Jensen-Healey and Jensen GT (1972 to 1976)

Why people buy one

• A light, quick sports car with a 16-valve Lotus engine of about 140bhp (some sources give 144bhp).
• The Lotus 907 is shared with Lotus models, so engine parts and knowledge are available.
• The later five-speed Getrag cars are the most usable.
• Vauxhall-sourced suspension, steering and brakes are simple and well understood.
• The Jensen GT adds a fixed roof and small rear seats, and is much rarer.

What to weigh up

• Rust is the main concern, and Sports Car Market calls the bodies very prone to corrosion.
• The Lotus engine was new and untested in 1972; early cars suffered oil and fuel leaks and low oil pressure, and many still need careful maintenance.
• Some cars have been converted to other engines, including V8s, or fitted with different gearboxes, so check what is fitted.
• Most cars were exported, mainly to North America; Auto Express says only about 2,020 were sold in the UK, so imports are common.
• Sources disagree on Jensen GT numbers (509 or 511) and on Mk2 introduction (August 1973 or 1974).

Where they rust

• Floors and footwells, which are structural.
• Sills.
• Inside the wheelarches.
• Boot floor and the area around the boot-mounted fuel tank.
• Door bottoms.
• Front wings and the area around the headlamps.
• On the GT, around the rear hatch and roof.

Mechanical weak spots

• Engine: check for oil leaks from the cam covers onto the exhaust, which cause smoke and smell; low oil pressure is a warning sign.
• Cambelt: should be changed regularly (Auto Express suggests every 24,000 miles); if belt or tensioner fails, valves can hit pistons.
• Cooling: Auto Express reports serious water pump failures, mostly on Mk1 cars; check for coolant leaks and overheating.
• Gearbox: the four-speed is a Chrysler (Sunbeam Rapier) unit; the Getrag five-speed is stronger. Jumping out of gear or crunching changes mean a rebuild is due.
• Suspension and brakes: mostly simple Vauxhall parts; check for wear but problems are rare if overhauled.
• Carburettors: European cars had twin Dell'Orto carburettors and US cars twin Zenith-Strombergs for emissions, so a UK car on Strombergs is probably a US import or has been altered.

At a Mathewsons viewing

• Find the chassis number (on the dashboard and on a plate on the engine bay side rail) and check it against the V5C.
• Check the engine number, stamped near the bellhousing, and confirm the car still has a Lotus 907 engine.
• Look at the bumpers: early cars have chrome bumpers, later cars have larger black rubber ones; check the car matches its claimed year and model.
• Lift the carpets and check the floors, sills and boot floor with a torch for rust or fresh filler.
• Open the bonnet and look for oil leaks around the cam covers and evidence of a recent cambelt change, and if staff start the car, listen for rattles and watch the oil pressure; do not assume it will be started.

Parts, specialists and clubs

Seen on Bangers & Cash

• Jensen Healey (Bangers & Cash series 3, episode 1, First shown October 2020)

Sources

• Jensen-Healey: buying guide and review (Auto Express), 5 November 2018
• 1972 to 1976 Jensen-Healey (Sports Car Market), 1 November 2005
• Jensen-Healey (Wikipedia), accessed 14 October 2026
• Jensen GT (Wikipedia), accessed 14 October 2026
• Jensen Owners' Club, accessed 14 October 2026