It's a Mopar .... nearly.....

[kiwigtx]

Possibly a Jensen C-V8 from between 1962-66 ??? The owner called it an Interceptor - but that puts the car at 1950-56

My buddy Cliff had this car roll into his shop late last week for some minor work. I think this is an import from quite some time back, and the owner is getting it ready for inspection to register for on-road use here. Talk about leaving it late - all the rules have changed again recently, and bringing in cars to NZ is not as easy as it was 20 years ago.

Anyway, the frost plugs need to be replaced as whoever tried it last time didn't install them correctly.

Also looking for confirmation of what the car actually is....the engine size - we think 383, but it could be a 361. Also uncertain of the year. The owner appears to be a bit foggy as to what he has also. Cliff is going to get the block casting numbers for me and hopefully a tag number.
Since this car has never been registered here in NZ my usual channels of inquiry are useless.

Apologies in advance to @Kern Dog ..... you know why.

Maybe @33 IMP has some insight on the car?



Thanks.

 

[guy gadbois]

NOT an Interceptor. Yes, appears to be a CV8; should have a 361 unless its a] not original or b] one of the very late ones that could have had a 383. Best bet is a 361. Production date should be somewhere on a chassis plate I would think.
Interesting cars.

 

[kiwigtx]

Thanks @guy gadbois - I was thinking 361 also..... looks like I need to pace an order for exhaust manifold gaskets also - none in NZ.

I assume that the 440 and 361 are different exhaust gaskets?

 

[guy gadbois]

I believe so, but double check...

 

[kiwigtx]

I believe so, but double check...

It just occurred to me to check Summit - for applications....

...and if we're lucky, it might turn out to be a 383.

 

[Dutchrebuild]

Exhaust gasket is the same...361 is a big block

 

[dodgeboy440]

Possibly a Jensen C-V8 from between 1962-66 ??? The owner called it an Interceptor - but that puts the car at 1950-56

My buddy Cliff had this car roll into his shop late last week for some minor work. I think this is an import from quite some time back, and the owner is getting it ready for inspection to register for on-road use here. Talk about leaving it late - all the rules have changed again recently, and bringing in cars to NZ is not as easy as it was 20 years ago.

Anyway, the frost plugs need to be replaced as whoever tried it last time didn't install them correctly.

Also looking for confirmation of what the car actually is....the engine size - we think 383, but it could be a 361. Also uncertain of the year. The owner appears to be a bit foggy as to what he has also. Cliff is going to get the block casting numbers for me and hopefully a tag number.
Since this car has never been registered here in NZ my usual channels of inquiry are useless.

Apologies in advance to @Kern Dog ..... you know why.

Maybe @33 IMP has some insight on the car?



Thanks.

I remember seeing a Jensen Interceptor
Here in Vegas , it was a 440 car & even had
Valve covers with “ Jensen interceptor “
Cast into them The Owner Was Marketing a
New ( At the time ) 3 Deuce Fuel Injection system. Kinda like what FiTech Offers ….
Was a cool car….

 

[kiwigtx]

A friend of mine had a Jensen Interceptor with a 440 and torqueflite back in the '80's. It was a cool car - he had the hood louvred out to vent the engine heat.

Sadly he was tragically killed in a Jeep rollover on a ranch in the hills in the north of California only a few months after arriving there for a long vacation.

 

[qkcuda]

Jensen Interceptors were cool cars. I'd be all over that one.

 

[33 IMP]

C V8, my guess, late 50s, early sixties. Clean neat car, I love it.
Theoretically, if a 361, it should have a two barrel, 383 probably a four barrel. I would guess the 361. Huge motors aren't a real draw in England, gas prices and taxes discouraged them.
Definitely not an Interceptor. Interceptors signature feature is a giant back window that makes a gen 1 barracuda look small. 383 or 440 in an interceptor.
Interceptor was an early 70s offering, if I remember right.
Edit: C V8 from 62-66, early with 361, 64-66 with 383, total production for four years, 499 cars.

 

[qkcuda]

Looks like the two barrel air cleaner my 361 came with.

 

[kiwigtx]

C V8, my guess, late 50s, early sixties. Clean neat car, I love it.
Theoretically, if a 361, it should have a two barrel, 383 probably a four barrel. I would guess the 361. Huge motors aren't a real draw in England, gas prices and taxes discouraged them.
Definitely not an Interceptor. Interceptors signature feature is a giant back window that makes a gen 1 barracuda look small. 383 or 440 in an interceptor.
Interceptor was an early 70s offering, if I remember right.
Edit: C V8 from 62-66, early with 361, 64-66 with 383, total production for four years, 499 cars.

The block casting confirms the engine is a 361. The owner now says the engine was bored out to 6.2 litre from 5.9....making it close to 370 ci.

Talking with Cliff, he says he saw an episode of 'Wheeler Dealers' on TV where they bought a Jensen and actually went to the factory to find parts they needed. Turns out Jensen keep all records from every car produced, and they are happy to share that information. Only catch is that they retain the original documentation - they will however give copies out to owners.

Armed with that info, we'll send the owner on a hunt to get copies of the documents direct from the horse's mouth. I also told Cliff to look for numbers and markings on the top pad, the left side of the block above the pan gasket, and also the transmission numbers.

Hopefully can get some more pictures during the week. I live an hour or so away.
I am going there in a few days to drop off some gaskets that I have and no supplier in NZ had - at least nobody can find for now.

 

[guy gadbois]

Exhaust gasket is the same...361 is a big block

NOT arguing Mr Dutchrebuild, but my fuzzy memory says that the early 'smaller' engines had smaller ports than the later performance engines [?] Are they the same size and shape from the early '350' thru the 440 6BBL? If so, I'll stick that factoid into the memory banks and see how long it sticks...

 

[Hey-O]

We had a Jensen Dealership not far from my house growing up. I went to see this Interceptor with a Chrysler 440 in it. It was strange to see it in this car that I wasn't at all familiar with. The one I saw at the dealership wasn't a six pack, but I was told they had come with the set up. That's a CV8
Jensen CV8 Engine-Bays - The Jensen Museum

 

[MarPar]

Interceptor

 

[RemCharger]

A friend of mine had a Jensen Interceptor with a 440 and torqueflite back in the '80's. It was a cool car - he had the hood louvred out to vent the engine heat.

Sadly he was tragically killed in a Jeep rollover on a ranch in the hills in the north of California only a few months after arriving there for a long vacation.

I think the SP cars came with a louvered hood..
Interesting

 

[RemCharger]

Interceptor

View attachment 1630579

Dad brought one just like that home when I was a young un, got to drive it around the block. Pretty cool

 

[khryslerkid]

I believe @451Mopar has an Interceptor.

Kool Car Kiwi

@David Womby has a Bristol with a Mopar engine.

 

[Budnicks]

Possibly a Jensen C-V8 from between 1962-66 ??? The owner called it an Interceptor - but that puts the car at 1950-56

My buddy Cliff had this car roll into his shop late last week for some minor work. I think this is an import from quite some time back, and the owner is getting it ready for inspection to register for on-road use here. Talk about leaving it late - all the rules have changed again recently, and bringing in cars to NZ is not as easy as it was 20 years ago.

Anyway, the frost plugs need to be replaced as whoever tried it last time didn't install them correctly.

Also looking for confirmation of what the car actually is....the engine size - we think 383, but it could be a 361. Also uncertain of the year. The owner appears to be a bit foggy as to what he has also. Cliff is going to get the block casting numbers for me and hopefully a tag number.
Since this car has never been registered here in NZ my usual channels of inquiry are useless.

Apologies in advance to @Kern Dog ..... you know why.

Maybe @33 IMP has some insight on the car?



Thanks.

cool looking sports car ride with a cool MoPar engine combo

 

[451Mopar]

I believe @451Mopar has an Interceptor.

Kool Car Kiwi

@David Womby has a Bristol with a Mopar engine.

Yes, a 1973. No louvers in the hood. The white car attached.
I usually see the louvered hoods on 1974+
A few months ago, I was moving the Jensen out of the garage, and the left side front brake hose blew out, so even more leaks and things to fix on the car.

I don't know a ton about the Jensen story, read a few books on them, and was a member of the Jensen Owners Club, but I let that lapse. Lot of info on JOC
Home - Jensen Owners' Club

I ran across this youTube video about Jensen, and it covers some of the history to give context to how the Interceptor came about.