Not a Rover, but...

So Cal V8

So Cal V8

Active Member
Okay, I know this isn't a Rover, but I would hate to see this fall into the wrong hands - I have been made aware of/offered a 1973 Jensen Interceptor for $1,500.00

Bit of a back story here - I will try and keep it short - about a year ago an American mate of mine asked if I knew what a Jensen was - he had just fitted a garage door for a lady and she had one on the drive. It had been her husband's project, but sadly he got sick and had died before completing it - I was interested but cash and SWMBO prevented the purchase.

Now, I have finally received permission from 'er indoors to have a project, and having decided on a P6 I am offered a chance at the Jensen. Unlikely that I will get permission/budget for two projects. When I say "unlikley" I actually mean "not in this lifetime"

Anyhoo, the lady has been offered $1,000 for the Jensen which she thinks is low ball, she called my friend told him about the offer and told him she would take $1,500 - I don't know if that's lowball, but that's her number.

I know her husband bought if from Palm Springs about 10 years ago (desert area), he ran it as a daily driver before deciding to "fix" it - the fix never happened. I don't know if it's a California car through and through; I do know that it has suffered from being under a car cover on the drive for the last few years. There are bubbles on the paint and under the vinyl roof - when me and my mate open the bonnet the right hinge was so rotten it broke.

I would hate to see the Jensen go to someone that won't appreciate it, if I could, I would buy it, but I can only save so many classics and I have my eye on a car at the moment. Anyone that's interested, let me know and I will help as much as I can.

The car is in Seal Beach, California - just south of Los Angeles.

Alan.
 

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At that price, I'd say it's well worth someone's while, especially given how much cheaper fuel is in America. Potentially a lovely car, and I have a real hankering for an Interceptor when I'm older.
 
As an investment the Jensen will top the Rover any day, not that I like the jensen, myself i think they are particularly ugly but what the hey there are many many more people out there who think my tatse in Rovers is poor and the there are many more that will pay big money for a nice Jensen.

Graeme
 
I agree that Jensen's are an acquired taste. Those that like them will pay big money for them. But with the high price tag come some potentially huge bills. And that car loks like it is in line for most of them! All the give away Jensen rust hints are present and correct! And a Jensen is much more difficult to derust than a P6. Then it looks as if the electrics are in a pickle and......


Chris
 
yes a huge a :LOL: amount of work, saw one a t customer of mine the other day fully restored and modded with new aircon and many other modern additions, I suspect the value of the car would be 100K plus.
 
No brainer for me, I would snap it up. If it's been in America all it's life could it have rusted as bad as a uk based car. Contact the owners club, find out the bad rot areas and then go and have a prod. I know they eat money,but what a car, even the name is great. Good luck
 
I'd buy that in a heartbeat... 8)

(PS Not being funny but could you resize your pics to 800x600.. My monitor's just gone into overload.. :LOL: )
 
V8P6B said:
(PS Not being funny but could you resize your pics to 800x600.. My monitor's just gone into overload.. :LOL: )
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Love to - instructions on resizing for a luddite please?

I have to give the lady a call this morning and tell her that neither I nor my friend are going to buy the Interceptor - if any one out there is really interested I will do what I can to help make it happen.

I think at today's exchange rate that's about 935 quid, $1,974 NZ and AU $1,455

Let me know...
 
Okay - photo's resized! Plus two more.

The seller will try and hold out for someone who's interested in restoring the car, but if the right person shows up in the meantime she will let it go.

She thinks it has always been a California car, but isn't 100% certain; it has been in Seal Beach for about 10 or so years, before that the last two owners lived in the Palm Springs area.

I think the bubbling and rusting is due to being stored outside under a tarp - the moisture was just held in place and did its work - there were pools of water on the bodywork and all the little areas where is likes to accumulate, and it hasn't rained here for over a week.

The electrics look like a bit of a bird's nest as this was what her husband was last working on - she says the engine was running well. All of the parts are present, either in the boot or in her garage.
 

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Great job on the pics! Thats better! This car looks really do-able, the chromework looks good, if I was over there, I'd so buy that for the money. If it were over here, I reckon it'd make more than that for spares..
 
I know this is a rover forum... but are you sure you'd rather have a p6 than a jensen? Sometimes fate comes along and gives you an easy (or hard depending on the rust factor!) path....
 
rockdemon said:
are you sure you'd rather have a p6 than a jensen? Sometimes fate comes along and gives you an easy (or hard depending on the rust factor!) path....
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Oh Great! As if it's not bad enough hearing that sentiment from the voices in my head, now you've gone and said it out loud! :shock:

I was hoping to make the journey north this weekend to check out the 3500S I have found and then this Jensen crops up, and at a pretty reasonable price too! If I was looking for an Interceptor there wouldn't be any to be had.

When I first found this one I checked up on cost of parts for a Jensen vs. a P6 - apart from a few items there didn't seem to be much in it - especially with that big old Chrysler V8. I decided on the P6 because it has a certain wow factor - really uncommon on the streets here. Not that the streets are teeming with Jensens, but it's more of an exotic car so you wouldn't be surprised to see one around here - if that makes sense :?

I think someone mentioned that working on a P6 is probably easier - as I am an amateur at best, I think I agree that the P6 is a better project for me. That being said, in an ideal world I would have the P6 AND the Jensen.

Bringing this thread back to Rovers, I hope to make the journey north this weekend - the truck I was planning to take has just blown an engine, but I have another friend who will either come with me or give me his truck for the journey.

Who knows, if the Rover search doesn't bear fruit at least I know where there is a Jensen for sale...
 

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You will absolutly kick yourself in the comming years if you do not get that Interceptor, thats my take on it, however that Rover looks fantastic and probably a very very simple restoratoration, more of a recommissioning job than a rebuild. If it were me I would get both and sell something else (or even 2) or beg and scrape to maintain the peace to passify SWMBO. But ask yourself what will I think about in the future......the one that got away? oppotunities of this kind are rare.

Graeme
 
ghce said:
You will absolutly kick yourself in the comming years if you do not get that Interceptor, thats my take on it, however that Rover looks fantastic and probably a very very simple restoratoration, more of a recommissioning job than a rebuild. If it were me I would get both and sell something else (or even 2) or beg and scrape to maintain the peace to passify SWMBO. But ask yourself what will I think about in the future......the one that got away? oppotunities of this kind are rare.

Graeme
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Graeme,

We have never met, but you are well on your way to getting in her bad books - I hate your logic, because it's true - how am I going to sleep tonight?

Alan.
 
:LOL: some one had to ruin your day (night) I am glad it is not me with your dilemma.

graeme
 
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