PEBBLE STORY

Ask a Question

E X I T

Back to Menu



Whenever anyone becomes party to a conversation about old or classic cars it is much like listening to the tales told by anglers of how the biggest fish that ever lived was so nearly caught, but just happened to get away at the last moment. In the case of the classic car conversation, the story is often that of the one found in a barn on some deserted farm, or the car that despite being 30-years old had one lady owner from new, had not turned more than 2,000 miles and lived in a heated garage all its life. Yes, as long as man shows an interest in classic cars, those stories will always be told. Well, as far as classic car stories go, the one that appears on this page really is special, and one that we at Ride Drive feel honoured and privileged to be able to tell. We are talking of an account of the life of a very special piece of British motoring history, and a tale the like of which is incredibly rare. This is the story of Pebble, one of the two very first Austin Healey (Frog-Eye) Sprites to be registered for road use. Pebble, so called because of its registration number, until recently, was thought to be the oldest surviving Austin Healey Sprite in the world. The second car of the pair was given the registration number PBL 74, and they were both registered on the same date. Until very recently very little was known of what has become of PBL 74, but it has now been learned that it is still listed on the Austin Healey Owners Club register, and although it is still in existance, it is belived to be in a very poor state of repair. PBL 75 and PBL 74 were two of a small number of Sprites built as development vehicles and used to test out modifications, and followed on from two prototypes, code named Q1 and Q2. The car that was labelled Q2 was the second of only 2 such prototypes to actually be built by the Healey Motor Company, then based at Warwick, and was the first car to undergo pre-production tests by BMC. The exact number of cars that made up the initial pre-launch batch of Sprites is unknown, but certainly the total only amounted literally to a hand full. The unregistered prototypes, it seems, were used on trade plates for a while and then destroyed once their purpose had been served, and without them ever being officially registered for the road. An interesting feature of PBL 75 is that the numbers of the various major components seem to have been issued in a somewhat haphazard manner, which is of no surprise as consistency in number progression was never a great concern at BMC, as many owners will attest. PBL75 is no different on that score, as the numbers to be found on the various parts around the car are as follows, Engine No.3 Body No. 5 Chassis No.7 In addition, and stamped above the passenger side foot well in large figures, are the words, Body No 4. As a result of testing the modifications that were made concerned the strengthening the area of the rear wheel arches and the rear suspension mounts, these changes being incorporated into the finished design when production of the car began in March 1958, and before public announcement of the model was made in May of the same year. Pebble was registered for road use on 31st January 1958 and was only one of two Sprites regsitered on that date, the other being PBL 74. This pre-dates the beginning of the first production run by about 6-weeks.. It was also BMC's show car, being the one that all the representatives of the motoring press tried and tested before preparing their media reports. For the first 20-years of its life, Pebble had to endure all sorts of abuse, on account of it being used as both a racer and a test car. After enduring 5-months of being thrashed around the roads of England whilst being used to develop the design for further production models, it was wrung out to its limits by the journalists of the day, including those from Motor and Autocar magazines. This was the car that was used for all the official publicity photographs that were taken so as to advertise the launch of the model into the car market place. In fact, in those early days, practically every one who sat in the driver’s seat, drove the Sprite for all it was worth. This included Roy Salvadori, who took it for a track test at Silverstone, where for several laps around the circuit, he pushed the car as hard as it would go, an event that provided footage for a short promotional film made by BMC, narrated by John Bolster. In 1965, a man called Jim McManus, who was a committee member of the Austin Healey Club, and who was the manager of a large BMC dealership in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, then called H.A. Saunders, negotiated a trade in deal with one David Cook of Waltham Abbey, who was a customer wanting to buy a new car. The vehicle Mr. Cook part-exchanged was one Austin Healey Sprite, registration number PBL 75. At this time a fellow committee member ofthe Austin Healey Club was Phil Evett, a man who had a very keen interest in the little car. Pebble had been frequently photographed and those pictures appeared in books, magazines, on postcards and posters, some of which adorned the walls of Phil’s home for quite some time prior to this date. He had always promised himself that one day the car would be his, and by the time Phil was 24-years old, and for the sum of £260, this being the going rate, that promise became a reality.

About 18 months later, Phil Evett and his wife, Bridie, emigrated to Melbourne, Australia, and took Pebble with them. The better climate preserved the Sprite well, not being exposed to the damp and gritted roads of England. Transported by sea on the SS Balranald, and while there was a concern about potential damage, or maybe worse, the car arrived in one piece, but mysteriously short of the battery and the radio. In 1967, Phil and Bridie purchased a second Sprite, and at this time joined the Melbourne based Austin Healey Sprite Drivers' Club (AHSDC). The new acquisition, registration number JKL154, was finished in British Racing Green and came with a Peter Manton hardtop. Soon both Sprites were to be found racing every weekend with Mr and Mrs. Evett at the wheel of their respective motors, each being as highly competitive as the other. To try and get the winning edge, Phil Evett replaced Pebble's 948cc engine with a balanced 1100cc unit, together with matching gearbox, and replaced the drum brakes at the front with discs, introduced an anti-sway bar at the front, put on new sills and a gave the car a fresh coat of paint. In 1968, the car was featured at the annual Melbourne Motorshow, along with two other Sprites, one of which was a MK2, this being a model that was now a completely different shape to the frog-eye design. That same year, Pebble went on to race at Philip Island, and competed in the Templestowe and Lakeland hillclimbs. It also clocked the fastest time at the first ever Melbourne State Championship Motorkana, and competed in the Winton six-hour relay race. Despite the determination of the team, and with a race being run in the most diabolical conditions where it rained for the whole six hours, by the time the event ended they were placed in sixth position. However, 1969 was to be Pebble's year, well sort of at least. Phil Evett had built a new Sprite, and to do so he used the running gear from Pebble. Pebble itself remained safely in the corner of the garage waiting to one day be re-assembled, but it was to be some time before that happened. In 1975, after two house moves in that took place in that one year and in Melbourne, Pebble was dismantled and re-built. When the project began, Phil’s eldest daughter was 18 months old, and when he finished the project, she was eight, and just about tall enough to drive it! Pebble had now well and truly withdrawn from the racing limelight to a life of leisure, scenic drives on the weekends, the occasional Noggin 'n Natter, and with the odd famed appearance, such as the in a 1983 publication of a magazine called Australian Sports Car World, an occasion that commemorated Pebble’s 25th Birthday. In 1984 the car moved to Queensland as part of another house move, and covered the 1,200 miles diastance in 2-days. All seemed very comfortable for Pebble, that was until in 1998, when Phil’s youngest daughter, Lisa, began learning to drive. Whilst at the wheel of the faithful little car, and trying to sort out which gear was what, she chipped the first motion shaft in the gearbox and the little Sprite was once more retired to the corner of the garage. A little while later a full restoration project began, but this time, Phil wasn’t just making the car look good again, he was returning it back to the specification and condition as it was when first registered in January 1958. 8-years later, and in 2006, the little sprite emerged, bright, gleaming and in as near perfect order as it is possible for a 48-year old car to be. Everything about the car was how it should be, with any modification previously carried out had been back-converted. Early in 2007, and after Phil had owned the car for just over 40-years, he advertised the car for sale, offerring it as such to a world wide audience via th epower of the Internet. No doubt he had good reason for giving the car up, but whatever his reasons, the choice to let it go must have been a very difficult one to make. 05/05/07 - What makes this story even more special is that following its sale in Australia, the little car took to the high seas aboard a ship once again, but this time it was coming home to England; due to arrive on or around 19th May 2007. Whilst we do not at this time have any information as to who has bought the car, presumably once it has been repatriated it will be united with the new owner. It would be wonderful to learn the identity of who now has the car, and to learn if it will form part of a collection, or if it will be the pride and joy of one individual who will actually use it. If anyone has any information, and would like to contact us at Ride Drive, we would be very interested and pleased to hear from them. It would also be wonderful to learn of the whereabouts and up to date situation of Pebble's sister car, PBL 74. Again, if anyone has any information we would be very pleased to hear from them.



I cannot remember a time in my life when Pebble wasn't in it. My dad bought one of the first two Austin Healey Frog-Eye Sprites ever to be registered for the road 11 years before I was born. I am now 30, and as I write, the car is up for sale. My earliest memories of Pebble date back to when we lived in Melbourne. I was 4 years old. Dad had a massive steel garage built at the side of our suburban house, with a painted creamy coloured concrete floor that felt cool underfoot. Apparently the floor paint repelled any excess oil, which I thought was fabulous. To me oil was yukky stuff and smelt funny. Of course, the garage was for Pebble.

I can remember that when going out in the car my sister, who was older and taller then me, would always sit in the passenger seat, whereas I had my own special seat, which wasn’t a seat at all. It was just the space between the backs of the proper seats, where being so small, my bum would snugly fit into that space. Nowadays such a treat would not be possible, due to seat belt and other safety laws, but back then it was common practise, and in the late 70's we got away with it. This would only be for a jaunt around the track paddock, or around the block at home, but I remember the wonderful feeling of the wind in my hair. The keen interest for open top cars this gave me still survives to this day. When you grow up from childhood with a car such as this, one of the most vivid memories you keep in your mind is that of the smell, and this is certainly true in my case when thinking of Pebble. I don’t know if it was the shiny burgundy leather seats, or the well cared for russet carpet, but all I know is that Pebble's smell still holds a unique and pleasant memory for me. Bumping along in Pebble (I could never say she glided along the road) was exhilarating to a child, and indeed to an adult! Her tight suspension and short wheelbase combined to provide a ride where you could really feel the road. This driving experience created my considered respect for the road and the skill required to tame it. However, I had nothing to fear as my Dad was and is a driver of considerable skill. I would shriek in delight as he sped into a corner, feeling sure Pebble would tip over, but she never did. The roar of her little engine was like no other sound I have heard, being deep and guttural, yet not aggressive or overwhelming. Today's sports car engine's whisper by comparison, which is a shame. As soon as I heard Dad fire her up, I knew fun was in store as it was that kind of noise, even if it was only for a 5-minute trip down to the shops. I only got to drive Pebble once. I was 18 and although Dad explained there was no gear synchomesh, and that I would have to pump the clutch twice to get her in gear, of course I knew better. Easy, I thought, because being on cloud nine due to actually getting to drive the car, I didn’t think a lot about it. Sadly, something broke. My inexperienced fumblings with the gearbox had caused damage and Pebble was retired to the garage.


At the time of writing I have been away from home for two years, and when I return to Australia in a month I will perhaps see Pebble for the very last time. This will be a very sad occasion, as when I think of home I think of my family, and that family has always included Pebble. She was one of those things that is always there, and come the day that is not the case it will seem very strange, almost empty without the little car. I am not sure I will know how to express my feelings at the absence of something that has been an important part of my whole life. Some people will say that it's just a car and not to be so silly, but Pebble isn’t, and never has been, just a car. Pebble is special. She is the first and most loved of her kind. She is like the last of the Mohican's, only she's not the last, thank goodness, and although she may soon be gone, she will never be forgotten. My only hope is that whoever gets the pleasure of owning Pebble will treat her with the same amount of love and devotion that my father has shown for the past 41 years. After all, doesn’t she deserve it? Lisa Evett February 2007.

To access the short film made by BMC of Pebble being driven around Silverstone race curcuit by Roy Salvadori, please click on the link below

The above article has been written by Phil Evett and his daughter, Lisa. The work has been produced and edited by Julian Smith of Ride Drive Ltd, who also added visual effects. All photographs have been provided by Phil Evett. All images on this site remain the property of Phil Evett and are displayed here with kind permission.
If anyone has any information as to the identity of the owner of PBL 75 and/or PBL 74, Ride Drive would be extremely pleased to hear from them.