My favorite muscle car is the 1968 Dodge Charger. I’m attracted to it in ways that… well, in ways that I shouldn’t mention here. Chargers from that era have seen their price tags rise into the stratosphere, and my only real chance of finding one is to either look for a busted-up project or fall into an inheritance that I didn’t know existed. Or… I can opt for the British Charger. I’m speaking, of course, about the Jensen Interceptor. This is a British-born machine that had a 10-year run, where it mated Italian styling with American V8 engines from Chrysler. This specific example is from 1973, and comes packing a 440 Magnum. It can be had for far less than an equally clean Charger with the same engine. Here’s part of the [sc:ebay itemid=”111407941200″ linktext=”ad”]:

This auction is for a 1973 Jensen Interceptor Series 3. This Jensen is noteworthy for a number of reasons. It has been hidden away and stored in my father’s garage since about 1990. I believe he is the second owner. He purchased the shortly after a couple friends and I found it for him in Southern California, Newport Beach, specifically. Four of us had Interceptors and we used to take them on club events and trips up the California coast. Wonderful machines. We sold our cars years ago and only my Dad held on to his. He initially placed his Interceptor into storage to address a couple of issues with the car-a leak in the heater core and the desire to add relays to the headlight system. Those of you with collector cars can guess the rest-work and other interests took precedence and the Interceptor sat. Fortunately, it was safely stored in my Dad’s garage so it was never exposed to the elements-the bain and cause of many a Jensen’s demise. A few items were replaced during its slumber, but for the most part it just sat in the garage. Recently, my Dad turned eighty years old and decided he’d just purchase a new Corvette rather than revive his old Interceptor. He asked me to help it find a new home. This Jensen is also quite unusual in that it has never been rusty or damaged. The body is in fantastic condition and quite possibly still wears its original maroon paint. I’m not certain, but I know it wasn’t painted after the late 80s and I don’t see any signs of a repaint. The Wilton wool carpets were replaced not too long ago and look great. The front seats were re-trimmed in factory leather in about 1990 and look very nice. The rest of the interior is original-it may have been redyed at some point. The dash is very nice and the wood looks good too. It is currently fitted with a very nice Moto Lita wood steering wheel and alloy hub with the Jensen insert(a very costly item). The front and rear bumpers were re-chromed and are in very nice condition. The vast quantities of stainless and alloy trim are present and in good driver condition. The original headliner is intact and looks good. Original factory “pillow”head rests included in very good condition. All the shut lines and gaps are factory original and as good as you’d expect from a coach built, bespoke luxury GT. The Interceptors were every bit as exotic and exclusive an automobile that an Aston Martin, Maserati or Bentley were. The boot is equipped with the factory inflator,jack,tool roll and of course, the spare is present. All the factory alloys are in nice condition as well. The tires look new and are not cracked, however they are quite old. Looking underneath the Jensen we find dry, unrusted floors and frame. All the lower and inner fenders are also rust free and undamaged-really rare on a Jensen. Under the hood, the original Mopar 440 Magnum engine is still there as is the dual snorkel High performance air cleaner and Jensen alloy valve covers. Everything under the hood is original. So often, these cars have been seriously cobbled together and modified with cheap aftermarket speed shop “fixes”. Not the case here. All the factory glass is present and intact. The expensive cast alloy grill and headlight surrounds are in excellent shape. The grill is fitted with an original Jensen Owner’s Club badge an the front Jensen enamel badge is as new.

In short, this is a wonderful old Interceptor that needs to be set up for road use again. Most available, have serious rust or damage issues and have been butchered. Not this car. It’s wonderful, I want it, and it fits perfectly into my Fantasy Finds Garage. Also… it gives me an excuse to post this. [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLp4FhDAfQk[/youtube] [sc:ebay itemid=”111407941200″ linktext=”Head over to eBay”] to see more photos and the rest of the ad. Now it’s your turn to share your Fantasy Find for this Friday. You know you’ve already checked out of doing actual work, so check in to sharing some sweet finds. [Source: [sc:ebay itemid=”111407941200″ linktext=”eBay Motors” ]]