This is one of the most original cars on the register, as it is known to be a period conversion with bodywork direct from Williams & Pritchard, and is owned by John Jenkins. LUE 620E is a 1967 Mk IV Austin Healey Sprite, that was first registered to the Donald Healey Motor Co Ltd, Warwick on 8th March 1967.
When John bought it in 1971 was a standard car, but fitted with a W&P Sebring GT hardtop. Both car and hardtop were in basilica blue. John knew that there was a stylish matching front for the car, and ordered a brochure from Williams & Pritchard (kindly reproduced on this website). He subsequently ordered a Sebring GT front direct from W&P with optional light covers which he fitted in 1971 at home in his garage. At the same time he had the car resprayed to his own colour scheme, of tartan red with black sills divided by a white stripe, with the hardtop repainted in black.
John then embarked on a scheme of modifications to the car, including fitting an ingenious fresh air and heater system of his own design, and moved the spare wheel from the boot to the underside of the bonnet. This involved the fitting of a special slanted radiator. Side air vents were also added to the front to assist with cooling. A tow bar was also fitted and the rear bumper raised to allow for towing of a custom trailer for holidays throughout Europe.
John has lovingly cared for LUE for almost 40 years and the car today is exactly as he modified in 1971.
In John's own words:
" The larger, sloping radiator is ex 1967 Austin A40 and ducted below the floor pan. The heater blower and matrix is also ex Austin A40 and fits where the battery used to be. The battery is now in a more accessible place let into the LH inner mudguard in it's own open box. There are large, face level, swivelling eyeball vents just below the dashboard. These modifications also enabled me to fit a larger capacity parcel shelf.
The air inlet grill in front of the windsceen is ex MGB as are the black leather seat covers. The diff was changed from 4.22:1 to 3.7:1.
During the 1970's LUE was successfully driven by myself in many MGCC events such as autotests, production car trials & slaloms etc.
In the 1960's I owned and occasionally competed similarly in the ex Nancy Mitchell MGA MBL867 (Mabel).
LUE has now done over 210,000 miles on the original engine although it was rebored at 165,000 miles. The engine is as original with no tune up tweaks."
Many thanks to John for use of his text and photographs
below top: front and rear views, below middle: interior views showing fresh air vent and additional gauges, and rear parcel shelf, below bottom: tinted window option and engine view showing extensive mods - note the transluscence of the correct original W&P coloured fibreglass.
