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