Restoration of FF 119/133

Here's where to post photos of your cars. We all want to see your Jensens!
User avatar
DPP
Posts: 1759
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 12:03 pm
Location: Cornwall

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by DPP »

Geoff has been in this week and we started cutting the o/s of the car to fully assess the work required, first the new but badly fitted wheelarch repair section was cut out to reveal a small amount of rust in the inner wheelarch.
This will require a section of inner wheelarch panel before a new outer repair section is fitted but the rust is very little compared to my last project. The only other repair needed to the wheelarch is a small section where the rear hatch lifter bolts to the wheelarch at the top mounting.
IMG_0404.JPG
IMG_0404.JPG (130.67 KiB) Viewed 5545 times
We then cut off the newly fitted sill cover and doorstep so that a full assessment of the chassis tubes could be made. The tubes are very solid but there was a repair section under the sill cover, we pressure tested the tube to 90 PSI and there were only a couple of small leaks coming from pinholes in the repair section welds which could be easily ground back and filled with a few welds.
My problem is I like to know what is going on underneath so we cut the old repair patch off to find a large patch had been fitted to cover a couple of small areas where the outer sill cover and chassis tube touch. Now with a large section of tube cut out we were amazed to see the inside of the tube had only a light coating of surface rust.
Having seen other FF tubes being replaced I could not believe the condition of mine
IMG_0409.JPG
IMG_0409.JPG (102.29 KiB) Viewed 5545 times
We finally had a good inspection under the car and found it required virtually no welding with the exception of a couple of small repairs. I am very happy with the condition of the shell as the repairs are almost all on the outer panels where we could clearly see what was needed.
There is still a fair amount of bodywork needed but this will not be like the epic welding job on my last project.
Dave Pearce
Oily Rag Classics
Jensen FF 119/133
Jensen FF 119/182
Jensen Interceptor III 128/4430
cannonball
Posts: 2979
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:08 pm
Location: CREWE

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by cannonball »

What a great result,,,,,
WATTS RACING TRANSMISSIONS, 07974 088375,
CLOBBER THE COMPETITION
PaulMcElhinney
Posts: 3684
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:52 pm
Location: Halesowen, West Mids

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by PaulMcElhinney »

I had assumed that the chassis tubes were just that, simply tubes with the jacking points welded into them. There's clearly more to the structure than I anticipated. Myy FF is on the moved on Sunday Dave, she's going to a workshop where I can make a start.
Paul McElhinney - Mk I 115/3309 in Positano yellow, FF Mk II 127/289.
PaulMcElhinney
Posts: 3684
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:52 pm
Location: Halesowen, West Mids

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by PaulMcElhinney »

The penny has just dropped, that's the 90 degree section welded to the inside of the tube.
Paul McElhinney - Mk I 115/3309 in Positano yellow, FF Mk II 127/289.
User avatar
DPP
Posts: 1759
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 12:03 pm
Location: Cornwall

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by DPP »

Glad to hear your going to be starting one of your projects soon Paul.

Interceptor sills versus FF chassis tubes the Interceptor is far easier and cheaper to repair.

I was looking at ordering new tubes for mine but Geoff pointed out that my tubes should last for another 40 years with a small amount of fettling, what swung it for me was keeping the original floors with the factory pressings. The metalwork really is that good it would be a shame to rip it all out.

I had fully expected to need new tubes when I bought this car so it's a good start to the job to make a big saving in parts and labour as I'm sure costs will add up in other areas later.
Last edited by DPP on Mon Jan 20, 2020 5:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dave Pearce
Oily Rag Classics
Jensen FF 119/133
Jensen FF 119/182
Jensen Interceptor III 128/4430
Brinny11
Posts: 281
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2013 11:17 am
Location: sunny south yorkshire

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by Brinny11 »

whoops :D
mk2 interceptor 1971 6.3 needing complete rebuild!!!!1
cannonball
Posts: 2979
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:08 pm
Location: CREWE

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by cannonball »

Brilliant stuff for a car that looked like it was going to be a dog its actully much better aint that a great feeling,
WATTS RACING TRANSMISSIONS, 07974 088375,
CLOBBER THE COMPETITION
User avatar
DPP
Posts: 1759
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 12:03 pm
Location: Cornwall

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by DPP »

cannonball wrote:Brilliant stuff for a car that looked like it was going to be a dog its actully much better aint that a great feeling,
Although the car looked rough when I bought it, on close inspection it was a solid car which had been stripped to a rolling shell and had some bodywork done.
The bodywork to the front of the car was done by a different person to the rear and it has had a new front wing and front valence fitted with a repair section to the other wing, the whole of the underbonnet/inner wing area looks perfect. The bonnet is very solid and will need some minor cosmetic work. It will need some repairs mainly to storage dents at the front but there is no rust there and this is the area where the expensive panels are.

The work from the A posts back was undertaken by somebody like myself and is not up to the standard this car deserves and this is why these new panels and repair sections will be cut off and replaced properly by Geoff.

Anybody who read about my last project will know I am not shy when it comes to having metalwork cutout and replaced, this car is too good for that and deserves a sympathetic restoration whilst trying to retain its originality.

I would have liked to have bought this car before it was stripped and repaired by others but as FF's for restoration don't turn up very often I decided to buy it even though I don't like to buy things stripped by others.
Dave Pearce
Oily Rag Classics
Jensen FF 119/133
Jensen FF 119/182
Jensen Interceptor III 128/4430
cannonball
Posts: 2979
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:08 pm
Location: CREWE

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by cannonball »

DPP wrote:
I would have liked to have bought this car before it was stripped and repaired by others but as FF's for restoration don't turn up very often I decided to buy it even though I don't like to buy things stripped by others.

Iknow exactly what you mean, :evil:
WATTS RACING TRANSMISSIONS, 07974 088375,
CLOBBER THE COMPETITION
User avatar
DPP
Posts: 1759
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 12:03 pm
Location: Cornwall

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by DPP »

Managed another few hours today and am constantly amazed by the condition of the metalwork on this car as the underseal is stripped off.
This car has lots of red lead primer and seam sealer everywhere from the factory that was hardly evident on my last car and although I believe the car
has been off the road for many years it was regularly used for the first 15 years.

Todays job was to finish cleaning underneath the o/s floorpans and rear wheelarch and the small repairs needed are no more than I could see
before removing all the old underseal.

This is the o/s rear wheelarch :D , I had intended this to be a long term project but with so little welding required I had better start thinking about
what colour to paint it.
IMG_0425.JPG
IMG_0425.JPG (164.53 KiB) Viewed 5255 times
Dave Pearce
Oily Rag Classics
Jensen FF 119/133
Jensen FF 119/182
Jensen Interceptor III 128/4430
Arcnewal
Posts: 503
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:17 am
Location: England

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by Arcnewal »

DPP wrote:I had better start thinking about what colour to paint to paint it.
The original?
User avatar
DPP
Posts: 1759
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 12:03 pm
Location: Cornwall

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by DPP »

The original colour is Statosphere Blue and this can be seen under the wheel arch with the red lead.

There isn't a nice shiny bit on the car as it came to me covered in white primer, I have searched the forum to try and find a photo of a car in this colour but was not successful.

I will definatly be keeping the red interior so the paint will have to work with this, I think the MK1 cars can look great in pastel shades and colours that did not suit later cars as much.
As much as I think the colur of my MK111 is perfect it would not look right on a MK1.
Dave Pearce
Oily Rag Classics
Jensen FF 119/133
Jensen FF 119/182
Jensen Interceptor III 128/4430
User avatar
ascotts1
Posts: 234
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 11:35 am
Location: Australia/UK & EU until November

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by ascotts1 »

Definitely paint it the original colour, it's an FF, they seem to have gone stratospheric price wise of late, so stratosphere blue seems an appropriate colour! Probably a mild shame that the colour is so similar to your Interceptor 111 as I'm always one for contrast in the garage but its a good colour and you just simply just can't go past the investment factor of a significant car wearing it's original body colour no matter what is, even its it's purple with green stripes!!
1974 Mk III 2240/9345, 1970 FF 127/227
montpellier
Posts: 201
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2011 7:12 pm

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by montpellier »

Well it sounds a great colour ! I think as long as you paint it a period correct Jensen colour it is ok really. I am sticking with the factory painted California Sage as I quite like it (not love) it on a 60's car. But I think as long as it is correct for the year of car there is nothing wring with a colour that you prefer.

Agree with what you say about the later colours.

But my Mk3 is Pine Green and I really don't like it, and when it finally gets restored, I think I will be hitting the 70's colour wheel..
User avatar
DPP
Posts: 1759
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 12:03 pm
Location: Cornwall

Re: Restoration of FF 119/133

Post by DPP »

We finally got time to get this project moving and Geoff came in and has finished the o/s tube and fitted the new inner wheelarch.
The outer wheelarch has been cut and temporary fitted with clecos along with the new sill cover, these were then removed so that I could apply some paint from the inside before they are welded in place.
IMG_0448.JPG
IMG_0448.JPG (141.73 KiB) Viewed 5065 times
Ive been using Por15 for the protection of the inner panels but need to get some more to finish it off.
Attachments
IMG_0462.JPG
IMG_0462.JPG (139.87 KiB) Viewed 5065 times
Dave Pearce
Oily Rag Classics
Jensen FF 119/133
Jensen FF 119/182
Jensen Interceptor III 128/4430
Post Reply

Return to “Members' Cars”