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Classic Cars Classic Cars - Archived Discussions JENSEN INTERCEPTORS 
17 messages, Last post on Dec 10, 2001 at 11:37 AM
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HELLO - I'M NEW HERE. I WANT TO KNOW IF ANYONE HERE REMEMBERS THE OLD JENSEN INTERCEPTORS SERIES III
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I did see a coupe once and as I recall it was quite unattractive. I just look up a photo of one and I think I was right. They only made 54 coupes 1975-76. You should be able to find a decent one for $10,000. They handle pretty well for a big car but suck gas like there's no tomorrow. There's an SP model made from 1971-73, with a Holley six-pack and 330hp in the new 7212 cc engine. |
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Convertible = good looking Hardtop = ugly (has kind of an early Barracuda look to me) |
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My recollection is that they came here about '68 or '69 with the 383-4v (not the 335-hp Magnum version) and that a 4-speed was available. About '72 or so they went with the 440 because smog controls had reduced the performance of the 383-400. Automatic only. The rear window is a bit odd and I'm not sure anyone would call them beautiful, but I see one every once in a great while and I think the styling is holding up pretty well. They don't really look like $10k cars, at least to me, but then I like the Jaguar Mark X. |
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| I think for the $10K you get pretty awesome performance, whereas with a Jaguar Mark X you don't....so some people might think the Jensen the better buy on those grounds. | |
| could someone post a picture of this car, or maybe a link to a picture? I'm curious to see what it looks like | |
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INCIDENTALLY, THE FF MODEL WHICH WAS NEVER LEGALLY EXPORTED TO THE U.S. WAS A FORERUNNER TO THE AUDI TT OF TODAY. BACK IN 1966, IT HAD A VERY POWERFUL ENGINE, FULL TIME FOUR WHEEL DRIVE FERGUSON FORMULA (HENCE THE FF DESIGNATION) AND MAXARET ANTI LOCK BRAKING. FOR A 35 YR OLD CAR, THESE WERE AMAZING INNOVATIONS. BY THE WAY, I KNOW OF NO WEB SITE FOR JENSEN PHOTOS. I HAVE ONE I SNAPPED IN A SHOP CTR PARKING LOT BUT I DONT HAVE A SCANNER. |
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http://home.hiwaay.net/~tjhiggin/hwystar.html . To me the thing looks like a cross between an Avanti and a '64-66 Barracuda. I kinda like it though...maybe I'll add one to the collection when I'm rich and famous 
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| Yes it also reminds me of the Avanti, another "gentleman's express" that sells for less than I would expect--very individual styling that's a little awkward but still appealing. | |
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I live in the North of England and was very lucky to spend nine months working on a Jenson Interceptor back in 1982 at the tender age of 17. I came straight out of school and landed a job with a local restoration company. This upset a number of the other guys who worked there (most of whom were in there early 20’s), as they wanted to work on the car. However, on opening the hood I was the only one to recognize the Chrysler V8. Added to that I had spent most of my early teenage years building my own car a 62 Ford Zodiac (has similar lines to a 57 Chevy) which included a completely rebuilt and detailed Ford 302) so as no-one else had even seen an American V8 before, the engine work was handed to me. The engine was a 383 with a single 4-barrel Holey, although this was not an original carb as it should have had a Carter. The engine was rebuilt to factory specs and Produced 340 BHP  4615 rpm. Unfortunately, the company ran into financial difficulty and closed before the car was completed so I never got to see it finished. |
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The interceptor had a cooling system for the brake fluid. Shock absorbers could be adjusted by the driver to suite the road conditions. The original concept car used a De-Dion rear axel/suspension set-up where-as in final production a conventional live axel was chosen.
Ferguson Formula also produced a limited production Mustang based on the same components as the Jenson FF. However, power came from Fords superb 427 Over Head Cam (Cammer) motor.
I read a road-test on a restored Mustang 427 FF last year. Although the owner of the car wouldn’t allow the magazine to do any quarter mile tests or to push the car to anywhere close to its limits, he did allow some trial 0-to-100 runs against a Ferrari Testarossa and the Mustang FF was over a second quicker to 100 mph.
One quote was that the amount of traction the FF 4 wheel drive system, give the car was phenomenal. And if they had been allowed to run the car to, its full potential then who knows just how fast the car would really be.
As for the styling of the Jensen, I have to admit it takes some getting used to! Admittedly, I’m not a fan of European sports car styling of that period, (I’m much more a muscle car fan myself) but still the back is a bit bizarre!
PS
Here are a few links to Jensen web sites |
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