• From: Davis, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,843

Topic: Jensen Healey in Lemons

I've just come across two Jensen Healeys for nearly nothing, well ok, for the price of driving 100 miles to pick them up...   seems like a deal.  I'm going to pick them up when I have room at the shop... Distant future it seems, with all the Lemons cages we're building.      At least one will be a Lemons car...   

Malaise era British car: leaky, finicky, Interference Lotus motor: Vauxhall driveline/suspension; Lucas electrics..   

   What could possibly go wrong?

Gosh, my business card says 'Tech Tyrant'
  • From: Emeryville CA
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 572

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

Someone dumped a dead one of those in front of Lemons HQ once. Even as crazy as we are, we weren't tempted to race it. On the other hand, Lotus power! Exotic! The genius of Colin Chapman! I red it on teh internetz!!!1!!!

Nick_LemonsHQ's Website

  • From: The other side of the fence
  • Registered: 2009-06-17
  • Posts: 388

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

It is about time somebody built one of those flexy-flyers. Lotus Esprit Turbo engine bolts in directly (you did not hear that from me)..


Pen

  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 9,416

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

Ideally, we'd get a Triumph GT6 on the same track as the Jensen-Healey.

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  • sergio
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  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,185

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

Jensen Healeys were simple cars. 2 liter 140hp 7000rpm Lotus motor. But the distributor is in the worst place, under the intake manifold. To adjust the points you have to pull the distributor out. I autocrossed mine twice, there's a problem with oil starvation in the turns. Can't remember which way it was, but the oil pressure gauge would be 0 thru the turn. Transmission felt like it came from a tractor, shifted real notchy. The headers run under the driver's footwell. Very hot.

I think they won some SCCA titles. No telling what all was still Jensen.

  • Registered: 2009-10-25
  • Posts: 1,993

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

Evil Genius wrote:

I've just come across two Jensen Healeys for nearly nothing, well ok, for the price of driving 100 miles to pick them up...   seems like a deal.  I'm going to pick them up when I have room at the shop... Distant future it seems, with all the Lemons cages we're building.      At least one will be a Lemons car...   

Malaise era British car: leaky, finicky, Interference Lotus motor: Vauxhall driveline/suspension; Lucas electrics..   

   What could possibly go wrong?

Clearly you need MORE Lemons cars......the small fleet you already have isn't enough!!!  Not even counting the "customer" cars....just YOUR cars...

Richard Doty
1984 Porsche 928 "Estate"
Porsche- "there is A substitute" Racing
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  • From: sacramento ca
  • Registered: 2009-11-25
  • Posts: 266

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

wanting to ghetto charge something more each day, we coul dmake  EGR spec turbo lotus powered jenson

  • Troy
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  • From: Houston, TX
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Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

There was a cheap Jensen Healy down here a while back.  Something like $300.

I read up on them a little and from what I undersatnd, the could learn a thing or two about Build Quality from manufacturers like Fiat.

So I quickly got into Nick's frame of mind.

I think there was even a cheap Lotus Europa some time ago too.  I remember seeing one of those at TWS and it coolest attribute was it's appearance.

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z
  • Registered: 2009-05-11
  • Posts: 122

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

Spec-friggin'-tacular. 
The Jensen-Healey is one of those cars that falls into the "what could possibly go wrong" category.  On paper, it's actually pretty spectacular for the era, and light-years ahead of other British roadsters (I'm looking at you, MGB).  From what I've heard, the execution (specifically, the Malaise-era British build quality) never lived up to the car's capabilities.  But hey, stranger things than Jensen-Healeys have done well in LeMons-- I have a hard time believing that a J-H is intrinsically crappier than, say, an Alfetta or a 914.
I considered getting a J-H as a project car, but the stories about them frightened me a little bit, and I wanted something older anyway.  I did the sensible thing and bought a clapped out Sunbeam Alpine, which uses the same transmission as early Jensen-Healeys anyway.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that a Lemons Jensen-Healey is an unbelievably awesome idea.

  • From: WOOTville USA
  • Registered: 2009-05-06
  • Posts: 2,415

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

Armand4 wrote:

blah blah blah light-years ahead of other British roadsters (I'm looking at you, MGB) smack-talk yadda-yadda.

ZomBee knows where you sleep.

"Real ZomBees prefer Bacon"
IOE(x2) MGB/SAAB 96, Judge's Choice, Class C Win, & 2011 Hooniverse Car of the Year!
MRolla, Stick Figure/Animal House, Free Range MR2, SAAB Sonett, "The Death Flip"
2008 Exoskeleton Jag Fiasco, Concours d Lemons - Rue Britannia, worse British car.

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11 Reply by Evil Genius (edited by Evil Genius 2010-01-13 11:59 AM)

  • From: Davis, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,843

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

"Sparky" Pete wrote:
Armand4 wrote:

blah blah blah light-years ahead of other British roadsters (I'm looking at you, MGB) smack-talk yadda-yadda.

ZomBee knows where you sleep.

And is need of brains, mmmmm, brains....       Wait-- Armand has a Sunbeam... Maybe ZomBee needs to look elsewhere for brains....

Gosh, my business card says 'Tech Tyrant'
  • From: Davis, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,843

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

Armand4 wrote:

Spec-friggin'-tacular. 
The Jensen-Healey is one of those cars that falls into the "what could possibly go wrong" category.  On paper, it's actually pretty spectacular for the era, and light-years ahead of other British roadsters (I'm looking at you, MGB).  From what I've heard, the execution (specifically, the Malaise-era British build quality) never lived up to the car's capabilities.  But hey, stranger things than Jensen-Healeys have done well in LeMons-- I have a hard time believing that a J-H is intrinsically crappier than, say, an Alfetta or a 914.
I considered getting a J-H as a project car, but the stories about them frightened me a little bit, and I wanted something older anyway.  I did the sensible thing and bought a clapped out Sunbeam Alpine, which uses the same transmission as early Jensen-Healeys anyway.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that a Lemons Jensen-Healey is an unbelievably awesome idea.

Did I just hear you volunteer to  be team captain?

Gosh, my business card says 'Tech Tyrant'

13 Reply by cbr

  • cbr
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  • Registered: 2010-01-13
  • Posts: 43

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

Could this be the new platform of choice to shoe-horn old mustang engines into? smile

  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 9,416

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

There's only one way to resolve the British Leyland versus Rootes Group versus Even More Obscure Doomed British Automaker conflict: on the Lemons track!

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  • From: Toronto, Ontario
  • Registered: 2009-05-03
  • Posts: 1,114

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

MurileeMartin wrote:

There's only one way to resolve the British Leyland versus Rootes Group versus Even More Obscure Doomed British Automaker conflict: on the Lemons track!

No contest.....Triumph has The Shape of Things that Win

Jim "Endo" Anderton
30 years of racing and still not Brambilla.....
  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 9,416

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

jimeditorial wrote:
MurileeMartin wrote:

There's only one way to resolve the British Leyland versus Rootes Group versus Even More Obscure Doomed British Automaker conflict: on the Lemons track!

No contest.....Triumph has The Shape of Things that Win

Perhaps, but real Triumph racers drive Stags!

Or Mayflowers.

Murilee Martin aka Judge Phil on Facebook
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  • Registered: 2009-05-11
  • Posts: 122

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

Evil Genius wrote:

And is need of brains, mmmmm, brains....       Wait-- Armand has a Sunbeam... Maybe ZomBee needs to look elsewhere for brains....

That would hurt more if I didn't know that you own a big Healey. smile

Seriously, though, the Jensen-Healey is built with '70s tech, while the MGB is an early-'60s design and the Alpine was introduced in '59.  The British car industry had an extra decade of knowledge under their belt when the J-H was designed... which, come to think of it, didn't keep them from screwing the pooch when it came to building the car.

Well, Pete, if there's one thing we can agree on, it's that Triumph TRs have tractor motors.

  • From: Davis, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,843

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

But those tractor motors put down some serious HP compared to MGs..  I miss my TR2,3, 3A, 4,4irs, 250 and 6... Yep, had at at least one of each at some time in the past.  Kick ass motors, flexible frames, crappy handling...  The Unibody MGs had better construction and handling, but anemic motors......

Gosh, my business card says 'Tech Tyrant'
  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 9,416

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

Hey, any of you guys want the horrible redneck fiberglass rear fender flares that came with my Sprite? You know, when you're pushing 60 or 70 horses through the rear wheels, you need all the tire width you can get! Free to good home!

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  • mikesr
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  • From: Tinley Park,IL
  • Registered: 2009-10-23
  • Posts: 102

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

Like I don't have enough problems with the Edaurdoh!, we are going to look at a local '74 mustard colour (note correct spelling)  Jensen Healey this afternoon. Ran when parked 10 years ago (sure it did).
I just can't stop myself. There must be a 12 step program for this British addiction. I even own a Triumph motorcycle ('98 Thunderbird Sport). At least that has not set my pants on fire like my old 650 Bonneville did.

Mike Sr.

  • jmitch
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  • Posts: 154

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/1523688255.html

  • From: WOOTville USA
  • Registered: 2009-05-06
  • Posts: 2,415

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

mikesr wrote:

I just can't stop myself. There must be a 12 step program for this British addiction. I even own a Triumph motorcycle ('98 Thunderbird Sport). At least that has not set my pants on fire like my old 650 Bonneville did.

Mike Sr.

British buyer Pants on fire!!

"Real ZomBees prefer Bacon"
IOE(x2) MGB/SAAB 96, Judge's Choice, Class C Win, & 2011 Hooniverse Car of the Year!
MRolla, Stick Figure/Animal House, Free Range MR2, SAAB Sonett, "The Death Flip"
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  • From: DF-Dubya
  • Registered: 2009-08-19
  • Posts: 820

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

MurileeMartin wrote:

Ideally, we'd get a Triumph GT6 on the same track as the Jensen-Healey.

'68 Gt6 w/ "all the parts parts that it needs" for $1500 ...

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/1538925687.html

Summer's Eve Racing - '09 Yee-Haw; '10 Gator-O-Rama, NorDal Hooptie, Yee-Haw; '11 Gator-O-Rama, NorDal Hooptie (Winner, Class A!)
TARP Racing - '11 Yee-Haw, Heaps; '12 Gator-O-Rama (Winner, Class C ... Looking for a Class B Win to Complete the Trifecta!), Heaps; '13 NorDal Hooptie, Gator-O-Rama

24 Reply by BoB

  • BoB
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  • From: Elmhurst, IL
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
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Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

mikesr wrote:

Like I don't have enough problems with the Edaurdoh!, we are going to look at a local '74 mustard colour (note correct spelling)  Jensen Healey this afternoon. Ran when parked 10 years ago (sure it did).
I just can't stop myself. There must be a 12 step program for this British addiction. I even own a Triumph motorcycle ('98 Thunderbird Sport). At least that has not set my pants on fire like my old 650 Bonneville did.

Mike Sr.

It probably did run when they parked it, the reason they hadn't driven it in the last 10 years probably is because they couldn't get it to run after they parked it.

I think we will wait a bit for the intervention cause for Lemons you are only at 1 and half British cars, plus your other options are Edsels and an Italian car not sure the British cars are really the worst option. wink

Racing 4 Nickels - 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
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  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 214

Re: Jensen Healey in Lemons

There was a J-H sitting on the streets here in Novato that was Lemons ready.  Some one told me about it because they thought it was an Alfa. When I saw what it was I wasn't interested, but I thought some one should make it into a Lemons car. I think it finally got towed. That would have to be an IOE contender. With Huffaker Eng. who ran those for BL back in the day right down the road MAYBE you could keep it together and running.
It's weird when you see a car you haven't seen in a while they start appearing more often. After I looked at the first one I saw one in a parking lot that was so freakin' clean it looked looked it just came off the showroom floor.

Wes Conklin
Team California Mille
2007 Eyetalian Class Champions
20+ races and still going strong, Finally won one. Pacific Northworst Winner 2012.