Vehicle Description
For the well-off car enthusiast in the late 1960s, there was no
shortage of stylish, high-performance grand tourers available to
them. Aston Martin, Ferrari, or Maserati may have been the obvious
choices, but their exotic engines required specialized and costly
maintenance. A Jaguar might have seemed too commonplace for some
customers, a Rolls-Royce too ostentatious, and a Citroen SM too
complex. But quietly nestled somewhere in the middle of all those
options were Jensen of West Bromwich, England, with their Italian
designed, American powered, and British engineeredInterceptor.
Evolved from the glassfibre-bodied CV-8, the Interceptor was
extensively redesigned with stylish new steel bodywork penned by
Carrozzeria Touring. Like the CV-8 before it, the Interceptor had
Chrysler V8 engines stuffed under the bonnet, which gave the
Interceptor exotic car performance and near-bulletproof
reliability. While the body was designed in Italy by Touring,
Jensen built all Interceptor shells (save the first few) in their
British factory. The shape was crisp and muscular, with understated
aggression. Initially, Jensen only offered the 2+2 'saloon' with
its distinctive fish-bowl rear hatch, though a convertible followed
in 1974. All Jensen Interceptors were lavishly appointed with
leather upholstery, wool carpet, wood trim comfort, and plenty of
equipment to ensure occupants arrived at their destination
unflustered. While the Interceptor offered impressive performance
for its day, any petrolhead knows there's always room for
improvement. One American Jensen enthusiast felt just that, and in
2010, he delivered this 1970 Interceptor Coupe to Butch's Custom
Fabrication in Montana and charged them with creating the ultimate
high-speed grand tourer, blending classic looks with modern
performance and dependability. As a doctor in Montana, his vision
for the Interceptor was that of a reliable high-speed car for
chewing up miles between rural hospitals in a hurry.With that, the
Hemiceptor was born. As a basis for the project, the owner found a
remarkably well-preserved original Interceptor coupe that had spent
much of its life in Arizona. Interceptors are infamous for their
susceptibility to corrosion, yet photos of the car in bare metal
show it remarkably solid and rot-free. Only a small amount of
structural metalwork was required to prepare the shell. After the
body was media blasted and primed, the underside and interior
surfaces were coated with Lizard Skin coating for sound and heat
insulation. To preserve the spirit of the original Interceptor, the
owner selected a Mopar Performance Gen III 6.1 Hemi crate engine,
rated for 425 horsepower in standard form. A manufacturing defect
was discovered on the Dyno, so the engine was completely torn down,
and rebuilt with new forged Wiseco 11:1 compression pistons, then
balanced, blueprinted, and topped with a FAST 2.0 XFI engine
management system. The builders suitably upgraded oiling, cooling,
and engine accessories with proven, high-performance components. In
its current conservative state of tune, 425 horsepower comes
easily, with 475hp or more attainable with some simple tuning. The
engine is mated to a 5-speed, electronically controlled, 722.6
automatic transmission, upgraded by Southern Hot Rods to withstand
800 horsepower. Chassis upgrades are equally as extensive, with the
front suspension consisting of tubular control arms on a custom
subframe by Art Morrison Engineering, power rack-and-pinion
steering, and adjustable coil-over dampers. A Factory Five
independent setup is at the rear, again with coil-over dampers,
heavy-duty anti-roll bars, and a new Ford 8.8-inch limited-slip
differential. Giant 12- and 12.9-inch Wilwood discs front/rear
provide impressive stopping power, assisted by a remote electric
booster. The body is finished in the distinctive shade ofChampagne
Grigio,a modern Lamborghini color that flatters the Interceptor's
clean, Italian-designed coachwork. Aside from some minor tweaks and
a set of 17-inch Enkei wheels, the outward appearance is left
standard. The Jensen's grand touring character is assured, with the
comfortable four-passenger cabin trimmed in lotus white leather
with black accents on the door panels, console, and dash. The
instruments use modern electronic internals with custom faces that
mimic the original Jaeger dials, which preserve the period
character. A classic Moto Lita steering wheel is affixed to an
adjustable Ididit column, with updated switchgear and controls.
Niceties like climate control and electric windows and locks are
all present. With more than $180,000 spent on parts alone, the
quality of this build is undoubtedly impressive. Sadly, the
gentleman who initially envisioned and commissioned the Hemiceptor
passed away before it was completed, leaving Butch's Custom
Fabrication to finish the project. They certainly did him proud
with a superb automobile that blends classic style with modern
comfort and astonishing performance. Offers welcome and trades
considered For additional details please view this listing directly
on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7312-1970-jensen-interceptor-coupe/
