possible UFO car?

Hi all,

Someone has emailed me with their belief that they are the
current owner of a car (a Jensen Interceptor) that may be
the same car seen in Gerry Anderson's PROTECTORS and also
seen in this UFO publicity photo:

http://ufoseries.com/character/identCarpark-1600.jpg

It is the silver car next to the red corvette, and this
is what his car looks like today:

http://ufoseries.com/temp/jensen.jpg

As for why he thinks it might be the same car:

"I am reasonably certain this is the car used in
the programme because it was definately the car
belonging to the contessa di contini in The Protectors,
another of Gerry Andersons productions,the
registration number is HPP4G"

Marc

Marc;
With the different body color [colour in UK], it might be possible to
tell if the white is origional. Unless they did a complete restoration on
the car, the inside of the doors and jams would be the origional color.
Jensen Interceptors are sorta rare.

http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/connect_your_way.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_messenger_062008

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> With the different body color [colour in UK], it might be possible to
> tell if the white is original. Unless they did a complete restoration on
> the car, the inside of the doors and jams would be the origional color.
> Jensen Interceptors are sorta rare.

Yes, he said that the car had been repainted to "duck egg blue" (!).

He seems pretty certain that this car was used in THE PROTECTORS,
but I think he's merely guessing that it also was used in UFO.

I suspect the British government must keep records on past owners
of a car, so it's history must be traceable.

I'll have to search my archive of UFO photos and see if I have
any better photos of this car.

Marc

A little research on the IMCDB(that the Internet Movie Car Data Base which
is reference site of cars used in films and TV shows) tells me that the car
used in The Protectors was actually two different cars. One which was used as
Harry Rule's car was a 1970 Jensen Interceptor MkII, dark gray in color. The
other and the one I think you are talking about is a 1968 Jensen Interceptor
MkI silver in color. I check under cars in UFO but they have not listed
the real cars from the series just the gullwings and some of the mobiles and
things.
James K.


In a message dated 6/17/2008 3:51:42 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
[hidden email] writes:




> With the different body color [colour in UK], it might be possible to
> tell if the white is original. Unless they did a complete restoration on
> the car, the inside of the doors and jams would be the origional color.
> Jensen Interceptors are sorta rare.

Yes, he said that the car had been repainted to "duck egg blue" (!).

He seems pretty certain that this car was used in THE PROTECTORS,
but I think he's merely guessing that it also was used in UFO.

I suspect the British government must keep records on past owners
of a car, so it's history must be traceable.

I'll have to search my archive of UFO photos and see if I have
any better photos of this car.

Marc






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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:35:25 EDT, [hidden email] said:
> A little research on the IMCDB(that the Internet Movie Car Data Base
> which is reference site of cars used in films and TV shows) tells me
> that the car used in The Protectors was actually two different cars.
> One which was used as Harry Rule's car was a 1970 Jensen Interceptor
> MkII, dark gray in color. The other and the one I think you are talking
> about is a 1968 Jensen Interceptor MkI silver in color.

Thanks James, I forwarded that onto the car's owner, and received
the following reply:

"yes Robert Vaughn used the main vehicle in the protectors which
was a mk 11 Jensen interceptor registration number BEA 898 J
and I always thought it was dark brown in colour with a cream
interior,the one I own is the silver one with a black interior
registration number HPP4G which has been sprayed pale blue at
some point in it's life, this was supposed to be one of the
contessa's many cars and was not used nearly as much as the
other one, probably because Nyree Dawn Porter had an
underground car park full of cars at her disposal in the series,
I have recently purchased The Protectors series just to see how
much air time the car actually recieved, I will let you know
when I have watched it. I still think this is the same car used
in UFO and I have just completed the V888 form from the DVLA
to try and find out who the previous owners of the car were,
so I will keep you informed."

Marc

Do you know where i can see invasion: UFO ? i live in new york and have the mega set dvd collection and would like to see the invasion: UFO movie and posibly tape it and add it to my colection. im new to the group, but have been bitten bu the UFO bug, as the rest of you are. Im 50 and remember seeing UFO 30 years ago on TV.
ok, take care, Ian.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Ian wrote:
> Do you know where i can see invasion: UFO ? i live in
> new york and have the mega set dvd collection and would
> like to see the invasion: UFO movie and posibly tape
> it and add it to my collection.

I don't think you're going to find it broadcast anywhere...
it has been released on video... currently the Australian
UFO DVD set has it as an extra feature, but that's in
the PAL video format.

Marc

Glad I could be of some help. The registration numbers do match those of
the cars which are on the License plates in the photos. I was a fan of The
Protectors but only got to see the first season. I don't really remember the
Contessa using the Jensen much in the first series as she was more often driven
by her Chauffeur Chino played by Anthony Chinn who usually had her out in a
dark colored (didn't have color TV just then) Rolls Royce Silver Shadow with
the license Con 1, also remember the very unusual Citroen SM which had a
special set of air shock that could be raised or lowered to improve handling over
roads the might be more suited to sport car or Off road conditions. That
was featured in a episode set in France with the every so menacing Derren
Nesbitt.
James K.


In a message dated 6/18/2008 12:35:07 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
[hidden email] writes:




On Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:35:25 EDT, _SumitonJD@aol.Sum_
(mailto:[hidden email]) said:
> A little research on the IMCDB(that the Internet Movie Car Data Base
> which is reference site of cars used in films and TV shows) tells me
> that the car used in The Protectors was actually two different cars.
> One which was used as Harry Rule's car was a 1970 Jensen Interceptor
> MkII, dark gray in color. The other and the one I think you are talking
> about is a 1968 Jensen Interceptor MkI silver in color.

Thanks James, I forwarded that onto the car's owner, and received
the following reply:

"yes Robert Vaughn used the main vehicle in the protectors which
was a mk 11 Jensen interceptor registration number BEA 898 J
and I always thought it was dark brown in colour with a cream
interior,the one I own is the silver one with a black interior
registration number HPP4G which has been sprayed pale blue at
some point in it's life, this was supposed to be one of the
contessa's many cars and was not used nearly as much as the
other one, probably because Nyree Dawn Porter had an
underground car park full of cars at her disposal in the series,
I have recently purchased The Protectors series just to see how
much air time the car actually recieved, I will let you know
when I have watched it. I still think this is the same car used
in UFO and I have just completed the V888 form from the DVLA
to try and find out who the previous owners of the car were,
so I will keep you informed."

Marc






**************Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for
fuel-efficient used cars. (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[hidden email] wrote:
> Glad I could be of some help. The registration numbers do match those of
> the cars which are on the License plates in the photos.

I just did a quick check through some of my UFO photos, and found
that I did have one high-resolution scan which showed this car
in better detail:

http://ufoseries.com/temp/jensenUFO.jpg

Also I checked the opening sequence of IDENTIFIED, but this
car is not visible. I don't know if it's visible anywhere
else in the series, or if it can only be seen in publicity
photos.

Marc

Marc,
that reminded me of something I was going to say. If you look at the
license plate on both the Jensen and the Corvette next to it the plates look
American rather than British. Do you suppose at a early stage they were going to
have the film studio in California rather than England?
James K.


In a message dated 6/18/2008 9:42:59 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
[hidden email] writes:




_SumitonJD@aol.Sum_ (mailto:[hidden email]) wrote:
> Glad I could be of some help. The registration numbers do match those of
> the cars which are on the License plates in the photos.

I just did a quick check through some of my UFO photos, and found
that I did have one high-resolution scan which showed this car
in better detail:

_http://ufoseries.http://ufhttp://ufohtt_ 
(http://ufoseries.com/temp/jensenUFO.jpg)

Also I checked the opening sequence of IDENTIFIED, but this
car is not visible. I don't know if it's visible anywhere
else in the series, or if it can only be seen in publicity
photos.

Marc






**************Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for
fuel-efficient used cars. (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Marc Martin wrote:

Well, it IS next to a red Corvette...

Paul

> that reminded me of something I was going to say. If you look at the
> license plate on both the Jensen and the Corvette next to it the plates
> look American rather than British. Do you suppose at a early stage they were
> going to have the film studio in California rather than England?

Well, in the actual episode, you cannot even see the Jensen, and
if you blink you'll miss the Corvette. So I wouldn't assume that
these were even meant to be seen! If you're going to judge the
license plates, I'd look at the more visible cars in the series.

Marc

Hi All :)

Sorry for the absence, have been ill...

During "Confetti Check A-OK", Commander Straker is seen driving a
Jensen...

Also, I think it is during the Michael Billington/Alan Perry
commentary, they mention Reg Hill driving a Jensen Interceptor... Is
it possible it was his car parked in the lot? Maybe even the one
Commander Straker is driving in CCAOK???

Sorry I can't check myself, as I'm still being fixed... the wonders of
wireless broadband.

Take care all, Griff

Hi All :)

There is a precedent for Gerry Anderson using UFO production owned
cars in UFO, as I know absolutely that the Blue Rolls Royce
(Shadow/Cloud?) seen in I think it is Conflict (as General Henderson's
car) and a few other epidodes was Gerry Anderson's own Rolls Royce...

I also believe that the Porsche seen in 'The Pyschobombs' was owned by
one of the production staff... I remember it mentioned at one of the
conventions.

Hope this helps...

Griff

Hi All :)

Correction...

"I also believe that the Porsche seen in 'The Pyschobombs' was owned
by one of the production staff... I remember it mentioned at one of
the conventions."

I of course meant the epidode "The responsibility Seat" driven by Jo
Frazer... sorry

Griff

The Jensen Interceptor used in UFO actiually belonged to Reg Hill, the
producer. Straker is seen driving it in his pre-SHADO days in
"Confetti Check AOK". Even back in the 70's, the Jensen was considered
a pretty expensive car.

Rob

I always thought it was a Citroen that Straker was driving in Confetti Check. Shows how much I know about foreign (to me) cars...

Jeff

Griff Wason <[hidden email]> wrote:
Hi All :)

Sorry for the absence, have been ill...

During "Confetti Check A-OK", Commander Straker is seen driving a
Jensen...

Also, I think it is during the Michael Billington/Alan Perry
commentary, they mention Reg Hill driving a Jensen Interceptor... Is
it possible it was his car parked in the lot? Maybe even the one
Commander Straker is driving in CCAOK???

Sorry I can't check myself, as I'm still being fixed... the wonders of
wireless broadband.

Take care all, Griff






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Now that I took a quick look at the episode again, I see that it is a
Jensen. I must have either been thinking of a different episode, or
a different TV series entirely. Wonder where I saw that brown
Citroen? Gonna bug me all day.

Jeff

--- In [hidden email], Jeffrey Nelson <1shado1@...> wrote:
>
> I always thought it was a Citroen that Straker was driving in
Confetti Check. Shows how much I know about foreign (to me) cars... of

The Jensen was a fairly expensive car in the 1970's. Being a fan of sports
and exotic cars I used to see it in Road & Track and if I remember correctly
it cost at the time about $15,000. By way of comparison a Shelby Mustang
from 1968 cost $10,000 and a Rolls Royce would set you back only about 50K.
The Citroens were rather spacely looking. As I mentioned earlier the
Contessa di Conti had a SM model but it was white. Might try checking the
IMCDB and looking under Citroen and see which series it was featured in and see
if a name rings a bell. Then check the photos from that series and see if its
a brown one.
James K.


In a message dated 6/19/2008 6:33:50 A.M. Central Daylight Time,
[hidden email] writes:




Now that I took a quick look at the episode again, I see that it is a
Jensen. I must have either been thinking of a different episode, or
a different TV series entirely. Wonder where I saw that brown
Citroen? Gonna bug me all day.

Jeff

--- In _SHADO@yahoogroups.SHA_ (mailto:[hidden email]) , Jeffrey
Nelson <1shado1@...> wrote:
>
> I always thought it was a Citroen that Straker was driving in
Confetti Check. Shows how much I know about foreign (to me) cars... of






**************Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> Also, I think it is during the Michael Billington/Alan Perry
> commentary, they mention Reg Hill driving a Jensen Interceptor... Is
> it possible it was his car parked in the lot? Maybe even the one
> Commander Straker is driving in CCAOK???

When Straker is driving off with Nina in the carpark in CONFETTI CHECK
A-OK, he is driving a brown Jensen, not the silver one
seen in the IDENTIFIED publicity photo. A silver Jensen does
make a brief appearance in the MAN WHO CAME BACK, after Col. Grey
and Craig Collins run into Sir Sir Esmond.

Marc