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Austin Healey Sprite MkI (Frogeye)
Engine:BLMC 'A' series 1300cc
Configuration: front engine, rear-wheel drive
Driver: Jonathan Palmer
Class: Modified Sports cars 1151 to 1300cc
Date taken: May 1975,, main straight, Croft
Jonathan Palmer started his student career as an Engineer but later transferred to Medicine, later qualifying as a Doctor. In 1975, on a student grant, he undertook a course at the Brands Hatch Racing School, qualifying with one of the highest score obtained there. He took up racing later that year in the Frogeye Sprite seen here. Named because of the protruding headlights, it was an old car at the time of this photograph. Strictly speaking, a 1300cc engine was never fitted to frogeyes, the original being the 998 'A' series engine. He managed 1 win that year. More successful was the ex-Andy Frazer Marcos GT raced during the ’76-7 seasons, with 27 wins and the 1977 BARC Modsports Championship falling to him. (this car is still racing today but much changed from the 1970’s version). His single seater career started in 1978 when he was given a semi-works drive in a Formula Ford Hawke. A second season in Formula Ford, this time in the works Van Diemen RF79 saw more success with 3rd places in the BARC and BRSCC championships. His move to Formula 3 in a Ralt RT3 eventually led to Formula 1, where he drove for Tyrell when they won the constructors championship in 1987, and he won the Driver’s Cup. He is now better known as a television commentator and for devising the innovative Formula Palmer Audi Championships for up-and-coming drivers.
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Austin Healey (Lenham) Sprite
Engine:BLMC 'A' series 1150cc
Configuration: front engine, rear-wheel drive
Driver: John Booth
Class: Modified Sports Cars 1151 to 1500cc
Date taken: September 1977, main straight, Croft
This is a Frogeye Sprite with a fibreglass body, made by Lenham, moulded to the floorpan. By the seventies, Frogeye Sprites were starting to rust badly and Lenham had the idea of replacing the corroded panels with fibreglass ones. A slight redesign of the front end and a fixed head produced a rigid body that gave an old car new life. The resulting car was more streamlined than the normal car but, probably, no lighter. See MG Midget
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