transport once a 1098cc rally engine had been installed, the two-seater also contested numerous rallies, rallycross and hillclimbs etc up until the end of 1969 when Mr Bowen was sent to Germany by his then employer Weslake Engineering. Remaining on the Continent for stints with Ford Motorsport and Zakspeed Racing, he subsequently founded Eurospeed Services (all of which left little time for the Austin-Healey).

Entrusted to marque specialist Brian Wheeler of Wheeler & Davis restorations during 1987, `WJB 707' was used as a template to help with the restoration of sister cars 'S221' and '410 EAO'. However, its own refurbishment only gained momentum in 2008 when the Austin-Healey was invited to attend the Sprite's 50th Birthday Celebrations at Goodwood. Refinished in period Jaguar Gunmetal Grey with Black vinyl upholstery (it was Day-Glo Green and Pink during the late 1960s whilst Mr Bowen was trying to attract sponsorship), the two-seater now plays host to an FIA-compliant Entune Garage 998cc A-Series race engine: 649 camshaft, 12G295 cylinder head, aluminium flywheel, Vernier timing gears, special pistons and twin 1.5-in SU carburettors etc. Developing some 83bhp @ 7,000rpm, the four-cylinder unit is allied to a `smooth case' four-speed manual gearbox with 1275-type gears fitted by Hardy Engineering.

Summed-up by Ian Walker as `possibly the most successful Sprite ever built, bearing in mind that it was racing in National and International events all through 1961 - with one exception, the 750 Club six hour relay, when it was in the winning team', `WJB 707' is also widely acknowledged to be the most original of the four surviving Williams & Pritchard-bodied Sprinzel Sebring Sprites (from five made). Pleasingly retaining almost all its 1961 alloy bodywork (save for an authentic but replacement fibreglass bonnet) plus various factory tags, this giant-slaying Austin-Healey's extensive history file includes a letter of provenance from Ian Walker to Stephen Bowen dated 14th February 1967, green continuation logbook, current UK V5C Registration Document and numerous restoration photographs. Offered for sale for the first time in forty-nine years, `WJB 707' would grace many a collection and surely be a welcome sight at numerous blue riband events. The original but much modified Williams & Pritchard alloy bonnet can be collected from Mr Bowen as can an assortment of parts comprising hubs, numerous brake components and sundry corroded steel pieces that were replaced during the restoration.

PLEASE NOTE: Since the catalogue went to press we have been contacted by John Sprinzel who has confirmed that 'WJB 707' was 'certainly the fastest of the Sebring Sprites on the track'. He also recalls selling the Austin-Healey to the level crossing keeper's wife as a surprise present for her husband. The lady in question made quite an impression by (a) emerging from a taxi with a baby in her arms and (b) showing little interest in actually inspecting her prospective purchase! Mr Sprinzel later heard that 'WJB 707' had caught its new owner out on the first lap of a test day at Brands Hatch. Located not far from the relevant level crossing, Rob Walker's garage had been responsible for preparing the fastback and were also tasked with its repair. It is thus possible that they were the ones who replaced the Sprite's (Brands Hatch damaged?) aluminium bonnet with a fibreglass one.

PLEASE NOTE: The 'original' bonnet which Stephen Bowen has retained is the fibreglass one that was fitted to 'WJB 707' when he bought the car in 1966. The original Williams & Pritchard alloy bonnet has never been in his possession and is presumed lost.