1939 Jensen

This 1939 Jensen H-Type is one of approximately 15 examples of the model built by Jensen Motors in England between 1938 and 1946 with aluminum coachwork and power from a Nash eight-cylinder engine. The car is said to have been previously owned by novelist Clive Cussler, who had engine and cosmetic work performed before later selling it to a South Carolina collection. It was then reportedly sold as part of a 50-car package to Disney and displayed as part of a Disney anniversary theme before later joining an exhibit alongside the Spruce Goose and Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, until 1990. After spending time in storage, the car was purchased by its current owner in 1994. Finished in blue and gray, it is powered by a 4.2-liter Nash OHV inline-eight that is equipped with a single downdraft carburetor and dual ignition. Additional features include a three-speed manual transmission, a Columbia dual-ratio rear end, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes, bright wire wheels, a central driving lamp, and gray interior upholstery. This Jensen H-Type is now offered by the seller on behalf of the owner with a clean California title. Richard and Alan Jensen began offering custom bodies for a variety of British automobiles in the late 1920s before joining W.J. Smith & Sons in West Bromwich, from whom they eventually purchased control. Under the Jensen Motors name, the brothers manufactured a limited run of cars based on Ford chassis before introducing their first self-manufactured model, the Ford V8-powered S-Type, in 1936. The H-Type followed in 1938 with a larger-displacement Nash straight-eight and a choice of open or closed body styles. This example’s aluminum coachwork is said to have been repainted in its current combination of blue and gray under Clive Cussler’s ownership several decades ago. Features include four doors hinged at the B-pillars, bright front and rear bumpers, Lucas tri-bar headlights, a central driving light, fender-mounted side mirrors, hood and cowl louvers, bright shoulder line trim, trafficators, and an external fuel filler cap. There is a hole in the left-front fender. The wire wheels are secured by octagonal nuts and are wrapped in older Goodyear wide-whitewall tires. A spare is stowed in a recessed compartment in the trunk panel under a body-color cover. Stopping is handled by four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes with blue-painted outer surfaces, and the braking system is said to have been refreshed in preparation for the sale. The right-hand-drive cabin is trimmed in gray leather over the front bucket seats, rear bench, and door panels, while color-keyed carpeting covers the floors. Additional features include wood door caps, ashtrays and storage pockets on the front seatbacks, rear footrests, a fold-down rear armrest, rear vanities, front footwell vents, and a lockable glovebox. The four-spoke steering wheel sits ahead of a wood dash housing a 120-mph speedometer, a 6k-rpm tachometer, and ancillary gauges. The five-digit odometer shows 52k miles, approximately 2,500 of which have been added under current ownership. A split in the wood is present across the center of the dash. The 4.2-liter Nash inline-eight features overhead valves, a single downdraft carburetor, and dual ignition with a magneto feeding one set of spark plugs and a distributor handling the other set. A fuel system service is said to have been performed in preparation for the sale. The seller notes that the car has spent much of its time in storage and has been driven sparingly over the last several decades. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission and a Columbia two-speed rear axle. Suspension incorporates transverse leaf springs as part of an independent front setup and a solid-axle rear arrangement.