Final stretch for the Jensen 541
October 30, 2024
Looking lovely sitting in the middle of The Atelier. The final touches are being made to the door and the car is hopefully only days
Jensen 541s
1956 Jensen 541 work continues
October 30, 2024
We secure all the bolts and tried the clutch and it feels good. Re-fit oil filter housing and new filter. Fill with oil and run
Safely Transported Home
February 13, 2024
Our 1961 Jensen 541S has been safely transported home to its owner. Tony was responsible for its care and, as you can see from the
Jensen Paint Work
February 8, 2024
The very first Jensen we restored, our 1961 Jensen 541S has been in the paint shop with Chris. He has rubbed down the damaged area,
Jensen Boot Floor Plate
December 8, 2023
Rob is back into the swing of things now as he makes and fits an access plate to cover the fuel tank sender unit. He
Jensen 541 Interior Work
November 10, 2023
Fitting inner glovebox top section and outer panel. We have glued the vinyl to the bottom section, fitting hinges to the glovebox lid, fitted lock
Interior work on our Jensen 541
November 8, 2023
Some additional shaping was needed to the floor mats upon inspection. Lydia cut down the sides slightly and shaped the back edge. She added a
Getting Ready For Summer
May 11, 2023
Now that warmer (and hopefully drier) weather is coming, it is the time of year when the thought of getting your classic car back out
Looking As Good As New
January 16, 2023
When the award-winning 1960 Jensen 541S returned to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at the end of last year, everyone was very excited to see
Door Alterations
January 3, 2023
We love Jensens here at Bridge Classic Cars. We think they are very special cars and we have spent lots of time working on various
Swapping Lights
December 19, 2022
After having an award-winning summer at a number of classic car shows, our 1960 Jensen 541S has returned to us. Before being put into storage,
More Jensen Parts
October 5, 2022
Classic car technician Paul has been making several different parts that will eventually be used on one of our Jensen restoration projects. These include parts
A Brief History Of The Jensen 541
October 4, 2022
The Jensen 541 was a car produced by Jensen Motors. Each one of these cars has an individual story to tell, but the story of
Winner – 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’ Wins at Classic at Glemham 2022
September 9, 2022
The 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’ which was restored by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house team has won Best Restored Car at Classic at Glemham 2022.
Inspect & Assess – Inspecting the Chassis for the 1960 Jensen 541R ‘Lilac’
June 29, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars team are currently in the process of stripping back and inspecting the chassis for our 1960 Jensen 541R, Lilac. The team
Check & Sort – Work Begins on the 1958 Jensen 541R in the Bodyshop
June 29, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R which arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ recently from Holland has begun its first steps into colour with our
Empty – Draining the Fuel Tank on the 1960 Jensen 541S ‘’Peony Red’’
June 28, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop team have been looking at the 1960 Jensen 541S as part of an investigation into a running issue on the
Inspection – Going Through the 1958 Jensen 541R
June 17, 2022
The team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working their way through the 1958 Jensen 541R in order to compile a full condition report for
Secured – Roof Supports Glued into the 1956 Jensen 541 Rear Window
June 17, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been continuing work on the roof supports of the 1956 Jensen 541. Previously, our trimmer Brian handmade
From Scratch – New Wooden Rear Window Beams for the 1956 Jensen 541
June 16, 2022
The interior trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked on crafting new wooden support beams for the 1956 Jensen 541 in for restoration. Brian,
Progress – Update on the 1959 Jensen 541R
May 10, 2022
The team at Bridge Classic Cars have been making progress on the beautiful 1959 Jensen 541R in our restoration workshop. Firstly the team began by
Like New – Renewing the Steering Column and Dash Wiring on the 1962 Jensen 541S
January 7, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians are not new to the world of Jensen 541’s, after restoring several of the 541, 541S and 541R’s
Unplugged – Wiring Up the 1962 Jensen 541S
December 20, 2021
The 1962 Jensen 541S that is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is currently undergoing a full wiring harness swap. Our workshop manager, John,
And So It Begins – Stripping Down the 1962 Jensen 541S
December 7, 2021
The 1962 Jensen 541S that is currently in at Bridge Classic Cars for some work has been handed over to our technician Tom to begin
Parts are In – Wiring Loom on the 1962 Jensen 541S
November 26, 2021
The wiring loom for the 1962 Jensen 541S that is in at Bridge Classic Cars has arrived! This means our world-class in-house restorations technicians can
In Good Hands – Sending Away the Jensen 541 Gearboxes to be Rebuilt.
November 25, 2021
With several Jensen 541’s restorations currently going through the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, it was time to send their gearboxes off to a local gearbox/transmission
New Beginnings – Brightwork Off for Refinishing on the 1969 Jensen 541
November 10, 2021
A crucial part of classic sportscars is it’s brightwork. An instantly recognisable symbol for elegance and style, chromework is the cornerstone of a finished classic.
Ready for Take-Off – Pre-Delivery Inspection on the 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony Red’
October 26, 2021
It’s nearly time for Peony Red, the 1960 Jensen 541S to go off to her new home away from us here at Bridge Classic Cars.
Small adjustment for the red Jensen!
August 3, 2021
Kath has been laying the carpet back down in the peony red 1960 Jensen 541S. The pedals needed some adjustment, so the sound deadening and
Jensen 541S engine running up
July 13, 2021
Please to show our Jensen 541S bursting into life and sounding beautiful. Next job will be to set the gearbox up.
Final stretch for the Jensen 541
October 30, 2024
Looking lovely sitting in the middle of The Atelier. The final touches are being made to the door and the car is hopefully only days away from the testing stage.
1956 Jensen 541 work continues
October 30, 2024
We secure all the bolts and tried the clutch and it feels good. Re-fit oil filter housing and new filter. Fill with oil and run up. We’ve then topped up the oil.
Tested clutch bite point on the ramp before refitting interior and the bite point seems a little high. We’ve adjusted the arm to the thrust bearing, re-test and all is now ok.
Refit tunnel, carpet and both front seats.
Then we’ve back on to the service items. Stripped and fitted new points and condenser but can’t get them to spark.
Removed and isolated the base plate with fibre washer and tested but still not insulated.
Remove contacts and isolate with fibre washer and test. All is now ok so we’ve set the points to 0.016″ and refitted cap and rotor before retesting. Starts and runs ok.
Fitted a new inline fuel filter underneath. Remove and blow out air filters and clean casing. Refit and secure.
Safely Transported Home
February 13, 2024
Our 1961 Jensen 541S has been safely transported home to its owner.
Tony was responsible for its care and, as you can see from the photos below, this beautiful classic is now back with its fellow garage mates.
Jensen Paint Work
February 8, 2024
The very first Jensen we restored, our 1961 Jensen 541S has been in the paint shop with Chris. He has rubbed down the damaged area, primed, and painted the sill.
Jensen Boot Floor Plate
December 8, 2023
Rob is back into the swing of things now as he makes and fits an access plate to cover the fuel tank sender unit.
He has fitted up the interior door handles to both doors, repainted motif on gear knob and fitted to car.
The fuel tank breather pipe has been fitted to the tank and run out of boot floor.
He’s made up and fitted an alloy bracket to hold a new charging socket. Wire up and fit inside glove box.
Jensen 541 Interior Work
November 10, 2023
Fitting inner glovebox top section and outer panel. We have glued the vinyl to the bottom section, fitting hinges to the glovebox lid, fitted lock to the lid before fitting lid to the glovebox outer panel.
Brian has also made up the leather door straps, glued leather together ready to be sewn and bolted leather straps to the door panels.
John has also bee fixing a water leak in the engine. Water way blanking stud is missing so he has made up a new one and fit.
Interior work on our Jensen 541
November 8, 2023
Some additional shaping was needed to the floor mats upon inspection. Lydia cut down the sides slightly and shaped the back edge. She added a rubber floor mat to the drivers side to give some protection for the mat.
The front carpet mats have been altered to improve the fit and she also located the seat bars to secure the seat bases to the sliding rail. Heat shrink has been added to the end of these to give them a better finish.
Most of the interior is now complete. The centre arm rest storage has been fitted and the front seats are now secured in as well. Just awaiting the capping pieces for the door cards to be finished.
Cutting and fitting weather strips to the door tops, adjusting the ends of the door cappings so the doors close properly. Lydia has cut out insert panels for the door panels, covering insert panels in leather and fitting to the door panels, fitting door panels back onto the car.
Getting Ready For Summer
May 11, 2023
Now that warmer (and hopefully drier) weather is coming, it is the time of year when the thought of getting your classic car back out on the road starts popping up.
We have been storing the award-winning 1960 Jensen 541S over winter, but the time has come for it to come out of The Hangar, and be prepared for its owner to collect it and enjoy it over the summer months.
Before it’s ready to leave us though, we are waiting on a new fuel gauge to arrive which will replace the current faulty one. Once this arrives and is installed, the car will be summer-ready and will soon leave us to be admired in the sun!
Looking As Good As New
January 16, 2023
When the award-winning 1960 Jensen 541S returned to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at the end of last year, everyone was very excited to see it again.
Since it has been back with us, its fog and spot lights have been swapped over and an issue with the driver’s side door alignment has been resolved too.
The next task that the workshop team have been looking at is a small area of damage to the paintwork above the driver’s side front wheel. Classic car technician Chris repaired the damage before priming the area.
Chris then went on to paint the repaired area and, as you can see from the photos below, our 1960 Jensen 541S is looking as impressive as ever.
Door Alterations
January 3, 2023
We love Jensens here at Bridge Classic Cars. We think they are very special cars and we have spent lots of time working on various Jensen models from Interceptors to FFs, 541, 541R, and more.
One extremely special Jensen is our 1960 Jensen 541S which has recently returned to the workshop.
While it has been with us, it had its fog and spot lights swapped over by classic car technician Ryan as well as receiving some attention from Dave too.
Dave’s focus was on the driver’s side door. The door didn’t quite align right with the body of the car when it was closed. Dave did some alteration work and was able to improve the alignment of the door so the chrome part of the frame now fits much better.
As the time approaches to once again say goodbye to our 1960 Jensen 541S, we are pleased to have been able to make improvements to this beautiful, award-winning classic car.
Swapping Lights
December 19, 2022
After having an award-winning summer at a number of classic car shows, our 1960 Jensen 541S has returned to us.
Before being put into storage, classic car technician Ryan swapped the fog and spot lights over on this beautiful classic car.
While Ryan has been looking at the lights, Dave was busy working to resolve an alignment issue with one of the door windows.
We have always known that our 1960 Jensen 541S is a beautiful and very special classic car. We love having it back in the workshop with us and the team here is enjoying being up close and personal with it preparing it for its time in storage.
More Jensen Parts
October 5, 2022
Classic car technician Paul has been making several different parts that will eventually be used on one of our Jensen restoration projects.
These include parts such as seat runners, bonnet supports, gutter trim, and door frames. All of these will go on to be further prepped before being installed in one of the cars.
Paul also tested Jensen heater box fans as well as cleaning them, painting them, and reassembling them.
A Brief History Of The Jensen 541
October 4, 2022
The Jensen 541 was a car produced by Jensen Motors. Each one of these cars has an individual story to tell, but the story of the Jensen 541, in general, is one that many car enthusiasts should be keen to hear.
If you want to know more about these truly iconic classic cars, then this brief history of the Jensen 541 can give you a good idea of how special (and rare) these cars really are.
October 1953 – The Launch Of The Jensen 541
At the Earls Court Motor Show of 1953, the Jensen 541 was shown to the public for the very first time. It would be another eight months before production properly started but, this was the date when the world was officially introduced to the 541.
Up until the 541, Jensen had mostly been using aluminium for the bodywork of their Interceptors (there were restrictions on the use of steel still in place as the world recovered from the second world war). When it came to making the boot lids of the Interceptors though, Jensen played around with a new material of the time – fibreglass.
When working on the idea for the 541, Jensen wanted to do something big, so they decided to make a lot more of the car from this new wonder material.
June 1954 – Production Begins
In June of 1954, production of the Jensen 541 began. At the time, you could buy your very own 541 for £2146.
October 1956 – Say Hello To The 541 Deluxe
A little over 2 years after production of the 541 began, the 541 Deluxe was introduced. As this was a more luxurious car that featured all disc brakes, the price of the car increased to £2626.
Only 53 Jensen 541 Deluxes were made in total.
October 1957 – Here Comes The Jensen 541R
A year later, the 541R was introduced. When first released, these were fitted with Austin Princess (DS7) twin-carb engines, and an overdrive gearbox. The price tag for a 541R, at the time, was £2866.
January 1958 – No More Original Jensen 541
At the beginning of 1958, the very last Jensen 541 was made.
October 1960 – From R To S
Two years later, the Jensen 541R was pulled from production too. At this point, less than 200 541Rs had been made. Jensen had now moved on to the Jensen 541S which had a larger interior, and automatic transmission as standard. Due to these upgrades, the 541S cost £3195.
January 1963 – The End Of The Road
At the beginning of 1963, production of the Jensen 541S ended. Less than 150 had been made before being replaced by the Jensen CV-8 which had been introduced the previous year (1962).
Bridge Classic Cars And The Jensen 541
Jensens have had a strong presence in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for a long time. Our team of classic car technicians have restored multiple 541s and some of our current projects include a few more too.
Considering only a few hundred of these classic cars were made, we love seeing them in the workshop. We love working on them, and we love getting them back on the road for everyone to enjoy.
Winner – 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’ Wins at Classic at Glemham 2022
September 9, 2022
The 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’ which was restored by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house team has won Best Restored Car at Classic at Glemham 2022.
It’s amazing to see the reception and accolades that this particular Jensen has been chalking up since being completed by the workshop here at our Suffolk HQ. We can’t wait to see what it does next!
Inspect & Assess – Inspecting the Chassis for the 1960 Jensen 541R ‘Lilac’
June 29, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars team are currently in the process of stripping back and inspecting the chassis for our 1960 Jensen 541R, Lilac.
The team have been looking into the depth of any corrosion and also to the extent of previous repairs to the chassis which will need to be rectified and corrected by the team to bring this frame back to better than new.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page soon for more updates on the 1960 Jensen 541R.
Check & Sort – Work Begins on the 1958 Jensen 541R in the Bodyshop
June 29, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R which arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ recently from Holland has begun its first steps into colour with our in-house body team.
The team have been assessing and inspecting the body of the classic Jensen for any damage to the fibreglass or to any fittings/trim work. Once this was done, the body shop could begin to remove the parts off of the body individually before cataloguing and putting them safely into storage to await its reassembly by the team later in the process.
Empty – Draining the Fuel Tank on the 1960 Jensen 541S ‘’Peony Red’’
June 28, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop team have been looking at the 1960 Jensen 541S as part of an investigation into a running issue on the classic GT car.
The team have decided to drain the fuel tank on the classic Jensen to both inspect the fuel and the tank itself as part of the diagnostics. For this, the team use a small electric fuel pump to siphon the fuel out of the tank to be stored in transparent containers for visual inspection of sediment or dirt.
Then, the team can begin the visual inspection of the fuel tank itself to check for debris or dirt in different areas. At the same time, they will begin to inspect the carburettor for any build-up of dirt and debris. After looking into the bowls of the carburettor, they found some small deposits of sediment at the base of the bowls but not an amount which could cause the issue.
The team will continue to inspect and investigate the root cause of the running issue on the 1960 Jensen 541S.
Inspection – Going Through the 1958 Jensen 541R
June 17, 2022
The team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working their way through the 1958 Jensen 541R in order to compile a full condition report for the owner of the beautiful 1950s GT car.
Our technician John has gone through the entire car front to back in order to check each individual system as well as a full visual inspection of the car’s mechanicals. He has found a couple of things to note which have been reported back on, one of them being a gap in the spring shackle of the car.
The passenger’s side rear spring shackle shows a gap between the eyelet and hanger which isn’t present on the driver’s side. This is something John has worked on and made a spacer in order to take up the space to ensure everything remains aligned and square.
Secured – Roof Supports Glued into the 1956 Jensen 541 Rear Window
June 17, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been continuing work on the roof supports of the 1956 Jensen 541.
Previously, our trimmer Brian handmade the roof supports for the rear window of the classic Jensen which have been specifically profiled to fit the recess perfectly. With the pieces now test fit, the team could prepare the area and the pieces before applying the adhesives and clamping them securely down to let cure.
From Scratch – New Wooden Rear Window Beams for the 1956 Jensen 541
June 16, 2022
The interior trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked on crafting new wooden support beams for the 1956 Jensen 541 in for restoration.
Brian, one of our trimmers, made templates of the original pieces to begin work on carefully cutting and angling the new pieces of pine into the factory position. Each of these pieces were first rough cut before being refined to ensure the perfect fit as these pieces not only add a bit of support to the rear window opening but will also allow the trim team a place to attach the headliner once the interior of the car begins to go in.
Each of the two pieces which made up the beam are cut by hand and then offered up as no two are perfectly uniformed due to the handmade nature of the cars originally.
Progress – Update on the 1959 Jensen 541R
May 10, 2022
The team at Bridge Classic Cars have been making progress on the beautiful 1959 Jensen 541R in our restoration workshop.
Firstly the team began by removing the seats in order to correctly fit the centre console of the classic Jensen. For some reason, it had been previously fitted backwards. So, the team removed the seats to get access and then reinstalled the piece in the right orientation.
Next, the team began work on replacing the rear windows of the car. These are plexiglass pieces which have been made specifically to fit the 541R, the team carefully refined and worked them into place.
The team have also gone through the fuel system of the car. Upon inspection, they found an issue with the several filters and pipes leading from the fuel tank to the carburettors. Our technicians noticed the main feed line had a severe kink in it which was causing a fuel flow issue and along with that, replaced the in-tank fuel filters (both primary and reserve) to make sure the big straight-six is getting all the fuel it needs.
A request by the owner of the car was to fit a new steering wheel to the classic Jensen 541R. For this the team also went into some of the switches and selectors to service and clean them out. Then, they could begin to remove the original steering wheel. Uniquely, the 541 steering wheel is actually riveted to the boss. The team carefully drilled out each individual rivet to separate the steering wheel from its boss. Then, working in reverse with the new steering wheel the team reattached the wheel and got it back into the car.
And while they were working on the interior, they have replaced the handles with new pieces which really set off against the grey/blue inside of the classic 541.
Like New – Renewing the Steering Column and Dash Wiring on the 1962 Jensen 541S
January 7, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians are not new to the world of Jensen 541’s, after restoring several of the 541, 541S and 541R’s we have some experience in doing jobs on them.
This particular 1962 Jensen 541S came into us to have a few jobs carried out on it.
Firstly it was the job of our technician Tamas to remove the old steering column from the car as the customer had requested it be replaced in favour of a new power steering unit. Carefully and with the old wiring harness out of the way, Tamas worked on getting the new unit fitted up to the dark green, luxury GT. After that, Tamas made sure that everything fit up to the car with the new harness in place to ensure nothing caught or bound up on the new column and also to check the column-mounted shifter all worked seamlessly.
Then it was time to get the new wiring harness fitted to the car. Our workshop manager John, began with completely removing the old harness from the car and preparing each piece for the brand new harness to be put into the car. Then, it was the turn of our restoration technician Tamas to get the new harness entirely installed into the car. He began by wiring up the new harness into the back of the dashboard and gauges whilst on the work bench. Then with this, he carefully refit the original dash back into the making sure to drape the specific wires through the dash structure to keep them all neat and organised. Then, he systematically went through the harness to connect it into the relevant systems of the car and began testing. Everything worked perfectly!
Unplugged – Wiring Up the 1962 Jensen 541S
December 20, 2021
The 1962 Jensen 541S that is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is currently undergoing a full wiring harness swap.
Our workshop manager, John, has been given the task of changing over from the old harness to the bespoke harness for the car. John has been making sure that everything is prepped and ready for the new harness but he has found a couple of issues.
This particular 541S has been fitted with electric fans which on inspection of the wiring, was just twisted together and taped over. John cut this out and remade the extensions for it to be wired up to the new harness. The main aim of the new harness is the safety and longevity for the owner so John is making sure each of the systems is being checked as it is installed.
And So It Begins – Stripping Down the 1962 Jensen 541S
December 7, 2021
The 1962 Jensen 541S that is currently in at Bridge Classic Cars for some work has been handed over to our technician Tom to begin preparing the car for its new components.
The first job for Tom is to strip the original wiring harness out of the car as we have ordered an entire new loom for the car to make sure all the electrical system works absolutely spot on. A key point for all classic cars. With such a handbuilt car, Tom has had to almost trace every wire individually from front to back in order to make sure everything is removed and safe. After this, each part of the harness is catalogued and stored just in case.
Next, Tom has removed the steering column which is due to be replaced on this particular car. For that Tom had to carefully remove the entire dash to gain access to the gear linkage which is controlled via the column. With everything disconnected and the dash out of the car, Tom could begin to also catalogue and assess each individual component.
There will be more happening on the 1962 Jensen 541S very soon so keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more.
Parts are In – Wiring Loom on the 1962 Jensen 541S
November 26, 2021
The wiring loom for the 1962 Jensen 541S that is in at Bridge Classic Cars has arrived! This means our world-class in-house restorations technicians can begin to slowly and carefully remove the old harness in preparation for the new loom to be put into the car.
Before the harness is removed, our technicians will check vital components and their connectors to ensure that the new loom will fit into place just as intended both neatly and safely back into this gorgeous British sports car.
We’re excited to see more on the 541S in the coming weeks!
In Good Hands – Sending Away the Jensen 541 Gearboxes to be Rebuilt.
November 25, 2021
With several Jensen 541’s restorations currently going through the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, it was time to send their gearboxes off to a local gearbox/transmission specialist with who we have been working with for several years.
These gearboxes and overdrive units will be completely rebuilt in preparation for when the cars are ready later in their respective restorations.
There will be more updates once these have been rebuilt at Last Transmissions and are back safely in our hands at Bridge Classic Cars.
New Beginnings – Brightwork Off for Refinishing on the 1969 Jensen 541
November 10, 2021
A crucial part of classic sportscars is it’s brightwork. An instantly recognisable symbol for elegance and style, chromework is the cornerstone of a finished classic.
So it’s time to send off all the pieces from our 1956 Jensen 541 that is currently undergoing restoration here at Bridge Classic Cars. These pieces will be sent off to a local specialist to be refinished, polished and cured before being bought back to our workshop and stored ready for when the car is in final assembly.
There will be more on this fantastic project here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog soon.
Ready for Take-Off – Pre-Delivery Inspection on the 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony Red’
October 26, 2021
It’s nearly time for Peony Red, the 1960 Jensen 541S to go off to her new home away from us here at Bridge Classic Cars. Every square inch of Peony Red has been worked on in-house at Bridge Classic Cars by our expert in-house restoration teams.
We will be sad to see her go but before she leaves, our workshop manager and senior technician John has been giving her a pre-delivery inspection ahead of our travels. John has been going through each individual system on the car to ensure everything is all present and correct before the end of the week.
Alongside John is Tamas, one of our junior technicians to work on getting Peony Red ready.
Safe travels.
Small adjustment for the red Jensen!
August 3, 2021
Kath has been laying the carpet back down in the peony red 1960 Jensen 541S. The pedals needed some adjustment, so the sound deadening and carpet were glued back down after this was done.
Jensen 541S engine running up
July 13, 2021
Please to show our Jensen 541S bursting into life and sounding beautiful.
Next job will be to set the gearbox up.
