ID Request - It's not a JNC, but...

toyotageek · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2011 6:48 am

... what is it?

DmK66 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2011 8:54 am

Pretty sure it's a Jensen Healey..

toyotageek · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2011 9:02 am

Yeah, I just Googled it and the rear appears the same. :tu:

Been scratching my head thinking, and getting other suggestions such as Alfa Romeo, Triumph, Fiat... but nothing matched.

THANKS!

Camshaft · **Posted:** Thu Jul 14, 2011 8:47 am

Jensen Healeys are sick. They're like an MGB for rich people who don't have enough problems keeping their MGs maintained and alive. I want one so bad it's not even funny.

toyotageek · **Posted:** Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:12 am

Camshaft wrote:

Jensen Healeys are sick.... I want one so bad it's not even funny.

I promise not to laugh then. :roll:

DmK66 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:21 am

I think I've only seen about 5 on the roads in Britain and that includes 2 that were rotting and not moved for years. They had a reputation for being at bit "exotic" which I think means temperamental.
As I recall they had a 2.2 Litre Lotus or Lotus-ish twin cam which probably didn't help their longevity either...
Another attempt to lure America away from Mustangs and 'Vettes.
Someone bought one it seems !
Anyway, enough UKNC from me.

toyotageek · **Posted:** Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:36 am

Since this one was a LHD, I'm guessing they built both LHD and RHD for various markets?

DmK66 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 14, 2011 10:10 am

I know I said I'd stop but just looked up a few facts.
In 2010 there were 122 Jensen healeys registered on the road in the UK, 209 declared off the road.
(and 10,453 MGB's on the road, 6061 off )

Destination of jensen healeys when new,
Great Britain 1085
USA 1818
JAPAN 62
So you guys had a few more to start with but much more space to break down in.....

toyotageek · **Posted:** Thu Jul 14, 2011 11:30 am

Which leaves 754 unaccounted for in the UK.

Interesting stuff. Thanks for the info! :tu:

Camshaft · **Posted:** Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:10 pm

There was a seriously sexy shooting brake variant as I recall. Never seen one "in the metal" but definitely a cool car. They certainly did a better job of integrating the federally-mandated rubber bumpers than the MGs did.

DmK66 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:01 pm

toyotageek, i know 745 sounds like a high attrition rate and it wouldn't surprise me if that were pretty close to the truth bearing in mind our weather, the fuel crisis and their less than spotless reliability record.
The figures I got are based on the official Govt figures, a rule was brought in a few years ago stating that if you didn't tax your car for the road you had to declare it "off road" (no, not fit 35x12x15's & a winch).
However if the car was already out of use at that point it fell through the net until someone tried to register it again.
There could be a few more but I'm guessing not that many.......
camshaft, yep, the estate version is super cool but they really are rocking horse sh*t.

toyotageek · **Posted:** Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:19 pm

Yeah, I can believe and understand the attrition rate. It's always just a bit saddening to see such high unaccountable or MIA numbers.

At least you can run checks on cars in the UK and get an idea of what's still out there. Nothing like that here in the USA, so we have absolutely no idea what's left (for anything).

DmK66 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 14, 2011 2:14 pm

For anyone in the UK (and indeed all of you lot worldwide) who are interested I got the figures from a site called howmanyleft.co.uk
Cant post a link 'coz it's beyond me....

Just a bit of local knowledge for those who dont know about car life in the UK. We have a test once a year on all cars over 3 years old that checks mechanical safety, emissions and condition of structure and panels. This test has been getting tougher over the years but then became computerized back to a central agency.
At this point a huge amount of older cars that were muddling along (with goodwill from and probably a bit of a bit of extra cash to) the testers ended up in scrap yards.
Anything pre-1969 avoids an emission test (just visible smoke) and seat belt laws change a bit but it really tolled the bell for a lot of older cars and would-be classics.
Many special cars that were being run on a shoestring ended up being broken up for spares (parted out ?) at this point.
Mini's, MG's, Morris 1000's, loads of Fords and many other British cars have survived due to their simplicity, popularity and of course safety in numbers.

Dachshund · **Posted:** Thu Jul 14, 2011 7:02 pm

Yeah, lotus 2.0 lifted from the early Esprit/Eclat/Elite, they made a "GT" shooting brake version that notoriously ruined the handling... I'd take one

I may have never seen one in running condition, but I have seen them amassed in front yards.

ID Request - It's not a JNC, but...

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