Frank Alan Jensen
(Frank) Alan Jensen (1906-1994), automotive designer and maker of quality cars
1906 Born in Moseley, Birmingham, the son of Frank Arthur Jensen, Provision Merchant, and his wife Annie
c.1926 Teenagers (Frank) Alan Jensen and his brother Richard Jensen rebuilt a 3-year old Austin into a fast sports car, called Jensen Special Number One. This was seen by the chief engineer of Standard Motor Co who commissioned them to design the 2-seater Standard Avon, and in 1930 a coupe[1].
Alan joined the drawing office of Avon Bodies and created several designs for them[2]
1930 Director of Patrick-Jensen Motors, Ltd. Producing the hand-built Patrick-Jensen, on a Wolseley: Hornet chassis
Joined West Bromwich Motor and Carriage Works, and formed Jensen Motors as subsidiary jointly with his brother Richard Arthur Jensen
1936 Formed Jensen Motors, Ltd., incorporating The West Bromwich Motor and Carriage Works
The Jensen brothers formed an association with W. J. Smith and Sons, which became Jensen Motors in 1934 and went on to pioneer many novel features in production cars (and now found in modern cars) including disc brakes, overdrive, and fibreglass bodies.
Jensen cars were sold to many film stars and other famous people
1936 Joint Managing Director, Jensen Motors, to 1959.
1994 Died aged 87 in Brighton[3]
See Also
Sources of Information
- The Times (London, England), Tuesday, February 08, 1994