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The first cars
built by the Jensen brothers were not badged with their name. In
1928 they built up an Austin Seven special and later another on a
Standard chassis. During 1931 they were in business with J.A.
Patrick of Selly Oak Birmingham, as Patrick Jensen Motors Ltd, but
the firm was dissolved at the end of the year.
The brothers
then joined a West Bromwich coachbuilber W.J. Smith & Son. at
the behest of a customer and part-owner of the firm, grocer Gorge
Mason. They were able to improve Smith's production of commercial
bodies, and soon began dabbling in sports bodies for cars. By 1933
their bodies were being offered on Morris, Singer, STANDARD and
Wolseley chassis. and Ford had catalogued their 'Mistral' bodies
on the 8hp chassis, offered through the Birmingham dealer, Bristol
Street Motors. The next year the name of the Smith firm was
changed to Jensen Motors Ltd.
A series of Model 40 Ford V8s as
bodied and outfitted for the 1934 Tourist Trophy race at Ards in
Northern Ireland, although the cars did not make a notable
showing. But that autumn a Jensen Special Ford V8, with Iowered
sports tourer body was shown at Ford's 'alternative' motor show at
the Royal Albert Hall. Fewer than 30 replicas were built over the
next three years, on Ford Models 40, 48 and 68 chassis, and a few
were shipped to the USA, including one ordered by screen idol
Clark Gable, who ultimately decided not to consummate his
purchase.
The Jensen 3½-Litre appeared in the motoring press in October 1936. Built on
modified Ford chassis supplied through M.B.K. Motors, an
enterprise of Lt Col J.T.C. Moore-Brabazon and Harold Kahn, the
cars featured an extended wheelbase and dropped suspension, both
patterned after a design of Ford designer E.T. Gregorie. Offered
in saloon, tourer and drophead models, the cars have been
retrospectively designated S-types, after their chassis serial
numbers. Styling in the classic English fashion and the bodies
carefully coachbuilt by the Jensen's craftsmen. The cars sold for
from £645 to £765. depending on body style.
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