Mike Bennett

Healey Frogeye

Many years ago, we had an original Austin Healey Sprite Mk I but the tin worm had devoured most of it and back then it was not economically viable to restore it. So we were very please in 1990 to come across the Frogeye Car Company on the Isle of Wight. They, in conjunction with Geoff Healey, produced a replica of the car but with a fibreglass body on a galvanised chassis and after a couple of visits to the island, Elmo joined us but in kit form.

He was built originally with a 1480 mated to a Toyota 5 speed box which made for a very lively drive but the compression ratio was much too high.

After about 15 years, he was looking a bit tiered so got a full restoration with a respray and this time a 1340 engine.

Since then it has had plenty of use with local runs and trips to Cornwall, Scotland, Goodwood (above) and recently Stamford for the Midget 50 celebrations.

Elmo has also been used for competition, in a branch of motorsport called AutoSolo. These events are ideal for classic cars enabling you to drive spiritedly without endangering them. You drive a course defined by cones against the clock.