The Jensen Owners' Club

felixkk wrote: re dog problem: my father in law has a stuffed baby deer, or would that be weird? (No he didn‘t shoot it, it was a mowing accident)

No, a deer would appear quite normal. Just one thing though, has father in law ever lived in Canada? That could cause confusion. I explain: https://youtu.be/I2t5KKFeHR0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No, he‘s left Switzerland only once- for his honeymoon. And that was to neighbouring Austria

On the introduction of the V8 at Bristol. From Motor Sport, Page 13, September 1964

Two Anglo Americans - "MOTOR SPORT" Calls on Jensen and Bristol

„... Around 1957, however, re-organisation of the factory at Filton coupled with the fact that Hawker-Siddeley had dropped car production, caused repercussions, and the manufacture of car engines by Bristol was abandoned.

They had, in any case, realised that something new was required and had designed a number of experimental engines, with a V8 in an advanced state on the drawing-board. It was felt that the new car should have automatic transmission and every kind of gearbox in this category—Hobbs, Borg-Warner, Hydramatic, Flight-o-Matic and Torqueflite—was tried, the verdict going very much in favour of the last-named, after Bristol had tried their hand at making an automatic box of their own, in conjunction with Smiths.

Having decided that they wanted a Chrysler transmission, the Bristol engineers found it logical to employ a Chrysler V8 engine. American foundry methods are notable for excellent lightweight aluminium castings, and to reach similar standards for an output of 10 or 20 engines a week would have entailed enormous tooling costs, apart from the undesirability of matching a specialised transmission to an engine for which it wasn't designed.

So a Chrysler power unit was adopted, a Canadian-built type 313, with a high performance power pack—special camshaft, four-barrel carburetter, etc.—chosen by the Bristol engineers. They also decided to have nothing to do with hydraulic tappets and the engines are supplied with mechanical tappets installed.

Tests were carried out in England, Bristol doing their own development work in harmony with the Chrysler Corporation in the States. For instance, full-throttle motorway driving could have produced bearing failures, but the engine proved entirely satisfactory. Experiments were made with higher peak revs. under kick-down, to the extent of extending the change-up point by some 8 or 10 m.p.h., but overall acceleration times were unaffected. In carrying out such tests the Brabazon runway adjacent to the factory proved extremely useful.

Chrysler had just introduced the Californian smog pack and this was adopted as being an ideal method of keeping fumes out of the car interior. In particular, Chrysler's ball and trunnion propeller shaft joint was found to function exceedingly well, ironing out transmission problems.

Small modifications to the 98.5 x 84.1 mm. (5,130 c.c.) 250-b.h.p. 90° V8 engine to enable it to go into the Bristol 408 box-section chassis, such as shortening the dip-stick, altering water outlets, tapping heater connections, modifying the gearbox extension and so on, are done at Filton, surplus parts removed from the imported engines being scrapped. So far as larger mods. are concerned, like manifolding, pulley sizes, etc., Chrysler were able to provide what was required from amongst the parts for their range of engines.

The Torqueflite transmission is cooled by an oil radiator let into the base of the water radiator, oil being circulated through this by the gearbox pump at over 30 lb./sq. in.

Calculations were made to see whether any engine cooling problems would arise, working in conjunction with J. W. Lawrence, the radiator manufacturer, and by pushing air through the radiator by means of two thermostatically-controlled, cowled fans mounted side-by-side in front of it, using a therrno-switch in the underside of the header tank, temperatures remained in conformity with the theoretical checks. The cooling system is pressurised at 14 lb./sq. in. The very ingenious and compact push-button control unit for the Torqueflite transmission fitted easily on the right of the Bristol facia after a new bracket had been made for it. This is a very satisfactory control unit, neatly illuminated via the fluorescent buttons, rheostat-controlled in company with the instrument lighting.“

Hi Felix, I know this will not help much, but there is currently an Austin 4 litre engine on eBay. The reason it might be of interest is that it has the same format of engine number as that recorded against sea 770 in the chassis data book. Previously we were trying to identify the range of engines (ideally American V8) that use engine numbers of the form Znnnnn.

The eBay seller claims that it could be from a 541S but the engine mounts and oil filter "head" indicate that this is incorrect.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUSTIN-ENGIN ... SwYodelc9i" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers

Dave

Hi Dave

Thank you! I did a quick search on the Austin factory replacement engine reference numbers, but had no luck for our engines. This site on Minis gives some detail on the numbering system of Austin replacement silver or gold seal units:

https://www.calverst.com/technical-info ... tion-data/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

With Minis an " 'E' at the end of a part number denotes it is a reconditioned, service unit only (basic engine assembly with no ancillaries). "

I only recently went back to the thread on the foundry marks (Mowog and Austin):

https://www.joc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... og#p119518" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Per wrote: "Gold Seal engines were normally given a new no, with a prefix unique to the GS engines. The 4 litre may have been reconditioned in such small numbers they never bothered to introduce a code for them and so they simply used the number in the log book.

EDIT initially they just added a prefix, e.g. 8H."

Photos from the Ebay ad:

Small mention in a C-V8 article, obviously the journalist was well instructed: thank you, Joerg- much appreciated:

Dennis Collins talking to Thomas Weeks of Misfit Garage: a Austin-Healey 110/6 with a Chevy 265, possibly converted by Carroll Shelby in '57(?), possibly one of three ("the cars were to hustle investors"):

https://youtu.be/mnUn-_wHdjY
For sale for $12'500:

https://www.classiccarsseller.com/2020/ ... -redblack/

Using the colorization software suggested to me by Chris in another thread (https://joc.org.uk/joc-forum/?w3=c2Vhcm ... FkcG9zdHM=) I tried it on black and white pictures of SEA 770. I'm astounded that the software was able to deduct that it was brown- and that from 3 different pictures, one of which is a newspaper ad :

I received a note yesterday from Diana Godwin. Alan Jensen was a regular guest at her restaurant in the 70s and had given her the photo below. It is the first photo I have seen of the car from the front- they never published the front I assume because the car still has the older hood. Her son will be sending me the picture. Hopefully Diana Godwin will recount some of the stories of FAJ. Not sure about the date (1954? 1964?) and I can't make out what is written next to the date either.

The dog's name is "Mitsy", apparently.

Nice find Felix. Someone asked me once what the dog's name was. The truth is out there and 50 years later we find out. I think the inscription reads "About - 1954".

So now the next quest will be to find out the 2nd dog‘s name Maybe you could put together a top 10 list of interesting questions you‘ve been asked!

Anyway, Diana has left me a short note:

„ I am so pleased that it is now where it should be – I have had it in a drawer for maybe nearly 50 years and often wondered what to do with it- so it has all turned out for the very best. I knew Alan and his wife mostly at first from a professional point but over the years we both looked forward to seeing each other when they dined at the restaurant I worked in.I remember Alan being a quiet dignified man and most of my conversations being with his wife – who was always impeccably dressed – both clothes and hair!- who always showed great interest in my two growing boys, always asking how they were and what were they up to. I remember they were always generous to me at Christmas with gifts and cash-I was very sad to hear he had died, but obviously hadn’t seen him towards the end of his life.I hope you enjoy owning the photo- are you perhaps going to have it framed? My very best wishes – Diana Godwin.“

I asked her if the restaurant was near Stratford-upon-Avon but she was living in Surrey and wrote „it must have been when they lived in nearby Sussex“

I tend to agree with the inscription reading 1954, but that seems a bit early for your car, Felix.

DaveT wrote: ↑Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:52 am I tend to agree with the inscription reading 1954, but that seems a bit early for your car, Felix.

Indeed. I think the photo was given to her in the 70s, so he may have signed the picture then.

There is also an envelope. I shall add better pictures when I receive the photo.

Thats a great find Felix, fantastic to have a signed photo of the car Mr Jensen owned together with the very same car he owned . It looks like Alan Jensen lived in Brighton..