Automotive

cazalea
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Jensen Interceptor I - Engine Weight and why it matters

Let me say first I love the look and concept of the Interceptor. I’ve always wanted one. But not yet bought one.



I did some research on American engines fitted into Euro sports cars (I’m using US units)

Buick / Rover alloy V8 215=318 lbs
Chevy small-block V8 283/327=575 lbs
Ford small V8 265/289/302=460 lbs
Chrysler 383/413/440=640 lbs

The Chrysler is larger and more powerful but exactly twice the weight of the Rover alloy V8. It completely fills the engine compartment of the Jensen. As typical of British Cars it had a marginal cooling system (by Calif standards) and after a half-hour drive you had a half-ton of burning hot iron in the front of your Jensen Interceptor (add 300 more lbs for the FF).

Fine if it’s in a Dodge Charger where there’s plenty of air in there as well, but not good in the confines of the Jensen.

Heat aggravates the a/c, the radiators, power steering hoses, wiring harness insulation, paint, fuel pump, fuel vapor lock, etc

One book I have summarized the Interceptor as
“a gas-guzzler at 10 mpg but with an ecologically-sound, biodegradable steel body.”

Indeed, first one I drove had no bottoms to its doors. I peeked down into the window opening and saw the ground. The second one had rust around the hatch and it was a low miles California car back in the Eighties.

I walked away (sadly)

More stories later.

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