Brian Thomas Archer

Brian Thomas Archer (1941 - 2008) reinvigorated classic car enthusiasm for the small, high-performance sports car that evolved to a high level in Great Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. Brian Archer became the unrivaled expert and 'Guru' of the Sebring Sprite, an uprated version of the popular Austin Healey Sprite that compiled a phenomenal record in international competition.

From pedal car to sports cars

Born in 1941, Archer became enamored of wheeled transportation from an early age when his father built a large pedal-driven 'car' for him. Soon, Archer graduated to bicycles and then to cars. Trained as an electrician, Archer gravitated to sports cars during their heyday in the fifties and sixties owning a Morgan and then an Austin-Healey Sprite. In 1964, Archer acquired an MG-Midget and began to enter competition.

From fierce competitor to expert specialist

Archer became a fierce competitor in hill climbs and sprints racing at Shelsey Walsh, Prescott and the Isle of Man. By the time he reached the age of 30, Archer had established his reputation as a major threat on the classic hill climbs in the United Kingdom. In 1971, Archer set up Archer's Garage in Birmingham, England specializing in sports car restoration and racing car preparation with a growing following from the memberships of the Austin Healey and MG clubs as well as a number of private collectors and classic car enthusiasts.

Archer & the Sebring Sprite

In the 1980s, the owner of a famous Sebring Sprite, S221, contracted Archer to restore his rare and desirable classic sports car. In 1998 when S221 was sold to its current owner, Chris Clegg, Archer continued to prepare and maintain what had become the most visible survivor of that rare breed. Intrigued by these special Austin Healeys, Archer exhaustively researched the history of the six original cars that had been built by John Sprinzel and his coach-builders, Williams & Pritchard. Eventually, Archer fabricated tooling to replicate the Sebring Sprite. In the 1990s, Archer exhibited his gem-like creations at classic car exhibitions in Birmingham and London. Soon, a steady stream of classic and sports car enthusiasts forged a path to the doors of Archer's Garage to commission replicas.

The 'Guru' of Sebring Sprites

Archer built over fifty exquisite replicas of the Sebring Sprite. Archer's 'Sebrings' have become highly prized gems because they combine the practicality of a British sports car that can be driven daily to the shops or to the racing circuit for competitions or even used in international rallying. In his tribute to Archer, Chris Clegg, the current owner of S221 dubbed him the 'Guru' of the Sebring Sprite. Archer's business partner and protege, Andrew Forster, continues to manage Archer's Garage in the West Midlands near Birmingham.

References

[http://www.sebringsprite.com/news.htm Sebring News -- Obituary of Brian Archer]

[http://www.sebringsprite.com/replica.htm Sebring Sprite -- Archer's Garage]

[http://www.archersclassiccars.co.uk/ Archer's Garage]