The Jensen-Healey was a collaborative effort between Jensen Motors and Donald Healey after production of the Austin-Healey 3000 had ended. Healey provided the bodies, and Jensen assembled them. These luxury sports cars were on the market from 1972 to 1976, with nearly three-quarters exported from England to North America. This example from 1973 doesn’t run, but the seller thinks only a battery may be needed to rectify that (so why not install one?). Located in Columbus, Ohio, this likely project is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $4,000. It’s also a collaborative tip from Barn Finders “Ted” and “JimA.”
Buyers of the convertible Jensen-Healey (there was also a GT coupe) were likely drawn away from products like the TR6 Triumph and E-Type Jaguar. The car’s design had U.S. safety standards in mind, such as the front end and placement of the bumpers to meet changing requirements on “this side of the pond.” To help make repairs less complicated, the body panels were of the bolt-on variety even though unitary construction was in play. Under the hood could be found a Lotus Type 907 engine with dual single carburetors on U.S. editions.
Production of the Jensen-Healey ceased in 1976 after 10,500 copies had been built. The mid-1970s energy crisis hit Jensen Motors particularly hard, and they succumbed to rising costs and slumping sales. The seller’s car is an earlier Mk I version with about 75,000 miles on the odometer. We don’t know its 50-year history, but the sellers don’t care whether it’s restored or parted out by the next owner.
We’re told this J-H has an automatic transmission, but the “parts to make it manual” are there. Yet, the cockpit photos show a manual shifter in the console. And the owner and the seller are apparently different people. The interior may be okay except for the bottom of the driver’s seat, and the paint might be brought back to life except on the hood, where there is paint failure and rust. Would you attempt to resurrect this sports car or let it help you revive a nicer example?
This is a good buy if you are a Jenson Healey fan, have your own mechanical skills, can do or buy a paint job or spot repair.
I’ve seen running ones with good interiors go for not much more than this asking price.
Some motor picts would have been nice.Does the motor even turn over by hand?
The US model ( that I knew from a friend who had one) had the Lotus Twin Cam (side orientation) motor with Stromberg carbs. I think it was the same or similar motor used in the Lotus Esprit and Eclat. If that motor turns, it will probably start with ignition and fuel tinkering as with most sitting older British cars. It wasn’t a bad car but not a favorite from the styling viewpoint ( my opinion). This one looks like it could just use some tweaking from an experienced new owner and he/she can have a decent classic.
Golden Rule #14 of British Cars – it’s almost never just a battery….
Ya that’s doubtful. It’s a Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious. But I sure loved the Jensen Healey’s I was in High School when this one came out.
These were a really nice driving car… superior to its aging contemporaries from MG and Triumph… although its base price was $500 to $1000 more respectively, which in ’73 was not a trivial amount. I just could never really warm to the styling… particularly the front end.
The ad states that it is an automatic transmission despite the photo showing a stick? Is the owner confused. These NEVER had automatics in any way shape or form.
As others have said, styling is iffy. But performance was nice and quite fun. With a 8000rpm redline and better overall handling, this car will run circles around any TR6 or MG.
Would not be 5 speed in a 73. Perhaps is auto with stick there just for optics??
Statement “This example from 1973 doesn’t run, but the seller thinks only a battery” is funnier than “Ran When Parked.”
I worked at Hollywood Sport Cars when the JhH was introduced. Many failures in the early cars. Engines blew, they leaked massive amounts of oil and the transmissions were sketchy but the later Getrag boxes were much better. IMO it was fiendishly unattractive
I sold these new from a West Coast dealership and never heard of one with an automatic transmission through all the years the Jensen Healey was produced. They originally had a 4-speed in the MK one series and the addition of a 5 speed Getrag unit in the MK two. what kind of cobbled up automatic could this one have? There are too many if’y things about this one to justify $4000, especially if it doesn’t run. Other than that, they are a great car to own if they receive just a modicum of preventive maintenance which Americans generally are loathe to provide.
The Lotus type 75 Elite of the mid ’70s was available with a 3 speed automatic… some Borg Warner unit… The Lotus Eclat series 1 was also available with an auto, and I think it was also a BW unit. Both of these had the 907 engine so my guess would be someone swapped one of these into this Jensen… but just a guess… I’d be concerned with what they had to do to get it in there…
Well, if it was the complete package, more horsies…to no advantage. Now, same engine (or 2.2) with the Getrag gearbox and it ( being 500lbs lighter than the Elite) would be even more fun.
Still, I would not be investing the $4000 to find out…