The very first Interceptor

The first of the V8 Interceptors
zacmarshall
Posts: 5225
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 4:22 pm
Location: Bristol, UK

The very first Interceptor

Post by zacmarshall »

This is BEA 693C, the very first 60s Interceptor. Unfortunately the car was broken up in 1971.

The C-V8 wasn't selling in the numbers expected and the Jensen management thought that a more attractive Italian design would be an advantage. Jensen approached Touring in Milan who came up with a very attractive design, but didn't have the ability to take it further. The design was then taken to Vignale who with the help of Jensen engineers tidied the design up and created the first car from a C-V8 II.

The pictures below (from issue 100 of the club magazine) show the production of that first car.

Image

Image
On the drive back

Image
Coming off the plane at Lydd

The car back in the UK.
Image
(this and other interesting photos available in the Michael Cooper book available from the club shop

Chris Reed has written a very interesting article in the latest issue of the magazine (issue 242) including some photos I haven't seen before. The research that Chris has done included finding that the car arrived back in the UK on the 10th June 1966 (less than 24 hours after leaving Turin).

Chris' research also shows that the first completely new Interceptors were being built at the same time, including that most famous of Interceptors HEA 1D. See the photos in the magazine.

The dates of the club's commemorative run to Turin and back and the date of the International have changed so that the cars will actually return to the UK 50 years to the day that the first Interceptor arrived on British soil.

For details and a booking form see
https://www.joc.org.uk/events/turin2016
C-V8 II 104/2146 CHJ 948B
ex FF II, Interceptor I, II and III, SP, GTs and Healeys. You might say I got the bug....
JOC Member No. 5061
PaulMcElhinney
Posts: 3684
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:52 pm
Location: Halesowen, West Mids

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by PaulMcElhinney »

I'd be interested to know how Vignale actually formed the panels. I am aware that the Italians tended not to use the wheeling machine but favoured making a female die into which they "chased" the panels. The bucks are for checking shape and correctness, I doubt that the panels were formed on the bucks. Any knowledge anyone?
Paul McElhinney - Mk I 115/3309 in Positano yellow, FF Mk II 127/289.
John Staddon
JOC C-V8 Registrar
Posts: 2182
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 1:48 pm

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by John Staddon »

As the first Interceptor began life as a C-V8 we have the chassis file for the car and I can add a little to the history.

Originally 106/2142 and LH drive, went to the USA on the 16th March 1964 (the date it left the factory) as a demonstrator for Fergus Fine Cars of 1717 Broadway, New York where it was marketed as "The World's finest sports sedan.......!" at a suggested retail price of $11,543, but the car didn't sell and was shipped back to the UK soon after and converted to RHD. The chassis number was changed to 104/2142 before the car was licensed for the first time in the UK. The car was then allocated to Tony Good of Good Relations but remained the property of JML.
104-2142.jpg
104-2142.jpg (94.13 KiB) Viewed 5357 times
The car participated in the 1965 Brighton Speed Trials where is was run by Alan Fraser (JML distributor) along side C-V8 JM/EXP/105 which was run by Lord Strathcarron.
104-2142 Brighton.JPG
104-2142 Brighton.JPG (25.28 KiB) Viewed 5357 times
Later (December 1965) the car was fitted with 'special unit from engineering' in lieu of original engine and transmission and converted to C-V8 Mk111 brake specification (dual curcuit).

Converted to Interceptor body shape by Vignale, Turin, as the prototype Interceptor as noted above.

On 3rd January 1967 JML wrote to the Motor Tax Department at West Bromwich (this is before records were centralised with the DVLA) requesting that the cars log book be amended to show that it was now an Interceptor and the colour Crystal Blue, the chassis number remained 104/2142.

Sold 6th March 1970 to J C M Keywood of N C V of Nottingham Ltd. as a second hand car. Interestingly one of the jobs done to prepare the car for sale was to disconnect the air conditioning and remove some of air con components.

From JOC Magazine No 4 I noted the following. C-V8 with hand built Interceptor body and trim. Bought from Jensens in March 1970 with 31339 miles on. Had no wheels, no engine, but these were negotiated in the final price. Had Mk11 dash and console, MK1A seats, Mk2 wheels, No Selectaride but early Mk2 suspension and a combination of Dunlop and Girling brakes. Had a 3.14 axle but 2.78 speedo. Sold in March 1970 but written off on a telephone pole some months later. References to Mk1, MK11 etc mean Interceptor Mk1 etc.

Regards

John
Early Interceptor INT885347
C-V8 Mk111 112/2334
DaveAK
Posts: 1191
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:16 pm
Location: Alaska, USA

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by DaveAK »

Damn that telephone pole! :x

Fascinating stuff. Thanks John.
72 MkIII Interceptor 133/5613 (440)
71 MkIII Interceptor 133/5546 (383)
55 Nash Metropolitan
JOC Member 9777
User avatar
shaun
Posts: 1539
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2005 7:58 pm
Location: South Oxfordshire

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by shaun »

Thanks John, fills in a few details of what the car actually consisted of after its conversion.
To me and to Chris, is the fact that further Interceptor prototypes were being assembled at Vignale before the first one had actually turned a wheel.
It is amazing that from June 1966 to the October not only a new Interceptor was developed and tested but the FF appeared as well with them both appearing at the Motor Show at Earls Court.
However, what should not be missed is the press day at Goodwood ahead of the show when they cars were let loose to the motoring press.
Hence why Goodwood is very symbolic in the Interceptor/FF story.
An appearance there on the 50th anniversary of the launch might be something to aim for?
Would JOC members want to celebrate at such a venue?
Shaun Winfield

Mk 3 Blue
2240/9847
JOC member no. 8822
PaulMcElhinney
Posts: 3684
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:52 pm
Location: Halesowen, West Mids

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by PaulMcElhinney »

Thanks John, interesting stuff.
Paul McElhinney - Mk I 115/3309 in Positano yellow, FF Mk II 127/289.
cannonball
Posts: 2979
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:08 pm
Location: CREWE

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by cannonball »

yes very interesting, looks very 60,s with the hub caps,
WATTS RACING TRANSMISSIONS, 07974 088375,
CLOBBER THE COMPETITION
User avatar
VFK44
Co-Administrator
Posts: 9219
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:04 pm
Location: Epping Essex UK
Contact:

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by VFK44 »

Damn that telephone pole!
One thing we have learnt is that a car isn't written off until you have actually seen it being parted out and crushed. Keep checking those barns for an odd Interceptor Mk1 with crash damage...
"Now that chassis number is particularly interesting ‘cos it’s the one after the one before, which is the one after mine, not many people know that"
Stephen, Epping, Essex
John Staddon
JOC C-V8 Registrar
Posts: 2182
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 1:48 pm

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by John Staddon »

Following on from Shaun's comment, JML released the 541 in 1954, then followed it with the 541R and S and the C-V8 in 1962, then the C-V8 Mk11 and Mk111 and finally the Interceptor and the FF by 1966, that's a 12 year period. Even allowing a year or two to design the 541 that's less time than I have been a JOC member. The downside of being so phemomenally productive is that JML didn't stop to see if they had got their designs right, the designers drew the car, the factory built it, and then they spent the next decade sorting out the problems with each car one by one, at least that's the impression I get from reading the C-V8 chassis files (did you know that MK1 C-V8s had a habit of catching fire? I didn't). There is a magazine article to come about the problems with the C-V8, I'm just trying to edit it down to a reasonable length.

With regard to Stephen's comment, one C-V8 went to New Zealand, was badly damaged in an accident, assessed as repairable by Jensen Motors New Zealand it was shipped back to the UK to be rebuilt by the factory but on proper assessment found to be too badly damaged to repair. Was it written off and scrapped? No, it was put on a boat and sent all the way back to New Zealand again. That was John Jamieson's red racing C-V8 that we saw pictures of a couple of years ago.

Regards

John
Last edited by John Staddon on Fri Jul 10, 2015 11:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
Early Interceptor INT885347
C-V8 Mk111 112/2334
User avatar
Jens
Dr. Umlaut & Area Rep for Germany
Posts: 4748
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 9:17 pm
Location: Dresden, Germany
Contact:

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by Jens »

John Staddon wrote:...There is a magazine article to come about the problems with the C-V8, I'm just trying to edit it down to a reasonable length....
Don't cut it, make it a two episode article ... the more information we all can collect and publish the better it is.

Very interesting read about the car, the conversion and its further history. Will that be in printed form in the magazine too?
In order of appearance:

(sold) C-V8 Mk III 112/2432
541 S 102/1035
(sold) FF MkII 127/243 (sold)
Healey Mk II 1140/14406
(sold)Jensen GT 1610/30257(sold)
Scimitar GTE SE5
Gordon Keeble #21
User avatar
Tim SP
JOC Interceptor Variants Registrar
Posts: 2415
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:42 pm

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by Tim SP »

John you continue to surprise!
Very interesting, esp the car morphed into a mk11 hybrid.
Pity its gone.
GOODWOOD- wow that sounds awesome :D
NormanP
Posts: 600
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 11:48 am
Location: Oxford

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by NormanP »

Jens wrote:Don't cut it, make it a two episode article ... the more information we all can collect and publish the better it is.
+1
Norman
Oxford
C-V8 MkIII #112/2393 8) undergoing restoration
541R #367 4319
JOC 10074
User avatar
ascotts1
Posts: 234
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 11:35 am
Location: Australia/UK & EU until November

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by ascotts1 »

Surely, I't's gotta be out there somewhere? But how do you restore it...as a CV8, as Mk 1 Interceptor or a Mk1 with a whole lot of Mk 11 bits??
1974 Mk III 2240/9345, 1970 FF 127/227
User avatar
todd
Posts: 316
Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 7:40 pm
Location: Greenville, Kentucky, USA
Contact:

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by todd »

Both 106/2142 and 106/2135 were on display at the New York International Car Show in April 1964 by Fergus Fine cars.
Both were LHD at the time. The 1964 car show program lists the Jensen CV8 Golden Tornado priced above the 10,000 USD range. The factory lists 106/2142 was fitted with two 5 3/4 inch headlamps prior to shipping to the USA- in reality the conversion was fitted to 106/2135. I have two published photos of the cars at the show but they are in Black and White format.
Todd
User avatar
shaun
Posts: 1539
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2005 7:58 pm
Location: South Oxfordshire

Re: The very first Interceptor

Post by shaun »

Todd,
If you can scan the photos and get a copy to me or Chris Reed, then they will be in the mini-history booklet we are intending to put together to accompany the Turin trip.
Not a full Interceptor history but a bit more info on the first one and where it came from and where it went.
The more we diginto this, the more comes to the surface.
Such a lot of background from Mike Jones to which we are very grateful but any more information the better.
Thanks in anticipation.
Shaun Winfield

Mk 3 Blue
2240/9847
JOC member no. 8822
Post Reply

Return to “July 2015”