Famous Jensen Owners / Former Owners

[The Don of Croy]

Peter Cook?

Only added because if you watch 'The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer' filmed in 1970, Cook becomes Prime Minister (please God, YES!) and there's a scene where he wafts up Downing Street in t'Interceptor, parks it just any old how, and strides into No 10. Just how it should be done.

There are more of scenes with him driving it.

If I had any ability with 'tech stuff I'd get a copy of the bit and post it...

[nicanary]

I realise that the OP was probably more interested in the cars of the 60s/70s, but here's one I made earlier. It's from 1936. The star is, of course, Clark Gable, or maybe you don't give a damn.

[FailHere]

Someone with a better memory than mine might remember the "star in a reasonably priced car" who when talking about his car history spoke about his Interceptor convertible's unreliable power hood, I think another of his cars was an NSU RO80. I'm sure it was someone with a connection to the film industry, but can't remember who.

Another Interceptor convertible owner was Farrah Fawcett

Edited by FailHere on Wednesday 15th January 19:38

[SV8Predator]

nicanary said:

I realise that the OP was probably more interested in the cars of the 60s/70s, but here's one I made earlier. It's from 1936. The star is, of course, Clark Gable, or maybe you don't give a damn.

He posed with that car, but he was never a Jensen owner.

[quiraing]

CEA 528J. The 1970 Brian Spicer wide-arched "Big Bertha" development Interceptor.

DVLA records show it's still around. Anyone know any more?

Have tried to find pics and history on the www but not found any yet. Have some pics in Mike Taylor's excellent Jensen book, will have to find the book first though.

DVLA says - Date of Liability 01 07 2014
Date of First Registration 01 12 1970
Year of Manufacture 1970
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 6276cc
CO₂ Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type PETROL
Export Marker N
Vehicle Status Licence Not Due
Vehicle Colour RED

[quiraing]

A few more 70s Jensen pics -

http://www.thejensenff.com/FFF_100_best_2.jpg

http://www.leblogauto.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/...

http://www.british-steel.org/jensen/brochure/gkn/g...

http://www.british-steel.org/brochure/ff/ff.htm

The very last article is especially interesting - 0 - 100mph - 0 in 11.5 secs.

At very bottom of last page is a link to "Interceptor Pages" - some original Jensen brochure material here if anyone wants to take a look

Edited by quiraing on Wednesday 15th January 22:03

[SV8Predator]

quiraing said:

CEA 528J. The 1970 Brian Spicer wide-arched "Big Bertha" development Interceptor.

DVLA records show it's still around. Anyone know any more?

Have tried to find pics and history

I don't think it was owned by anyone "famous"?

Brian still has the car.

[FailHere]

Another, Jensen driving, television baddie has passed on, farewell Ramos. I hope they show that clip rather than something from OFAH or Vicar of Dibley.

[P5Nij]

FailHere said:

Another, Jensen driving, television baddie has passed on, farewell Ramos. I hope they show that clip rather than something from OFAH or Vicar of Dibley.

Alas, on the BBC six o'clock news they showed both of the latter, inevitable I suppose. The Ramos clip would have probably raised a few unknowing eyebrows, as would his brief appearence in 'The Protectors' way back in 1973, playing a swarthy foreign paparazzi type!

RIP Roger Lloyd Pack.

[anonymous-user]

News mentioning the first owner of my Jensen, Lt Colonel A K Brown, in the Southwold Golf Club Newsletter, that well known journal of celebrity shenanigans. (This being Southwold, you really don't want to see the Mail style sidebar of shame featuring local beauties Mrs Gladys Scroggins and Miss Mabel Thruckett in their cozzies.)

http://southwoldgolfclub.co.uk/downloads/rabbit10....

[Keep it stiff]

This thread seems to be struggling to turn up famous Jensen owners. Could it be that in their year the FF & Interceptor were seen as poor relations of their class and as such big names were spending their cash elsewhere?

[anonymous-user]

No idea. I've always thought them to be suitable cars for slightly spivvy types, which is why I like my one.

[bertiedee]

My dad had a mark III Interceptor from about 1986 to 2004 which had been owned, according top the limited history that came with it, by Mike Yarwood. Reg number was YVF 415L.

[anonymous-user]

Mine is YVF 985H - a Norfolk code. I wonder if it was sold by the same dealer as the Yarwood car, as there can't have been that many places selling Jensens in East Anglia. Having said that, I think that my car was possibly bought direct from Jensen itself, the Colonel having seen the Mark II at the 1969 Motor Show and traded in his Mark I for a Mark II.

[The Don of Croy]

Keep it stiff said:

This thread seems to be struggling to turn up famous Jensen owners. Could it be that in their year the FF & Interceptor were seen as poor relations of their class and as such big names were spending their cash elsewhere?

How many did they actually produce - if low numbers they probably didn't go chasing slebs as they didn't need that business. Perhaps.

When visiting the HQ of Safeway Supermarkets in 1990/91 I admired a chauffeur driven Interceptor which delivered the Chairman of the Board to the poritco'd front door. The car was on private plates but not new, but still exuded some style.

Around the same time I bumped in to the Chairman of Norcros Group at one of their sudsidiaries, driving himself in an immaculate M635i in white. Not that I knew him, but asked who the flash harry was in the 'aged' Beemer. Manual box too.

[anonymous-user]

A manual gearbox in a 635i was a rare thing, I gather. I think that it may have been some sort of dogleg affair, but am not sure.

Total Interceptor numbers - 6408, LHD and RHD

Total FF numbers - 320, all RHD.

(source: Richard Calver)

The Calver website shows the numbers for the CV8s and other models too.

http://www.richardcalver.com/

[vixen1700]

http://www.carpictures.com/vehicle/05G70245019081/...

Dusty Springfield's Interceptor.

[nicanary]

vixen1700 said:

http://www.carpictures.com/vehicle/05G70245019081/...

Dusty Springfield's Interceptor.

I wonder how many men got to sit in it... allegedly.

[bnseven]

My CV-8 was owner by Colonel Alex Gregory-Hood when it was new. Not sure if he counts as a celeb in the modern sense but he had an MC and was apparently quite a character. I understand he owned another Jensen after mine

http://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/jul/28/guardi...

[anonymous-user]

My Colonel was only* a half Colonel and I don't think that he had an MC, but I am all in favour of Jensen owning Colonels! Your Colonel, not a shleb, but a brave man, which is so much better. Actually, shleb also, in the art world - sounds like a cool dude all round, and the purple tights are very Jensen!



* "only", says he who advanced to the dizzy heights of Corporal in the Air Training Corps.

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 17th January 15:20