Restoration Blog

Its been a busy few months progressing well with the Red LHD Interceptor, the engine bay is now ready to drop the engine in as soon as its finished and tested and most of the interior has been refitted along with a full new wiring loom and a new set of carpets.

The Brown SP has been in for a big recommission after being laid up for a number of years and apart from getting it running again it has had a number of upgrades to the cooling system, a Mitsubishi alternator and a new Fenair a/c kit was fitted. Since being collected the owner has driven it home to Spain the scenic route covering 1400 miles on its first trip in many years where it ran faultlessly apart from a new starter solenoid failing within 200 miles.

As soon as the Brown SP left it was replaced by a returning customers White SP here for a second round of works to include fitting a new set of six pack carbs along with a large list of other works.

Now it’s time to make progress on these projects before another 2 interesting jobs arrive in November that will keep me busy until Easter.

It was nice to see the Mustard Mk3 return for a service and some repairs this week. This is a lovely unmolested car in a great colour that drives as well as it looks.

We carried out a service and check over plus fitted some coil overs at the rear as it was sitting very low. Also repairs to the exhaust and a new drive gear for the electric window were all that was required to keep this car in perfect running order.

We have also been recommissioning a MK3 CV-8 that we think has been stood for over 20 years. So far we have refurbished all brake callipers as they were seized, fitted a new S/S fuel tank plus many other small jobs and are now waiting for the heads to be refurbished and converted to hardened valve seats as they were very worn and giving poor compression readings.

Also still in the workshop is the MK1 Interceptor which is now running and driving with its rebuilt engine refitted and running smoothly. We are now working through the many electrical faults on this car, only the sidelights worked correctly despite it coming to us with a new wiring loom fitted.

There will also be a new arrival later this week for some major mechanical works.

At Oily Rag Classics we don’t just restore Jensens but drive them too. Having just completed 1976 miles in our Interceptor starting from Cornwall and driving to Scotland to complete the NC500 driving on some amazing roads with stunning scenery this is a road trip everyone should put on their bucket list.

All went well with the car until leaving John O Groats when a rear brake calliper handbrake assembly broke, a quick temporary repair was made at the side of the road before being driven to a local garage where they let me have full use of their workshop to remove the calliper and carry out a proper repair that would allow us to complete the trip.

After spending the last 6 months with us a Jensen SP was today returned to its owner. The car bought at an auction last year has been with us for checking over and some mechanical repairs alongside some major electrical repairs and an interior refresh.

It was also treated to a pair of bumpers, new mirrors and the removal of some non standard modifications.

As is often the case the list of jobs kept growing but the car should now be reliable and safe for its new owner to enjoy. This has now freed up some workshop space which will allow us to get on with the MK1 Interceptor which should be reunited with its rebuilt engine very soon and carry on with a large recommission of a CV-8 which has been stood for the last 20 years and is need of much work to the engine, brakes and fuel system.

Once we get through some of this work then the next 2 cars in the queue will arrive one for a full restoration and the other for a full mechanical restoration.