Is this the most original Sebring Sprite?

That first appearance at Goodwood didn’t go particularly well; driver Cyril Simon failed to appear on the results sheet having crashed out. Things improved later that year when it finished seventh in class at the Goodwood RAC TT Trophy and first in class at the Nürburgring 500km.

It was prior to the 1961 season that the car received its aerodynamic bodywork in readiness for the Sebring 4-hour. The swoopier front end and curved windscreen were designed by John Sprinzel and were there to give the car a higher top speed for long-distance racing. Stirling Moss practiced in the car, but a slipping clutch saw him move into a different car for the race. His sister Pat Moss campaigned the car together with Paul Hawkins, bringing the car home in seventh place overall.

The following season, the car had again had a packed calendar of endurance races, later went through several colour and registration number changes. For several years now, it has been owned by Chris Clegg who has regularly campaigned the car in historic motorsport meetings. It’s also now back in its original Sebring colours of silver with a blue nose, and has been re-united with its S221 registration.

Despite having required a new aluminium nose following a crash in period at the Nürburgring, S221 remains one of the most original Sebring Sprites in existence. Structurally, it’s the same car as it was in when it came to Goodwood in 1960. Long may that continue.

Photography by Pete Summers