| 1972 JENSEN SP INTERCEPTOR MK.III
Launched in 1966, Jensen's incredibly innovative (and desperately complicated), four-wheel drive FF, was extremely expensive to produce and only sold in very small numbers. So, when Kjell Qvale took over Jensen in 1970, he decided to create a new, less costly and labour intensive flagship. As the Interceptors all came fitted with a big-block Chrysler engine, he simply chose to increase the power of the existing set up, using stock Chrysler components. In place of the standard 383 cu.in. engine, he chose the 10.3:1 compression ratio, 440 cu.in version and, to spice it up still further for this new top-of-the-range beast, he opted for the triple-twin-choke induction system (or 'Six-Pack', as it was known in the States). All these upgrades required no major modification to the existing Interceptor and so, the production cost increase was minimal. Stated power was up by over 85 bhp (though in reality, it was probably an even greater increase). This made the SP (Six-Pack) the most powerful Jensen ever produced and in fact, one of the most powerful cars in the world, at that time. Unfortunately, the early seventies fuel crisis and other economic factors meant that only 232 of these behemoths were built and of these, only 13 in left hand drive. Offered here then, is a very rare car indeed. Delivered new to Switzerland, one of only 2 SPs finished in Flag Red, it is one of the thirteen, genuine, left hand drive SPs. Brought to the US in 1990, it was returned to the Jensen factory for some refurbishment and upgrades in 1991. In 2009, the last owner switched out the automatic transmission for a period-correct, four-speed, manual Chrysler gearbox. This transformed the performance of the car, with a far broader set of gear ratios, thus enabling it to pull through the rev-range far more freely than the original, three-speed, automatic whilst being much faster off the line, yet revving much lower at freeway speeds. In addition to the transmission swap, he performed a host of other upgrades to increase the driveability and performance of the car, including crank-fired ignition, modern A/C components, HID headlights and much more. Currently in good, 'driver' condition, the body and undercarriage appear straight and rust free whilst the interior contains both original and refurbished elements, though ultimately, it could benefit from some tidying. Mechanically, the car is very strong and the matching numbers engine pulls like a train on the road! This then, is the true Grail for Jensen collectors (I have certainly never seen another) and would make an unbeatable addition to a marque collection. CLICK ABOVE TO SEE VIDEO OF THIS CAR Please call with any questions +1-310-593-2080. This car is sold as is. Inspections are welcomed but must be completed before close of auction. Please make sure you have funds available before you bid to ensure a swift completion to the sale. Bidders with negative feedback should please contact me by e-mail, prior to bidding. Winning bidder to send $2,000 deposit within two days of close of auction. Full balance must be received within seven days of auction close. I can arrange shipping anywhere in the world (at buyer's expense) and will accept cashiers check/money order or wire transfer of funds as means of payment. Please remember your eBay obligations, this is a binding contract and when you bid, you are responsible for completing the transaction. Good luck & happy bidding!! |
