1972 Jensen Interceptor Mk III. Reef Blue with Beige interior.

Why just four photographs? To the trained eye, there is no need for more, as each one deliberately depicts (more precisely than a hundred 'holiday snaps' and over-used superlatives), the supreme quality of this Interceptor. Study them VERY closely.

THE MISSION - To experience what it must have been like to own and drive a factory fresh Interceptor Mk III back in 1972.

DIRECTIVE 1 - Invent, design and build a fully functioning Time Machine. Travel back in time to 1972, to Kelvin Way, West Bromwich, England. Pick up a brand new Jensen Interceptor Mk III preferably in Reef Blue with Beige interior. Return to the 21st Century and enjoy the awesome feeling of driving a luxurious 7. 2 Litre powered palace on wheels, proudly standing out in a sea of mundane motorcars, turning the heads of every admiring on-looker.

Alternatively,

DIRECTIVE 2 - Enlist the help of a trusted and well respected, extremely knowledgeable expert in the Classic car market and with a bottomless spend budget, seek out and purchase the most genuine, low mileage, beautifully preserved, highly original, full history, rot free Interceptor that money can buy.

For reasons unknown, DIRECTIVE 2 was chosen as the most practical of the two options to take, whilst also being potentially and simultaneously the most likely achievable one too.

Just when we were starting to think that we may have gone down the wrong route and that in fact DIRECTIVE 1 was by far the easier of the two options, we came across this magnificent specimen.

Showing just 48, 151 miles on the clock, substantiated by a MASSIVE history file going right back to its first service on 14th September 1972 at 1, 015 miles, carried out by the supplying main dealer Mann Egerton of Ipswich.

OBJECTIVE 1 - Take this extremely well maintained and beautifully preserved example and eliminate all evidence that this vehicle was built over 52 years ago, whether mechanical and/ or aesthetical, so that the resultant vehicle will have the visual appearance and mechanical reliability and feel of a Jensen that has just driven out of the Kelvin Way factory gates in 1972.
Addendum 1 - Engineer out all inherent weaknesses that were subsequently discovered to exist on, in or with the original designed engineering.
Addendum 2 - Finish up with a Classic car that drives like a Rolls Royce with the reliability of a Lexus.

BRIEF -
Remove and replace every mild steel nut, bolt, washer and hose clip for high grade Stainless Steel items. Remove and replace every perishable rubber component (Bushes, grommets, gaiters, seals, buffers, bump stops, rubber-to-metal bushes and/ or mountings. Replace heating and coolant hoses with silicone units wherever possible. Replace every bearing. Enhance the original engine cooling system by replacing the standard radiator with a uprated high flow custom hand-made aluminium unit and replacing the standard electric cooling fan set-up with uprated fans (with the additional option for Driver operated manual over-ride switch + warning light). Upgrade Air Conditioning compressor, replace air drier and convert system to run on 134A refrigerant. Upgrade headlights. Replace all drive belts. Replace Starter motor, Alternator, Fuel pump....... there isn't enough space here to complete the list of what has been done to this car.

Phah! and just when we getting to the really juicy stuff, like new brake discs and calipers with S/ S caliper pistons and not forgetting a Trans-Go shift kick kit upgrade to the Torqueflite gearbox. As they say, the never ending list goes on and on and on and on.

......... but the shortened version,....... Replace and renew VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING !

TOTAL SUBSEQUENT SPEND?............ Don't ask. Restoring even the best unrestored Jensen properly (with the intention of keeping it, not just tarting it up to sell on) will set you back at least six figures, even if you are in the trade or restoration business. You are fooling yourself if you think different. The cost of the parts alone will surpass half of that figure.

The restoration that was performed on this motorcar was carried out by highly qualified Mechanical Engineers and craftsmen, each with over 45 years experience servicing, maintaining and restoring prestige motor vehicles to the highest standards, as expected by their very demanding owners. It was performed on a 'leave no stone unturned' basis, with complete disregard to the financial implication that directive would have on the cost to achieve the final accomplished perfection.

Fortunately for this beautiful (and very lucky motorcar) the vendor is a perfectionist, which also turns out to be very lucky for the next custodian of this magnificent specimen, because he or she has the chance to take advantage of being in the right place at the right time. That rare opportunity to buy something from a person whose life's priorities have unexpectedly changed, and achieving a swift and painless sale is more important than the actual price achieved. Having said that, there is a price point at which anyone, no matter how motivated to sell, would and will choose to return this Wessleton graded Diamond of a Jensen to its heated de-humidified secure storage.

NOTE:- The photograph of the engine oil dipstick attempts (but sadly doesn't quite manage) to show just how clean the internals of this 7. 2 Litre brute of an engine are. The oil itself remains SO clean (and despite having been driven many miles since the last service), that the actual level is very difficult to see/ capture in the photo. (And NO, this is NOT a photo of a wiped clean dipstick by the way). The engine oil is actually on there and the level is bang on the 'Full' mark). If you zoom in you will see for yourself.

And yes, if you zoom in on the engine bay shot, it is possible to just make out that every flat of every polished s/ s bolt head is aligned on the vertical plane along with its neighbours.

NOW ARE YOU STARTING TO GET IT ?!