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.

Now that is cool.

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.