1973 Jensen Healey Roadster

Description

Although Jensen are best remembered for the luxurious, Chrysler-powered Interceptors, the West Bromwich outfit actually started out as a coachbuilder and had a long tradition making bodywork for other carmakers, most notably the Austin-Healey. When production of that car ceased in 1967, Jensen found themselves facing financial ruin until a proposal to build a replacement for the much-loved Big Healey was formed by Donald and Geoffrey Healey in concert with San Francisco car dealer Kjell Qvale. A deal was soon reached whereby Jensen agreed to build the new sports car in return for Qvale's dealerships taking five Interceptors a week. Qvale agreed, Donald Healey became Chairman of the Board and the Jensen-Healey became a reality by the time the 1972 Geneva Motor Show rolled around. Built in the traditional British sports car idiom, the new model employed a brand new engine co-developed by Lotus and Vauxhall, a 1973cc twin-cam unit designed to power the forthcoming Elite/Eclat/Esprit range, combined with four-speed all-synchro gearbox. The front engine/rear drive layout was thoroughly conventional, as was the live rear axle and disc/drum brake combination, but the Jensen-Healey more than matched its rivals in terms of performance and handling. The Jensen-Healey had attractive enough styling by Hugo Poole - the shape underwent some in-house changes to meet North American safety standards before reaching production. After initial teething trouble, maintenance issues with the troublesome Lotus power unit were resolved and most critics agree the Jensen-Healey was a satisfying alternative to the MGB. In all, around 10,000 examples were made over four years of production, along with a further quantity of coupe derivatives known as the Jensen GT. Examples of either model remain a relatively uncommon sight on Australia's roads and are an underrated - and therefore relatively inexpensive - alternative for the buyer seeking a classic British roadster.