© ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT THE JENSEN FF MUSEUM & ARCHIVE
If you have a particularly interesting image of your FF, then why not send it to us and we will include it within the gallery !
 
THE FIRST & THE LAST
The very first FF, chassis number 119/001 photographed at the 1994 Jensen Owners' Club International weekend, and the very last FF, chassis number 130/328, photographed in California in 2006, shortly after completion of an extensive restoration.
TRAGIC END TO AN IMPRESSIVE BARN FIND
The story of 119/002, registration number 'JEA 4D' is a tragic one. Back in 1981, the car was going to be scrapped, since the farmer who owned the land the car had been left on, had gained permission to develop the site. Acquired by Ulric Woodhams, 119/002 was later sold on for restoration. The next owner gave up on the project, as indeed did subsequent owners, meanwhile many parts of the car were lost or stolen. The original engine, was lost, as was most of the interior, which was apparently stolen. The current whereabouts of the original chassis is not known, and it is possible this was destroyed in the early 1990s, by an owner who was trying to switch the identity of 119/002 over to another FF in better condition. THE JENSEN FF MUSEUM & ARCHIVE has undertaken to acquire any surviving parts from 119/002, and has had some success already. If you know the whereabouts of any original parts which came from 119/002, then please contact us, as we would be very keen to add them to the collection. Who knows, may be one day it would be considered worthwhile to build an FF using all the original parts from 119/002 gathered by us ! If a suitably wealthy Jensenthropic individual is interested in pursuing such an idea, then let us know !
PUBLICITY WORK
1968 and chassis number 119/018 positioned in a small Surrey hamlet, around the corner from photographer Michael Cooper's home. Michael Cooper was always keen to run photo shoots near to his home, and Good Relations were generally agreeable to bringing cars over to him. As far as we know this image was never actually used in any publicity brochures. Original image from our archive, and apart of the Michael Cooper photographic collection.
119/018 went out to the USA, and current knowledge of the car's whereabouts and condition remain unknown. If anyone has any up-to-date information, please let us know.
THE SKI-SLOPE STAR
Jensen FF chassis number 119/025 photographed in Switzerland 1968
Motoring journalist Michael Scarlett at the steering wheel. In a fit of bravado, Scarlett decided to drive this FF up a ski-slope. Unaided and with basic crossply tyres, 119/025 drove up the ski-slope without fuss; much to the surprise of skiers.
Original photograph held within our archive.
The car fell into total disrepair by the 1980s, and an unfortunate attempt at restoring the car left it completely disassembled by the middle 1990s. 119/025 was acquired by THE JENSEN FF MUSEUM & ARCHIVE and is presently undergoing a sympathetic restoration.
  
THE MIRACULOUSLY SAVED 'SWAMP CAR'
The so-called 'Swamp Car' gained its name after 119/123 was brought back to the UK from the Bahamas. The car had been involved in a crash during the 1970s, and the owner; having realised the cost of shipping the car back to Jensen Motors for repair would be more than the car was worth; left the remains of the FF at the back of his boat yard, by dense undergrowth. Here the car remained slowly decaying and being taken over by vegetation. With spiralling classic car prices, 119/123 was brought back to the UK and offered for sale, the car looking as though it had been dragged out of a swamp (hence the name many enthusiasts gave to this car). By the time 119/123 had been shipped to the UK and released by customs, the boom had bust and no one wanted to purchase such a derelict FF. The upper two photographs show the remains of 119/123 after the car had been shipped back from the Bahamas to the UK at the beginning of the 1990s. By the middle 1990s, 119/123 was becoming dangerously close to being scrapped, but was acquired by Jensen FF enthusiast John Wild. In 2006, 119/123 was shipped to New Zealand for its new owner, and restoration work started immediately. The bottom photograph shows the newly manufactured chassis tube arrangement, with original front sub-frame bolted in place.
A lucky car indeed !
NORWEGIAN SNOW
119/183 had quite a chequered early career. Not long after purchase, the car was involved in a particularly bad crash. The crash was so severe that the car was written off for insurance purposes and sold for salvage. As with so many Jensen FFs, 119/183 was lucky. Purchased as salvage, the car's new owner contacted Jensen Motors, purchased a new chassis/body, and proceeded to rebuild the car to its original condition. Later the car was sold, and it was shipped out to the USA. It was brought back to the UK and after a variety of owners ended up with Jensen enthusiast, Michael Murray Grant. After his death, 119/183 was purchased by Per Eie from Norway, after lamenting the sale of his previous FF, 119/053.
PURPLE HAZE
119/195, the last MK.I FF, was sold to Jimi Hendrix Band drummer, Mitch Mitchell. Coming into money after the release of 'Purple Haze', Mitchell purchased 119/195, which was ordered in a special metallic purple colour; perhaps in honour of the money making single. Staff at the Jensen factory called 119/195 'The Hendrix Car', even although Hendrix himself is thought to have rarely had the opportunity to drive the Jensen himself. In fact it wasn't a well known fact, but Hendrix had never even passed a driving test - in the UK or the USA. 119/195 had more than one crash within its life, one being particularly severe. The crash had happened shortly after Hendrix's death, and 119/195 was virtually written off. Jensen Motors did rebuild the car, and Mitchell decided to have the car resprayed in a vivid red instead of back to its original metallic purple. Once reunited with its owner, 119/195 wouldn't remain with him for long. After changing owners a couple of times, 119/195 was imported into Australia where it has remained ever since.
FROM USA TO MANDALAY
MK.III FF, chassis number 130/317, having fun in the snow whilst in the USA.
Going from one extreme to the other, 130/317 found itself in the height of the Spanish heat, when musician, Robbie Williams, had loan of the FF when making his music video, 'Road to Mandalay'. 130/317 hasn't been alone in its use for music videos, the Jensen FF actually seems to be the car of choise for many music celebrities. The music group, Ash, and the top selling James Blunt, have also used the Jensen FF within their videos. Of course, the car's appeal to the musically advantaged is nothing new...Ginger Baker from Cream owned no less than three FFs, John Bonham from Led Zeppelin owned two FFs and various Interceptors, Mitch Mitchell from the Jimi Hendrix band owned an FF, and Mick Fleetwood from Fleetwood Mac is also believed to have owned one . Strangely all drummers !
SUITABLE PARKING
MK.III FF, chassis number 130/325 (apart of THE JENSEN FF MUSEUM & ARCHIVE collection), photographed outside the Chateau Bonabon, St Malo, France, in May 2007. 130/325 was purchased from the London-based Jensen distributors, Charles Follett, by Mr Michael Joseph, 130/325 being his second FF. Joseph's address was shown as 18 West Central Street, London, WC1 (1971). As the first owner of this car, we would very much like to hear from him, or anyone that might know him.
JENSEN FF MK.II INTERIOR - SPOT THE DIFFERENCES
There are ten differences between the next two images, can you find them ?
Answers are on the links page
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