UPDATE 2/12/12 – The auction did not meet reserve at $5,000. We spoke with the seller and they said they are in negotiations with a few potential buyers. No one has sealed the deal yet though.
If the project from the other day didn’t look painful enough for you, then you may want to try your luck with this quartet of Jensen Interceptors. They are all from various years and all have different needs, but there is enough here to build a couple of good cars. You are going to have to really love these things to take this one on though. Find them here on eBay with bidding at $1,125 and only 24 hours left.
First off there is this 1971 Interceptor. It may appear to be the worst in the group, but is actually claimed to be rust free and complete. It actually came out of a Colorado barn after a stalled restoration. It looks like all the parts have been packed in boxes and stuck inside the car or on the roof. That might make things hard when transporting it home. It may be all there, but don’t let that fool you. It is going to take a lot of work to get back together.
Next off we have a 1972 Interceptor which is very rusty but appears to all be there. It is from Florida and the effects of humidity are obvious here. Much of the body looks beyond repair, so we can only imagine what things look like underneath. All the paperwork is included from new, so it is a shame that this one will probably be used as a parts donor.
Third on the list is this 1974 Interceptor which is basically just a shell. There is no drivetrain and it is missing the doors and quite a few parts. There is some rust in a few of the panels but is claimed to be relatively rust free. Too bad it isn’t more complete because the blue over buckskin color combo would have looked great.
Finally, our favorite, a black 1976 Interceptor which does have some rust, but is complete. It looks to be the most promising and also includes a truckload of spares. We spoke with the seller and they told us that they will just hold onto the cars if the auction does not meet reserve. We have no idea how high the reserve could be, but we hope it is fair. Between these fours cars, there is a lot to work with and it should make for an interesting project. There are a lot of possible combination here, so how would you guys split them up?
WOW , Huge project ! and the space you would need to keep them ! My advise , save yourself lots of time and money , buy one already done , and drive it same day
Looks like on good one may be easy out of the four, a second would be harder. That third green one is toast if the unibody looks like the bonnet. but altogether you shouldn’t have to buy two many panels and engine and trans parts are all Chrysler so no issue there. These are great cars and someone can save some.
Love the Top Gear episode linked in the ad. Problem is, it didn’t really make you very enthusiastic about the car. Not sure it was the best promotional video the seller could have used.
Years ago a British friend and I were talking about cars and he told me that the one car he always wanted was a Jensen Interceptor. According to him it was the best instrument with which to convey comely ladies here and there. I guess that’s why these Jensens were called the ‘Gentlemen’s Express’ back then. The interiors were very impressive in the best British tradition, but I could not get past that fish-bowl backlight, which made the rear of the car look very ‘heavy’. But to my surprise, this is the latest on Jensen (and best of luck to them):”In May 2010, Jensen International Automotive was set up….. A small number of Jensen Interceptor Ss, which had started production under a previous company, are being completed by Jensen International Automotive (JIA), in parallel with JIA’s own production of the new Jensen Interceptor R; deliveries of the latter have started (beginning of 2011) at the Oxfordshire-based manufacturer and restorer.” (Wikipedia)
Just saw a Wheeler Dealers episode on these, apparently all the body parts are available for these by a company who bought all the spares and the stamping machinery from Jenssen. They also had a lot of NOS parts and refurbished almost everything else. Similar to the Delorean guys in Texas.As for me, I never thought they were attractive.
I’ve loved Interceptors since I was in high school, when one of my science teachers drove a brand-new one in bright yellow (he was also a successful entrepreneur). I finally bought one about eight years ago, and in a rare instance of taking my own advice I looked at many, and waited for the best one I could find at a price I could afford. Asking prices are all over the place, but as far as I know you can still buy good, clean Interceptors for $10-$15K. At those prices, projects like these just don’t make any kind of economic sense; they are strictly a labor of love. The ’76 models do have some rarity value, but I don’t know how much of a price premium they command.All that said, from what I can see in the pictures these cars aren’t in hopeless condition and there probably is a couple of decent cars’ worth of stuff.