In the rarefied world of classic Grand Routiers, those high-powered, coachbuilt sports tourers accommodating four adults, the Jensen Interceptor occupies a special place as one of the most elaborately engineered and designed examples to originate from England during the Swingin' Sixties.
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Not unlike AC, Bristol, and a host of other British manufacturers, Jensen had enlisted an Italian studio to help with the styling of their automobiles, while counting on the reliability of good ol' American Vee Eight power plants.
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Hand-built by olde Worlde craftsmen in limited numbers for a decade, between 1966 and 1976, Jensen Interceptors have recently seen a healthy uptick in value. To the cognoscenti, this will come as no surprise, really. With 7.2-liters of pure American muscle, a Jensen can give a contemporary Aston Martin or Jaguar a run for the money.
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Built during November of 1974, this Jensen Interceptor, VIN *2210.1291* is one of just 3,419 Interceptor MK III's ever produced. A life-long California resident, it had been in storage for a number of years; its owner recently spending almost $6,000.00 to recommission it. The fuel system was completely gone through, the carburetor was rebuilt, a new gas tank was installed, fuel filter and lines were replaced, as were flexible brake lines, brake pads, wheel cylinders, battery and cables, and the radiator hoses. A new 140 amp alternator was installed. The wheel bearings were repacked, brake rotors turned, cooling fans repaired. The radiator was sent out to be refurbished. Finally, a major tune up was performed. Click on the image to the left for an XXL-sized view |
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Parts catalogue, wiring diagram, and a few receipts for service and maintenance accompany the car.
Let's check out the Interceptor in greater detail now.
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The Vignale-bodied Jensen possesses a macho stance. It is large but manages to look understatedly elegant, pleasantly different from any other car on the road. Guards Red paint is very glossy and remains in excellent condition; apart from a few minor imperfections such as a couple of small bubbles above the left rear wheel well, there are no scratches, dents or other unsettling defects. Brightwork is complete and in very good to excellent condition throughout. The fragile chrome bumpers look especially nice, free of any dings or pitting. Rubber overrider pads are new, just like most of the exterior weatherstripping.
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Factory-designed, fully-cast GKN alloy wheels wear five (5) brand spanking new DUNLOP radial tires of the correct dimension 215/70-R15.
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Clean engine compartment houses the strong American heart of the Jensen, the fabled 440 cu.in. MoPar engine, the very powerplant that propelled many Plymouth Superbirds and Dodge Daytonas to 200mph-plus speeds on the big Southern NasCar oval tracks, over 40 years ago!
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This particular 7.2-litre Chrysler motor, a 284hp, 8.2:1 compression, high-torque version, runs great on today's unleaded fuel, and sounds even better. There's no substitute for cubic inches! To aid in man-handling the beast, Jensen is equipped with rack-and-pinion power steering and 4-wheel power disc brakes.
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Moving on to the sumptuous interior, it's spacious, yet cozy, with acres of the finest, black Connolly leather covering almost every surface. The 38-year-old hides are in fabulous condition; this Jensen was always garaged, and it certainly shows.
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Door panels and even the headliner: it's all leather, real leather.
Notice working dome lamps.
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No-nonsense cockpit features array of JAEGER gauges mounted in the leather-clad fascia and walnut wood-covered center console with HVAC controls, stereo, and shifter for the smooth Torqueflite automatic transmission.
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A few interior close-ups.
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German RECARO reclining seats with chrome fittings, the best money could buy and the avowed pinnacle of luxury during the Sixties and Seventies. Small but comfy leather pillows can be affixed to the headrests; they are included.
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Rear fauteuils. Yes, Guv'nor, the Interceptor is a Grand Touring car for the family man.
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Ready for a test drive?
So are we, but before we leave, let's take a good look at trunk and undercarriage.
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Huge rear greenhouse glass lifts out of the way to reveal spacious trunk. Battery was moved here by the former owner. Trunk carpeting is showing its age.
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Built the traditional way, with a huge twin-tube chassis to which the all-steel body was welded, creating a rigid assembly, the Jensen nevertheless was susceptible to rust as it lacked modern corrosion inhibitors. Thankfully, this California resident has been spared the brown cancer; it's bone dry underneath and does not need any rust repair. If you know your Interceptors, you might breathe a sigh of relief! Click on the image to the left for an XXL-sized view |
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Undercarriage in more detail. There are no annoying fluid leaks; everything is very tidy.
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Thursday, July 16, turned out to be a splendid summer day here in downtown Ventura, and we were excited to take the big Jensen for a test drive and shoot these photos.
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The Interceptor starts instantly, its twin exhaust pipes burbling with gusto. Put the shift lever into the "D" position, and off you go. With its taut suspension - coil springs, wishbones, and sway bar up front and a traditional live axle (aided by a Panhard rod) out back, the car rides excellently on any surface. Big disc brakes on all four corners are superb. Steering has just the right amount of power assist. This is Grand Touring at its finest!
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The MK III doesn't display any bad manners. It doesn't smoke or run excessively hot. The big 440 sounds smooth, powerful, and never breaks a sweat. American power combined with classic British accommodations inside a beautifully styled Italian envelope: it doesn't get better than this!
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Returning home, we're in love with the big brute, and we're not the only ones: wherever we parked, eager onlookers approached to ask questions ("What is it?") and express their admiration for this very rare, fine-looking Brit.
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Rarely will you see one of these entirely hand-built cars up for sale at auction, so when trying to establish the current values for the Interceptor III models, we found but one car in the lastest -- August 2012 -- edition of Keith Martin's Sports Car Market magazine where a 1976 model was sold for $76,261.00 just last month. It truly seems that after the stellar rise of Chrysler-powered Monteverdis and Facel Vegas, their similarly equipped Bristol and Jensen Interceptor cousins are following suit very quickly!
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Here is your opportunity to acquire a fabulous, rust free, well-sorted example of a true hand-built 1960s Supercar for less than the price of a new sub-compact. We guarantee this will not be the case much longer, so don't hesitate!
Addendum:
We sold this Jensen Interceptor in August of 2012 to a customer in Northern California.
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