Interceptor Buying advice.

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thmsshaun
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:02 am
Location: Burton On Trent

Interceptor Buying advice.

Post by thmsshaun »

What are good points to look out for that could cost you heavily. I know the prices seem to vary a lot on the condition which is an indication in itself of what you may have to spend on repairs.

What can I expect for up to 8K.


Nice, mediocre, or not alot. The one I posted previously looks ok for the money to me. But then I dont know alot at the minute. Not too keeen on the colour thats the only thing.

So whilst by posting here it opens it up to other people but what going on description and the few photos would you estimate the value of this to be.

Regards

Shaun
Alan Smith1
Posts: 326
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 10:45 am
Location: Devizes, Wiltshire. UK

Post by Alan Smith1 »

Hello Shaun,

For xxx£8,000 you should be able to get a good looking "˜runner’ from the private market with no serious problems. But everybody and his dog are looking for these bargains, they do exist so keep looking. For a buyers guide there has been no better publication than the Interceptor buyers guide printed in Classic Cars magazine for June 2004 (they used my car as the photographic model). The guide was considered so good we re-produced it in the Jensen Owners' Club magazine issue 179 (January/February 2005). The article was a combined effort between the club and Cropredy Bridge. You may still be able to get a back copy of CC or see if Keith Andrews (details in the club magazine) has any spare. But as I know it was a popular issue, failing that I do have a much prized copy that I will copy. If you can wait until our "˜Open Day’ on the 12th March, in your home town, I will gladly show you over my car, all it’s faults and show you what to look for, or we could even discuss the whole subject as part of the Technical Forum.
In the mean time the points to look at are, the body: - general deterioration all round, under carpets, under the little bit of carpet in the box that hold the seat belt mechanism in front of the rear wheel arch, where the boot hinge attaches to the wheel arch, inside the lower rear skirt, door frame bottoms and all lower edges. Part of the lower edges can include the inner sills, first is the stainless steel cover then the outer sill and inside that is the structural inner sill. The only way to check this is to poke a probe up one of the drain holes, it should go up no more than half an inch, if it goes to the top of the sill then the inner has completely rotted away, or you could ask the seller to jack up the car using the jack points then look and listen. All corrosion especially the sills can be expensive to rectify. Look in the engine bay: - it gets hot so does all the wire, if it is hard and discoloured the wire itself is probably brittle and will cause all sorts of problems that are hard to trace, you will probably fine a lot of the wire ends have been replaced. A full engine bay re-wire is expensive a difficult to do (this was covered by Keith Anderson in a passed magazine). The engine: - same as all engines look for smoke during acceleration and throttle lift off, excess oil and other fluids and listen for those exhaust leaks. The interior: - again same as any other classic. Another way to get the general condition of a car is to put it through a MOT, you don’t have to wait for it to run out, go with it, tell the inspector why you are doing it and watch.
This is a big subject, has anybody got any further tips?
Cheerio for now, Alan.
thmsshaun
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:02 am
Location: Burton On Trent

Post by thmsshaun »

Thanks Alan. I appreciate the advice.
colin7673
now normal...
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Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:54 am
Location: Spalding Lincolnshire
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Post by colin7673 »

If you want, if I can get to open day, we can bring all our photos to show some of the thing you can find, it interesting, and wish I had something like this when we went to buy ours,, the only thing is that now every thing has been done, we know its safe

Let me know,

Colin. :D
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