[VintageLambo] Re: Accuracy of horsepower figures.

In a message dated 10/01/03 9:58:43 AM Pacific Standard Time, espada_guy@yahoo.com writes: BTW, I think a similar comparison of Bill"s Islero and Jensen would be an interesting study. How about it Bill? Ditto anyone else who have cars that are "gentlemen"s express" type cars. I would like to hear the strong and weak points and general feel of the cars, unless I am going too far off-topic by this... Both are lovely grand touring cars. My Interceptor (a 1971) has a nicer interior, weighs around 6-700 pounds more, has more torque, gets better mileage, was styled by the same guys, and has many detail similarities with the Islero, and is a comfortable, effortless high speed tourer. I left Lake Tahoe one day, and 14 hours later was home in Vancouver, all in one shot, stopping only for gas (thank you, Valentine 1). The Islero has different but about equally inspiring (to me) styling, and is "handier" with no power steering and gearbox (mine with dodgy synchros) that you get to row through. It may be a tad faster than the Interceptor (certainly faster than a stock one - but I have trouble leaving anything stock for long), and that fantastic engine makes such nice sounds! I am really enjoying both cars, and wouldn"t like to be without either.I will probably continue to use the Jensen for longer trips, and keep the Lambo for shorter runs, just because it is easier to deal with if anything does gang agley (Chrysler parts are pretty easy to find). I would more closely compare my earlier Jensen, a CV-8, with the lslero. Many hundreds of pounds lighter than the Interceptor due mostly to the GRP bodywork, it has solid discs all around like the Islero, but a live axle, so doesn"t handle as well. It also lacks power steering, but that doesn"t matter on a highway trip. The great thing about it is the 370 bhp or so engine (high compression big block Chrysler with sixpack) which gives it slightly better performance than the Islero S low down, but not as high a top speed (I haven"t had it over 150) due to slip in the automatic trans at top speed.You boot it while doing 70 mph to pass someone, and it sort of dematerialises and then appears in front of them. I"d suggest that the Islero and the CV-8 are an apt comparison, and that the Interceptor and the Jarama (about as porky as the Jensen) are also a good comparison. The early Interceptor, while having the 330 bhp engine and interior appointments very similar to the Islero (non-S), is still a considerably heavier car. The 6 CV-8s that were built with standard trans would be even more interesting in comparison to the Isleros. Bill 69 Islero 71 Jensen 65 Jensen 63 TVR 58 MGA Twincam 62 MGA Coupe 69 MGC etc.