Your Letters
The photo of Michael
Ives’ father’s car ( Your Letters, 14 November) looks like the Jensenbodied Austin 10 featured in Richard Calver’s book, Jensen – All the models.
The picture is an artist’s impression taken from the only photos. It was commissioned by a Miss Herbert of West Bromwich and the conversion appeared in The Light Car in January 1935.
The car in the picture is royal blue with black wings; the only apparent difference is that they are swept and not cycle type. It was known to have carried an EA registration number. It also had better carburation, which gave an extra 9bhp – and made it good for a heady 65mph.
Richard Calver’s book also features a photo and an airbrushed publicity picture of The White Lady that you chose as your team favourite at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery.
It is not generally known that the Jensen brothers were coach builders who chose popular massproduced machines and clad them in stylish bodywork. I have a 1935 example based on a Morris Eight that is one of three known survivors. Unfortunately I have been unable to trace its history before my ownership – except to a Hertfordshire garden full of old wrecks.
The car was bought by a French cartoonist friend off an Irishman for £11 and several pints of Guinness. It was a wreck; Jacques, who lived a sort of Bohemian lifestyle, asked me to collect it. This was 1963 – but to cut a long story short, I eventually restored it and have been using it ever since… miles of fun and several tours in France, including Brittany this year.
Unfortunately, there is no sign of any go-faster tuning gear although the original 918cc engine has long since passed away – but it does have dummy wing nuts on the spoked wheels and a fold-flat windscreen – everything the Vintage Sports Car Club loves to hate!
Peter Sanders, Brentwood, Essex