The BenzBoy family Jensen Healey with 731 miles! MIght need Chris on this one...

[Speed_Racer]

Why not just make the Unimog guy an offer? The worst thing that happens is he says 'no'.

[BENZ BOY15]

A couple of reasons: 1) I don't have the money 2) There is no place to park it....I guess my apartment complex up in the Bay Area, but that is quite a drive and quite unpractical. It's on the street over from us here in San Diego, so (in theory) it would just drive around the block. As you can tell from the photo, the lot sizes in my neighborhood are pretty small and parking that thing is a challenge. Look at the way they park their cars: Got the Unimog under a fantastic (IMO) orange tree and they got the 914 under the hibiscus bush. Not in the photo: The 9-3 under the avocado tree, which I guess is their driveway....everything is just very overgrown.

Our driveway is just too small...we already have three cars down here as it is (Fit, Pilot, Suburban) and there really isn't room for my Accord...let alone a Unimog!



I would love to though. Justifying the purchase is one thing, creating a place to park it is another. There is no room.

[Tave]

Ya, I would....but hard to do so when 1) The car is in LA 2) my parents & brother live here in SD and 3) I go to college in the Bay Area.

Get it down to my house and my brother will get on it. My parents don't have time for anything, my Mom barely had time for Mother's Day. LOL They work a lot and I don't think fixing up a Jensen Healey is a priority.

Which part is hard? The selling-the-car-you-don't-own part, or the fixing-the-car-with-the-skills-you-don't-have part?

[Rupert]

You know what would be even rarer?  A Jensen-Healey with a 5.0L V8.

Well, the chassis apparently weren't that great on those cars. What I've read about them is that the Lotus engine is the best thing about them, so I don't see it as a good platform for engine swaps.

You're like the Ford version of all those people who buy an old car and just put a 350 in it by default.

[BENZ BOY15]

Haha, fuck you tave.  

It would be a really cool project car though and it's a shame I live in the wrong part of the state.

[Raza]

I'll tell you what went through my mind when I saw the car this time:

"Raza, Raza, Raza."

Just seems like his type of car.

It really is.  I got all lightheaded when I saw the dogleg 5 speed. 

[ChrisV]

Well, the chassis apparently weren't that great on those cars. What I've read about them is that the Lotus engine is the best thing about them, so I don't see it as a good platform for engine swaps.

You're like the Ford version of all those people who buy an old car and just put a 350 in it by default.

Actualy, the JHs were great cars for swap basis. I've seen them with upwards of 500 hp SBC in them, but the Ford is smaller and lighter by far. AN LS woudl be a great swap, as well.





http://sites.google.com/site/74healey/



The Buick/Rover 215 V8 is another good choice:

[BENZ BOY15]

It really is.  I got all lightheaded when I saw the dogleg 5 speed. 

I bet. One of my first thought besides, "this is gonna be mine, fuck my brother", was "raza would love this. Too bad he's not here."

I like the blue, but the red is better...IMO.

How much do you think it'll cost to get going again, ChrisV? Just weekend driving, I'm guessing.

[Laconian]

"this is gonna be mine, fuck my brother",

Vulture!

[GoCougs]

Well, the chassis apparently weren't that great on those cars. What I've read about them is that the Lotus engine is the best thing about them, so I don't see it as a good platform for engine swaps.

You're like the Ford version of all those people who buy an old car and just put a 350 in it by default.

Not sure if I'd call it "weren't that great" but it certainly wasn't engineered for much more than the 300 lb, ~100 hp 4-banger it came with. Any sort of major weight/power upgrade would require immense work on the chassis, plus tons of work on the brakes and suspension. I guess that is all implied with swapping in a small block V8 but I wouldn't bother personally. The car just wasn't engineered for it and by the time a shade tree gets it right it would cost a bundle of time.

If I had my druthers I would go with the S2000 drive train (the latter 2.4L version) since it's already readily available in a RWD (longitudinal mount) and 6sp. M/T configuration. It result in a much better overall package IMO.

[hotrodalex]

If I had my druthers I would go with the S2000 drive train (the latter 2.4L version) since it's already readily available in a RWD (longitudinal mount) and 6sp. M/T configuration. It result in a much better overall package IMO.

That could be cool. While I love small block V8's, I also enjoy some engine variety, especially in cars like this.

[Rupert]

Actualy, the JHs were great cars for swap basis. I've seen them with upwards of 500 hp SBC in them, but the Ford is smaller and lighter by far. AN LS woudl be a great swap, as well.

[pics]

Well, Chris, with you, there are no cars ever made that aren't great for engine swaps.

[Onslaught]

I would clean it up, wax it up, tear out the drivetrain, and drop in a Ford 5.0L, 6 speed, and axle.

Why not make it better and use a Chevy small block?

[sportyaccordy]

Like I said in the Chat Thread, if you value that car don't touch it

[ChrisV]

How much do you think it'll cost to get going again, ChrisV? Just weekend driving, I'm guessing.

Depends on how much you can do yourself. Most of it, to get it running stock, is simply unbolting and bolting in replacement parts for things like hoses and tune up parts. You'd probably need to soak the internals with some Marvel Mystery oil before cranking it over for the first time since it's been sitting so long, and go through the car cleaning up the wiring grounds and connections. But to make it run again in stock form shouldn't cost more than a few hundred bucks. Make sure all fluids are changed (oil, water, brake fluid, transmission oil, rear end oil). Restoring it would be a waste of time, just cleaning it up and getting it useable is all that's necessary.

Not sure if I'd call it "weren't that great" but it certainly wasn't engineered for much more than the 300 lb, ~100 hp 4-banger it came with. Any sort of major weight/power upgrade would require immense work on the chassis, plus tons of work on the brakes and suspension. I guess that is all implied with swapping in a small block V8 but I wouldn't bother personally. The car just wasn't engineered for it and by the time a shade tree gets it right it would cost a bundle of time.

Hmm an engineer with theories, or someone who has done swaps many times and has direct personal experience in them differ in their opinions on what it takes...

I wonder whose opinion is more factual and useful.

Why not make it better and use a Chevy small block?

Unless it's an LS series, the Chevy is loads heavier and no cheaper to build up to power levels the car would be good with.

Well, Chris, with you, there are no cars ever made that aren't great for engine swaps.

Cars like this, are actually perfect for them, as they are simple cars with the room to do the job. It still requires planning, but it doesn't require that much effort or engineering. It would be (and has been) easy to be successful in a JH, just like it would be (and has been) in an MGB.

[L. ed foote]

Didn't realize there was so much space in those engine bays.

[omicron]

Benz, this is by far the best thing you've ever posted. Get that car cleaned up and into the sun, and enjoy some classic British sports-car motoring.

[BENZ BOY15]

Benz, this is by far the best thing you've ever posted. Get that car cleaned up and into the sun, and enjoy some classic British sports-car motoring.

Eventually, it'll get fixed up. We're not looking to make it a show car, we just want to be able to drive it around and have fun.

Don't hold your breath though.

[GoCougs]

Hmm an engineer with theories, or someone who has done swaps many times and has direct personal experience in them differ in their opinions on what it takes...

I wonder whose opinion is more factual and useful.

No worries; I'll get you learn'd up in due time.

[GoCougs]

Why not make it better and use a Chevy small block?

Word. Chevy built a much better pooprod motor.

[CALL_911]

No worries; I'll get you learn'd up in due time.

[GoCougs]

ChrisV and I go way back. We're good.

[BENZ BOY15]

Given that it looks like the Accord is gone....the police ran it through the system...nothing. The apartment complex didn't tow it and the cop & I went all over the parking lot and in the surrounding area looking for it....and it ain't there. The cop also said he didn't see it anywhere around campus and he was nice enough to look.

I'm going to wait until my parents get home from work to break the news that one of their cars got stolen...well I guess it's "mine", but it might as well be there's: they paid for it.

So I was thinking get this baby up and running and it'll be my "new" car! That would be cool.

[CJ]

Did you leave it somewhere?

[BENZ BOY15]

Did you leave it somewhere?

No, unfortunately. I looked around for a while by myself and then the policeman came over and we looked around together. He also looked around himself.

It's not there. I parked it right in this back parking lot and I remember telling my friend that we'll have to take his car to the airport because the brakes are shot on the Accord. I was also driving it around that day and parked it in my usual space. There is just no reason why I would park it anywhere else and even if that were the case, it would be in the parking lot in general (which it isn't) or on this one area on the street.

I thought it might have been that and the car just got towed because I was in a "no-tow" zone, like Tave suggested. But I wasn't. How do I know? The lady at the police station ran my plates and they didn't impound it.

[Tave]

Just because the police didn't impound it doesn't mean it wasn't towed!

[BENZ BOY15]

Just because the police didn't impound it doesn't mean it wasn't towed!

I know, I know....calm down....calm down. I guess it's just odd that someone would drive a tow-truck into the lot and steal it.

Because that's apparently what happened. No legitimate enterprise towed it...

[BENZ BOY15]

Rupert of Boise was saying that an Austin Healey is better than a Jensen Healey.

Is he right?

[Colin]

Rupert of Boise was saying that an Austin Healey is better than a Jensen Healey.

Is he right?

Depends.

Austin Healeys (Big Healeys) are worth more....... probably quite a lot more.

Were they "better"? Don't forget that the design is 20 years older, and things move on a lot in that time.

Received wisdom is that once a Jensen-Healey was properly sorted, it was a decent enough car..... the Lotus engine was good, and it handled well enough.

I will dig out a couple of articles from C&SC and scan them in and send them to you, Benzy, about the things to look for......... you will definitely need some specialist advice and help with this car if you want it to be anything other than an unreliable money pit, at least to get it going. 

[GoCougs]

For ChrisV: S2000 motor swaps

Austin-Healy



Miata



Morgan