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So much to admire about the Jensen-Healey, an iconic British two-seater convertible sports car.

British sports cars have simply always had a following, no matter how awful they have proven to be, their maladies have consistently been overlooked because of their “character.”

Ironically, there is at least one little sports car that caught the ire of even the most enthusiastic of British sports car fans, and that is the Jensen-Healy. Its reputation has really preceded it for decades now, and that has played a significant role in keeping the prices of these cars low.

Although the problems are there for all to see, there are several good reasons why you might consider owning one of these plucky Brits.

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Today, the Lotus name carries a lot of weight, but back in the '60s and '70s, they were just one of many tuners that helped extract more performance out of engines.

This lovely high revving twin-cam engine is the same lump you would find in the Lotus Esprit, (above) it has a long fabled history in racing too, with several class victories to its name.

Although the definition has evolved somewhat, the original definition of a sports car is a fast two-door convertible.

That is pretty much exactly what the Jensen-Healey is, although 140 horsepower isn’t much by modern standards, it's always more than enough for this little car.

Weighing in at only a little over 2,000 pounds, there is more get-up-and-go than most would expect, especially when the car is in the right state of tune (carbs have their limitations).

Although the name might not ring a bell today, Jensen was an experienced manufacturer in the '70s and had not only designed and produced several of their own vehicles, but had also produced cars for other manufacturers. Hence, their weight saving methods were proven, and not just minimalist.

No matter what angle you look at the Jensen-Healey it just looks the part of an authentic classic sports car.

It has everything going for it in this department, with lovely lines and the simple squared off rear. It looks equally clean with the top down and with it up, not something all convertibles are good at pulling off.

Simple is most often best when it comes to suspension and that is what you get here. A simple live axle at the rear and coil springs up front are as simple as it gets, but they deliver neutral, agile handling in this light little sports car.

The suspension is aided by the fact that the chassis is pretty stiff for a convertible, and thus makes for an engaging driver's car.

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Even with their now famed issues, it is surprising that they continue to be overlooked. All British cars from the era have similar issues, but for whatever reason, these cars continue to fly under the radar.

They also sold pretty well all things considered, with over 10,000 cars sold between 1972 and 1975. Over two generations, it was technically the best-selling Jensen. Therefore, spares and used parts are not necessarily in short supply, especially mechanical spares, thanks to the engine being used in other Lotus cars. All the suspension components were sourced from GM (technically Vauxhall) too, so, they won't be all that hard to find either.

A big part of how owning classic cars can be viable is the community, and the British car community is just incredible, with hundreds of dedicated clubs all over the world.

They are a big help when it comes time to sourcing parts, but ultimately, and more importantly, they are just a group of like-minded gearheads and make the ownership experience more social.

With a 0-60 mph time of around 8 seconds (new), these cars were never the quickest, but their agile handling and wind-in-hair experience makes them far more enjoyable than you might think.

They also remain affordable to this day, and are arguably the most accessible vehicle equipped with a genuine Lotus engine.

Related: 10 Things Most Gearheads Forgot About The Jensen Healey

All British cars rust, but unfortunately, the Jensen-Healey might well have been designed to decompose.

It has rust issues pretty much everywhere. Cars that lived in rust-prone areas (or the UK) are all but gone, all donating their parts to the greater good of keeping more solid cars on the road.

Well, that lovely, desirable Lotus engine actually has a few known issues. It is a belt driven interference engine, so a bad belt can be catastrophic, water pumps often go bad and like all early twin-cams it uses a lot of oil.

All the electrics are sourced from the one and only Lucas, the infamously unreliable company that took electricity away from all their customers. So if you do get one, replacing the harness might be your first order of business.

Luke Zietsman is an all out automotive enthusiast based in The Philippines. If it has two or four wheels he has either owned it, researched about it or dreamed about it.