The Jensen-Healey was a 2-seat British luxury sports car built between 1972-76. Produced by Jensen Motors Ltd., it would be the company’s best-selling automobile at 10,500 copies. Not only does the seller have a running example of one, but he/she also has two spare bodies and a plethora of spare parts. All of this is offered as a package deal in Sacramento, California, and available here on craigslist for $5,500. Another interesting tip was brought to us by T.J.!
This car was a joint venture between Jensen and Healey. The A-H 3000 had ended production and founder Donald Healey was looking for another project. Together, they developed a car with a unitary body understructure that was designed to be easy to repair with bolt-on panels. Since many of the cars would be sold in the U.S., they were executed with American safety standards in mind, rather than modified later. The cars were powered by the 2.0-liter Lotus inline-4 engine.
The seller has amassed quite a bit of Jensen paraphernalia. The center of the small collection is a 1974 Jensen-Healey, which runs and drives but needs some TLC that the seller doesn’t go into details over. The body looks good, but we don’t see much of the interior. However, regardless of what it may require, there’s likely enough stuff here to not only fix this one up but maybe even build another, according to the seller.
From the parts bin, the buyer will get two other bodies, two spare tops, two more engines, some extra camshafts and crankshafts, a few carburetors, and even some shop manuals, aka how-to books. The ’74 has not been on the road for a while, so it has a clean non-op California title that shouldn’t require catching up on any fees. If these are cars that tickle your fancy, perhaps this is your lucky day!
Aside from the ugly bumpers , faulty electrical circuit, so,so engine , these were nice cars
So a newer engine and new electric panel and wires and one can enjoy this 2 door topless sports car !
This car is so close to me I’m fighting the urge to take a look at it. Lots of good parts there.
Yes i had one years ago, and it was also yellow. Why the two prices? Is it $7500 or $5500?
Who proof-reads this stuff? A ” a joint venture between Jensen and Austin-Healey?” As if Austin Healey was an entity? A collaboration between Jensen and Healey is more like it . . . and the Healey’s were so embarrassed by the end result they really wouldn’t talk about it – I once drove Geoffrey Healey from Portland to Salem, Oregon in my Bentley in the late ’80s and that’s exactly what he told me when I brought the subject up. Having worked for one of the largest Jensen dealers on the West Coast back in the day I have plenty of stories . . . I’ll end it here!
Sorry for the error! I normally proofread all the posts and try to catch these kinds of mistakes, but I’ve been on paternity leave and just got back to work today, so I didn’t get a chance to review it.
What a crazy experience getting to hang out with Geoffrey Healey and pick his brain! My daily driver is a Bugeye Sprite and Donald Healey has become a bit of a hero. While I’d rather hear more Healey stories, I’m sure you have some interesting Jensen tales that would be fun to hear.
Alright, back to work.
I could engage in some pretty serious and obnoxious name dropping where Jensen & Jensen Healey are concerned, – athletes, entertainers, musicians etc. Even a “Rocky and Bullwinkle connection. My first running car was also a Bugeye Sprite, a photo of which Mr. Healey autographed for me, still displayed at my home.
Was it BMC? British Motor Cars?
I believe Mr Kjell Qvale, who wound up being a major owner of Jensen was the BMC distributor in San Francisco, but Jensen was not a part of the old British Motor Corporation in England.
Thanks for the reply, i owned two Qvale Mangusta’s had my fun and sold them, did many cars shows!!
You mean British Motor Corporation.
I may be off a bit on the date accuracy but I recall a factory sponsored Jensen Healey winning the SCCA D Production Championship in 1974 at Road Atlanta. I used to have a poster from Jensen Healey using the SCCA victory in in their marketing of the car. I may still have now that I bring it up.