| Values
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| | certainly not many cars from the early
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| A phenomenal amount of interest in
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| | '60s that can still be used as a daily
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| classic cars a few years ago, caused much
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| | car some 35 years later.
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| to be published and prices to escalate
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| | Super luxury
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| beyond belief.
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| | I have not yet mentioned the luxurious
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| This was at a time when an Aston Martin
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| | interiors, but both of these models
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| Zagato, racing car (that never won a
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| | provide lavish leather arm chair comfort
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| race), sold for over a million and a half
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| | for four, but also with plenty of head
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| pounds. An 'E' type Jaguar commanded as
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| | room and leg space even in the back. A
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| much as £90,000 for what was a mass
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| | lockable glove compartment, a useful
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| produced car (and so many were made in
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| | container under the central arm rest, a
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| the 12 years of production). It is not so
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| | deep pocket either side of the rear seats
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| surprising that many enthusiasts were
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| | for rolled up newspapers, as well as
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| unable to afford an interesting classic.
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| | large pleated pockets, in the back of the
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| Since those heady days the situation has
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| | front seats. The 541S front passenger
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| changed dramatically, the recession,
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| | seat folds completely up to allow far
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| resulted in more sensible prices for most
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| | easier access into the rear than most
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| classic cars.
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| | other two door cars - even modern ones.
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| However, even when prices were rather
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| | Both the 541S and the CV8, unlike many
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| ridiculous, there was a remarkable,
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| | more modern fast cars, sensibly provide a
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| distinctive, car of the early '60s that
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| | very large boot space for luggage. I do
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| was overlooked, available at a very
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| | feel that a lot of the modern fast car
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| reasonable cost, and still is
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| | designs, fail to provide the head room
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| undervalued.
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| | and leg space for taller drivers, and
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| Hand built, with very few maintenance
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| | completely fail to provide useful luggage
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| problems, and best of all no body rust to
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| | space. As a family man these are some of
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| worry about! It is one, of very few
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| | the reasons why I favour the CV8.
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| classic cars, that can actually be used
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| | An overwhelming amount of standard
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| as a daily form of transport - I had been
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| | equipment, at a time when so many items
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| driving one for well over 25 years and
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| | were charged as optional extras, such
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| now my son still uses it.
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| | as:- a Motorola radio (lights up with the
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| I am referring to Jensen cars of the
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| | name Jensen); the heater; a fog and a
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| early '60s, designed by Eric Neale, and
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| | spot light; a fire extinguisher; a first
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| made at the time when Richard and Alan
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| | aid kit; a cigar lighter; a clock; rear
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| Jensen owned the company. Particularly,
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| | window heater and all the instruments one
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| the Jensen CV8 (this is the model before
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| | could wish for. Plus a very generous tool
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| the Interceptor) with the huge 6 litre V8
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| | kit in a fitted tray, under the 541S
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| engine and the 541S.
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| | dashboard, consisting of (apart from
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| The CV8 was the fastest four-seater car
| |
| | screwdrivers and spanners) pliers, an
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| of all in 1965, and I drove my special
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| | adjustable spanner, even a tyre pressure
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| one off version, commissioned by Hardy
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| | gauge, spare bulbs, tyre valve and cap.
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| Amies, every day until I emigrated from
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| | Out of all the Jensen cars of this
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| the UK a few years ago.
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| | period, the 541S has been the least
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| The other favourite is the classic
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| | sought after, and the most difficult to
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| British thoroughbred the 541. Especially,
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| | sell. There is a reason for this,
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| the last model made prior to the CV8,
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| | although it is an impressive car and
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| with the 4 litre straight six Austin
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| | beautiful, it has a reputation for
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| Princes engine, particularly the manual
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| | lacking acceleration as a sports car. It
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| drive version of the Jensen 541S.
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| | has a good top speed and is capable of
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| Classic car show awards
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| | travelling at over 100 mph all day long.
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| For so many years these Jensen cars have
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| | The fabulous manual 541S
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| not been expensive by comparison with any
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| | But all the original road test reports
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| other classics of the period. Very
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| | were based on the automatic version (this
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| strange really when one considers that,
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| | automatic gearbox although developed by
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| at most of the important classic car
| |
| | Rolls Royce lost an awful lot of
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| shows in the past, Jensen won all the
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| | performance) - it is such a pity that the
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| best awards.
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| | manual version was never tested!
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| Up against all the well known prestigious
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| | Between 1960 and 1962 Jensen built 127,
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| makes, the Jensen Owners Club, together
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| | in total of 541S cars, out of these only
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| with Dave Horton's famous CV8, have won;
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| | 22 were manual drive. The manual is a gem
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| 'Car of the show', or 'Best of the master
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| | of a car! The most luxurious car of all
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| class' and 'Best club stand' and so on.
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| | the 541 range, and what is not generally
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| There can hardly be a worthwhile classic
| |
| | known, these manual drive cars with the
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| car award that has not been won by a
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| | Lacock-de-Normanville overdrive are very
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| Jensen!
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| | fast cars indeed. They would have earned
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| Pioneers
| |
| | a much better reputation from a road test
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| These awards are not really so surprising
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| | than the one they have from the automatic
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| as the Jensen brothers based at West
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| | version.
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| Bromwich made extremely fine hand built
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| | Extra design features
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| cars. They were also pioneers; the first
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| | The 541S has certain unusual design
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| to provide disc brakes all round; first
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| | features, adjustable front seat arm rests
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| with four wheel drive (on a CV8); one of
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| | fitted to each door, the Bevelift jack,
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| the first to use the wind tunnel for body
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| | kept in the boot, was designed for use
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| design.
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| | through the floor of the car in front of
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| They were also well known and respected
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| | each front seat. So it was possible to
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| for their advanced ideas on safety. The
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| | lift front and rear wheels together
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| 541S was the first car with seat belts,
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| | whilst protected from the rain.
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| as standard, they also provided very soft
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| | When the boot lid is open the driver can
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| padded areas above and below the
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| | still see, without any restriction, out
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| dashboard. Door handles, and window
| |
| | of the rear window. Very sensibly the
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| winders, were all in recessed panels out
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| | spare wheel valve is accessible, through
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| of harms way.
| |
| | a fitting in the rear of the boot floor,
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| They won the silver medal for coach work
| |
| | thus allowing the air pressure to be
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| at Earls Court, and with the 541R, in
| |
| | checked easily without having to remove
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| 1957 according to tests by 'The Autocar'
| |
| | the wheel.
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| they had produced the fastest four seater
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| | Sexy
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| car of the day.
| |
| | The look of these cars when viewed from
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| Over the years their glass fibre and
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| | the side could be said to be reminiscent
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| polyester resin coach work has stood up
| |
| | of early Jaguar cars, head on possibly
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| to the test of time remarkably well.
| |
| | Aston Martin, and from the rear one
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| Maintenance
| |
| | thinks of Porsche. However Jensen
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| Service and maintenance of these cars
| |
| | developed with the 541S quite an original
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| proves a lot easier, than with many other
| |
| | and distinctive aero dynamic design
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| classics, and this statement applies to
| |
| | without any sacrifice to space or
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| some of the more modern cars. There is a
| |
| | comfort.
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| very enthusiastic owners club that
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| | I still consider it to be one of the most
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| provides valuable technical information.
| |
| | attractive four seater cars of that era
|
| Most spare parts are also not too
| |
| | that still attracts admiration today.
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| difficult to find through the Jensen
| |
| | Readers will by now realise that I rather
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| Owners Club. The chassis is built like a
| |
| | like these cars, that is certainly true,
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| tank and the glass fibre body cuts out
| |
| | and we owned 5 out of the 22 made. It
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| all those rust problems.
| |
| | will not be easy to buy a good manual
|
| High power
| |
| | 541S as only 15 more at most exist.
|
| The well proven straight six 4 litre
| |
| | They are identified by the chassis number
|
| engine is in a class of it's own, set
| |
| | prefix of 102 (there were two prototypes
|
| with triple SU large carburettors and
| |
| | made with the chassis number JM EXP 100
|
| linked to the Jaguar Moss 4 speed
| |
| | and JM EXP 102). The hunt would be
|
| synchromesh gearbox, with overdrive, add
| |
| | worthwhile, if one could be found, as
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| to this, servo assisted Dunlop disc
| |
| | such a car would cost less than an
|
| brakes all round. - Provides one hell of
| |
| | ordinary 'E' type Jaguar in reasonable
|
| a lot of motor car!
| |
| | condition.
|
| The CV8 is an even more powerful car
| |
| | My bet is that this situation will
|
| still, but not a British thoroughbred as
| |
| | change.
|
| it has a Chrysler V8 engine. There are
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| |
|
