Stuart Turner's FF

FF fresh from restoration
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zacmarshall
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Stuart Turner's FF

Post by zacmarshall »

This is Stuart Turner's FF, fresh from a restoration by Colin Holley.

Stuart bought the one family owner car in September 2009, the car wasn't MOTd at the time but had been driven along the owner's driveway every now and again. The first owner of the car was the seller's aunt.

The car was actually solid and didn't need chassis tubes, however the outer cills and a few other panels did need work.

Stuart picked the car up at the end of June, after it had passed it's first MOT since 2001. He then drove it all the way back to Bristol without incident.

The car when collected from CH Autos

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Stuart refurbished the interior himself.

The car as bought:

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See http://www.joc.org.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7261 for when the car was for sale.

The eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed that Stuart also owns an Interceptor, this was car of the month back in April. I have told Stuart not to buy any more cars....

More photos to come :D
C-V8 II 104/2146 CHJ 948B
ex FF II, Interceptor I, II and III, SP, GTs and Healeys. You might say I got the bug....
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Pymmie
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Re: Stuart Turner's FF

Post by Pymmie »

Great choice of car & owner for Car of the Month

John P
Previous Jensen Owner 2010-2022 (128/4451)

Understeer - Hitting the fence with the front of the car
Oversteer - Hitting the fence with the rear of the car
Horsepower -How fast you hit the fence
Torque - How far you take the fence with you
montpellier
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Re: Stuart Turner's FF

Post by montpellier »

What a beautiful car, not many would have survived in such strong original condition (mine certainly did not....) , loving the colour too. Well done.
cannonball
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Re: Stuart Turner's FF

Post by cannonball »

yes the colour is similar to fords blue mink pre falling off stage, what a nice interior,,,,,,
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PaulMcElhinney
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Re: Stuart Turner's FF

Post by PaulMcElhinney »

Well done Stuart and Colin. Stunning.
Paul McElhinney - Mk I 115/3309 in Positano yellow, FF Mk II 127/289.
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ascotts1
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Re: Stuart Turner's FF

Post by ascotts1 »

What a find and such a great job done on it!
It's amazing to think how many really low mileage FF's have come up over the last few years, I wish'd I'd been in the market for a Jensen again bit a bit earler!
#CAR ENVY!!
1974 Mk III 2240/9345, 1970 FF 127/227
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Martin R
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Re: Stuart Turner's FF

Post by Martin R »

Looks absolutely wonderful :D
I shall look forward to seeing it in the metal soon Stuart 8)

Did you actually get it for around £10k :?: :!: :?: :!:

OK, even after a bare metal CH Auto's repaint, it sounds like a bargain by today's standards.
FF MK1 119/100
Interceptor MK3 136/8514
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zacmarshall
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Re: Stuart Turner's FF

Post by zacmarshall »

Some photos from Stuart from when he picked the car up

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C-V8 II 104/2146 CHJ 948B
ex FF II, Interceptor I, II and III, SP, GTs and Healeys. You might say I got the bug....
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Mark1Stu
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Re: Stuart Turner's FF

Post by Mark1Stu »

Many thanks for the kind comments and to Zac for extracting the pictures from me and....and loading them onto the JOC forum.

As its raining outside, I thought I'd add a bit of background on the car.

According to the previous owner, Frank Tebbit, his aunt was persuaded to buy the car by her business partner - trading in a 2 door E registered Rolls Royce (the original bill of sale mentions a model type: H J M) and getting £500 pounds back on the deal!!!

First registered on 19.8.1969, it remained with Frank's aunt until 23.10.1983 - when Frank acquired it from her (having always been fond of the car from his youth). It remained MOT'd until 2001 and then stored in a wooden barn and occasionally driven up and down Frank's driveway.

I wasn't looking for another Jensen, but a combination of a small inheritance following my mother's death, seeing a lovely original FF on the JOC forum, and crucially hoping that Colin Holley of CH Autos could take on the car and work his usual magic, caused me to take a trip to look at the car, based in Devon.

I'm a sucker for orignal cars, and the FF was crying out to be returned to its former glory. A deal was done. Helped, with hindsight, by driving down to see the car in my Interceptor - as Frank (who I've kept informed of progress during the restoration) was keen for it to go to a good home. I think seeing Colin Holley's work on my Interceptor convinced Frank to reluctantly part with the car.

The only thing missing from the car, bar a few tools from the boot, was the Voxson 8 track.

With Jensens occasionally getting bad press from lazy journalists suggesting poor build quality, my preference was to keep the bodywork as it was and just get it to an MoT standard. As the panel fit of the body, which for the most part still wore its orignal paint, was fantastic - and I'd have loved to have shown off the original craftmanship to the doubters. As it turned out, my local MOT man indicated (wrongly I believe) that as the replaced outer sills (before I bought it) had been strip welded rather than continuously welded, it had failed its MOT. At this point I bit the bullet and tried to get in contact with Colin Holley - also contacting Paul Baker of Paul Baker Custom Metal Work whose work I have also seen. With Colin making contact and offering a space in his already stacked premises (and crucially being able to paint, fettle and properly finish a car as well as weld it), I elected to send the car to CH Autos.

On inspection, the lack of brake vacuum was traced to a pipe leading to the tubes - which were in excellent condition, as were the floors. With the upper edge of both rear arches just starting to go, plus the trailing edge into the rear valance, both rear arches and the whole rear valance were changed for good measure. With minimal rust in the tailgate, just a spot of rust on the bonnet by the vent (the front section was solid), the rest of the work involved Colin replacing the outer sills and repairing both door bottoms.

I used a Woolies leather restoration kit to refurb the leather (buying a modellers compressed air gun for £49 from Lidl to apply the final coats - but to be honest using a rag as an applicator was just as good). I used wire wool and cellelose thinners to get the old colour off, followed by 800 grade wet and dry paper (applied dry) to soften the leather and reduce and smooth the cracked top layer of leather, prior to feeding and applying the Woolies kit. Very satisfying, but it took ages. Chrome was refurbed by S&T Plate in Yate, near Bristol. Thankfully, the Rostyles came up pretty well with polishing, so that has saved some immediate expense. I rebuilt the Carter AVS carb (took a bit of research to find the right kit with the correct diameter acceleration pump) but I'm pleased with its performance. To my mind, a properly sorted original Carter AVS running on an original inlet is hard to beat.....but that's just me.

Colin fitted electronic ignition, new water pump, hoses etc - with Andy Brooks suppling the steering rack and Jason Laurence some original carpet material. Agenta (Agenta.co.uk) thoroughly servicing the mint replacement Voxson I'd managed to locate.

On the uneventful drive back from Essex on one of the hottest days of the year, in the rush hour on the M25 and M4, the car performed fautlessly - albeit running a bit hot.....which had me fretting when it didn't get cooler the faster I drove (not that I pushed it for obvious reasons).

High points so far - the car feels lovely and tight, the gearbox operates perfectly, sweet engine, no lash in the drive train, and Isaac Hayes 'Shaft' on the 8 track sounds great. I've subsequently bought 70 8 tracks locally, plus a 240 volt 8 track player, all for £24 and have whittled the 8 tracks down to about 10 decent recordings. Sadly, the Mrs Mills 'Lets Party' 8 track didn't survive contact with the refuse bin. And the new Avon Turbospeed tyres provide a surprisingly comfortable ride...and a little more ride height - looking the part too in my eyes.

Not really a low point, but the auto transmission leaks badly, so I'm hoping this will be limited to a new sump pan and gasket, plus any other seals which can be replaced without removal of the box (any advice on parts gratefully received)....as I've all but run out of money! Oh, and the radiator could probably benefit from a recore.

Finally, thanks again to Colin Holley at CH Autos for his skill and making it possible.

Still raining here in Bristol......
zacmarshall
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Re: Stuart Turner's FF

Post by zacmarshall »

Some more pictures, this time of the car's interior. Luckily Stuart's wife Jane is very understanding :D

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And then there are Stuart's Volvo 240 bits....
C-V8 II 104/2146 CHJ 948B
ex FF II, Interceptor I, II and III, SP, GTs and Healeys. You might say I got the bug....
JOC Member No. 5061
PaulMcElhinney
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Re: Stuart Turner's FF

Post by PaulMcElhinney »

I've noticed that Mr Turner, when he does something, does it well. That interior looks very impressive.
Paul McElhinney - Mk I 115/3309 in Positano yellow, FF Mk II 127/289.
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Trevithick
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Re: Stuart Turner's FF

Post by Trevithick »

Top Job, look forward to seeing it in the metal.
SP 131/4980.
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VFK44
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Re: Stuart Turner's FF

Post by VFK44 »

Just noticed the reference to a Rolls-Royce H J M model being traded in. This would surely be a reference to HJ (Henry Jervis) Mulliner, body-makers. However, by the time of E-reg, HJM had been taken over by R-R for several years and the department was known as Mulliner Park Ward (MPW). The early 2-door Corniche shape is referred to as an MPW; do any experts know what the HJM was?
"Now that chassis number is particularly interesting ‘cos it’s the one after the one before, which is the one after mine, not many people know that"
Stephen, Epping, Essex
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