Jensen’s quixotic GT of the mid Seventies managed to combine several characteristics not often found together.
It was a low-slung sportster with a free-revving Lotus-derived engine, yet it had a shooting brake’s load carrying capacity. It was a low-slung sportster… yet its cabin carried the leather and velour flavour of a long distance GT.
Those qualities and their combination are just as attractive today as they were then (and probably still as rare). In this Jensen GT, you can be the sports car driver, the long distance GT traveller and the eventer – all on the same day if you wish.
And all in an enigmatic and sultry machine that is so rarely seen.
For any classic car and especially Jensen enthusiast, this car has a well-documented and fascinating history.
The GT was actually the car was pulled from the production line, after completion, for quality testing and partially stripped. It was then sold by the company in a disposal auction and, after making its way through the hands of several dealers, found its way into the hands of a senior member of the Jensen Owners’ Club who rebuild and finished the car. (The story, written by Booth, appears in a 1987 issue of Classic Cars Magazine.)
Luckily, it has since been passed to successive enthusiasts, the latest of whom is very familiar with Jensen GTs, their foibles and their upkeep. Many of the latest invoices come from the car’s time with him and show a knowledgeable and thorough level of care.
At a cost in excess of £2000, it also had an electric aerial installed along the folding Webasto roof installed, which – in the current weather – is proving very welcome.
Although the Jensen’s repaint could be called an ‘older’ restoration, because the car has spent many years protected in storage, the fit and finish remain excellent.
Both in terms of consistency of colour (no fading or bleaching) and the depth of gloss in the paint (a very Seventies metallic), the overall impression is very pleasing.
Panel fit too is very good, with consistently narrow shut lines and no rippling along the flanks. The doors open without rattling or sagging and the rear hatch opens smoothly and remains aloft, supported by its struts.
The vinyl roof, which complements the lower body perfectly, is in very good shape. Apart from a couple of very small creases (near the pillars), there are no signs of bubbling or separation from the metal at the edges. The material is clean, free of scratches, and shows no signs of fade. The Webasto roof is beautifully fitted, matches the manufacture and ‘vibe’ of the shooting brake perfectly, and operates smoothly.
The stainless steel trim is a very nice feature of the car, showing no signs of pitting or discolouration. Window frames and decorative strips – there’s more than you think – remain in good shape.
All are mounted straight, with the plastic/rubber sections of the belt line fitting snugly to the metal sections.
The interior offers a far richer combination of colours and textures than you might expect of a sports GT, even a Jensen.
The browns and oranges of the wood, leather and velour come together to create a vibrant space. And because the interior had a fair amount of renovation during the period 2017-19 (you can see the bills) everything appears fresh while managing to retain a period feel and patina.
The seat material is clean and vivid, the velour retaining a good pile and texture. The cushions are firm, and the tight stitching helps retain both patterns and forms.
The seats are complemented by the substantial door panels, which are a feature in themselves, again showing crisp detail and no real signs of wear.
The black centre console provides a contrast; again looking to be in fine condition – no elbow dents here and includes two switches for the working electric windows. The gaiter to the gear stick has been tied up with cord, but the gear knob, the handbrake lever and the chunky steering wheel rim show little in the way of scratches or handling marks.
Perhaps the only signs of wear appear to be on the dash, which displays a little fading in its lustre and grain around the edges of some instruments. However, it still remains very presentable.
As mentioned elsewhere, the Webasto roof blends in perfectly with the style and finish of the car, looking as good from the inside as it does from without.
All in all, a stylish and purposeful cabin in which to enjoy you GT adventures.
The Jensen’s engine bay has a workmanlike authenticity about it; not too clean, but certainly everything in the right place and doing its job exactly as it should.
The motor itself, its components and ancillaries are free of dirt or accumulated grease, and there are no real signs of corrosion. The carburettor assembles look very neat (and run very smoothly).
Hoses and wiring appear especially good, with hoses, cables and their fastenings looking relatively new - certainly not vintage Seventies. The metal around the engine bay as well as the inner wings looks to be very good – joins are clean and straight and bolts rust-free.
Moving underneath the car, its worth remembering that the underside has been Dinitrol coated (2016), though even without this protection, it doesn’t look like the Jensen has seen much, if any, rain.
The underside of the car certainly appears very solid. Inner wheel arches and sills look very sound, clean and rust free. There appears to be a good layer of underseal and suspension components appear sturdy and serviceable.
The original wheels are in good shape and the tyres have a lot of life in them.
Jensen’s quite diminutive GT is a rare beast, and can there be many more with such a rich documented life as this one?
Such a provenance, combined with the model’s condition and downright usability make it a very desirable example. It’s not so much a case of ‘would suit enthusiast’, more a case of; car demands enthusiast.
Form an orderly queue.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
Please see our FAQs
here
and our Terms & Conditions
here
Car & Classic's secure payment system protects buyers and sellers. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder transfers payment into a third-party escrow account. Once the transfer of the vehicle is complete, both parties confirm they are happy with the sale and the money is released to the seller.
More about buying with us
1975 Jensen GT
About Max Bids
The max bid process allows you to bid without any hassle.
Enter your maximum bid and we will then bid on your behalf to ensure you're the highest bidder - just enough to keep you in the lead and only up until your maximum.
Anti-sniping
Car & Classic prevent auction snipers from bidding in the last seconds to win an auction.
Auctions are extended by 3 minutes if anyone bids within the last 2 minutes to allow other bidders to react and counter-bid.
Auto-bidding increments
If your maximum bid is equal to or below the reserve price, your maximum bid will be applied in full if you are the highest bidder.
If you are the highest bidder and place a maximum bid above the reserve, we will automatically put in the reserve as your first bid.
Once the reserve has been met, Car & Classic will make sure you are the highest bidder using only the bidding increments stated below.
We will keep you in the lead up until your maximum bid OR the increment closest to your maximum bid, providing your maximum bid is enough to cover the increment value.
Bid Amount
Increment
£0 to £9,999
£100.00
£10,000 to £49,999
£250.00
£50,000 to £99,999
£500.00
£100,000 +
£1,000.00
Automatically outbid immediately
When you place a max bid and are outbid immediately that means that another bidder has placed a max bid limit which is higher than yours.
You can bid again and we will use our automatic bid system to try and get you as the highest bidder.
Matching max bids
When there are two max bids of the same value, the one placed first remains the lead bidder.
Pre-authorisation
We may hold a pre-authorisation charge on your card until the end of the auction when the hold will be cancelled. If you win, we'll take a security deposit which counts towards the payment for the vehicle and isn't any extra cost to you.
What are pre-bids?
A pre-bid means you're able to place a bid before the official start of the auction.
You will be notified whether or not you are the highest bidder when the auction starts.
Problem with your bid
Bids are contractually binding. To help protect you, we have some rules in place if we think it's been mistyped. Please check and amend what you have entered.
