BF Auction: 1972 Jensen Interceptor Mk III
- Seller: Bill N
- Location: Indio, California
- Mileage: 129,500 Shown
- Chassis #: 1335631
- Title Status: Clean
If you’ve dreamt of owning a classic with Italian styling, British handling, and American horsepower, this Jensen Interceptor is the car for you! It’s a running and driving project that has already had considerable mechanical work done. The seller has enjoyed it, but they need the space in their garage, so they’ve decided to list it here as a Barn Finds Auction. Given how special these cars are, we sent one of our professional photographers over to help capture all the needed pictures and videos, so be sure to take a closer look!
Rather than styling the car in-house, Jensen turned to Carrozzeria Touring to create an elegant yet muscular grand touring car. To ensure the car could travel long distances at high speeds, more grunt than an inline-4 could provide was needed, so a V8 was sourced from Chrysler. Getting the power to the ground also required using Chrysler parts. The body and interior were hand-built, with the final product rolling out of Jensen’s Kelvin Way Factory in West Bromwich, UK.
Jensen’s goal for the Interceptor was to offer a smooth and comfortable GT car, so they put together a well-appointed interior. As you can see, this one needs some work but is usable as is. The seller notes that the interior that is currently installed came from a different car. With a good cleaning and a little work, this interior could look very nice and will be a pleasant place to be on long drives.
The HP 440 cui V8 has been treated to a new radiator, water pump, alternator, Jegs timing chain, distributor, coil, ignition from Summit Racing, oil pump, fuel pump, and a 750cfm Edelbrock carburetor. Its driveshaft has been rebalanced, and the TorqueFlite 727 Transmission has been rebuilt. It’s rolling on a set of Goodyear Eagle tires. Power is sent to the ground via a Dana 60 Posi-traction rear end with a 3.07:1 gear ratio. It’s also equipped with disk brakes all around and are said to be in good condition. A video of the engine running is provided below, and it sounds great!
Just 6,408 Interceptors were built over its 10-year production run. It’s hard to say how many remain, but values have trended upward over the past decade, and for good reason. Typically, a low-production car like this would be nearly impossible to get mechanical parts for, but since most parts are straight from the Chrysler parts bin, it isn’t difficult to get parts. Several parts suppliers are also remaking interior and body parts now, making restoring this one a reasonable task. It has some rust issues, but it appears to be limited to the common areas and shouldn’t require a full restoration to address.
Some spare parts and manuals are included with the car. The seller is the car’s fourth owner and notes that it has attended two Jensen Nationals. It’s currently ready to be driven, or it can be treated to a proper restoration. Either way, it’s a special find that deserves to be enjoyed! Leave any questions for the seller in the comments and cast your high bid below.
Bid On This Auction
Eric bid $11,000.00 2024-05-23 10:03:46
Big marc bid $9,875.00 2024-05-23 10:00:08- Eric bid $9,550.00 2024-05-23 09:59:09
Conroe bid $9,250.00 2024-05-23 09:58:47- Big marc bid $8,700.00 2024-05-23 09:58:14
- Conroe bid $8,000.00 2024-05-23 09:54:47
- Big marc bid $7,500.00 2024-05-23 09:27:51
- Eric bid $6,750.00 2024-05-23 08:45:29
Philip Livoti bid $6,500.00 2024-05-22 16:31:33- Eric bid $6,000.00 2024-05-22 12:14:40
caracells bid $5,500.00 2024-05-22 08:59:13
Rich bid $4,150.00 2024-05-21 20:37:26
CL bid $3,500.00 2024-05-20 13:07:55
Gavin75 bid $2,750.00 2024-05-18 16:50:10- CL bid $2,500.00 2024-05-18 10:49:14
BigHead56 bid $1,972.00 2024-05-16 11:51:22
PhilLa bid $125.00 2024-05-16 10:59:59
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Comments
Classic GT touring car, with American reliability.
Great example of a Jensen Interceptor.
Could this be reliably driven to San Francisco?
I have never had it on a long trip like that so I wouldn’t think so, I would get a trailer and drive it that way or have it shipped
Jensens are an enigma – a truly beautifully designed car to look at, wonderful to drive, with the same running gear as so many mass produced Mopar muscle cars yet built in extremely small numbers – this car should have enthusiasts clamoring all over themselves to own with the resultant sky high prices yet they languish in the market while the mass produced Mopars typically command much higher prices?
I think part of the issue is these cars were quite expensive when new, most guys didn’t grow up lusting to, or expecting to own one, with the assumption that they would always be too expensive so why even think about it. I believe the same principle is at work with the early post-WWII Bentley cars – such marvelously built cars yet nobody is looking for them because of the automatic (false) assumption that they are absolutely unaffordable.
I worked for one of the bigger Jensen dealers in southern California when these car were new – I was a TR3 and Bugeye Sprite driving teenager who terrorized Mulholland Drive once the sun went down.
Sitting behind the wheel of on Interceptor was both comfortably familiar yet strangely otherworldly at the same time – the precision of the rack and pinion steering, the overall chassis dynamics of a front engine RWD car with a live rear axle gave this driver of little British Sports Cars familiar confidence but the tremendous power and torque of the big Chrysler mill, the automatic transmission and even functional air conditioning were something from another universe to me.
But yes, when the opportunity arose, I would just fly down Mulholland or Topanga Canyon in whatever Interceptor I was charged with delivering.
But now back to reality – the opening line referring to “Italian styling, British handling and American horsepower could just as accurately been written “Italian rust propensities, British reliability issues and voracious American gas guzzling . . . but that is perhaps a bit too harsh. Those that have survived today have had nearly all the shortcomings addressed – I will gladly take this over just another “Beep Beep” Road Runner and know that I can actually fly around a corner quickly and stop even more quickly when need to in complete control of a very cool car!
THANK YOU CHINGA, when I bought mine , I had been in serious combat in Nam and injured . My only thoughts were the beauty and V8, I recieved 9 tickets for speeding from the OHIO HI way guys. Some knew me but had to give even a Combat SEAL a ticket for 120 mph in most cases. My greatest joy was hunting down Porshe’s with their nose in the air drivers…
Thank you for your service it’s too bad that the police overlooked your service in the military and gave you a pass but I’m glad you had fun tearing up the highways
What happened to the AC unit? The mount is still there.
A previous owner removed it, you can still buy those AC units I have the hoses though in the extra parts that come with the car
I have never been on a long road trip in this car it’s able to go on the freeway but I would not drive it from Southern California to San Francisco I would get a trailer and take it home or have it shipped
1974 Jensen Interceptor – Jay Leno’s Garage
BBC TV – ‘The Car’s the Star’ – Jensen Interceptor – 1997 (Old Top Gear)
Must Watch on Utube
Never seen one in person but always liked them. I kinda thought there was some woody bits on dash? At the current price I would be all over this if it was on the right coast.
I always liked these although my preference is the convertible version and a 6bbl would be so much fun
The reserve is off!
Thanks Josh ,off to the races now
The bid increment has been reduced.
Beautiful car. I’ve only seen one in person. I’ve always found Jensen Interceptor the best looking car built.
CAR NUT you must be VERY yoing and have not seen very many CARS!
I’ve seen pictures of the Jensen Interceptor, but I’ve only seen one in person. As for my age, define young? I’m 51 yrs old.
Sorry CARNUT but at 92 and with grand kids your age YES I see you as YOUNG, no offence meant. I was 51 in 1983 and still doing Jumps with my UDT team..My last Jump from 5 miles was into the Bosnia mess in 1992 ON my 60th B Day. YEAH my guys were singing to me as we dropped at 120 ft per second.
Hey! None taken. I am young compared to you, and I’m willing to bet a lot of people here. Although it was the only Jensen Interceptor I’ve ever seen in person, I knew what it was called.
Thanks Car NUT, that seems to be true wherever I go. But I’m, still very active even in the gym. I greatly enjoy all the expertise I see hear. I missed so much being in combat for 43 years.
That’s good. We all need to be active, physically, mentally, etc.