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

[BENZ BOY15]

My Grandma on the left:









All the original paperwork and receipts:





Other than some dust, the interior is pristine, just like it was in the 1970s(not sure what year) years ago.:







1974 and a half....according to Grandma. Last ones to be made in England, according to her:







The cover that I took off didn't really do anything:



Look at where the gas cap is:



sorry it was my cell phone:













And this gem, one of my neighbors':



They never drive it:





My hood....always:





and while i'm at it, here is a jasmine bush across the street from the Unimog. These smell AMAZING:



avocado tree on the left:



To the left is an avocado tree....our neighborhood is an old avocado farm and did you know that San Diego county produces half of the nation's avocados? Now you do and whenever I see avocados in the store, I laugh at how expensive they are....and the shitty quality. I love avocados.

So anyway, about that car. My Grandma won it in a raffle back in the day and they drove it for a little and my Mom racked up most of the miles and my Grandma was concerned...."the top was down, what if it rolled and what protection do you have."

So I guess they stopped driving it because "there was no point." There was also something about my Grandfather not knowing how to drive it....but mainly it was the upkeep. It was a rare car and they didn't have much money and they didn't have insurance on it.

But we're going through my Grandma's house....which was recently remodeled and one of the things we're going to do is get this car back in shape!

[the Teuton]

You're an absolutely terrible photographer, but my god, that's cool! Thanks for sharing.

[BENZ BOY15]

Ya well sorry, there is no room to move around and it was my cellphone...whatever. the car is cool

[the Teuton]

Ya well sorry, there is no room to move around and it was my cellphone...whatever. the car is cool

Oh, the car is freakin' awesome. You guys should work on getting it running again.

[BENZ BOY15]

We would do it soon but my parents just don't have the time to make it happen right away...they work a lot.

[68_427]

My dad's Corvette has the gas cap in the same spot.

[Laconian]

No need to tag the car with your name.

I've seen some Benz photos in my time, and I can tell by the blurriness and the strange angles that it's a Benz photo.

[BENZ BOY15]

hardy har har...

how much do you think it'll be to fix up? It's basically new....the problem is that it's been sitting around forever.

[the Teuton]

Going from a comp, your car is probably worth somewhere under $10,000 as-is.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/carsforsale/jensen_healey/mk_ii/1157456.html

In fixed up, perfect condition, it's probably worth well over $20,000 based on the mileage since this restored model with 50,000 miles is selling for $15,000.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/jensen_healey/unspecified/1181876.html

It probably won't take more than a few thousand dollars since it's been sitting in a garage for 30 years, but what do you want to do with it after you're done?

The 1975 model was a factory-produced kit because the company was going under. It's not especially rare in a collector sense, but it is a rare-ass car.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jensen-Healey

[Rupert]

That's a Jensen-Healey, not an Austin-Healey, as it says all over the car.

Anyway, was there anything wrong with the car when it was parked? If not, it's probably just all-new rubber (hoses including fuel, belts, tires, brake lines), brake overhaul, fluids change (coolant, oil, transmission, differential), new gas, and a check of all the electrics (plugs/wires, distributor bits, all the wire connectors you can find, grounds) before you can start it, and then some minor tuning and such before it drives pretty well. I bet under $1000 if you use a mechanic (which, being that you're incompetent, I would suggest). If you need to do cosmetic stuff, from interior to paint, you're in for a bunch more money.

[BENZ BOY15]

No problem that I know of. The interior is perfect, save for some dust.

[Colin]

What a treasure to have in the family.

Sadly, Jensen-Healeys had a lot of issues when they were new, especially with the Lotus-designed engine. If the car has barely been used, it is likely that it has never had the fixes that have been developed and deployed to most of the remaining cars over the years. Assuming you are not going to sell it, I strongly suggest that someone in the family joins the Owners Club (if there is not one in the US, there certainly is in the UK), to get advice from those who know everything there is to know about these cars.

See here:  http://www.jensenhealey.com/html/about.html

There are also Jensen Owners Clubs which cover all models from the 1930s to the CV8 and Interceptor cars.

When cleaned up or restored and in its full glory, you have a wonderful and quite rare sports car there........ I am more than mildly envious. No-one in my family ever had more than piles of crap stored up in their garages.

CW will probably be in Mercedes heaven over the Unimog!   

[BENZ BOY15]

Ya, nothing has been done to it. My Grandma says the local mechanic didn't know how to fix it and given that they didn't have much money...they couldn't afford/didn't want to go to a specialized one.

Thanks for the links. The car really is cool especially since it's pretty much new. The seats and the interior are flawless....literally nothing has been done to it since about 1978...judging by the registration sticker.

And that unimog is absurd. Not sure if you can tell, but to the right of the unimog, under the hisbuscus bush is a Porsche 914 and I want to say it's yellow. They never get used...at...all. Although I'm at college now, I grew up in the same house and never once saw them drive either one. I'm sure that they do...but I don't know anyone that's seen that unimog driving around. How the hell does one acquire that? These are hippies with parrots and they are long distance runners despite being well into their 60s. Interesting people in the neighborhood.

What a treasure to have in the family.

Sadly, Jensen-Healeys had a lot of issues when they were new, especially with the Lotus-designed engine. If the car has barely been used, it is likely that it has never had the fixes that have been developed and deployed to most of the remaining cars over the years. Assuming you are not going to sell it, I strongly suggest that someone in the family joins the Owners Club (if there is not one in the US, there certainly is in the UK), to get advice from those who know everything there is to know about these cars.

See here:  http://www.jensenhealey.com/html/about.html

There are also Jensen Owners Clubs which cover all models from the 1930s to the CV8 and Interceptor cars.

When cleaned up or restored and in its full glory, you have a wonderful and quite rare sports car there........ I am more than mildly envious. No-one in my family ever had more than piles of crap stored up in their garages.

CW will probably be in Mercedes heaven over the Unimog!  

And if you're in LA and I'm in LA at the same time....and the car is still there, I could show you it!

Going from a comp, your car is probably worth somewhere under $10,000 as-is.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/carsforsale/jensen_healey/mk_ii/1157456.html

In fixed up, perfect condition, it's probably worth well over $20,000 based on the mileage since this restored model with 50,000 miles is selling for $15,000.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/jensen_healey/unspecified/1181876.html

It probably won't take more than a few thousand dollars since it's been sitting in a garage for 30 years, but what do you want to do with it after you're done?

The 1975 model was a factory-produced kit because the company was going under. It's not especially rare in a collector sense, but it is a rare-ass car.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jensen-Healey

Probably just driving it around occasionally...nothing too heavy. The car is beautiful and the red is a great color.....finally we have a cool car! And it will eventually be fixed and moved from her garage.

[SVT666]

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

[sportyaccordy]

I am just blown away by how bad the pictures came out

I'm dizzy

[cawimmer430]

So much HISTORY & HERITAGE in that garage. 


Nice Unimog! 

[Rupert]

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

Dude, that's a Lotus engine, and the car is rare. Find an MG if you want a 5.0L British car.

[SVT666]

Dude, that's a Lotus engine, and the car is rare. Find an MG if you want a 5.0L British car.

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

[hotrodalex]

Sweet! And I want that Unimog.

Definitely don't paint it yellow like you said you wanted to in the chat thread or whatever. The red looks good and yellow with a tan interior isn't a good match, IMO.

[GoCougs]

If it's been sitting since the '70s the miles are mostly irrelevant. To get it into "restored" condition like most cars it'll need more coin that it's worth. Just to get it road worthy it'll probably need and engine and fuel system rebuild, and dozens of small fix-its from tires to light bulbs.

I just never understood how people could store cars like this, valuable or otherwise. Why even bother? Just sell the thing.

[hotrodalex]

If it's been sitting since the '70s the miles are mostly irrelevant. To get it into "restored" condition like most cars it'll need more coin that it's worth. Just to get it road worthy it'll probably need and engine and fuel system rebuild, and dozens of small fix-its from tires to light bulbs.

I just never understood how people could store cars like this, valuable or otherwise. Why even bother? Just sell the thing.

Yeah, it'd probably be best for them to sell it as-is if they don't want to keep it.

Benz, I'd recommend http://bringatrailer.com/submissions/ if you want to sell it.

[the Teuton]

If it's been sitting since the '70s the miles are mostly irrelevant. To get it into "restored" condition like most cars it'll need more coin that it's worth. Just to get it road worthy it'll probably need and engine and fuel system rebuild, and dozens of small fix-its from tires to light bulbs.

I just never understood how people could store cars like this, valuable or otherwise. Why even bother? Just sell the thing.

Read about Jay Leno and his Duesenberg Model X. There are just four known left...in the world.

http://www.classiccars.ws/duesn2.htm

[Raza]

I am just blown away by how bad the pictures came out

I'm dizzy

I think I saw Bigfoot.

[BENZ BOY15]

Sweet! And I want that Unimog.

Definitely don't paint it yellow like you said you wanted to in the chat thread or whatever. The red looks good and yellow with a tan interior isn't a good match, IMO.

I was kidding about that color. I love the red! Sarcasm doesn't beam well over the internetz....haha.

As for the car, it's not going anywhere, anytime soon....but I'll let you guys know when we do start on it. It's just a big process of going through all my Grandma's stuff.

As for the Unimog, I want it too. It's another one of those cars that's been sitting around forever....I'm curious as to how and where they got that thing! Such a strange automobile to have....and the license plate! LOL. And crap I should have asked the man today, but he was fiddling with 9-3 Saab (forest green) and didn't look too happy, so I continued on with my little bike ride. One of these days I'll run into them and get the story! So they have the Unimog, the Saab, a Boxster (regular) and a 1970something (?) 914.  

Quite a collection.

As for selling it? I don't see that happening.

[BENZ BOY15]

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.

[the Teuton]

BTW, you realize there's a difference between 371 and 731 miles, right?

[BENZ BOY15]

BTW, you realize there's a difference between 371 and 731 miles, right?

[GoCougs]

Read about Jay Leno and his Duesenberg Model X. There are just four known left...in the world.

http://www.classiccars.ws/duesn2.htm

It's a mental illness; kinda like hoarders and crazy cat ladies.

[Mustangfan2003]

Yeah it bothers me when people keep cars around to just rot.  I got an uncle with a 71 Mach 1 and every year he says he is going to work on the car, that's been about every year for the past 10 years.  I'm thinking you either need to get on it or sell it to someone that will. 

[BENZ BOY15]

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.