1968 MK1 Road Trip Ready

[Rick Serafini]

I apologize for not posting for awhile but I just changed my plugs, wires, disty cap and rotor as there was a gas smell out of one muffler and backfiring. The last time I changed plugs was about 4 years ago and I have only driven the vehicle about 5000 miles since then. I have included a picture of the old Champion plugs and the Autolites I switched to. I switched the old female disty cap to points and it was a hell of time getting it to fit but the car runs like a dream again. The back sparkplugs on both sides are like impacted molars. You can't fit a socket and ratchet back there so you have to McGyver it. Anyways, it runs and looks for great for the only right hand drive 68 Mk1 on the road, to my knowledge, in North America. Going on a road trip in late September from Toronto area to Lake Placid. If there are any Jensen owners in the Lake Placid area drop me a note and I will say hi.

Regards,

Rick

Pics attached

[slotcarone]

Nice car Rick! Those plugs look like they are twenty years old and there must be exhaust leaking on a few of them. Also you should try to shorten the plug wires up and route them neater. Glad it's running well now! Have fun!

[Kevin Birch]

At least one of the plugs is showing exhaust gas blowing past the manifold, 3rd one down, possibly the 5th, if so you really need to pull the manifold off, buy the Felpro gasket (which will take up some distortion) AND use very high temperature silicone on the surfaces to ensure a good seal, let this skin off for 10 mins or so before assembing. This is the only way you will get the manifold to seal properly, unless you take it to a machine shop and get it surfaced, which will make the metal thinner and prone to further distortion. Exhaust blow from the manifold will kill the leads within a 100 miles, unless you have the original heat shields still in place, but they will have rotted out 40 years ago. Route your leads correctly, and go through the brackets that are fixed to the rocker covers, the original nylon insulators are too thin for modern leads, so use a suitable rubber pipe split and grooved to go around the lead but clip into the bracket recess.
To pull the manifold, you may have to support the engine on that side with a block of wood to spread the load, remove the mount, and then carefully raise the engine to get the clearance past the studs. Bear in mind some of the studs may come out with the nuts when undoing them, and some of them go into the water jacket, so if water starts leaking out, don't be alarmed. You will need to drain the water past this level to re insert them, and use some of the high temp silicone on them with PTFA tape to re seal them, be advised they can be a pain to make watertight again, they won't pour out but may drip afterwards, so just something to keep your eye on.
The plugs look like they are rich, but if you haven't done much mileage in the car, and perhaps just starting it up, will cause them to look this way, as it will be still on choke, if not fully warmed up ( at least 20 mins) and they do run slightly rich on idle, but if you say it is running well, then leave it alone. Check them after the trip, this will give a good indication of the carb set up and timing etc.
There is a great tip to change the 2 rear plugs, which you can't get to, on the mk1 ( the best looking Interceptor with the correct dash layout, many will disagree\) if you pull the carpet back on the transmission tunnel ,in the foot wells, there is a rubber bung, pull the bung out and there is the spark plug, it makes it sooooo much easier to change the plugs. Also for future reference, in the LH footwell there is also a bigger fiberglass panel on the transmission tunnel that gives you access to the starter motor.
Your car does look stunning, and enjoy the trip, these cars eat the miles up and the more you use them the better they get. I just use mine as and when I can, the paintwork is not he best, but it is on the button and goes where I point it, whether that be Italy, Germany Switzerland, France or the local supermarket, it does it well with me behind the wheel with a massive smile on my face.
Keep us posted on the trip, we want to know all the details.
Ensure all your hoses are in good condition, as these will be the first to fail, and make sure you have some spare fuses, the 2 you have may have been in the car since its construction, and if the fans get some good use, the fuses may suffer! A spare coil is also an easy thing to carry, and quick swap if there is a problem.



This photo gives an idea how the leads should be routed, there are four brackets on the engine, each holding 2 HT leads.These are thinner leads using the original nylon insulators, which are difficult to source now, and will only do a maximum of 8mm leads with a bit of modification with a round file, any lead with a bigger diameter yuo will need to use some suitable hose to grip them .

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This shows my engine bay before painting, you can see the 2 round holes where access to the rear spark plugs are, and on the right the bigger fibreglass panel for the starter access with masking tape on it. It is rectangular with a bent corner.

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[slotcarone]

I have never heard about the rear spark plug access holes before. Jensen did the same thing on the sunbeam Tigers for the left rear spark plug. Right behind the gas pedal on that one. Actually the easiest plug to change.

[Rick Serafini]

I am always amazed at the depth of knowledge on this forum. Thank you so much for the information.

Regards,

Rick

[johnw]

From the factory there were no gaskets used. I have problems with the Felpro gaskets never lasting long, though I have never used them with sealant. I recommend not using a gasket, unless someone has over machined the manifolds and you need the space filling for clearance, then I would try copper. I use simply an expanding white assembly paste in the manifold face, like "Holts Firegum", to cover imperfections. Small warpage is best left uncorrected. Too much machining and the manifold can foul the head and then fail to seal. I would be carefully bolting the manifold up to the head, poking in feeler gauges to see if the gap closes up acceptably if the manifold is slightly warped.

After assembly I let the Firegum have a good 10 minutes to partially dry and settle before starting the car. Then I let the car idle for 5 minutes, followed by 10 minutes engine off for the heat to dry and expand the paste. You can see the paste expanding and squeezing out of the joint during this time, almost like ceramic expanding foam. It expands and bonds to both surfaces like pottery if done right, and needs sanding off to remove.

Badly adjusted exhaust system brackets, and/or failed engine mounts can cause manifold seal failure in the first place. You can adjusted the exhaust brackets to take the weight off the downpipe connection to the manifold.

I would check your engine mounts, if they are too squashed, the exhausts hit the ground easily, and the engine moves too much. In extreme cases you can see dents in the floor pan where the downpipes have been hitting when the engine was moving.

[Series3Jensen]

Hi Rick

Your car looks good
I noted that this appears to be the only car fitted with a Child's Seat as an Option at the Factory
Is there any evidence of this being installed?

Kind regards

Jim Smith
Mem No 1639
136/8791 RJF 17 Owned since September 1978

[Kevin Birch]

Hi Jim,

My Mk1 came with a child seat too. In Richard Calver's Genome a note against my chassis number states a child seat was supplied by the new owner to be covered in the same leather as the interior. In the RH cubby box on the back seat is a small seatbelt type buckle, about an inch wide, which I presume was one of the fasteners for it. The first owner of my car was a plastic surgeon, so perhaps had seen too many kids going through windscreens.

[Series3Jensen]

Hi Kevin

Thanks for the insight into the fixings for the child seat in your car
Not recorded in the Richard Calver book
I am assuming that there may well have been at least one further anchor point behind the back seat cushion

Kind regards

JIm Smith
Mem No 1639
136/8791 RJF 17 Owned since September 1978

[Rick Serafini]

Ok, a few comments and a question.

Attached below are two pics. The one piece of metal in my hand I think was a piece for the kids seat - if I recall correctly what the previous owner told me. Also, the second pic is of the left hand cubby hole with a brace(?) Attached to the lid. There is not one on the right side. I assume this is for the kids seat.

Back.to my exhaust issue. I think I found the culprit. The exhaust was a little lose on the right side where it attaches to the manifold. I added nuts and tightened but will get new nuts,, bolts and gasket on over the next week.

Finally a question. In Richard's book does it state who the buyer of my vehicle was (pic attached from owners manual).

Thanks

[johnw]

The second picture you thought might be a brace is the holder for the first aid tin. It was quite small and pushes in.

[Rick Serafini]

Thanks John. No need for a first aid kit, I have two fire extinguishers so we are good.

[StevenLA]

Hi Rick,

Good afternoon from Los Angeles !

Very nice car, but I just wanted to let you know that I have a 1968 Right Hand drive MK1
here in Los Angeles.

Here is a little history on the car.
https://www.joc.org.uk/Interceptor_Mk_1/115_2733.html
Here is a photo taken a few weeks ago at my storage yard.
I am working on the MK1 and hopefully will be driving it on the streets of Los Angeles soon !

I also have 5 other interceptors in various stages of restoration.

Unfortunately, as we may be moving out of Ca to Florida in the future,I will be selling 3
of the Interceptors that need total restoration, but I will keep a MK1,MK2,MK3 for my collection.

Enjoy the last weeks of Summer, before the Canadian Winter sets in !

Regards Cheers Steven.

[Rick Serafini]

Thanks for the reply Steven. Good to see there is another one out there. Would love to see pics as you restore yours and get it back on the road.

My baby does go away for the winter. I love driving it on road trips in the fall as the leaves have turned.

Funny, we spend a lot of time in Palm Springs so yes avoid those Canadian winters.

Regards,

Rick

[StevenLA]

Hi Rick,
Good morning from Los Angeles !

Thanks for your response.

I lived in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley for 15 years, before returning to LA in 2008.

When you are back in the desert, give me a call and maybe we can get together for a cup of tea here
in LA with the Jensen ?

It would be nice to get the car looking like one of these two MK 1's

Have a great week !

Regards Cheers Steven.