1973 Jensen Interceptor

It’s not everyday that you come across a near 50-year-old classic car that has a history so extensive that you can trace its care back to its early years. That’s exactly what we have here with this fine Interceptor. It seems that all but the first few of its seven former owners were fastidious book keepers. The displayed mileage of 74,572 is backed up with a paper trail that extends to over 130 invoices and receipts from all manner of specialists and even Jensen Cars itself while it was still trading.

The car itself is an August 1973 Interceptor Mark III originally painted in a chocolate brown, but since resprayed very proficiently in a Bentley shade of Bronze. Rather than having a single hit of restoration, this Interceptor has received several rounds of care, as and when it was required. The latest bodywork undertaking saw an extensive refresh between 2010 and 2015 when the remaining outer and inner panels showing their age were replaced (previous work had been done in 1991). The car now presents very well and is said to want for nothing either mechanically or cosmetically, it’s also ready to go having just received an extensive £800 service.

The vendor admits that having bought the car in February of this year, he’s used it sparingly, instead deciding to use his time with the car to cure those last few little niggles. The largest of which was the interior, which we’ll get to shortly. The exterior didn’t need anything putting right as it was in the same condition as you see it here. The last invoice for paintwork comes from 2011 and details work carried out by WRP Coachworks that amounted to a considerable £5330. The finish remains near flawless to this day and we really couldn’t find any major faults with the exterior panels.

If you were a concours judge you might put a mark down against the upper slats of the front grille, but for the rest of us, it’s just pleasant patina. Those wheels might look a little off if you’re an Interceptor expert, that’s because they’re 17-inch alternatives. They are, of course, totally in keeping with the aesthetic of this beautiful GT, but add a little bit of resto-mod aggression – not to mention better tyres and handling. Their diamond-turned finish is still as good as new and they’re wrapped in exceptional Goodyear Efficient Grip tyres, all of which seem to have loads of life in them.

As mentioned above, one of the final tasks left to the vendor upon purchasing this car, was bringing its interior up to the same standard as its exterior. The vendor reports that he had the cabin ‘completely restored’ including having the seats reconolised and the carpets replaced. As you’d expect therefore, the biscuit hides on the seats look as good (if not better) than new. The dashboard is original and shows a few minor age marks but is still very highly presentable. An aftermarket Kenwood CD player (with aux out) sits in the centre console. Adding to the car’s everyday usability – and to further aid its practicality – the factory-fitted air-conditioning not only remains in place but also functions as intended.

There are a few very light stains to the headlining on the top of the driver’s door trim but other than these marks, the ceiling of this cabin is a joy to behold. The attractive Moto-Lita steering wheel is a recent acquisition and therefore still appears like new. Door cards all look great, though perhaps the top of the passenger rear might benefit from a refit. Signs of age to the lettering on some of the switches (electric aerial and passenger front window) plus the gearknob, are really the only signs that this is, in fact, a 48-year-old interior.

The guts of this Interceptor show that it’s been used and maintained over the years, rather than been shut up unused in a collection. That’s not to say that it’s unsightly, but the underside is certainly to the more functional, rather than show pony, end of the spectrum. The underseal is still doing its job in most places, though some chunks have started to peel, for example, that adhering to the leaf springs and the spare-wheel cradle. This has given surface corrosion a chance to set in, but it doesn’t appear to have progressed.

It’s clear where there’s been work under here, not because it’s been done badly, quite the opposite in fact. The areas of the floors and sills that have seen work are crisp and precise, highlighting the areas of the rest of the car that remain solid yet original. We also noticed the near new front springs that have been documented in the service history and various other small parts, nuts and bolts that reaffirm the tale of regular maintenance.

This car’s appearance inside and out will be enough to convince most that it’s well worth a bid but for those still holding out, the absolutely vast service history might just swing it. There are receipts going back to 1982 for servicing and maintenance at Charles Follet Ltd. and throughout the 1980s from Jensen Cars itself. For example, in ’84 and ’85 there are big bills from Jensen for servicing but there’s also an invoice for curing a starting issue from the supplying firm in 1990. Outside the factory care, there are MoT pass sheets from 1987 to the present, which expires in June 2022.

One of several trips to the bodyshop – though likely the car’s first major work – was carried out in ’91 and included replacement or repair of the offside rear wing, offside front lower wing and the replacement of various seals at a cost of £2699,15 from Highcrest Garage, Gwent.

More up-to-date invoices come in the form of a bill for replacement engine mounts and fixing a steering rack leak put right in 2018 by ATECH Automotive at a cost of £1285,20. The steering column bushes – including the bronze-sulphur one that had to be remade – were swapped out (at a cost of more than £400) for an MoT test pass in 2015; one of a myriad of bills from Canons Park Auto.

New inner and outer sills, rear quarters and rear skirt repair panels were supplied by Richard Appleyard Engineering in 2010 for the aforementioned second round of bodywork restoration in 2011. A set of refurbished wheels was purchased from Martin Robey in 2021 for the princely £1386,62.

As mentioned earlier, there’s over 130 sheets of invoices in this car’s vast history, so we’re unable to cover all the work in depth here, but the last big bill worthy of mention was for some engine work. In 2008 the cylinder heads were lifted off the engine and refurbished along with new piston rings at a cost of £4060,34 from Slipstream Autos.

When you want to invest and enjoy an old car there’s so many variables and measures to balance. Is it good to drive, is it the right model, will it hold or improve its value, has it been looked after? The answer to all of the above appears to be yes in this instance. The Interceptor is a perennially popular classic, with good reason, yet few have received the consistent level of care that this one has enjoyed over the years. Therefore, there’s little doubt this Interceptor will meet, or even exceed, our £40,000 to £60,000 estimate.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment 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, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.