Jensen Shite

[Dippy]

A fellow shitter suggested their may be some interest in the Jensens I work on.

A bit of background, I am not a trained mechanic I am an Industrial electrician who used to carry out installation work alongside repairing machinery, although these were mainly electrical repairs they did cross over into some mechanical work if required. Having retired from this work I moved to Cornwall and decided I would mess about with a few Jensens as friends had asked me to do work on their cars.

That was 10 years ago and now I seem to be surrounded by Jensens mainly Interceptors with occasional CV8s and rarely a 541.

Currently I have 2 MK3 Interceptors and 2 MK2 CV8s in the workshop along with my own MK1 FF project that has been ongoing for the last 12 years.

Heres the first car a CV8 that came in for just a bit of tidying up and a few mechanical repairs and is now almost finished.

 

 

[worldofceri]

I lost count of the number of times I took this one down to you!

[ETCHY]

2 hours ago, Dippy said:

A fellow shitter suggested their may be some interest in the Jensens I work on.

A bit of background, I am not a trained mechanic I am an Industrial electrician who used to carry out installation work alongside repairing machinery, although these were mainly electrical repairs they did cross over into some mechanical work if required. Having retired from this work I moved to Cornwall and decided I would mess about with a few Jensens as friends had asked me to do work on their cars.

That was 10 years ago and now I seem to be surrounded by Jensens mainly Interceptors with occasional CV8s and rarely a 541.

Currently I have 2 MK3 Interceptors and 2 MK2 CV8s in the workshop along with my own MK1 FF project that has been ongoing for the last 12 years.

Heres the first car a CV8 that came in for just a bit of tidying up and a few mechanical repairs and is now almost finished.

 

 

The CV8 looks fabulous. Proper aggressive looking hard bast*rd look about them. V cool.

[Bren]

Interceptor is likely my favourite car.

[Shite Ron]

A lot of interest in Interceptors from me, please keep posting.

[danthecapriman]

Lovely cars. I like all Jensen’s but the Interceptor and 541 are my favourites. The 541 just has a great style to it. I used to see one years ago near where I used to live being driven regularly by an old guy. It looked absolutely hanging rough but I think appearances were deceptive in that case and it was pretty well sorted underneath.

Your lucky getting to work on stuff like these cars.

[High Jetter]

Wibble. Watching B&C, NED 948P ATM

[wuvvum]

I do love a CV8.  Even if they are a bit odd looking. 

[Mally]

Useless information. I used to know a girl who's Dad allegedly owned Jenson for a short time.

I think he only owned the name plus 1 car, if she was telling the truth.

[New POD]

Useless information. I used to work with a bloke called Scott in the early 2000s who had worked for the last Jensen manufacturing Attempt in Speke, that had gone bust.  

[Dippy]

I never posted about these cars as I didnt feel they would be of interest on this forum but it seems many of you share the same love for them that I do.

Next up is a lovely MK 3 Interceptor in one of my favourite colours, the car was partially restored elsewhere with the bodywork and paint completed then the owner took the car back and fitted all the external trim, quite a lot of the interior and various bits and the car was delivered to me to finish still mounted on a temporary jig to roll it about with a loose rebuilt engine and gearbox.Now the problem was I dont like crawling about on the floor as my knees and back are not what they used to be and the 2 post ramp has my FF on it with partially rebuilt suspension and the jig it came on was too narrow to fit on the 4 post ramp, so I spent a day getting it on the ramp so I could fit the suspension and get it rolling properly again.

Here it is with all new and refurbished parts supplied with the car, a very enjoyable job for me as somebody else has done all the dirty work leaving me all the fun part. Unfortunately as is usually the case when somebody else strips down a car there were no records of what shims went where to at least give a baseline setting for the front suspension and there was powdercoating on many surfaces that needed to be carefully removed.

Now looking much better on its wheels although still sat high due to no engine and gearbox plus many other parts.

Next job on this is getting the engine bay finished, theres a lot to do on an Interceptor before the engine can go in, brake pipes are much easier, the bulkhead needs to be built up insulated and the covered with heatshield (this job alone is around 40 hours work).

[High Jetter]

I think the Mk3 is the one that apeals to me most, and that colour is lush!

[Bren]

2 hours ago, Dippy said:

I never posted about these cars as I didnt feel they would be of interest on this forum but it seems many of you share the same love for them that I do.

Next up is a lovely MK 3 Interceptor in one of my favourite colours, the car was partially restored elsewhere with the bodywork and paint completed then the owner took the car back and fitted all the external trim, quite a lot of the interior and various bits and the car was delivered to me to finish still mounted on a temporary jig to roll it about with a loose rebuilt engine and gearbox.Now the problem was I dont like crawling about on the floor as my knees and back are not what they used to be and the 2 post ramp has my FF on it with partially rebuilt suspension and the jig it came on was too narrow to fit on the 4 post ramp, so I spent a day getting it on the ramp so I could fit the suspension and get it rolling properly again.

Here it is with all new and refurbished parts supplied with the car, a very enjoyable job for me as somebody else has done all the dirty work leaving me all the fun part. Unfortunately as is usually the case when somebody else strips down a car there were no records of what shims went where to at least give a baseline setting for the front suspension and there was powdercoating on many surfaces that needed to be carefully removed.

Now looking much better on its wheels although still sat high due to no engine and gearbox plus many other parts.

Next job on this is getting the engine bay finished, theres a lot to do on an Interceptor before the engine can go in, brake pipes are much easier, the bulkhead needs to be built up insulated and the covered with heatshield (this job alone is around 40 hours work).

I hope you have a suitably hench engine crane!

[Westbay]

Many, many years ago I used to live opposite the factory ( well over the road and across , the then, field!) and would often see the Interceptor/ FF's being road tested with planks of wood in place of the bumpers, also the field was useful for the 'celebrities'  visiting the factory by helicopter...

Still top of my 'when I win the lottery list'  😍

[tooSavvy]

13 hours ago, ETCHY said:

The CV8 looks fabulous. Proper aggressive looking hard bast*rd look about them. V cool.

Jimmy Nail drove one in Minder..... 👍

🚙💨

[ETCHY]

7 hours ago, tooSavvy said:

Jimmy Nail drove one in Minder..... 👍

🚙💨

I remember that !

[ETCHY]

11 hours ago, Dippy said:

I never posted about these cars as I didnt feel they would be of interest on this forum but it seems many of you share the same love for them that I do.

Next up is a lovely MK 3 Interceptor in one of my favourite colours, the car was partially restored elsewhere with the bodywork and paint completed then the owner took the car back and fitted all the external trim, quite a lot of the interior and various bits and the car was delivered to me to finish still mounted on a temporary jig to roll it about with a loose rebuilt engine and gearbox.Now the problem was I dont like crawling about on the floor as my knees and back are not what they used to be and the 2 post ramp has my FF on it with partially rebuilt suspension and the jig it came on was too narrow to fit on the 4 post ramp, so I spent a day getting it on the ramp so I could fit the suspension and get it rolling properly again.

Here it is with all new and refurbished parts supplied with the car, a very enjoyable job for me as somebody else has done all the dirty work leaving me all the fun part. Unfortunately as is usually the case when somebody else strips down a car there were no records of what shims went where to at least give a baseline setting for the front suspension and there was powdercoating on many surfaces that needed to be carefully removed.

Now looking much better on its wheels although still sat high due to no engine and gearbox plus many other parts.

Next job on this is getting the engine bay finished, theres a lot to do on an Interceptor before the engine can go in, brake pipes are much easier, the bulkhead needs to be built up insulated and the covered with heatshield (this job alone is around 40 hours work).

The Interceptor must have looked incredibly modern when introduced in 1966. Compare it with an Aston DB6 or even E-Type. Still looked modern well into the 1970's & not too out of date even when seen in the 80's. 

Fabulous design & a also a very cool interior on all the types.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that the money that might have gone to bail out Jensen instead went to DeLorean... that ended well...

[Dippy]

8 hours ago, Bren said:

I hope you have a suitably hench engine crane!

A fairly standard engine crane which is fine with engine only although near the limit when engine and g/box.

I prefer to take them out as 1 unit if both need to come out but put them back in separately as its much easier and less chance of damaging anything. It always makes me laugh when you see 4/5 people fitting an engine on tv restoration shows when I do it on my own with a big V8. The trick is not the crane but the lifting/levelling bracket I bought which is designed for these engines and bolts down to all the different manifolds, it has an easy levelling system and doesnt get in the way like those cheap ones with the chains. It usually takes me 15 minutes once everything is set up to carefully lift the engine over the front of the car and get it on its 2 engine mounts with a couple of bots in the gearbox so everything is safe, I could probably do it in much less time but take it easy so nothing gets damaged.

Heres one going in a convertable.

 

[FakeConcern]

I chap I know who is a toy fair seller has an Interceptor, he says that's why he charges high prices!

His is a silver grey and is lovely, but that bronze colour above is the best!

[Bren]

I had an interceptor over a weekend for my 40th birthday.

Contrary to popular belief I didn't spend my time looking at the fuel gauge - it was the temperature that had my attention. In traffic - during summer - they get very hot - even with electric fans.

10 mpg is of little concern driving along with the window down.

It's the only car I have driven that motorcyclists going the other way have nodded their approval.

[FakeConcern]

I forgot another chap from the toy fair has a CV8 and is the area rep for the owners' club. He's written a few books and I bought "British Sporting Cars In Miniature" from him.

 

[Dippy]

12 hours ago, Bren said:

I had an interceptor over a weekend for my 40th birthday.

Contrary to popular belief I didn't spend my time looking at the fuel gauge - it was the temperature that had my attention. In traffic - during summer - they get very hot - even with electric fans.

10 mpg is of little concern driving along with the window down.

It's the only car I have driven that motorcyclists going the other way have nodded their approval.

The fuel thing is a myth perpetuated by lazy journalists after a recent article quoting 10MPG the editor of the magazine argued when he had one it only did 7MPG commuting in London. Well nobody quotes MPG commuting in London.

Amongst owners who have well maintained cars and use them often with long trips manage between 14-19+ MPG my own car which has the 6.3L engine along with the better axle ratio managed 17.2 MPG on a 3000 mile trip through europe which included  many mountains passes getting stuck in traffic (2 hours on the M25) and driving for fun not fuel economy. Those getting over 18 have modified their cars usually with fuel injection, overdrive gearboxes etc.

The overheating is a thing but only on poorly maintained cars, the reason is the cooling system is only just enough so any small problems and its game over and owners on a budget just try and put bigger fans on. Ive overheated once in over 30,000 miles when the fan fuse blew for no apparent reason and I was running a factory cooling system without all the upgrades.

Interestingly in the day customers complained to jensen that their cars were getting hot so Jensen made the Red portion on the end of the gauge smaller then later offset the N on the gauge from the centre to closer to the Red section.

[Low ontime]

Great looking cars with a lot of presence.

always screams old money to me and a well heeled owner with a farmhouse vibe.

[martc]

I've mentioned this before, but one of my earliest car memories is Mr Wardells maroon Jensen Interceptor I used to see as a lad. Now the strange thing is that Mr Wardell ran a small haberdashery shop in Cottingham. Those buttons must have been damned expensive....

IMHO Interceptors are far far far superior to E Types. It is a much more coherent design, for example, the wheels actually fit into the wheel arches.

PS There was also a Panther Rio hooning around the village at the same time. I saw it that often that I thought they were common.

 

 

[danthecapriman]

7 hours ago, Dippy said:

The fuel thing is a myth perpetuated by lazy journalists after a recent article quoting 10MPG the editor of the magazine argued when he had one it only did 7MPG commuting in London. Well nobody quotes MPG commuting in London.

Amongst owners who have well maintained cars and use them often with long trips manage between 14-19+ MPG my own car which has the 6.3L engine along with the better axle ratio managed 17.2 MPG on a 3000 mile trip through europe which included  many mountains passes getting stuck in traffic (2 hours on the M25) and driving for fun not fuel economy. Those getting over 18 have modified their cars usually with fuel injection, overdrive gearboxes etc.

The overheating is a thing but only on poorly maintained cars, the reason is the cooling system is only just enough so any small problems and its game over and owners on a budget just try and put bigger fans on. Ive overheated once in over 30,000 miles when the fan fuse blew for no apparent reason and I was running a factory cooling system without all the upgrades.

Interestingly in the day customers complained to jensen that their cars were getting hot so Jensen made the Red portion on the end of the gauge smaller then later offset the N on the gauge from the centre to closer to the Red section.

It’s the same with American cars. It’s a bit of a standing joke about the fuel consumption, and they can be bad if you’re constantly hammering it around town, but they’re not often as bad as people think.

On mine it’s a 7.0 big block V8 and I’ve honestly never really considered it ‘bad’ on fuel. It’s not good, don’t get me wrong, but if you’re just cruising around and don’t drive it like you stole it then it’s fine. The sweet spot really is sitting at a steady 55/60mph and just float along.

[bezzabsa]

lottery win cars... would love a modernised one, modern suspension and possibly an ls with or without supercharger

[FakeConcern]

7.0 litre car in poor fuel consumption shocker (says the Daily Mail)!

[eddyramrod]

If "fuel consumption" is important enough to worry about, then don't buy a Jensen.  Simple.  Don't buy anything with a V8 of any sort.  Don't even buy a six.  Go out and buy a small four-pot turbo diesel and crucially, don't complain!  You've got what you wanted, a sipper.  Me, I'll drive the V8 (as proved often!) with a fucking big grin on my chops that you couldn't wipe off with turps.

Jensen Interceptor?  You bet I would!  I've always wanted one, since I first saw press photos in the 60s.  Lottery territory now, sadly, but I'm allowed to dream, even at my advanced age.

[chaseracer]

On 26/02/2026 at 22:14, Bren said:

Interceptor is likely my favourite car.

Best/most appropriate car name EVER.

[Royale80]

Here's mine with me in about 1996. Another one I should have kept!! Series 3G with the 6.3 lump.

Brother had this XJS HE about the same time. Me with it in about 97 after a "spirited" (no speed cameras) 140 mile drive to Leicester.