Californians love to find cars with black license plates. The rest of us should too because that black plate means that the car has been in the car-friendly climate of California since at least 1969. This particular 1959 AH Sprite is the perfect example of why everyone wants vehicles from the Golden State. It is claimed to be all original except for the tires and battery, but boy, does it look nice in the photos! Supposedly it has even been cared for by the same mechanic for the past 15 years. It is being offered by the original owner here on craigslist in Alameda, California for $6,500. Thanks for the tip Gil P!

Even though my tall frame wouldn’t fit inside, I was still sorely tempted to scoop this one up for myself! The price is right and if all the claims are true, this is one heck of a find. Sprites were budget sports cars and were used accordingly, so it can be hard to find one so well preserved today. There weren’t many affordable options for the sports car enthusiast when Austin-Healey released the Sprite. They weren’t as fast as their expensive brethren, but with their stiff and lightweight chassis, they could handle with the best of them!

The paint looks so good that we couldn’t help but wonder if this one has been restored at some point. The interior does show a nice patina though that could only be recreated after many years of use. A quick inspection should be all it would take to determine if the car really is all original though. Just check the edges of the paint and underneath for evidence of a respray. We would be sure to go to the trouble of checking it out in person or getting someone else to do it though because every seller seems to have their own definition of “all original”. This Sprite does look like a great deal wither way and we are already envious of the next owner!