Jensen Interceptor restoration
Discussion
Although everything worked electrically on the car it was in need of some cosmetic restoration and replacing some working but worn components should help with reliability in the future.
The fusebox was painted and new legends, fusebox's and relays fitted and refitted to the car with a new engine bay wiring loom, which required a few modifications to suit my car as some components are in different locations to the later cars.
This is how it started
This is the new look
[URL=http://s1119.photobucket.com/user/davefinic/media/PH%20Thread/IMG_0002_zps56cef4c5.jpg.html]
[/URL]
The fusebox was painted and new legends, fusebox's and relays fitted and refitted to the car with a new engine bay wiring loom, which required a few modifications to suit my car as some components are in different locations to the later cars.
This is how it started
This is the new look
[URL=http://s1119.photobucket.com/user/davefinic/media/PH%20Thread/IMG_0002_zps56cef4c5.jpg.html]
[/URL]These are my switches when I stripped them out
I tried everything including scraping out the existing white and filling with tipex and tile grout reviver but the solution that looked best -
- was to take the pain and buy new switches, the "panel" switch is original and I haven't decided if im going to replace it yet as they are only available with the legend "lights"
I was in 2 minds as to reuse the existing switches or buy new as they are fairly expensive when you have to buy them all but with the rest of the work I have done and hopefully some extra reliability I decided why not dig my hole a little deeper
I tried everything including scraping out the existing white and filling with tipex and tile grout reviver but the solution that looked best -
- was to take the pain and buy new switches, the "panel" switch is original and I haven't decided if im going to replace it yet as they are only available with the legend "lights"
I was in 2 minds as to reuse the existing switches or buy new as they are fairly expensive when you have to buy them all but with the rest of the work I have done and hopefully some extra reliability I decided why not dig my hole a little deeper
Cheers, dpp. My Mark II switches are slightly different from yours, and are not as crusty as your old ones were, but replacing them has occurred to me. It's not that high on the list at present, especially as my car has recently thrown its toys from the pram and is currently sulking on the naughty step.
This thread continues to inform and delight. When do you anticipate having the car on the road?
This thread continues to inform and delight. When do you anticipate having the car on the road?
Hi Breadvan
Sorry to hears yours is not well its a nice looking car and you seem to try and use it which is good.
My story is now about 6 months behind real time and will soon catch up to where im at now, hopefully my plan from when I got the shell back painted was to be finished by the end of May 2014.
Everything is almost going to plan and I have spent 640 hours working on the car since it was painted and still have a fair amount to do, bolting it back together doesn't take too long but the time refurbishing each component before refitting does.
Ive also spent way too much on it so am trying to save by doing things like refurbishing my own rear brake callipers which will save me about £300.
Sorry to hears yours is not well its a nice looking car and you seem to try and use it which is good.
My story is now about 6 months behind real time and will soon catch up to where im at now, hopefully my plan from when I got the shell back painted was to be finished by the end of May 2014.
Everything is almost going to plan and I have spent 640 hours working on the car since it was painted and still have a fair amount to do, bolting it back together doesn't take too long but the time refurbishing each component before refitting does.
Ive also spent way too much on it so am trying to save by doing things like refurbishing my own rear brake callipers which will save me about £300.
dpp said:
Hi Breadvan
Sorry to hears yours is not well its a nice looking car and you seem to try and use it which is good.
My story is now about 6 months behind real time and will soon catch up to where im at now, hopefully my plan from when I got the shell back painted was to be finished by the end of May 2014.
Everything is almost going to plan and I have spent 640 hours working on the car since it was painted and still have a fair amount to do, bolting it back together doesn't take too long but the time refurbishing each component before refitting does.
Ive also spent way too much on it so am trying to save by doing things like refurbishing my own rear brake callipers which will save me about £300.
Whats your predicted spend on this if you dont mind me asking?Sorry to hears yours is not well its a nice looking car and you seem to try and use it which is good.
My story is now about 6 months behind real time and will soon catch up to where im at now, hopefully my plan from when I got the shell back painted was to be finished by the end of May 2014.
Everything is almost going to plan and I have spent 640 hours working on the car since it was painted and still have a fair amount to do, bolting it back together doesn't take too long but the time refurbishing each component before refitting does.
Ive also spent way too much on it so am trying to save by doing things like refurbishing my own rear brake callipers which will save me about £300.
POORCARDEALER said:
dpp said:
Hi Breadvan
Sorry to hears yours is not well its a nice looking car and you seem to try and use it which is good.
My story is now about 6 months behind real time and will soon catch up to where im at now, hopefully my plan from when I got the shell back painted was to be finished by the end of May 2014.
Everything is almost going to plan and I have spent 640 hours working on the car since it was painted and still have a fair amount to do, bolting it back together doesn't take too long but the time refurbishing each component before refitting does.
Ive also spent way too much on it so am trying to save by doing things like refurbishing my own rear brake callipers which will save me about £300.
Whats your predicted spend on this if you dont mind me asking?Sorry to hears yours is not well its a nice looking car and you seem to try and use it which is good.
My story is now about 6 months behind real time and will soon catch up to where im at now, hopefully my plan from when I got the shell back painted was to be finished by the end of May 2014.
Everything is almost going to plan and I have spent 640 hours working on the car since it was painted and still have a fair amount to do, bolting it back together doesn't take too long but the time refurbishing each component before refitting does.
Ive also spent way too much on it so am trying to save by doing things like refurbishing my own rear brake callipers which will save me about £300.
Poorcardealer
The amount you can spend on these restorations can vary massively lets just say im into this for about 30% more than I expected. In saying that I have gone further than I first imagined with everything stripped and refurbished before being refitted.
The biggest cost is what you will spend on labour and how much you can do yourself, I have tried to do as much as I can myself but you have to realise your capabilities and I will only do something I feel I can do as good a job as a professional on. If I do something that turns out crap I will be my biggest critic and either have another go or pass it on to a professional.
I know of a similar project to mine all professionally done where the cost is more than 3 times what my total spend will be and I can understand where their price is coming from.
Anyway onwards with the build, this is the retrimmed heater control plate with new dials and legends, that big hole is for my Learjet 8 track to fit in, I was pleased to find the original unit still with the car when I bought it.
The trimmer fitted my new headlining and I trial fitted the rear seats.
The amount you can spend on these restorations can vary massively lets just say im into this for about 30% more than I expected. In saying that I have gone further than I first imagined with everything stripped and refurbished before being refitted.
The biggest cost is what you will spend on labour and how much you can do yourself, I have tried to do as much as I can myself but you have to realise your capabilities and I will only do something I feel I can do as good a job as a professional on. If I do something that turns out crap I will be my biggest critic and either have another go or pass it on to a professional.
I know of a similar project to mine all professionally done where the cost is more than 3 times what my total spend will be and I can understand where their price is coming from.
Anyway onwards with the build, this is the retrimmed heater control plate with new dials and legends, that big hole is for my Learjet 8 track to fit in, I was pleased to find the original unit still with the car when I bought it.
The trimmer fitted my new headlining and I trial fitted the rear seats.
dpp said:
Poorcardealer
The amount you can spend on these restorations can vary massively lets just say im into this for about 30% more than I expected. In saying that I have gone further than I first imagined with everything stripped and refurbished before being refitted.
The biggest cost is what you will spend on labour and how much you can do yourself, I have tried to do as much as I can myself but you have to realise your capabilities and I will only do something I feel I can do as good a job as a professional on. If I do something that turns out crap I will be my biggest critic and either have another go or pass it on to a professional.
I know of a similar project to mine all professionally done where the cost is more than 3 times what my total spend will be and I can understand where their price is coming from.
Anyway onwards with the build, this is the retrimmed heater control plate with new dials and legends, that big hole is for my Learjet 8 track to fit in, I was pleased to find the original unit still with the car when I bought it.
The trimmer fitted my new headlining and I trial fitted the rear seats.
These things always tend to go over budget....customer of mine spend £140K having his Lagonda restored by Works Service back in 97... The amount you can spend on these restorations can vary massively lets just say im into this for about 30% more than I expected. In saying that I have gone further than I first imagined with everything stripped and refurbished before being refitted.
The biggest cost is what you will spend on labour and how much you can do yourself, I have tried to do as much as I can myself but you have to realise your capabilities and I will only do something I feel I can do as good a job as a professional on. If I do something that turns out crap I will be my biggest critic and either have another go or pass it on to a professional.
I know of a similar project to mine all professionally done where the cost is more than 3 times what my total spend will be and I can understand where their price is coming from.
Anyway onwards with the build, this is the retrimmed heater control plate with new dials and legends, that big hole is for my Learjet 8 track to fit in, I was pleased to find the original unit still with the car when I bought it.
The trimmer fitted my new headlining and I trial fitted the rear seats.
''Fasten Seat Belts''.... blimey you don't get that in a Cooper S!
I remember when Quentin Wilson did the Interceptor on 'The Car's The Star' someone used the phrase 'supersonic velvet' to decribe what driving one was actually like.... I've never driven one myself but can imagine that phrase being so apt.
Both your thread and Breadvan72's have got me tempted to hire one for a day or a weekend, just to sample an Interceptor's delights in the flesh...
I remember when Quentin Wilson did the Interceptor on 'The Car's The Star' someone used the phrase 'supersonic velvet' to decribe what driving one was actually like.... I've never driven one myself but can imagine that phrase being so apt.
Both your thread and Breadvan72's have got me tempted to hire one for a day or a weekend, just to sample an Interceptor's delights in the flesh...
Hooli said:
Just what I was thinking, it's got to lubricate better than the rust between most leaf springs though.
Was it RR who used to have their leaf springs wrapped in something like canvas & part of the service was to upwrap them & spread new grease around?
HooliWas it RR who used to have their leaf springs wrapped in something like canvas & part of the service was to upwrap them & spread new grease around?
RR would NEVER use canvas, so lower class. Leather my man, leather!!
And there are still a lot of bods advertising in the RR club mags this service
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