BROMWICH BEAUTY
Showgoers were treated to the unique opportunity of seeing the first Jensen ever made prior to its ambitious restoration
‘I love it. It looks so fast even when it’s standing still.’ JÖRG HÜSKEN
Seeing the Jensen that’s widely regarded as being the car that established the West Bromwich marque – and which has spent the past 60 years in Canada – was undoubtedly the highlight of the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery. EA 7000, known to the Jensen Owners’ Club as ‘The White Lady’, was with its new owner – and the club’s early car registrar – Jörg Hüsken. Asked how the car came into his possession, Jörg explains: ‘I received an email one night from two guys in Canada letting me know that the car was for sale. Six hours later it was mine. ‘Its restoration will begin at the end of next week. It’s going to be the subject of a full rebuild; I’ll be trying to bring it back to as close to original condition as possible. ‘Unfortunately, there’s very little information available about this car because Jensen lost its papers during the war. In fact, all I have are three period press photos.’ Confounding matters for Jörg is the fact that his car is significantly different from the serial S-type launched at the 1938 Earls Court Motor Show. He says: ‘The front wings are different, as are the panels for the bonnet. It sits lower than the S-type, as well as being longer. ‘The front suspension is a Dubonnet independent type bought from Chevrolet, while all the other S-types used Ford components. Likewise, the back axle is a Ford one-speed axle of the time, while the S-types had the Columbia two-speed axle – a kind of primitive overdrive.’ Despite the many challenges that are undoubtedly lying ahead, Jörg is adamant that it will be worth the effort and considerable expense. He says: ‘I love it. It looks so fast even when it’s standing still. I still can’t quite believe that it’s mine.’