It can be easy to forget that countries other than America built some amazing muscle machines during the 1960’s and 70’s. We may not often consider the British to be fans of big engines, having produced cars like the Austin Healy and Mini Cooper, but they made some mean muscle cars too, like the Jensen Interceptor and its optional 7.2 liter (440) Chrysler V8.
Of course, that wasn’t always enough engine for some people. Pistonheads reports that a fellow by the name of Brook Anderson plans on dropping another, bigger Chrysler motor into his Jensen; the 8.3 liter, 500 horsepower Viper V10 engine.
First a brief history of the Jensen Interceptor. This car broke the mold in more than one way, by having a steel body rather than glass-reinforced plastic (a first for Jensen). It was also designed outside of England by Italian engineers. The Jensen could be ordered with either a Chrysler 383 engine or the bigger 440, with an optional Six-Pack carburetor system. Sounds like a lot of fun, right?
Apparently though, it isn’t enough for Anderson. He sourced an 8.3 liter Viper V10 motor, and enlisted the Valley Gas Speed Shop to drop the engine into his “Viperceptor.” It is in many ways a Jensen for the 21st century, even thought he company went belly-up way back in 1976 (though it was revived just long enough to build a few cars back in 2001). Thanks to people like Anderson though, its memory lives on, and we aren’t left wondering what might have been.