5.0L V8 Swap: 1974 Jensen Healey

While it doesn’t happen every day, it’s also not without precedent that a cherished project car can end up like any other donation vehicle if the owner passes on. Of course, sometimes the owner is still alive and kicking, but the donation round seems like less of a headache than trying to sell a car when you’ve got other life priorities piling up. Whatever the case may be, this 1974 Jensen Healey listed here on eBay sports a surprise under the hood with a 5.0L V8 engine swap that replaces the original Lotus 907 engine.

Bidding sits at $519 with no reserve. Surprisingly, this Jensen Healey has already made one appearance on eBay but apparently didn’t sell despite the no reserve listing. There was another Jensen Healey listed at the same time (that car is below), suggesting that both of them came into the donation center at roughly the same time. The 1973 Jensen Healey that sold privately looks like a nicely preserved example, and this modified car still presents well despite the alterations under the hood. Overall, the condition and engine swap suggests that both cars were loved. FYI, I tried digging up Keith Automotive, but no luck yet.

The V8 conversion is not uncommon, with plenty of evidence across Google suggesting it’s a logical and cheap gateway to more power. The Lotus-designed DOHC 4-cylinder was no slouch, however, producing around 144 b.h.p. and capable of reaching 60 in under 10 seconds. The Ford-sourced V8 will lose some of the exotica in favor of reliability and a vast aftermarket if you want to make this hot-rodded Healey even more of a menace. The aftermarket bucket seats look like a set of Konigs I had in my old E21 BMW. The shifter appears to have come out of Fox body but I can’t say that with absolute certainty; still, it would make sense that the transmission would carry over when the engine was replaced.

This is the other Jensen that sold when this subject car made its first appearance on eBay (you can see the original listing here on eBay.) This appears to be a highly original car wearing a great color scheme. The 4-cylinder powerplant remains under the hood, and it’s no surprise it sold easily, going home for just $3,100. The V8-swapped Jensen Healey is significantly less pristine in terms of condition, but it’s also likely far more of a hoot to drive (and perhaps even less troublesome to sort out when running issues materialize.) Do you know anyone who donated two Jensen Healeys in the last few weeks?