1968 Jensen Interceptor Mk1

One of just 923 right-hand drive automatic MK1’s manufactured, the Statement of Origin from Jensen Motors shows that ‘STN 34F’ was built in December 1967 and is finished in the same colour of Special Jensen Red it wears today.

The previous owner had it between 2008 and 2021 and kept it in dry storage for a decade. Keith Flint Classic Cars Ltd carried out a comprehensive multi-year restoration that included a bare metal respray and an engine rebuild.

The seller bought the finished car in 2021 after a lifetime of yearning. His father had a couple, you see, and when the time was right he wasted no time in finding the best example he could to recreate his childhood.

We understand the bodywork restoration was so comprehensive it comprised striping the shell back to bare metal before applying multiple coats of primer and scratch coats. 

These were then flatted by hand, creating a smooth and stable base for the topcoat, which comprised a two-pack in Special Jensen Red, the same colour in which it left the Jensen factory way back in 1967. 

The final step was to hand flat the car once more before giving it a machine polish – and after you’ve taken a deep breath after reading that little lot why not set aside a few minutes to browse through the album that documents the work before moving on to admire the photos that show its present-day condition?

We aren’t sure there’s much we can say other than it’s great to see the original colour has been reapplied – and didn’t they do a terrific job of it all?

Because they also fitted new stainless-steel bumpers and Viewmaster door mirrors, and they, like the window glass, rubber seals, and lamp lenses, are all in fine shape.

The original Rostyle wheels were refurbished and they too have weathered the passage of time with impressive aplomb. They’re also fitted with matching 205/70R15 Hifly HF201 tyres, all of which are date-stamped 2018 and show good tread.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

As for problems, there’s a shallow dent in the nearside front wing, pitting to the chrome window frames, a crack in the paint finish on the bonnet, the nearside front rubber bumper pad is cracked in two and lifting away, and there’s a chip on the nearside door.

Moving onto the cabin, the restoration might have included purchasing and fitting new carpets but the rest was good enough that it needed nothing more than refurbishing the original fixtures and fittings. Conservation rather than restoration, if you like, which is something to be applauded.

As you can see, the stitched headlining is very good being clean, taut, and undamaged, as are the matching door cards. 

The dashboard, including the vulnerable top, is free of UV-damage, and the luggage cover in the boot is in a similarly good condition.

The new carpets are, of course, still very good and while their Old English White colour could be expected to show a few stains and marks, it all looks remarkably clean.

Other nice touches are Britax front seatbelts, a Bluetooth Radiomobile twin-spindle radio and period-perfect Blaupunkt speaker grilles, plus a wonderfully vast wood-rimmed steering wheel.

As for work to do, the wooden veneer switch panel in the centre console is cracked, the wiring under the steering column could do with being tidied up, and the carpet in the driver’s footwell need refastening to the transmission tunnel.

The leather seats have been filled and recoloured, and while this has improved them the driver’s seat is still a little rumpled and shows some colour loss. Both front seats show deep cracking and while the rear seat is better, that too has some cracks to the finish.

The restoration included a comprehensive engine overhaul plus further mechanical reconditioning as necessary.

An upgraded remote security locking system was also fitted, and invoices for this work, and more, are attached. 

As you’d expect given the length of time he spent dreaming of owning one, the seller hasn’t stinted in maintaining his Interceptor either:

• September 2021 - new alternator, brace, cable, and belt 
• October 2021 – new brake servo, P-seals, and splashguards 
• February 2022 – new starter motor, two cylinder head gaskets, two rocker cover gaskets, a valley pan, two exhaust and downpipe gaskets, fresh coolant, heatshields, copper nuts, eight spark plugs, and a new oil and oil filter plus a new sump gasket 
• March 2022 – two new radiator cooling fans from JP Group and rated at 250 watts plus a fan controller, housing, fresh coolant and new hoses, an engine thermostat, and a gasket 
• July 2022 – an electric fuel pump and pressure regulator valve, new fuel lines and pipe covers, a fresh fuel filter, a blanking plate, and a fuel sender unit
• August 2022 – repairs to the indicators with a new relay and wiring plus internal indicator bulbs 
• May 2023 - rear bumper pads replaced as well as a repair to the lights on the rear bumper
• June 2023 – lubricate the front brake pads and fit a re-conditioned steering rack, new track rod ends, washers, and transmission fluid 
• November 2023 - replace handbrake pads, fit a new voltmeter and a central locking unit and key, replace the broken brake fluid reservoir and pipe, and install a Bluetooth Radiomobile unit with microphone
• February 2024 – fit a refurbished Torqueflight 727 gearbox and convertor plus ten litres of Dexron transmission fluid. Also, rivnuts and bolts plus parts to repair the handbrake mechanism

As the video demonstrates, all his hard work has paid off because the V8 engine fires into life readily and shows a healthy charge to the battery. It also idles and revs as it should, with the sort of subdued menace you only get from British sporting thoroughbreds.

(Oh, and there’s plenty of fuel in the tank, which isn’t to be underestimated these days.)

A plate under the bonnet shows this is car number 115 of 2,658 built. The rest of the engine bay is nicely presented and clean without being overly fussy, and while pedants will have noticed that the battery clamp is the wrong one, that that’s the extent of our observations speaks volumes, doesn’t it?

A cradle underneath the Jensen holds the spare wheel. The rest looks nice and solid - repairs were made to the sills at least during the restoration - and no MoT tester has ever had cause to mention structural corrosion, which is good news.

The central locking controlled by the key fob seems to work on the passenger door and not the drivers door, but is brand new.

Despite not needing one, we’re delighted to see the Interceptor has a long MoT. Expiring in February 2025, the only advisory was for a slightly worn suspension bush.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the Interceptor comes with two key fobs for the upgraded remote central locking, a Statement of Origin from Jensen Motors, the original red Interceptor book, a copy of the original sales invoice addressed to A.R.D. Garages of Cwmbran, the factory build card, the original guarantee postcard, and even some invoices for guarantee claims over fifty years ago.

There are also invoices dating back to 1968, and a photographic record of the restoration in addition to a thick wad of invoices for it.

The seller rightly places huge importance on the provenance of his cars and we think he hit the jackpot with this one.

If you’ve got a Tesla in the garage this probably isn’t the car for you. 

But if you’re more interested in enjoying your daily driver than shaving a few pounds off your income tax bill - and prefer watching re-runs of The Sweeney to Strictly Come Dancing - then it definitely is.

Still the staple of many a middle-aged man’s dream and with one of the best history files we can recall seeing, this iconic British muscle car could be yours for somewhere between £40,000 and £45,000.

Turns out you can put a price on happiness, after all.

We are happy to offer this vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £40,000 - £45,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.