Galen Hazen's Chevy V8 powered 1974 Jensen Healey
as published in BritishV8 Magazine, Volume XX Issue 1, July 2012Owner: Galen Hazen
City: Plano, Texas
Model: 1974 Jensen Healey
Engine: Chevrolet ZZ4 V8 (circa 2001)
Conversion performed by: owner.
Features and Specifications
| Engine: | Chevrolet ZZ4 350 cubic inch V8 crate engine, purchased new in 2001.
Forged steel crankshaft.
Four bolt mains.
Hypereutectic pistons.
Edelbrock Performer hydraulic roller camshaft.
Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum cylinder heads (part number 6089, 64cc chambers, ~9.7:1 static compression ratio), slightly ported.
Edelbrock valve covers.
Edelbrock Air Gap intake manifold.
Holley 750cfm double-pumper carburetor.
Holley blue fuel pump.
K&N gauze air filter.
Delco HEI distributor.
Accel Super Stock Spiral Core spark plug wires.
Delco-Remy alternator.
Weiand water pump (part number 8208).
Billet aluminum pulleys.
Gates XL fan belt.
Speedway Motors small block Chevy crossmember-style engine mount (part number 1356023). |
| Cooling: | Griffin crossflow aluminum radiator.
Hayden adjustable electronic fan controller (part number 4003647-01). |
| Exhaust: | Sanderson mandrel-bent four-into-one block-hugger headers, with 1.625" primaries and 3" collectors.
Dual Borla Pro XS mufflers and 2.5" exhaust pipes. |
| Transmission: | built 700R4 automatic transmission.
Lokar shifter knob. |
| Rear Axle: | Ford 9".
Eaton Truetrac limited slip differential.
3.70:1 gears. |
| Front Suspension: | redesigned to utilize adjustable coilover shock absorbers.
Specially fabricated lower control arms with trailing links (for convenient caster adjustment.)
Front hubs are reworked trailer parts.
Stock front anti-sway bar, flipped around 180 degrees to clear oil pan. |
| Rear Suspension: | four link rear suspension, upgraded with adjustable arms.
Stock rear anti-sway bar, flipped around 180 degrees to clear dual exhaust. |
| Brakes: | (master) Dodge truck master cylinder, with original Jensen Healey power brake booster. (front) Wilwood 4-piston calipers. Toyota 302mm vented rotors. (rear) Jensen Healey / Girling 2-piston calipers, relocated from front. Toyota Camry station wagon 11.2" rotors. |
| Wheels/Tires: | Drag Extreme Alloys 10-spoke aluminum wheels.
BF Goodrich g-Force Sport 205/50R15 tires. |
| Instruments: | VDO tachometer (0-7000rpm) and speedometer (0-120mph).
Original Smiths voltmeter, oil pressure, temperature, and fuel level gauges. |
| Interior Mods: | mostly stock.
Widened transmission tunnel.
Delta Motorsports roll hoop. |
| Comments: | This is Galen's second 1974 Jensen Healey.
The first one's original four cylinder engine died after about 1500 miles, so he installed
a Chevy 4.3 V6 and an 700R4 automatic. That engine produced ~260hp at the crank.
In 2001, the first car was involved in a fender bender, and during the repair process Galen
decided to purchase and install this ZZ4 crate engine.
Unfortunately, the gold Jensen Healey was more seriously wrecked in 2006 so Galen decided to
build this one.
He had it all together in just 18 months, and it was on the road in April 2008.
In the four years since then, the car has been driven about 6000 miles.
|
Engine Installation
This engine probably produces about 400hp and 390ft·lbs at the crankshaft.
On the rolling road dynamometer it delivers 312hp and 290ft·lbs.
In its previous incarnation, with a very different camshaft, it produced less horsepower
but about 40 foot-pounds less torque. The driving characteristics are quite different.
As currently set up, the engine pulls strongly right up through 6800rpm.
The ZZ4 engine block is similar to an LT1 block. They're both "full roller" motors.
They use the same one piece main bearing seal. A key difference is that the ZZ4
engine uses conventional coolant flow routing.
Dodge truck master cylinder, with original Jensen Healey power brake booster.
Holley 750cfm double-pumper carburetor.
Sanderson mandrel-bent four-into-one headers, with 1.625" primaries into 3" collectors.
Speedway Motors small block Chevy crossmember-style engine mount (part number 1356023).
Griffin crossflow aluminum radiator.
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Hayden adjustable electronic fan controller (part number 4003647-01).
Large electric cooling fan, with shroud.
Transmission oil cooler.
Weiand water pump (part number 8208). Billet aluminum pulleys.
In an earlier life, this coolant system overflow bottle was a fire extenguisher.
The radiator's filler bung has been removed and blocked off.
Galen also installed a valve on the radiator's vent line.
Delco HEI distributor with Accel Super Stock Spiral Core spark plug wires.
Fuse block and relays.
Delta Motorsports fiberglass replacement hood, with custom hood scoop added.
Front Suspension
Redesigned to utilize adjustable coilover shock absorbers, the front suspension features
specially fabricated lower control arms and also trailing links for easy caster adjustment.
(Note: these in-process photos show the stock Jensen Healey hub and brake rotor,
not the special hubs and Wilwood brake Galen later updated the car with.)
The front suspenion mounts to the engine cradle / front subframe.
Adjustable link from Smiley's Racing Products.
Rear Suspension
Subframe connectors, shown with but not connected to the crossmember/transmission mount/driveshaft
loop assembly. (The angle you see between these components in the photo is misleading.)
The driveshaft loop (at right) is an important safety feature. If the event of a broken
universal joint, its function is to keep the driveshaft from swinging wildly.
Subframe connectors reinforce a chassis that wasn't originally designed for so much engine torque.
The subframe connectors extend all the way to the rear suspension.
Galen upgraded his rear suspension by making these trailing lengths adjustable.
Ford nine inch rear axle with Eaton Truetrac limited slip differential and 3.70:1 gears.
The rear anti-sway bar is stock, but it's been flipped around 180 degrees for exhaust clearance.
Battery box.
Dual Borla Pro XS mufflers.
Interior
Almost entirely stock Jensen Healey interior.
You can't tell from here, but the tunnel has been widened to suit the 700R4 automatic transmission.
Original Jensen healey ergonomic steering wheel.
Original Smiths voltmeter and oil pressure gauges.
VDO tachometer (0-7000rpm) and speedometer (0-120mph).
Original Smiths temperature and fuel level gauges.
Rare stereo delete option.
Lokar gear selector knob.
Galen made his own pedal pads.
Stock Jensen Healey seats.
Delta Motorsports roll hoop.
Exterior
Ships and cars have traditionally been given names. This one is named "Jazzy".
Jensen Healey hood ornament.
Jensen Healey headlight bucket.
Jensen Healey front turn signal lens.
Galen has used hood pins to hold his hood down ever since having a hood release fail
on a quarter-mile acceleration run. Luckily, the safety catch worked that first time.
Galen put a lot of time and attention into fitting this hood scoop.
Note how the profile of the hood scoop's leading edge has been echoed in the surface below.
Stainless steel windshield wiper arms.
Triplex Toughened glass in non-venting door windows.
Jensen Healey fuel filler cap.
Lift-up door handles.
Bumperless.
Drag Extreme Alloys 10-spoke aluminum wheels. BF Goodrich g-Force Sport 205/50R15 tires.
The gold car is "Jenny mouse," Galen Hazen's first Jensen Healey into which he originally
installed a Chevrolet 4.3L V6 engine and a 700R4 automatic transmission. It would later
be upgraded with a Chevy ZZ4 V8 (as shown above). The silver car is Jody Garcia's 400
cubic inch small block Chevy powered Jensen Healey (also with 700R4 transmission.)
Most of the photos shown here are by Curtis Jacobson for exclusive use by BritishV8 Magazine. Eight of the photos - the ones with numbers in their file names - are by Galen Hazen, and were provided for exclusive use by BritishV8. All photos: Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
