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Me And My Classic

Jensen Interceptor Mark II

by Rupert Emerson

Do you remember Dinky, Corgi and Matchbox toys? Dinky were the expensive ones, Corgi were mainstream but had a great choice and Matchbox were cheap and cheerful. Most Saturdays I used to visit my local toy shop where they had a fine display. I looked at each model carefully and considered their pedigree, features and so on. I had forgotten how patient my father was while I assessed every item. It was part of a ritual we had which included visiting the wine merchant where roles were reversed. My Dad checked out the offers, discussed the wines with the manager and only when he was satisfied would he make his purchase – pale ale, ginger beer and maybe a bottle of wine if he had saved up. He was a regular customer of that off licence until the manager retired and I was an excellent customer of that toy shop until a new manager became frustrated with my slow purchasing system. I regularly added to the Matchbox collection with my paper round money, occasionally I chose a Corgi and perhaps once a year a Dinky.

Friends and family came to know that if they wanted to buy me a birthday present they were likely to do well buying me a car, train or tractor but they also knew they had to do their research. For example a distant relative who had some business connection with Corgi brought me a fine Porsche Carrera but, although I admired its racing credentials, I did not fall in love with it. My heart was for two cars, both with a big Chrysler engine, co-incidentally, though I did not know it at the time. One was a dark red Monteverdi 375L, a gorgeous Swiss car. More stylish and more exclusive than an Aston Martin. The other was a Jensen FF. Just the most beautiful design ever. The front rather similar to the Monteverdi but the back window so uncompromising.

In my teenage years I came to understand the significance of the FF as an innovative and forward thinking concept. It took 15 years for Audi to cotton on to the benefits of four wheel drive in a sports car.

When I could finally afford to buy a Jensen I looked at a green FF. I made an offer and it was accepted and then the owner disappeared and sold it to someone else. I did further research on the FF and Interceptor and got to know the difference between each Mark. The Mark I has the worst seats but a rather nice dashboard. Most are in very poor condition. The Mark II has the nicest seats and an aircraft style dash that is super. The Mark III has nice front seats but the back seats are rather low rent. Not the class of the Mark II. The dashboard and wheel of the Mark IIIs are rather 70s, a bit American which detracts from the blend of Italian style and British engineering that is the appeal of the Jensen.

The engines vary more than you might imagine. The 6.3 litre of the early cars varied in power almost every year but in principle I think it is a better choice than the later 7.2 litre. The extra size adds weight and over heating problems – hence the louvered bonnet of the later cars. There is not really any speed benefit. Perhaps at the very top end you might get a few more miles an hour but there is nothing in the acceleration. And if you plan to attempt a top speed in a classic I suggest you make your will first.

The FF is a great car and well worth considering but it is heavier and not as nice to drive in some respects. It is more expensive and more complicated though not impossible to fix. The SP, with its extra performance from a Six Pack of carburetion, is best avoided. Lots of hassle.

Having looked at a wide variety of cars I finally found an Interceptor Mark II in excellent condition. Somehow everything was right. The owner lived in a fine house in Cirencester and was obviously rolling in it. They drove the car on summer weekends. They had owned it for 17 years or more. This was quite a contrast to other circumstances I had seen – a 20 owner car at Cropredy Bridge with accessories that made it look like a tinker’s wagon; a bright blue number in Brighton with white fluffy carpets – very hairdresser; a perfect looking model near Swindon that lost its brake fluid in 5 miles and we pushed home. No, this one was right. And it was yellow, just like the Dinky car.

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