Welcome to the 2 nd Anniversary of C&CL with Wirral Life!
That’s 24 editions - 240,000 hard copies out there (and thousands of online reads)
featuring our humble charity driven monthly event and a lot of your precious metal!
You’re famous! Back issues are still available.
Meanwhile, do you remember die cast Dinky toy cars? In the 60’s they released a
Jensen FF Grand Tourer (Yellow) 1/43 Scale Diecast Model, now super rare!
Undoubtedly the most iconic model of the Jensen FF, is the Dinky 188 in yellow. This example
is the first issue with clear stiff perspex lid. At the beginning of production, the 188 Jensen FF
was supplied in good quality long lasting packaging, with a solid clear plastic moulding over
the top of the model (later production had a much thinner vacuum formed lid which easily
split). The base had provision to hold the model in place and made from card over a plastic
underbody. This particular model has the ‘MTB 21G’ registration numbers.
Anyway, identical to this Dinky model, Cars and Coffee Liverpool discovered a newcomer with
the same colour Jensen Interceptor and a FF too! The FF (Ferguson Formula) was a 4 wheel
drive version way ahead of the Audi Quattro system. They were hand-built at the Kelvin Way
factory in West Bromwich near Birmingham, by Jensen Motors between 1966 and 1976. The
Interceptor name had been used previously by Jensen for their Interceptor made between 1950
and 1957 at the Carters Green factory. Jensen had extensively used glass-reinforced plastic
for the fabrication of body panels in the preceding two decades, but the new Interceptor saw
a return to a steel body-shell. The body was designed by an outside firm, Carrozzeria Touring
of Italy, rather than in-house. The early bodies were built in Italy by Vignale, before Jensen
eventually took production in house, making some subtle body modifications.
The Interceptor may have taken some styling cues from the Brasinca Uirapuru, with a distinctive
large, curving wrap-around rear window that doubled as a tailgate. The original specification
included electric windows, reclining front seats, a wood rimmed steering wheel, radio with
twin speakers, reversing lights and an electric clock. Power Steering was included as standard
from September 1968. Jensen were one of the first manufacturers to equip a production car
with four wheel drive, in the 1967 Jensen FF (Ferguson Formula). At the time it was hailed as
a remarkable development, coming also with Dunlop Maxaret mechanical anti-lock brake and
traction control. The car is five inches (127 mm) longer than the Interceptor. Although looking
virtually the same, the extra length can be seen from additional side vent ahead of the doors
on the front flanks, and an additional swage line in the leading edge of the front wing. Press
articles from the time quote “drag-strip” performance when describing the car. In total 320 FFs
were produced.
In 1989 the Saint was once again welcomed back to television driving a Jensen Interceptor in six
2-hour movies featuring Simon Dutton as Simon Templar, alias the Saint. The Saint’s car was a
1976 Jensen Interceptor Series 3 Saloon in Brienz Blue. The car was supplied directly by Jensen
and upgraded with a new radiator grille, wheels, and accessories to make it look like the latest
Series 4 Saloon. The registration was reversed as ‘1 ST’ and used by special arrangement with
the DVLC - the “ST 1” plates were not used as the current owner would not allow them to be
used for filming. This 1 ST registration now adorns a Rolls Royce in the West Country while
the previous ST 1 is currently carried by a Mini in London.
If original classics is not your cup of tea, then surely John & Jen Rawsthorne Volkswagen
Mk1 Golf will wet those appetites of all those garage, car builders out there. Patiently, we have
watched John’s 9 year car build. Perfecting, customising and innovating every detail on this
machine. It never ends, running an Audi 20 valve big turbo with 270bhp weighing 700kg
mostly built from carbon panels. This may not seem much on paper, but the driving experience
and power to weight ratio is far greater. This visit was probably the last run before going back
into hibernation for stripping again! Madness it may seem, one person is never happy in his
or her creation. Apparently, she’s is getting an all new fabricated floor for a haldex - 4wheel
drive Audi Quattro system like the Jensen Interceptor we mentioned above, plus a near 900
bhp engined monster.
This is why we love the very nature of Cars and Coffee Liverpool, like a family, we share a
passion, the skills and knowledge of vehicles we love and like to develop, and make better.
Join our Facebook Group conversation. It’s not what you know it’s who you know ;)
The chosen charity for this month was Marie Curie, who care and support the terminally ill -
nominated by our neighbour business - Consortia.
A big thanks to all our motoring members, amazing friends and supporters, especially the Cars
and Coffee Liverpool team Terry Alan Barnett, John Kane, Aaron Schofield, John Connell,
Tom Owen, Matthew Eaton, Luke Jordan and Charalene Lee, her Coffee family and all the CCL
friends! Our new coffee sponsor Cafe Origin Coffee, Chung Ku Restaurant, David Gidman
for going out of his way with his busy schedules at HR Owen, Carly at Tesla, Autorenew,
OCD Porsche Specialist, Nick Prescot - WSR Recycling, Tom Tully Tyres, Impact Solutions,
Philangle Stamps, Wirral Life Magazine, photographers Mick McTigue, Brian Lloyd and Paul
Rankin. Lastly Chris Moss for rounding up his troops for a much needed coffee ;)
See you at the next Cars and Coffee Liverpool meeting Sunday 30th September, 9.30am-12pm.
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