Highlights of Previous News
If you want to see what has been news in the 541 community in the past months and years, take a look below.
Happy Browsing!
** Warning - they are now out-of-date **
With a swift round-up of the news of 2022, (remember that long hot summer?),
here's all our best wishes for 2023 to the Jensen 541 community.
Photoshoot update
Update
I reported at the beginning of the year that a small fashion label was looking to do a photo shoot as part of London Fashion Week,
with a nice green 541 in the Holland Road area, West London. My informant tells me that due to multiple problems with permissions for the shoot
there was no ultimately no Jensen involvement.
541s on the Screen
Dave Turnage reported "There is a brief glimpse of a light blue 541 (seen in lots of tv and films) in the ITV series
Grantchester (season 7 episode 5), at about 32 minutes." (Online versions may have different timing).
Grantchester is a British ITV detective drama, set in the 1950s in the Cambridgeshire village of the same name.
The show stars vicar William Davenport (Tom Brittney), who develops a sideline in sleuthing with the help of
Detective Inspector Geordie Keating (Robson Green).
I obtained this screenshot:
Click on images to enlarge
Meanwhile, the same car is briefly seen in the trailer for "See How They Run":
"In the West End of 1950s London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to an abrupt halt
after a pivotal member of the crew is murdered."
And the same hardworking screen star appears again in 'The Larkins':
"This popular British show follows the raucous adventures of
Ma and Pop Larkin, who have a large brood, living in 1950s rural England."
Here, Bradley Walsh is seen talking to a young lady getting behind the wheel of a 541:
... before she drives off, scattering several milk churns (ouch!).
YKX 257 is a 541 in the collection of Studio 434, which rents out cars to film companies.
Looking forward to Spring(s)
British Classic Car Parts (BCC) are offering leaf springs specifically designed for the "Jensen model 541".
We haven't any feedback on the quality of these products yet.
BCC say:
The springs on your car may not be the originals, a lot can happen in 50 or 60 years,
and so our listing may differ from the springs you have on your car.
It is therefore important to try to give us as much information as you can;
the year of manufacture (not always the same as the date of first registration)
the model designation and variant, ... but failing that the number of leaves
and the approximate spring width,
will help us to identify the correct spring.
Here's the story of the sensitive renovation of former Car of the Month, Phil's family 541.
Bill Rawles commented on Facebook (edited):
We have recently completed this Austin DS5 4 litre engine rebuild for a Jensen 541.
One of approximately 170 cars built, the 541 is an excellent, comfortable, and capable sports car.
This car, aptly registered ‘UVR 541’, has been owned by one family since it was just a few years old.
Back in the day, it would sit most comfortably at 100mph on the newly built M1 motorway.
The install is scheduled for the New Year, just in time for another 55 years of motoring…
Background: We pulled this car out of a barn in October 2018 after it had stood for 2 decades.
Over the coming months, we recommissioned the vehicle by completing an extensive
list of vital mechanical items in need of repair...
The car was fully road tested, re MOT'd and ready for action.
However, it had stood around for 20 years, so whilst it was safe,
we had not restored the whole car and the owner knew that.
A break down or more than likely, an oil seal failure was possible,
and he was keen to work with us, putting the miles onto the car and really,
seeing if anything let go.
With the childhood car back on the road he was under strict instructions to keep it local. When he called the workshop from Cambridgeshire, having driven to the family home from Hampshire,
I was alarmed and pleased, realising he had to drive back!
But the old Jensen went on and on and on… Excellent.
A testament to our thorough recommissioning combined with good old British engineering.
Although the Brooklands meeting, organised by John Staddon, was a joyous celebration of the
60th anniversary of the C-V8, we had planty of its stablemates there to join in - Interceptors, Healeys and 541s.
There were four 541s there - each one wonderful its own way.
Click the square on the video to open full screen.
NEC Classic Show - Nov '22
The NEC was to be a celebration of the C-V8's 60th Birthday, and the Healey's 50th.
At the last minute, due to a vacant spot on the stand, we acquired the aubergine 541R
that was being looked after
by Dan Smith pending the auction immediately after the show.
(Click to enlarge)
Early Disc Brakes
There is a lively discussion going on in the Forum at present about the merits of swapping out the front drums on an early 541
and possibly installing discs...
With this in mind, here is Jaguar's take on the advantages of discs. Notice that they claim to be the
first to use them on all four wheels on a volume-produced high performance sports car.
They knew Jensen had beaten them with a hand-assembled car!
Click on picture to read.
African Connection
For some time there have been hints of a 541 in Kenya,
and this year I managed to get in touch with Gary Bangera, whose 541 is only one away from Phil Fish's.
Details: Delivered 3rd May 1956 to Parkway Garages, Parkstone, Dorchester UK.
First owner: Colonel O'Hara Moore
First registration: JPR 299
Colour: Tampico Beige (a sandy metallic gold), with red interior
If anyone wants to get in touch with him, to help with this remote restoration, I will put you in touch.
Opel Hoses
Regular reader Michiel Bohmer, in the Netherlands, has the rare DS7 automatic 541R.
Following much discussion on the Forum, he has managed to replace
his DS7 radiator hoses with easily purchased Opel hoses which he has cut to shape. Happy New Year Michiel!
Forum members can use this link:
DS7 hoses - Forum!
(opens in New Window - register for free to see the 541 section)
RIP Richard Calver
1955-2022
Jensen Guru.
Author of the Jensen Databook, Jensen Genome and several other Jensen books.
RIP HM The Queen
1926-2022
Probably the most famous 541 driver ever (1955).
When I started running jensen541.com for the Club a dozen years ago, I reported on a mystery car.
It was registered AKG 584A, formerly 4NPJ, and it was fitted with the rare "small block" Jaguar XK engine.
Earlier this year I appealed for any information on this ripe-for-restoration beauty.
Danny Bristow immediately helped with this info:
Just read your update to the Jensen 541 page and sending you a few pics from 2009 when we owned the blue 541R.
Unfortunately we don't have a reg or chassis number but sold it to James Dennison.
He bought it with the intention of restoring it but sold it straight on for a good profit on ebay.
This was confirmed by James Dennison for Brightwells, who added:
Yes, I did briefly own that 541R about 10 years ago, if memory serves me right. ...
It was bought by some blokes in East Germany who drove all the way to Worcester to pick it up on a trailer.
2022 INTERNATIONAL Eastwood Hall, Nottingham
On 10-12 June 2022, returning to our pre-Covid time of year, we held a celebratory meeting
in the grounds of the Eastwood Hotel, welcoming back our continental guests.
As usual, the 541 contingent did well, with Graham Dales's freshly restored 541, TEA 541,
winning the prestigious "Members' Choice" trophy, and also the trophy for Best 541.
This is now named the "Ron Smith Cup" and was presented by Ron himself - a long standing and well respected 541 owner.
It later turned out that Ron had known Graham's father many years ago!
Over at the "Show'n'Shine", for all non-Concours cars, the winner was Alistair Thomas' 541R, YLR 636.
Here it is seen with the red 541R, 963 DTA.
We made a trip out to The Great British Car Journey, in Derbyshire. Amongst the 130 British classic cars on display, there is a Jensen 541S -
one of the more glamorous cars on display as it generally highlights "cars your Dad might have driven".
It was previously owned by the indomitable Stella and "Scotty" (Albert Scott) - according to the museum owner,
the scratches from Stella's long fingernails are still on the steering wheel!
Burlen is a company who bought up the rights to the SU carburettor brand many years ago,
and are an invaluable source of spares for 541 owners.
They posted on Twitter:
Dad Burnett (aka John) has a 541 S in original, unrestored condition. Had it for years and years, brought all
of us three brothers home from hospital
over 40 years ago and still in the family.
Picture credit: "Burlen Co."
Picture credit: "Burlen Co."
SALVADORI REVIEWS 541 1958 Autocourse
Picture credit: "Wikipedia Commons"
One of our greatest British racing drivers, Essex-born Salvadori had a Formula One career
stretching from 1952 to 1962, and won LeMans in 1959 with Caroll Shelby.
In 1958, he test drove the new 541R for Autocourse magazine.
An edited version of his comments is quoted here:
A quarter of a century ago, most high performance cars derived their urge from a small engine
which was called upon to rev like nobody's business, making a noise like a frantic fly on a window pane.
...
Since then the tendency has been to install larger engines in light chassis
...
One of the most interesting examples of the near-ultimate in this trend is the Jensen 541,
a fast and luxurious four-seater saloon whose lusty "cooking" engine is lightly stressed
even at three-figure speeds
... not a cheap car, but the lively performance and the sleek lines of the
glass fibre body ensure a steady, if small, sale.
WHAT'S THAT CAR?: An occasional series
541 owners are often told about a car that someone has seen that just might be a 541
(it usually turns out to be a Scimitar...)
so here for your information and entertainment is a car that shares features with the Jensen.
This time, it is a Farina bodied Jowett Jupiter, one of four with handbuilt bodywork
built by Stabilimenti Farina, of Turin. Any resemblance to the 541 is probably deliberate -
Eric Neale was a keen follower of Continental styling trends, and would have been aware that
this very car was exhibited at the 1950 Paris Salon.
.
BRIDGE CLASSIC CARS OPEN DAY
At the end of July, Bridge Classic Cars threw open their doors for an Open Day.
As they had around six 541s on their site at the time,
I made a visit to their impressive premises. Thanks to Gordon and the staff for a great day.
Here are some of the multitude of 541s on the premises, from wrecks to bare chassis
to under restoration, and Dave Hillman's
previously restored car being used by the Chordettes singing group as a prop!
Our Car of the Month is the beautiful aubergine coloured 541R, YLW 879, (see below),
but if you can't afford the real thing then you can buy
the excellent Oxford Diecast 1:76 scale (tiny!) model, with the correct numberplate.
Only pale blue is currently in stock from Oxford, but other colours are readily available on eBay.
While you are there, you can pick up a 1983 Practical Classics magazine with YLW 879 as its cover star.
FEATURED CAR:
Ron & Thelma's 541
Now with a lucky new owner, having sold at auction this year.
Picture credit: carandclassic.com
... previous featured car pictures are stored in an Archive page. Go to the "Features" tab to find this.
ERRATUM:
...Oddie Fasteners
Reader Adrian has pointed out to me that there are no such things as "Half turn "Oddie" fasteners", as I claimed last time...
They are of course quarter turn fasteners.
RANDOM PART:
...the 541 has many interesting and unique parts...
here's some of them...
The springs on your car may not be the originals, a lot can happen in 50 or 60 years,
and so our listing may differ from the springs you have on your car.
It is therefore important to try to give us as much information as you can;
the year of manufacture (not always the same as the date of first registration)
the model designation and variant, ... but failing that the number of leaves
and the approximate spring width,
will help us to identify the correct spring.
Forum members can use this link:
WHAT'S THAT CAR?: An occasional series
COMMERCIAL CORNER: Aubergine 541
