Ranting Stan's Sunday Drive: Jensen Healey

Wow, what a car! I'd forgotten all about the Jensen Healey until I saw one yesterday afternoon and it reminded me all about the fabulous little Lotus engined sports car.



Looks wise it was a little like a grown up Triumph Spitfire - with slightly TR6ish lines from the rear, but it was certainly nothing like the Spitfire in performance.



An ex-girlfriend of mine had one of these - in British Racing Green - and it was a real head turner. Apart from the wonderful Lotus engine it also had a five speed gearbox (very rare back then), leather and wood trimmed interior and twin carbs. Unfortunately, it also had a habit of going out of tune rather frequently (not sure if that was common or not) and, although I never was allowed to drive it, it often felt a little skittish in the wet.



For all it's faults - and it was far from perfect - the Jensen Healey was a very special car to me. Today it serves as a reminder of how Britain used to build quite wonderful sports cars - and such a wide variety of choice - which no one else in the world could even come close to.