Home 
Home Search search Menu menu Not logged in - Login | Register
> Jensen Healey & Jensen GT Tech > Body & interior stuff > Headlight pod and rear panel blackout

 Moderated by: Greg Fletcher
New Topic Reply Printer Friendly
Headlight pod and rear panel blackout  Rating:  Rating
AuthorPost
 Posted: 09-30-2012 06:11 am
  PM Quote Reply
1st Post
answerman
Member
 

Joined: 09-10-2012
Location: Little Chute, Wisconsin USA
Posts: 435
Status: 
Offline
Hey everyone... no hurry on an answer since I don't expect that 16173 will be ready for paint till closer to spring, but something I've been wondering about...

Is there an authentic color scheme?  I've seen differing opinions on the pictures I've seen.  It seems like a large number of the Jensen Healeys have blacked out headlight pods, and also a black rear panel (surrounding the taillights).

Mine, which has been repainted by one of the POs, does not have the black in the headlight pods, but does have the black rear panel.

Just wondering when it comes time to paint... not that Ms. Jenavieve will be 100% original, but I'd like to at least try to stay with the program.

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: 09-30-2012 06:23 am
  PM Quote Reply
2nd Post
Jensen Healey
Super Moderator


Joined: 03-11-2005
Location: San Anselmo, California USA
Posts: 983
Status: 
Offline
The '74's and 75's had the headlight black but no cars came with the black rear end, afaik.

Kurt

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: 03-19-2013 04:42 am
  PM Quote Reply
3rd Post
Robert Janca
Member
 

Joined: 10-19-2012
Location:  
Posts: 21
Status: 
Offline
My 1972 has the black rear and headlights. They are sprayed with the same tar based goop and seem to be original. I scraped all of that nastiness off and resprayed them with a single stage truck bed liner. It looks exactly the same in texture and color, but it is much more durable. The old stuff could actually be liquefied with alcohol and a rag. It took far less time to redo the tail than it did to tape and spray the headlight surrounds.

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: 03-19-2013 07:54 pm
  PM Quote Reply
4th Post
James Sohl
Member
 

Joined: 04-24-2006
Location: Chandler, Arizona USA
Posts: 18
Status: 
Offline
Super Moderator is correct. No original North American Jensen Healeys (and quite probably all Jensen Healeys) had a black rear panel.  Most of the credit for a black, or very dark grey tail light panel goes to the TR6.  As I recall from the old message board, the Mk I headlight cowl was all body color.  The change to flat black was possibly for one or both of two issues: 1) esthetics, black looked better; and 2) the wide beam of the headlights reflected up off the relatively flat area just in front of the headlight.  An unusual effect when driving under trees or through a tunnel!

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: 03-19-2013 11:43 pm
  PM Quote Reply
5th Post
Robert Janca
Member
 

Joined: 10-19-2012
Location:  
Posts: 21
Status: 
Offline
Interesting, that makes it even more peculiar that there is only reddish primer under the black tail of my car. The remainder of the car was originally the turquoise blue color common to 1972. This color is visible inside the door panels, trunk etc...but under the black there is no trace of it. Perhaps someone took the time to grind it all off before spraying the black stuff on...but that does seem rather odd.

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: 03-19-2013 11:52 pm
  PM Quote Reply
6th Post
Jensen Healey
Super Moderator


Joined: 03-11-2005
Location: San Anselmo, California USA
Posts: 983
Status: 
Offline
Robert, I don't think the factory used any "tar based goop" on the headlight nacelles. They would have been painted with lacquer which will not dissolve in alcohol.

I painted the rear of my car semi gloss black due to damage behind the license plate. I like the look even though it's not original.
http://jhppg.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=31359

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: 03-20-2013 12:27 am
  PM Quote Reply
7th Post
Robert Janca
Member
 

Joined: 10-19-2012
Location:  
Posts: 21
Status: 
Offline
Undoubtedly you both know better than I do. I am just surprised that someone took the time to remove all of the original, paint before spraying this textured black material on many years ago.

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: 03-20-2013 04:01 am
  PM Quote Reply
8th Post
Art DeKneef
Member
 

Joined: 03-12-2005
Location: Mesa, Arizona USA
Posts: 338
Status: 
Offline
To each their own. You'll see that all of us have different ideas on what to do to our cars. My feeling is do what you want and enjoy driving the car.

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

 Posted: 03-20-2013 04:13 am
  PM Quote Reply
9th Post
Robert Janca
Member
 

Joined: 10-19-2012
Location:  
Posts: 21
Status: 
Offline
Very true Art. To me it is no contest. The contrast of the black tail on a grey car with a black removable hardtop looks very sharp. Removing the black would definitely take away from the sharp lines I see when I look at my car.

Back To Top PM Quote Reply  

 Posted: 03-20-2013 04:38 am
  PM Quote Reply
10th Post
answerman
Member
 

Joined: 09-10-2012
Location: Little Chute, Wisconsin USA
Posts: 435
Status: 
Offline
Well, since it sounds like a lack of consensus among current paint jobs, I think I'm going to go with the black rear end (because it does look sharp) and not blacking out the headlight pods. I know it was original, but it just doesn't look right to me.

Back To Top PM Quote Reply

Current time is 06:25 pm  
> Jensen Healey & Jensen GT Tech > Body & interior stuff > Headlight pod and rear panel blackout Top




UltraBB 1.172 Copyright © 2007-2011 Data 1 Systems