Another Day in Paradise - Dec 6, 2023

This particular 1974 Jensen-Healey is a pristine example of the breed, having undergone extensive restorations and modification over the years in order to exemplify what was originally claimed in 1973, its blue-blooded heritage of British sports car design with the very latest technological developments in automotive engineering. The documented ownership history of this example, which is included with this lot, dates back to 1994, where it was registered in Florida, having covered only 13,300 miles! At some point after 1995, a rotisserie-restoration was carried out by the son-in-law of the Florida owner, which transplanted the car to his shop in Illinois. The restoration was completed in 2001, consisting of the refinishing of the underbody, updating of the suspension, reconditioning of the engine and gearbox, exterior repaint, as well as interior restoration. Upon the guidance and imported Vanderbilt parts catalog offered by Dave Bean Engineering, the Lotus Racing Team based out of Riverside, CA, the engine was completely overhauled, bored to 10:1 compression ratio and featuring 4 Dellorto Racing carbs, upgraded pistons, connecting rods, crank shaft, and rebuilt original solid-lifter Isks camshafts. The transmission is a rebuilt 4-speed manual out of a Sunbeam, including a new clutch, pressure plate, flywheel, and throwout bearing. To properly harness the improved powertrain, the cowl was reinforced with a quarter-inch thick plate, and the rocker panels were rebuilt with 16 gauge steel with further reinforcement in order to improve rigidity. The original rear differential was also rebuilt, and the car now features disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear. The chassis, underside, and rockers were rubberized and coated with 2 layers of bakes chip-guard. The body was repaired from any rust and treated with an anti-rust zinc coating, and the new Red paint includes clearcoat. The sum of this work, finished in Red, featuring a built GT motor and 4-speed manual transmission, is one of the finest examples of a MkII Jensen-Healey currently available for sale. Upon completion of the restoration, this Jensen-Healey remained as a tenant in the same Illinois shop where its restoration was carried out until 2006, where it returned to Florida with the same owner. This owner, who re-registered the car in 2007 with 13,302 miles, continued to retain the car in a climate-controlled garage, occasionally trailering it to local car shows, before selling it off to the current owner in October 2022, having covered merely 285 miles since its restoration. Receipts included with this lot document the mileage, as well as servicing in preparation for its purchase. The current owner, who has since added only 213 miles (13,800 total miles) since last year, has also completed a number of mechanical and aesthetic refurbishments which are documented and included with this lot.