Cars That Used Chevy Power

[Chuffer]

I always thought the Jensen CV8 was rather special when I was a boy . A rare thing these days . Fibreglass body with aluminium door skins and powered by Chrysler 5.9 litre up to 6.2 Litre depending on model year . Very rapid for its day .

 

[Chuffer]

Not Chevy powered but another British glass fibre V8 powered wonder , the 1968 Marcos Mantis XP1 . Built specificly by Marcos to go racing it had a 3 litre Brabam Repco formula one engine . In 1970 it was fitted with a Buick V8 and Marcos co founder Jem Marsh used it as a road car . Imagine turning heads on public roads in such an extreme machine 53 years ago !! It then went to the USA for many years and only returned to the UK after carefull restoration in California . It arrived just in time in 2009 for the Marcos 50th Anniversary Celebrations at Prescott Hill Climb which I attended . Seeing it in the flesh was awesome and I have some colour print photos I took stashed awat somewhere .

 

[Roscobbc]

With you on the SE4's Rosco. I spent many months looking for one before buying my C3. Although they're quite rare now I found a few - all V6's unfortunately and all either very rough or very modified - and in the end gave up the search and bought the 'Vette instead. A few weeks later I was talking to a local enthusiast I hadn't met before - he lives only a couple of miles away - who told me he'd just sold his SE4a with the 2.5L straight 6 Zodiac Mk4 engine...for half what I'd have paid for it! Just goes to show, it's only a bargain if you find it...

Ex-next door neighbour had one too and sold during covid for silly money........whilst it needed some paint and an interior tidy, chassis-wise and mechanically it was perfect. Seems it had done some hill climb work and had a block heater which to me is indicative of good care from someone.......and it had a totally reconned iron cylinder head with triple carbs and was mechanically the quietest Zody engine I'd ever heard......which is very uncharacteristic.

 

[phild]

I always thought the Jensen CV8 was View attachment 22801 rather special when I was a boy . A rare thing these days . Fibreglass body with aluminium door skins and powered by Chrysler 5.9 litre up to 6.2 Litre depending on model year . Very rapid for its day .

Oh yes, on my wish list as well. Was drooling over one at the Heacdord meeting last Sunday.

 

[Chuffer]

Oh yes, on my wish list as well. Was drooling over one at the Heacdord meeting last Sunday.

How about a Jensen Interceptor with the 7.2 Litre to go with it ??

 

[phild]

How about a Jensen Interceptor with the 7.2 Litre to go with it ?? View attachment 22807

Love them but still prefer the CV8. It reminds me of a TV series some years ago called The Baron.

 

[Chuffer]

Love them but still prefer the CV8. It reminds me of a TV series some years ago called The Baron.

Have to agree , there is a certain ` something ` about the CV8 and I thought the side stakes were dead cool as a lad . Remember the Baron too .

 

[antijam]

There have been several british car Marques over the years featuring american muscle under the bonnet - most of them now long defunct; names like Railton, Atalanta, Allard and Bristol spring to mind. In recent years there has been a trend of reviving these lost names with a 'new exciting' model; most, if not all, have been quietly sunk without trace.
Jensens attempt with the S-V8 was a stylistic insult to the glory years of the Interceptor....



"Continuation" models are generally more successful emphasising the belief that modern car design has become so constrained by safety and pollution legislation that the highlights of style peaked back in the last century.
Jensen International will now build you (for a price!) a 'new' Interceptor complete with Chevy LS3 or LT4 V8 retaining the form but bringing the engineering up to date...



Personally I think I'd prefer the original with all it's limitations and foibles. The total package made a statement of its era.

 

[Chuffer]

Don`t forget the short lived MG X Power SV and the stunning AC 428 Frua from the late 60`s as either hardtop or spyder.