View single post by Greg Fletcher

Posted: 03-03-2006 08:43 pm

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Greg Fletcher

Joined:	03-11-2005
Location:	Lake Nacimiento, California USA
Posts:	430
Status:	Offline

The Jensen Healey is a splendid car. I've owned my share of vintage tin and it's all the others that have been shown the door while the Jensen Healey remains. I will admit I was once looking for a TR-6 before I found a J-H, and those things are pretty nice and very vintage looking these days, but who wants a truck engine in a sports car? The 907 Lotus motor is fairly unique and owners can suffer from sticker shock if they are used to VW bug prices, however I find most parts are not out of line compared to many pedestrian cars. I've owned two Alfa Spiders and both had to leave for the same reason- sure they good great, but they literally don't pull their weight like a J-H does. Looks alone are not enough in my book.

On availabilty: I have waited many a moon to get vintage Rover parts delivered, and for loads of others so-called classic cars. I have always found what I needed for the J-H immediately. Some parts are NLA, but even today I've experienced that if you have patience you can locate almost any part, no matter how odd.

On prices: they are not cheap compared to a lawn mover or an MG and that's really the big drawback to the J-H (it's not a lawnmover, so why would anyone expect lawnmover prices?). The Jensen Healey was built by a very small company that never made it big. Many have been neglected and run down by owners, so it pays to spend more on a better car. A compression check on the engine is a must. Underbody rust is not always a bit deal if it's minimal.

Pro: Looks good, drives well, can even draw attention, zippy, easy on gas, lots of potential for go-fast upgrades that actually do something instead of just burn gasoline and give the owner a bad idle & pounding headache. Cheap to insure- I just found out I can get 1 year premium as a "hobby" type car with agreed value for $124 through Hagerty insurance.

Con: Head gasket is $125, mechanics are few and far between (if that's important to you), thrashed examples can get expensive to restore (typical of any old car), not well known (I like that myself), new timing belt needed at the factory recommended intervals- 18,000 miles!