Sometimes, a project-grade vehicle looks potentially better than the seller describes. It doesn’t happen often, but occasionally you may feel like you’re looking at a car that could be easier to restore than the description lets on. This 1974 Jensen Interceptor hasn’t been on the road since 2012 but did run a year and a half ago. The current owner has owned it for 16 years and it was parked after a fuel filter got plugged up and the repair was never carried out. It’s now listed here on Facebook Marketplace with under 40,000 miles for $20,000 near Bow, WA.
The first thing you notice is the interesting environment around the car; this is definitely a hobbyist’s environ. The second think you notice is how clean this Interceptor is, as most project-grade cars by this point have a host of issues from battered bodywork to tired paint to all of the above. This one looks very complete and the paint appears to be in the sort of condition that just needs a quick polish and buff. Most importantly, the seller claims there is “zero rust” on this project Interceptor. If I had one of these in my shop, I’d be deathly afraid of smashing that rear glass.
The interiors on an Interceptor can be major projects as well. They are luxurious cabins with acres of leather and exotic switchgear. This is not a car you want to find outdoors with the door ajar or a window cracked. Fortunately, this does appear to be a dry storage arrangement, and the leather looks like it was protected at one point in time by sheepskin covers. The dash doesn’t even look like it’s cracked and the wood trim – and I admit, I don’t have a clear look – doesn’t appear to be completely perished.
The seller provides some context for why the fuel system repair never happened, and it’s because the longtime owner developed medical issues and stopped making it out to the shop. When it last run, it was done by using an external gas jug with an electric pump. Apparently, the 440 did still fire up but now it doesn’t come to life, even with a jump box. The seller suspects an issue with the starter or other electrical gremlin, but that will be up to the next owner to figure out. This Interceptor looks better than most project-grade examples and hopefully, won’t take much effort to come back to life.
20K seems like a good deal and it looks like this one has remained garage kept its entire life. Pull that low compression RV 440 engine and wake it up with higher compression and reworked heads. Replace that 727 with a 5-speed and you would have a car that lives up to its name.
OK White car is a Kelmark GT, red car is maybe a Pantera, I can’t make out the purple car. Weird building. Jensen needs to be running and driving to be worth 20k
Purple car looks like it may be a TR6.
I doubt that the phrase “Easier to restore” has ever been used about a Jensen. But that said, if anyone is brave enough, this looks better than many of the fright pigs one see for sale.
My own little Interceptor story is from circa 1985 when I bought a very nice-73 in England and imported it to Sweden. As a freshly graduated engineer in my first job my earnings were far from enough to afford a car like that (never mind affording the fuel!) But my intent had only been to import it, enjoy it for some time and sell it at some minor profit.
The problem was that there really was no market for selling it, and I found absolutely no responses to my ads. Ultimately I probably ended up being the only person ever to trade an Interceptor in at a Mazda dealership. For some reason they paid me a significant amount of cash and an almost new Mazda 323. I quickly sold the Mazda and came out okay but something like 10 years later I was contacted by someone who had found a very dusty and abandoned Interceptor tucked away in the basement under the dealership and had interest in rescuing it. So I think that the dealership found out the hard way that the market was nonexistent, but had less success than me in dumping that problem on someone else.
I love reading BF for comments just like this one. It’s enjoyable to read someone else’s life car journey.
I second that Mike. To me BarnFinds is part enthusiasm for the car and the rest stories of life’s journeys and how that car fit into their lives.
What’s not to like: British heritage, Italian styling and a n American engine, in fact, a 440 Chrysler engine. The only drawback would be the Lucas electrics.
I owned a 73 Interceptor in the late 70’s. Parts were only available from a couple of sources even then. I recall that the back glass was just over $1000 back then. Are there parts still available today ? Lucas electricals we’re terrible to deal with as was the heat problem under the hood. Batteries would fry quite often, etc. Nice driving touring car, not particularly sporty, more like a 57 T bird approach.
These were fantastic GT cars. Nothing like it on the road. A great car for a road trip.
This looks like a great deal, it is a automatic, posted 5 days ago.
Back in the late seventies I encountered one of these abandoned on a steep trail high up in the Northern California mountains. Seems like the “grower” might have abandoned it. I actually contemplated removing it but saw no practical way…short of a helo. One of the stranger sites I’ve come across. I’ll bet its still there, though probably melted into the mountainside by now.
I’ve often wondered if 2 different designers were involved in the Interceptor, the convertible is graceful and elegant, the coupe is ungainly to say the least
Cue the Lucas Jokes….
Why do the British drink warm beer?
Lucas makes refrigerators.
Why are there no skyscrapers in London?
Lucas makes elevators.