Anyone like "Jensen Interceptor" don't forget about the tiger?

[Aero426]

I have always kind of liked the Interceptor and wouldn't mind one.     The looks are kind of an acquired taste.  I can't say I'm a huge fan of the styling.    The Interceptor is  more of a Grand Touring car, versus a true sports car.    They are pretty heavy.

[mikepmcs]

Ok, yeah, I like that one too.  I saw one up close once when I worked at Chrysler in the mid 80's, it was silver and it was sweet . Kind of a James Bond thing

[b5blue]

Interceptor was the first 440 I ever got my hands on, We restored Jags and raced/restored Triumphs mostly and one came in that had not run in years. I got that old worn out 440 running and the whole shop stopped, came over and just stood there soaking up ma MOPARs roar! I knew then and there BIG BLOCKS were the WAY!!! We all new that that thing had to kick ass! Buy the way, the Jensen can do one thing a Tiger can't.........STOP!!!!!!!

[DodgeByDave]

Interceptor was the first 440 I ever got my hands on, We restored Jags and raced/restored Triumphs mostly and one came in that had not run in years. I got that old worn out 440 running and the whole shop stopped, came over and just stood there soaking up ma MOPARs roar! I knew then and there BIG BLOCKS were the WAY!!! We all new that that thing had to kick ass! Buy the way, the Jensen can do one thing a Tiger can't.........STOP!!!!!!!

lol, don't forget charging the battery. I haven't dealt with many POSITIVE ground electrical systems. Tied into a Lotus Elan once. Worst electrical nightmare ever. Never again.

If Colin Chapman was still alive I would bust him in the nose.

[b5blue]

Yup!!! Lucas....Home before dark! Neat cars but...How many times did that stuff drive you nuts! Once a week someone would come in for a brake job because they used American brake fluid and melted all the seals!My boss bought a Tiger and sold it a week later because you really can,t stop one, most were wrecked.LOL

[gordo1968charger]

i live in the UK,
BRITISH CARS ARE SHIT
i spent 10 years working in a rover bodyshop,nuff said!!!

[BB1]

The British built the Spitfire in WWII.

God Save the Queen!

[DodgeByDave]

I have respect for the Spitfire. British Leyland, not so much.

Don't forget boys and girls, find you a supply of "Whitsworth" tools as some of the British motor cars have a peculiar standard of bolt and nut sizes.

AHAHHAHAHAH god I forgot about the brake fluid. And it is literally melts every rubber material in the system. I forget exactly what it is, I think the european standard is a mineral based fluid while ours is an alcohol. Or Vice Versa.

Back on topic. I didn't know that there was a Ferguson awd model of the Jenson. Boiling all 4 to the tune of mopar bb song. That would for sure wow the troops at the local ricer hang out.

[500hp_440]

  v12

[Jon Smith]

Bristol 410s and 411s were also mopar powered..318s and 383s





as was the jensen cv8 which I think looks far better than an interceptor

[BB1]

Bristol 410s and 411s were also mopar powered..318s and 383s





as was the jensen cv8 which I think looks far better than an interceptor

Nice I like them. Stick a 340 sixpac in, and your smoken.

[TeeWJay426]

This one belongs to a life-long friend of mine. He's had it at Carlisle a few times, and has won his class a few times with it.

[CrAzYMoPaRGuY]

Welll....... now there's a certified Jensen Interceptor nutbar joining the fold!!!

And Allpar has a few mistakes, there were a couple hundred SP Interceptors made, they actually made a few Interceptors in the early 1980s, There ARE differences between NA and UK engines, my Interceptor, as every one I have seen in 1974, is an HP version of the 440, but strangely has a steel crank in it. 902 heads, but steel crank instead of cast crank.

Mine is 9.35 to 1 .030 over 440 (original engine redone) with ported heads, two Edelbrock 500s on a CH28 intake, 270H Comp Cam, Delta Motorsports headers, FBO ignition, 2 1/2" exhaust out the rear, four mufflers, it has a 727 auto and 3.08 rear.

[charge69]

I have probably only seen one or two of them in my life that I would recognize as a Jensen. That was many years ago as it has been a long time since I actually have seen one.

Yours is a beautiful example!! Bet it will scoot!!

[maxwellwedge]

I found a real nice Chrysler Sunbeam Alpine in a junkyard in Alberta. I was very surprised to see a gold Pentastar on the lower section of the front right fender!
Whereupon I had a steep learning curve on this subject!!

Chrysler bought the Rootes Group while the Alpine and Tiger were in production.  So it was possible to get a later Sunbeam Tiger with a Ford engine and a Pentastar on the fender.   Fitment of the Chrysler engine was a problem.

Sunbeam Alpines (the base model - no Ford stuff) are fairly inexpensive.   Tigers have always been a poor mans Cobra and are now pricey.   I would imagine you can spend $50k on a decent Tiger. 

My buddy had a Tiger. 260 - 2BBL. That thing would pull like a dentist on steroids. He paid $500.00 for it in the 70's. You had to jack up the engine and get a few of the spark plugs from under the car. He offered it to me for $400.00 when he was done with it....I passed. The body had as much cheese as metal in it.

I have always been a fan of the Tiger and the Jensen Interceptor....both cool cars. A pair of crumpet-mobiles with American V8's.

[CrAzYMoPaRGuY]

I have probably only seen one or two of them in my life that I would recognize as a Jensen. That was many years ago as it has been a long time since I actually have seen one.

Yours is a beautiful example!! Bet it will scoot!!

Thanks!
Back in the 1970s I found a burgundy 1974 Jensen Interceptor for a car fanatic teacher of mine to look at, he ended up buying it and we drove around in it all the time. I'm 99% sure the car I own now is the very same car.

Mine pulls pretty danged hard. It's also amazingly nice to drive. It corners much better than I would have thought, has great road manners, AND it's pretty danged decent as far as fuel mileage goes. I drive it all the time year round and LOVE it!

[surmanajaja]

you cannot compare a Tiger to a Jensen. Tiger is light, short car that with modern tires can really move on a track. Jensen is a HEAVY gt-touring-style car, that is not a corner-burner and never ever was considered a really fast car. of course with a mopar engine, it has beautiful sounds but only the fourwheeldrive version is interesting to me. and that is a rare animal.

if you want the fastest possible english car with american engine, get a TVR Griffith. its ridicously small, with a built Ford small block its a monster on curvy roads.

[68pplcharger]

you cannot compare a Tiger to a Jensen. Tiger is light, short car that with modern tires can really move on a track. Jensen is a HEAVY gt-touring-style car, that is not a corner-burner and never ever was considered a really fast car. of course with a mopar engine, it has beautiful sounds but only the fourwheeldrive version is interesting to me. and that is a rare animal.

if you want the fastest possible english car with american engine, get a TVR Griffith. its ridicously small, with a built Ford small block its a monster on curvy roads.

I don't think this small block sports car holds a candle to the AC Cobra, also english car with american engine. This car had a 427 side oiler pushing 485hp(compitetion version) and only weighs 2,200 lbs. The 340 hp TVR small block would have the advantage with less weight up front and newer suspension technologies, but I'll stick with the raw power thanks you. 

[CrAzYMoPaRGuY]

you cannot compare a Tiger to a Jensen. Tiger is light, short car that with modern tires can really move on a track. Jensen is a HEAVY gt-touring-style car, that is not a corner-burner and never ever was considered a really fast car. of course with a mopar engine, it has beautiful sounds but only the fourwheeldrive version is interesting to me. and that is a rare animal.

Tiger was a tiny light sports car. It was crude to drive compared to a Jensen.
A stock Interceptor is heavy, but they were still a performance/luxury GT Touring style car. It was considered a fast car when it debuted for sure, even with the 383 it came out with it was considered one of the faster cars in the UK.
Many road tests had the 1/4 mile times in the 16 second bracket if not most road tests, which for the mid sixties was very fast, especially considering 2.88 or 3.08 gearing was the ONLY options. Not many true factory musclecars that weren't tweaked could do much better in 1966. Gearing or not!

My Interterceptor can corner better than any A/B/E body I have ever owned, and I've owned TONS of A/B/E bodies.
The Interceptor SP was a performance car, no doubt about it. It was a high compression 440 with a six pack. Factory.

[surmanajaja]

you cannot compare a Tiger to a Jensen. Tiger is light, short car that with modern tires can really move on a track. Jensen is a HEAVY gt-touring-style car, that is not a corner-burner and never ever was considered a really fast car. of course with a mopar engine, it has beautiful sounds but only the fourwheeldrive version is interesting to me. and that is a rare animal.

if you want the fastest possible english car with american engine, get a TVR Griffith. its ridicously small, with a built Ford small block its a monster on curvy roads.

I don't think this small block sports car holds a candle to the AC Cobra, also english car with american engine. This car had a 427 side oiler pushing 485hp(compitetion version) and only weighs 2,200 lbs. The 340 hp TVR small block would have the advantage with less weight up front and newer suspension technologies, but I'll stick with the raw power thanks you. 

well of course if I had the money I would be driving a 427 cobra super snake with the 2 paxtons..but in real life, the small block was faster. even in drag race, the 289 dragon snake was faster than 427, because of weight and traction.

I have been to a lot of historic races, where millionares drive the wheels of these things, and tvr griffith is up there right behind the Le Mans winning GT40´s-. they are faster than cobras.light weight and sticky tires will do that.

too bad theyre so small I cant fit inside one..

[CrAzYMoPaRGuY]

..but in real life, the small block was faster. even in drag race, the 289 dragon snake was faster than 427, because of weight and traction.

The dragonsnake was a racing version, it also had a 427 version produced. It wasn't a realistic production street vehicle in 260/289 or 427 form...  

The 427 AC Cobras were beasts and pretty well untouchable because of the power to weight ratios, but shoes wouldn't last very long in them. Ever ridden in one?!?! HOT TOOTSIES!!!!!!

Here is the 427 version...

http://www.packautomotivemuseum.com/c155.html

[68pplcharger]

you cannot compare a Tiger to a Jensen. Tiger is light, short car that with modern tires can really move on a track. Jensen is a HEAVY gt-touring-style car, that is not a corner-burner and never ever was considered a really fast car. of course with a mopar engine, it has beautiful sounds but only the fourwheeldrive version is interesting to me. and that is a rare animal.

if you want the fastest possible english car with american engine, get a TVR Griffith. its ridicously small, with a built Ford small block its a monster on curvy roads.

I don't think this small block sports car holds a candle to the AC Cobra, also english car with american engine. This car had a 427 side oiler pushing 485hp(compitetion version) and only weighs 2,200 lbs. The 340 hp TVR small block would have the advantage with less weight up front and newer suspension technologies, but I'll stick with the raw power thanks you.  

well of course if I had the money I would be driving a 427 cobra super snake with the 2 paxtons..but in real life, the small block was faster. even in drag race, the 289 dragon snake was faster than 427, because of weight and traction.

I have been to a lot of historic races, where millionares drive the wheels of these things, and tvr griffith is up there right behind the Le Mans winning GT40´s-. they are faster than cobras.light weight and sticky tires will do that.

too bad theyre so small I cant fit inside one..

You must be giant... I'm 6'3" and weigh 240lbs and fit easily in these old cars. I got the chance to drive the Dragon snake that won the 66 winternationals pretty cool car. Also got to drive and tune an original factory tuned Race AC 427 cobra. Same guy owned both. not sure where you get the small blocks are faster, 427 cobra ran 12.30s in quarter, small blocks never touched that. Doesn't matter really cool cars

[Magnumcharger]

Here's a nice Jensen Interceptor, wrapped in a PT Cruiser shell!
The owner had a VERY rusty Jensen and decided to harvest it for parts. After a bit of measuring, he determined that most, if not all of the drivetrain and suspension would swap directly into the family grocery-getter.

The result?
A PT Cruiser that catches EVERYBODY off guard when he pops the hood at a car show!
I called him a mad scientist to his face and he grinned from ear to ear!

[Magnumcharger]

A couple more pics....to the uninitiated, that "7.2" badge must mean the model. But no, it's the engine size!

This was the very first time that the owner ever attempted anything of this nature.

[CrAzYMoPaRGuY]

Here's a nice Jensen Interceptor, wrapped in a PT Cruiser shell!
The owner had a VERY rusty Jensen and decided to harvest it for parts. After a bit of measuring, he determined that most, if not all of the drivetrain and suspension would swap directly into the family grocery-getter.

The result?
A PT Cruiser that catches EVERYBODY off guard when he pops the hood at a car show!
I called him a mad scientist to his face and he grinned from ear to ear!

WOW MagnumCharger, how do you know him??

I bought all the spare parts he had left years ago, he lives on Vancouver Island! THANKS for the pics!!