At Amelia Island last week and there was a 61 Sprite with special nose that raced at Sebring.Looked similar to Speedwell but was purported to be one of two works cars ,the other written off at Le Mans.It seemed a shame to have it at a fancy dress party and not racing.Does anyone know anything about these cars as I was very impressed but know nothing !Leave it to the experts

There may be more info in this thread .

search engines are your friend

Thanks for that and have continued to talk to the locals who tell me the car was No 65 at Sebring in 61 and is in The more Healeys Book by Donald Healey.Its supposed to be the one with stremline nose.After reading previous thread how do you tell?The present owner in Florida has had it for twenty years and talked to many of the great and good in the Healey fraternity.A Roger Menadue ,cheif engineer or mechanic,seems to have lots to do with the car in period and it was driven by John Colgate with who we dont know but thats easy to find.I will get to the bottom of it as if it is the Works Car it needs to be seen and used.

I came across this article today, it may be of help.[img][img=http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/7793/lmspritessw0.th.jpg][/img]

Thanks for that and it now seems the Le Mans car was built seperately from Sebring car.

Looking at the reg number/car data at the rear of the Sprintzel and Coulthard "Spritely Years" there is information about 8426 UE. (along with all the other key period Sprites) - one of a series of a set of 5 cars from 8423 to 8427 UE
" Registered 1.3.61 Healey ice Blue. Competed in the 1961 Sebring 12 hour race as a prototype with an alloy open sports body, driven by Ed Leavens and John Colgate. This car may have been built up on the chassis and inner body panels of a production car, or it may have been built up on a chassis underframe supplied direct from John Thompson Motor Pressings, as was its predecessor, the second 5983 AC, ....... . . Returned to the Cape, it was fitted with an alloy coupe version of the Super Sprite bodywork and re-registered as.....1411 WD, reg 1.5.1961 (my italics RL) Healey Ice Blue, driven at le Mans by Colgate and Hawkins etc."
Does 1411 WD remain exstant.?
Roger Lund.

Thanks for that .Usual conflicting stories.Would Sprintzel know what happened to factory cars or is it a guess?Is there anyone around who actually worked on the cars.Letter from Roger Menadue,Healey experimental chief saying he built seperate cars and Sprintzel book saying otherwise.Are there parts of car that can be inspected and checked?Was the Le Mans car destroyed?Seems Geoff Healey inspected car a few years ago and said it was all the things the driver wanted to hear but there is no written record.
One thing for certain the Amelia car was a smashing piece of machinery