They called it the “Frogeye Sprite”, and this 1960 Austin-Healey Sprite is suitably finished in green, thus being a little slice of British sports car history.

This highly distinctive two-seater had a glamorous launch just after Grand Prix weekend in Monte Carlo in 1958. Left-hand drive from the start, this particular 1960 Austin-Healey Sprite was factory-equipped with stage five tuning – twin exhaust pipes, competition clutch, cross-ratio gearbox and heavy-duty crankshaft among others – but despite these rare attractions, plus whitewall tyres and a rev counter, it remained unsold in an Illinois showroom for over a year. First owner Jim Bishop bought the 1960 Austin-Healey Sprite as a race car, adding a roll cage and painting a signature bishop to the doors, which remains to this day.