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 Posted: 08-16-2018 04:02 pm
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noomg
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After 25 years I'm finally getting around to the cosmetics. Although the car runs and drives great and has been on the road since I got it in '93.
While both interior and exterior are shot I'm starting with the exterior. I'm taking the body down to bare metal since it's got three paint jobs on it already. It started life as a black car, then some PO got the brilliant idea to paint it WHITE over black(no problem there), after that some PO decided to paint black over white! I've got the doors/fenders/hood/trunk lid off and I'm stripping paint and doing bodywork. I'll post pictures when I have something worth looking at.

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 Posted: 08-30-2018 01:14 am
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noomg
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As I've been disassembling body parts and stripping things down to bare metal, I've been doing some forensic investigating into the history of the car. When I bought the car I wish I had asked the seller more questions about the history of the car, I guess I was just in a hurry to get it home. One thing I'd always found curious when I got 19661 is aside from cosmetic maintenance(bodywork and paint)this 18yo car was bone stock, no upgrades, add-ons, or accessories(wheels, performance exhaust, high flow air cleaners, etc.). By checking the paperwork that came with car I think I've been able to deduce the answer. 19661 was bought by a young woman and financed through her credit union around '82. Since women generally don't work on their cars, she was probably content to drive it as it was. It was in her family until '93. As yet I haven't found out anything before '82.

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 Posted: 08-30-2018 04:11 pm
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Preserves1
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I received this email when I had Q's @ my Jensen. I contacted Rich Calver. He was thorough & extreemly helpful-- read the article linked at the bottom of the page for the Jensen he researched.
=========================================================
VIN Database for Jensen Healey & Jensen GT > 1973 Jensen
==========================================================
From: johnfalveyross
Date: 2018-07-30 07:41:40
Reply: http://www.jensenhealey.com/forums/reply.php?topic_id=2477

You might want to try Richard Calver's web site for some general information about the car. His email address is toward the bottom of the page and he will be happy to share with you any known info from his data base specific to your car. In the case of my car there was no updated info since it left the factory- colors, dates etc. If the same is true for your car he will be happy to know your car still exists and to have one more JH accounted for. Good luck

http://www.richardcalver.com/article_jh1.htm

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 Posted: 08-30-2018 11:31 pm
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noomg
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Thanks for the links, lots of great info on our cars that I hadn't seen before. What would really be nice if the DMV would allow current owners to see the previous registrations so you could find out things like; how many owners, where it lived, what kind of work was performed on it. You might be able to contact previous owners and get some oral history.

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 Posted: 09-12-2018 07:41 pm
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noomg
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Update: Well I'm just about finished with the bodywork and with any luck I can start reassembly this month. Now I'm looking for some place to do the paint. I tried one place that looked promising but they do mostly high end restorations. They said 7 to 10 thousand dollars, that's a little rich for my blood. I don't want to wind up with a car that I'm afraid to take out of the garage. What I'm looking for is a nice driver quality paint job that I won't be afraid to drive to the grocery store.

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 Posted: 10-02-2018 03:02 pm
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noomg
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Well it's the beginning of October and after three months of disassembly, cleaning, stripping paint, and doing bodywork I'm just about ready to start reassembly. I've cleaned, prepped, primed, painted and undercoated the inner body. Also, I think I've found a paint shop that will do a nice driver quality paint job without breaking the bank.

I've seen some beautiful showroom quality restorations that some of you guys have done. My goal however isn't a showroom restoration but rather to take it to what a well cared for car would look like that is a year or two old.

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 Posted: 10-08-2018 02:46 am
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noomg
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Well after three months I've finally reached the point where it's time to start reassembly and final prep for paint. Here's where I'm at right now.

Attachment: 181007 Car Pictures.jpg (Downloaded 418 times)

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 Posted: 10-10-2018 02:47 am
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noomg
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FYI, left and right door hinges are not interchangeable.

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 Posted: 10-13-2018 04:02 am
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noomg
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Well getting the doors and the hood properly aligned was the tricky part but the car went back together pretty quickly(6 days)and it's ready for the paint shop. I should be able to get it to RJ's Paint&Body Shop on Monday and Robert said it will be ready by the end of the week.

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 Posted: 10-14-2018 06:06 pm
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noomg
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As 19661 sits awaiting pickup for delivery to the paint shop I'm struck by how long and low it is and it's simple aerodynamic elegance. Looking at it in this configuration(no windshield, mirrors, bumpers, etc.)you can see why it was a winner(race wise)right out of the box. There's an old saying" If it looks right, it usually is right" I think that can be applied to the Jensen-Healey.

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 Posted: 10-25-2018 03:19 pm
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noomg
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Well 19661 has been in the paint shop for about a week and a half, hopefully it'll be home soon. In the meantime I've been getting lots of replacement rubber from the usual sources. Lots of cleaning,repairing and repainting of parts slated to go back on the car, lots of replacing old, crusty, rusty hardware with stainless steel where possible.

FYI, I got new taillight gaskets from Delta and new rubber for the side marker lights from BP Northwest, they're about a 1/4 inch longer than the originals but still look and fit great.

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 Posted: 11-18-2018 10:44 pm
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noomg
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Well I finally got 19661 back from the paintshop and I'm very pleased with the results. Reassembly is underway and hopefully I'll have it back on the road soon.

Attachment: take 2.jpg (Downloaded 327 times)

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 Posted: 11-28-2018 02:45 pm
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noomg
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Well I'm still not back on the road yet. My original goal was bodywork and paint, but as restorations normally go something else has reared it's ugly head. I obtained a pristine dashboard a few years ago. I figured while I had the windshield off I'd do a quick dash swap since access is excellent. Of course you can't just do quick swap, things need to be cleaned, repaired, replaced(example I'm refinishing all the wood).

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 Posted: 11-28-2018 11:59 pm
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Sander
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SHINY!!

Where's the windshield?
Are the front fenders already bolted on?

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 Posted: 11-29-2018 04:10 pm
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noomg
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Sander,

I'm waiting to install the windshield until I have the new dash in place. Once I've got the dash in place, should take a few more days, I'll install the windshield, windows, windwings, and door weather stripping.
Yes, the fenders are already bolted on, I installed all body panels with a basic panel alignment before it went to the painters. I'd considered having it painted disassembled and painting the individual panels separately but in my experience it's very difficult to reassemble painted parts without at least getting some scratches on the new paint.

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 Posted: 12-09-2018 12:55 am
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noomg
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I'm now finished with the dash, it looks brand new, the wood got refinished(6 coats of varathane)and all the bottom dash pieces are now in place.
I've started on the windshield install but I'm having difficultly maneuvering it into place, I'm being cautious because the windshield is so fragile. We'll so how it goes.

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 Posted: 12-11-2018 02:29 pm
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noomg
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Just finished installing the windshield yesterday, it was a rather nerve wracking experience. It was an exercise in twisting, turning, and tweaking a very fragile piece of equipment. I got it in intact, but it wasn't easy. Just a note, if you find yourself in this position during your restoration I'd highly recommend installing the windshield before the dash. I thought dash first then windshield would be best, I was wrong.

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 Posted: 12-18-2018 03:03 am
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noomg
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Well it's finished, the bodywork and paint that is, the interior is another matter. I was planning to go BRG but decided to stick with the original black. I added the gold stripe as a tribute to the Lotus John Player Special Team and the Huffaker Jensen-Healeys that were raced in black.
I did all the work; disassembly, assembly, and bodywork, the only thing I farmed out was the paint job($3000). I spent about $4500 bucks total, that includes all the new rubber, seals, etc. I started this project on 7/1/18 and called it finished on 12/15/18. Totally worth it, it's never looked this good in 25 years I've owned it!

Attachment: Car - front view.jpg (Downloaded 243 times)

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 Posted: 12-18-2018 03:36 am
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Tim Murphy
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Looks great, a big thumbs up to you.

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 Posted: 12-19-2018 11:43 pm
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noomg
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Now that I've finished the exterior the interior is looking very tired, so now it's time to do the interior. I'm going to start with the carpeting. I'm thinking about using the MacGregor carpet kit, they have 10 colors available and the samples they sent me look really nice. Has anybody installed one of their kits?

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