1974 Jensen Interceptor S3

After spending the first 24 years of its life in the UK - mainly in a collection on the Isle of Wight - this smart silver Jensen Interceptor caught the eye of a Canadian enthusiast and was shipped out to Toronto in 1998.

‘The Canadian owner did a lot of work on the car,’ its keeper owner informs us. ‘It had a bare metal respray and the engine was rebuilt.’ The electrics were also upgraded (Interceptors are legendary for the length of wiring they possess), and the car was given an extra heavy-duty fan - a wise upgrade on these.

Our vendor bought the car in 2013 and brought it back to the UK - more specifically to Holmfirth in Yorkshire, where he had ideas of his own about further ‘enhancing’ the Jensen.

‘I took it to an Interceptor specialist [in Doncaster] to see if it could be tuned a bit more,’ he says. However, after being put on a rolling road dynamometer, the specialist said he’d never met such a powerful example. ‘It has 208hp at the back wheels,’ (The read-out is in the document pictures). One thing he did add was a high torque starter motor; ‘It’s brilliant now - usually starts on the first turn.’

As Jensens and American V8s go, this one certainly has a tight crisp bark overlaying the deep rumble when the motor is gunned. Starting very eagerly, it immediately settles into quite an even tick-over, and sounds a very sorted motor.

Driving the car between 500 and 1000 miles a year - ‘really just to shows and local runs’ - Martin has kept up a similar level of car to the car’s Canadian keeper, with the Jensen being sent to a local - and knowledgeable - classic car specialist for fettling. It still has only 36,000 miles on the clock.

An Interceptor is a large and impressive beast - or at least it is when found in as nice a condition as this example. Those Touring-designed lines remain true across the whole of the car with panel gaps that are consistent across the whole of the car. The big bonnet sits flush with the wings and the flanks are smooth with no ripples.

The proper name for the paintwork is Argento Nurburgring - metallic silver to you and me. Either way, the car looks mostly superb. The Toronto paint shop obviously did a proper job and the finish remains consistent across the car. The gloss is excellent and there appears to be no overspray on any other parts - those rubber window surrounds and door seals look very healthy - rather new actually - very supple and showing a very good colour.

The only real blemish to the car’s appearance is on the lower edge of the big rear hatch. As so often happens with these, water gets into the relatively thin metal strip below that big glass canopy. Rust has bubbled the paintwork and pushed out the chrome surround.

That said, the chrome here, and indeed all around the car (there’s a lot of it) is in great shape. It retains a very deep shine, and its joins and edges (that one excepted) are clean and extremely neat. The big overriders on the bumpers remain straight and their rubber facings retain a healthy black shine with no scuffs. The large mirrors too look very shiny (a little bit of rust in their retaining screws).

There are plenty of little angles and details on Jensens, which, on a less well cared-for car, start to move out of alignment or act as rust traps. This one, however, looks very smart, with details around the grill and headlights looking very tidy. Door cavities and hinges appear very healthy (with only a couple marks of tiny trace of surface rust). Both of those (very big) doors open very smoothly without sagging.

A little rear hatch renovation will make this very smart GT even smarter.

The Interceptor retains its original Connolly leather interior in original condition, which is largely very good. The hides mostly retain their deep blue colour and have no rips or tears. (There’s a small gap between the cushion and edge at one point at the top of the passenger seat). The piped edges are quite faded, but seat cushions retain all of their shape. There are creases and the driver’s seat, which is, understandably, more worn on the outer bolster and on the seat cushion. Likewise, the driver’s door furniture is sightly more worn than that on the passenger side, though both are very good and the ambience is still very pleasing.

The leather/carpet transmission tunnel sides and top are in good condition, though the central armrest/locker lid displays some wear and fading. Condition improves the closer you get to the facia and dashboard. The black leather here is in excellent condition and all switches and instruments are present and correct. The gear shift and steering wheel show signs of gentle ‘handling’, but the large interior door handles show no signs of abuse. By the way, the chrome door furniture is in very good shape, though the passenger side mirror control is missing its lever.

Carpets across the car are in good nick. Those in the wide boot are very good and the trimmed edges to the mats there look very tidy. There carpet in the cabin is good - still a very nice colour - and again, mats are clean and very presentable. Their opposite number, the headlining, is also very tidy - very clean with tight, straight stitching and no signs of sagging.

Altogether a relaxed and airy touring space.

The underneath of the Interceptor looks very healthy and solid - I don’t reckon it’s been out in bad weather much, if at all. The underside of the body displays what looks to be a coating of weatherproofing. This extends to brackets and cross-members and remains thick over most of the surfaces. There is the odd brush of surface corrosion on one or two edges but it is very superficial. The long twin exhausts appear (and definitely sound) healthy. All suspension parts appear very sturdy. The big strings look strong, and arms and wishbones too. There are fresh bolts holding the anti-roll bar, they and all the others appear easily adjustable and the whole assemblies inspire confidence.

The very large bonnet opens smoothly and remains steady and upright on its struts. Its insulation is rather saggy in the centre, but generally okay.

Remember, when you look down into the engine bay of this very British GT, you are also looking at one of America’s most famous drivetrains - the Chrysler 440cu V8 coupled with the almost more famous ‘Torqueflite’ automatic transmissions - a combination that has powered some of Detroit’s most celebrated creations.

The big V8 actually sits quite a long way back in the engine bay. It is rust and oil stain-free and the oversized air box atop the carburettor is in good condition. A myriad of cables and hoses rub across the bay, as well as all that wiring. All of it looks fresh with plenty of life left in the rubber and plastic. Connectors and joins look equally healthy. There are no signs of cracks or leaks, and certainly nothing to suggest heat damage.

Talking of heat - or cooling - remember, the Jensen had an extra heavy duty fan installed behind the radiator. Both fans and the radiator itself look sturdy and very clean. Nearby, the engine pulleys and belts all appear very healthy, and the alternator and all ancillaries likewise. The battery is also new.

It’s a pity no records of the restoration come with the Jensen, though looking around the car, it isn’t hard to believe the claims about its rebuild. If you need a little more convincing, there is at least a Canadian independent engineer’s appraisal of the Interceptor. Mechanically, structurally and cosmetically, the inspector seemed more than happy with the car. The only questionable thing it does say is that this car was used in the film ‘The Saint’ with Roger Moore. (Simon Dutton appeared in the film, Moore in the TV series). It doesn’t really matter, this Jensen stands totally on its own merits.

Back to nuts and bolts, the present owner has also taken good care of the car (he’s no stranger to classic ownership). To keep up with regular maintenance - including clutch and A/C compressor (2019), and all belts, filters, plugs and battery (June of this year) - he has usually sent the car to a well-known local classic workshop; I.K. Classics on the other side of Holmfirth.

It’s also good to know that Chrysler’s legendary Torqueflight has the reputation of being one of the most robust automatic transmissions ever built.

This is a very handsome Jensen. Yes, we know about that little bit of corrosion in the tail, but it is a very visible fault and is a relatively easy correction to make. More difficult areas, such as the underneath, sills and doors appear hugely robust. The interior has a nice patina, and the engine bay is very tidy - new fans, wiring, belts, hoses - oh yes.

It’s many advantages and few defects weighed up and considered, we expect this example to command a value of between £43,000 and £50,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the seller near Holmfirth; 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’.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ near Abingdon, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.

With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the owner themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.