Jensen Interceptor

[Paul Garrett]

I drove a mates dad's 2.8 Ghia X Granada in 1983, while still at school aged 18. (I had passed my test). Stunning car, it was the first automatic I had ever driven, I still remember it to this day. Fast and wafty. I am pretty sure my mate's dad had no idea we were tooling around in it. It was an X reg, so 1981/82 ? Would that make it a mark III ? It had the angular body work as I recall.

It had tinted glass, electric windows, and a sunroof and a shed load of options. Things I had never seen on a car.

I almost don't want to see one nowadays (if there any left), it might not live up to the memories I have, like an old girlfriend.

I had a 1979 Mk11 Granada Ghia bought it in 1988 for £1200 and as i was in the body trade i fully restored it, had it 8 years, lovely car and of course i had the mickey taken out of me everytime i drove into work with it as the lads would sing out the theme tune to the Sweeney! Ha!! Oyster Gold with brown vinyl roof , God if had that car now il be sitting on a lovely earner....great car go drive ,lazy 2.8 V6 engine , i know i would still enjoy one now if i had the chance, happy days

 

[rf065]

I almost don't want to see one nowadays (if there any left), it might not live up to the memories I have, like an old girlfriend.

You're not wrong, it seemed a large car at the time, but I saw one last year and was surprised how small it looked amongst modern traffic.

 

[Paul Garrett]

You're not wrong, it seemed a large car at the time, but I saw one last year and was surprised how small it looked amongst modern traffic.

Oh i agree, if one was parked next to my Merc it would look smaller compared to it , but easy to work on though mine was Reg No JNK 196V funny how i still remember it

 

[00slk]

It's funny how one car always stands out more which gives you great memories. 2 that come to mind is the E34 Bathurst Pacer and the Triumph 2.5 pi race car I competed in.
I came very close to buying a Jensen Interceptor in around 1981 but decided it was too old and bought a 77 450se instead.

 

[Mr Hatt]

Back in the day if you could get hold of a Scorpio 2.9 (as ugly as it was ) you had one of the best hotrod engines available, we bought many "B.O.B." cosworth 24v v6 2.9`s for custom installations and if you could get one from a hearse even flipping better because it had enjoyed an easy life and was ready for action, actually the face of the scorpio was quite appropriate for a hearse, it reflected the occupants emotions
That engine still demands £3k second hand now !

 

[Mr Hatt]

It's funny how one car always stands out more which gives you great memories. 2 that come to mind is the E34 Bathurst Pacer and the Triumph 2.5 pi race car I competed in.
I came very close to buying a Jensen Interceptor in around 1981 but decided it was too old and bought a 77 450se instead.

Our 2.5pi was the smoothest most comfortable car I remember growing up, actually I meant "as a child" because I never really grew up

 

[Mr Hatt]

Yes many old Ford models can be highly collectible and valuable, but the last Scorpio is not one of them because it was a massive flop for Ford.
It had a face only a mother could love.
View attachment 69531

CHRIST! I forgot just how Fugly it actually was, thats a ginger step son right there, know body wants one!

 

[Paul Garrett]

Back in the day if you could get hold of a Scorpio 2.9 (as ugly as it was ) you had one of the best hotrod engines available, we bought many "B.O.B." cosworth 24v v6 2.9`s for custom installations and if you could get one from a hearse even flipping better because it had enjoyed an easy life and was ready for action, actually the face of the scorpio was quite appropriate for a hearse, it reflected the occupants emotions
That engine still demands £3k second hand now !

Oh the engines were great thats for sure , just the fugly body that was wrapped around it ha!

 

[Ron240]

Just for the record this is also a Granada Scorpio Cosworth 2.9 V6 24V, and is a fine looking car.

 

[Snake Charmer]

Just for the record this is also a Granada Scorpio Cosworth 2.9 V6 24V, and is a fine looking car.
View attachment 69604

They were a decent car.

 

[Mr Hatt]

Just for the record this is also a Granada Scorpio Cosworth 2.9 V6 24V, and is a fine looking car.
View attachment 69604

Got to give you that Ron, thats a nice mota right there, someone at ford must have been on crack when they changed that to the fugly beast and thought it was new and improved

 

[Paul Garrett]

Got to give you that Ron, thats a nice mota right there, someone at ford must have been on crack when they changed that to the fugly beast and thought it was new and improved

Yep must have been on some mindbending magic mushrooms when they changed the design ha!

 

[davemercedes]

I have an ex-colleague who was sales manager in my former life... He really rued the day the "Grandad" was pensioned off. Funny, but he found when visiting companies he could park more or less anywhere and if the car park was attended they would often give him a reserved place - he said that for some reason, the car gave people the impression that the driver was "important".

 

[A.J.]

I have an ex-colleague who was sales manager in my former life... He really rued the day the "Grandad" was pensioned off. Funny, but he found when visiting companies he could park more or less anywhere and if the car park was attended they would often give him a reserved place - he said that for some reason, the car gave people the impression that the driver was "important".

Not much to do with your post but when II worked in the Vehicle Contract industry on the occasions we went to MB in Milton Keynes we were always asked not to reverse into a car paring slot but to nose in. Their reason was so as not to emit exhaust fumes on to their planted borders.

 

[V6Matty]

Not much to do with your post but when II worked in the Vehicle Contract industry on the occasions we went to MB in Milton Keynes we were always asked not to reverse into a car paring slot but to nose in. Their reason was so as not to emit exhaust fumes on to their planted borders.

That’s not an unusual request, it’s down to hot exhaust fumes burning the plants and therefore damaging/killing them

 

[Blobcat]

That’s not an unusual request, it’s down to hot exhaust fumes burning the plants and therefore damaging/killing them

I've had that at motels in the U S of A so the fumes don't go into the bedrooms.

However I've also worked in Aberdeen where it is pretty much mandatory across every business that you have to reverse park so you don't drive over someone on your way out. (I also have reverse only parking at my new site)

 

[V6Matty]

I've had that at motels in the U S of A so the fumes don't go into the bedrooms.

However I've also worked in Aberdeen where it is pretty much mandatory across every business that you have to reverse park so you don't drive over someone on your way out. (I also have reverse only parking at my new site)

Previous company I worked at had directional bays so they could have more cars in the parking area, worked out per level they could fit 12 extra cars in there, that was in Hemel Hempstead so space was a premium

 

[keefysher]

I've had that at motels in the U S of A so the fumes don't go into the bedrooms.

However I've also worked in Aberdeen where it is pretty much mandatory across every business that you have to reverse park so you don't drive over someone on your way out. (I also have reverse only parking at my new site)

Previous company I worked at had directional bays so they could have more cars in the parking area, worked out per level they could fit 12 extra cars in there, that was in Hemel Hempstead so space was a premium

When it was decided to go emissions controls, cats etc rather than lean burn; in Oz with a V8 gas guzzler at one hotel that had rooms around the pool it was reverse parking with resultant filling rooms with excessive fumes.

Reverse parking with EV points is causing issues at our sites as the charge cables don't reach the length of the bay for EVs with front sockets, and are a trip hazard when used.

Where there are rows of two bays I drive in through the first so it looks like i reversed into the second starting early has its merits. I expect to get reported at some point if I ever go back into the office, which I don't want to do. That I've delivered 33% more safety projects at 17% under budget in my first year, have closed 1 high risk site and currently working on closing another identified 20 years ago and will get closed by year end will count for nowt as I parked the wrong way!! Its a funny old industry with some archaic mindsets.

Diagonal bays are the way forward.

There is also the irony of dedicated walking routes that pedestrians don't use. Also where the dedicated walking routes go along the exhaust emitting part of the bays.

We have an army of H&S specialists who never go out beyond their computer screen, but create volumes of forms that take weeks to read let alone in the rain, wind, snow, heat etc out on site. I had to sign forms 32 times one night to stand where Joe Public does, madness. We also have an appalling safety record in respect of worker fatalities 9 in 4 years currently, 2 this year in the region I work in, but the H&S experts Fatality Weighted Index is below other countries same industry, so all is well I picked up the executive leadership team on it and they dissolved the safety directorate in response. The authorities investigating the last one in Feb are mandated to issue an interim report in 8 weeks, still waiting.

I presented to the Chief H&S Officer and his senior team the other day, they were blown away how simple it is to actually do things than write reams of forms.

Still, its pay day tomorrow

 

[Nicklas_Hidegard]

Do you not turn your engines off after parking? How much fumes are we taking about?

Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[EmilysDad]

....

Where there are rows of two bays I drive in through the first so it looks like i reversed into the second ....

who gives way if someone is driving into the space that you've driven over your 1st space to get to?