It’s Healey time! Jensen-Healey, that is. Here on eBay is a 1973 Jensen-Healey roadster, bid to $1800 with no reserve, and located in Audubon, New Jersey. The seller notes that he was told the car ran when it was parked years ago. He bought the car in 2017 with plans to treat it to a restoration but has done nothing with it since. Rust has taken up residence in the undercarriage, and body and bumper damage is evident. This example will require considerable renovation to make a worthy, running car but at least so far, the price is right. Included in the sale are the original manuals and a jack. The title is clear and the seller has 100% positive feedback.
The Jensen-Healey was born in a storm. The consortium of Donald Healey, son Geoffrey Healey, and car importer extraordinaire Kjell Qvale originated the idea of a luxury sports roadster, but the partners were destined to squabble. Jensen, the coachbuilder, was on thin ice financially and scrambling for work. Colin Chapman was more than willing to supply his new Lotus type 907 2.0-liter, twin overhead cam four-cylinder engine to the effort, but the motor had serious teething problems. This brew produced a bitter result: the Jensen-Healey first hit the road in 1972, leaking oil and fuel at every opportunity. It wasn’t long before that negative first impression capped sales. Mechanical improvements including a five-speed manual starting in 1974, trim upgrades, and the arrival of the ill-fated GT – nothing could boost sales beyond about 3500 per year. Jensen sank like the Titanic, closing its doors in 1976, ending production of the Jensen-Healey as well as the Interceptor.
Healey reached for the upper echelon of sports car drivers with wood trim, bolstered bucket seats, and a hefty helping of gauges. The seller notes the seat bottoms require repair but more than likely most everything needs at least a bit of coaxing towards proper performance. While I don’t mind the looks of the Jensen-Healey’s sheet metal, that steering wheel is a clunky affair.
Early production cars escaped the hideous bumpers hung on the cars from ’74 on. The trunk will stow enough luggage for a week’s holiday. Jensen-Healeys did manage five SCCA D-production championships back in the day, so no need to put up with a factory-configured car’s eight-second zero to sixty time. The right carburetion alone can push that into the sevens. Finally, for those of us moping because vintage cars have grown so expensive, a Jensen-Healey can be the antidote – for now. With nice early examples selling in the mid-teens and project cars in the low four figures, it won’t be long before these cars join the march to higher prices.
Nobody wanted it then, nobody today. Some cars are just that way. Oh, Jensen, we had such high hopes. The “new” 3000, as it were, but a disappointment in practically every way. While the 3000 had what Americans were used to, an in line pushrod 6, and why in part, the TR6 was such a hit, and the TR7, not so much. I love most British roadsters, beware the belt drive cams. This unfortunately is an interference motor, and if the belt breaks, and it will, ( by the time it coughs, it’s too late) its scrambled eggs and the car itself is really nothing earth shattering. Perhaps repowered with something, but a shame really. Such a fine, respected car, going down like this. All relative, I suppose. Someone not from that era, not knowing the history of British roadsters, might think this is a cool little roadster, and it is, but pales to what came out of Britain years ago.
Agreed. This is another model I’ve always wondered “what if” in terms of an S2000 engine and transmission swap.
Rather than change the engine, buy another car. The Lotus 907 engine is what this car is all about. An alloy, dual overhead cam, four valves per cylinder design was a really advanced, sophisticated design in its day (even if a few details needed sorting). Park it next to a TR6 and pop both bonnets. It still is pretty advanced. People bought the engine and the rest of the car was just thrown in.
There’s nothing special about the chassis. It is somewhere between MGB and Fiat 124 Spider. Interior is a bit sparse, but controls are quite simple and intuitive. Overall, it is a nice driving car, and fairly economical. Servicing is pretty straight forward, except valve adjustment. We have owned three of them.
If there’s no rust underneath and no engine problems, this is a giveaway price.
One can not see how much rust may be in the rockers or lower fender wells, which are the main areas that road dust accumulates to start the rusting process.
It’s definitely a ’73, and even had the original master brake cylinder and radiator hose clamps(which we always replaced immediately).
For some reason?? the front carb is rotated 90 degrees from where it should be, indicating someone did not know what they were doing.
At $1800,; this could be a good deal, but much depends on the rust, as this car is a monocoque and difficult to repair body damage
Working on a Interceptor right now, can confirm the bodys on Jensens are questionable at best.
I own a 73 and very much enjoy driving it. At some point I will go through the front suspension but for now I’ll enjoy as is. The beauty of this car is once you get past the Lotus engine there really isn’t anything too exotic ( expensive) to repair or maintain. But this may be a case of if you truly want to own one of these cars spending more for a sorted car will be much more economical in the end.
Under-rated cars can be bargains, and that’s what we may have here, if no serious rust lurks underneath. A friend had one, and it was fun to drive on back roads. But you can buy very nice ones for under $20,000, so why go through the agony and expense of a restoration of a car that you’ll forever be underwater on?
I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I have a hankering for the really underloved GT version of these J-H cars. Along with that awful Lotus Elite – the later one. The problem is, they were so unloved then, and so unloved now – there are virtually no nice ones around. Guess I’ll have to make my own nice one in all my spare time.
Keep us posted, Michelle-but I’d have to say your “spare time” is probably slim to none based on what we see here that you and the rest of the team have.
Thank you, BF staff, especially on a night like this with no power and blizzard conditions around us..
Well, you may be in luck soon. I bought the late Joe Mazurk’s black GT in November, 2013, and drove it from Chicago back home to Atlanta. I decided to redo the entire rear suspension as well as the entire front suspension. I have the engine out right now and am “freshening up” all the main components, such as the oil pump, dizzy, headers(and the rest of the exhaust), the ignition, and whatever else I deem necessary. I have redone the brakes and will do some more rust prevention(Joe had already done much).
Age is catching up and it will be time to “lighten up” . I plan to finally sell the Huffaker race car(the last of the 5 originals) this spring as I will never race it again(over 40 years ago!)
Joe Mazurk… now there’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time. Thanks for the memories. Tim
I really liked the later Elites – until I talked with (now) ex-owners
who thought they were a wise purchase beforehand.Now I wouldn’t
touch one that wasn’t completely restored.
I was in your shoes two years ago. I was fatally infected with Jaguar variant of the virus. Looking everywhere – even on Pistonheads -the normally aspirated ones were 5500 – 11,000 for a decent first Gen car. The “R” model is a better car but rarely worth the premium price differential. I found a low mileage 1997 that had sat in ghastly conditions, but had only 100,000 kilometers. I decided that with mechanical perfection and a few minor re-inforcements to the suspension, that it would fulfill my need for an every day driver. With the dark blue paint and spotless ivory interior, I figured this to be a \]++
Sold $2,275, 10 bids.
My buddy had one of these back in ’74. He joking called the motor the “self oiling engine”. Big puddle on the garage floor whenever he parked it. Good looking car but, oh boy, what a nightmare!
Thought about adding one of these to my fleet a few times over the years… Never pulled the trigger, but drove a couple. These were great driving cars… much more capable and comfortable than it’s contemporaries like the MGB and TR6… but IMO these were cursed by their bland styling…
Good thing it’s sold – that saves my marriage. Styling? Well-balanced and aesthetically pleasing to me. Distinctive in it’s “ordinary-ness” maybe. I like it but to others it might be bland. ‘Can’t say that I’m much drawn to the GTs. When the B/GTs came out, I think MG forever established what a GT should look like. All the rest are wannabes at best. …Although I do have a bit of a sweet spot for the Triumph GT6.
Hey, with modern sealants and knowledge, can these engines be rebuilt to a much higher standard? For perhaps 30 years I’ve been under the misimpresssion that these were great engines, that maybe I should consider swapping one into my B/GT. But now there are so many other choices among 2-liter (and smaller) I-4s cranking out 200-300+ hp. Engines that can get 40 mpg, and without leaving any precious fluids on the floor.
Finally, it is always such a pleasure to read Michelle Rand’s articles – especially on our LBCs. For my money, she’s the best in the business. So knowledgeable, so well-written, and never can she hide her enthusiasm for these wonderful British cars. Michelle: I hope you are saving all your articles for a book. A compendium of your automotive impressions. Many of us are waiting…
thumbnail & top pic looked like the 124 Spyder. I think for awhile these out classed those tho…
“…make my own nice one in all my spare time….” yeah, right. There is no ‘spare time’ round here~
I am new to this site, I do want to purchase this car, but I’m not sure how it works here! bedding or just buy etc
will you contact me on my email please don_victor55@hotmail.com