STORYTIME 1/2: To introduce Hilda, I have to introduce the Hillman Imp
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- čas přidán 8. 12. 2021
- In the style of my very first video on the SM, it's time to talk (and not much more!)
'Hilda' is a 1973 Hillman Imp Deluxe, fitted with a Citroen Saxo VTR engine.
In this first (of many, probably) videos, I introduce the car by not really mentioning it. Instead, it's homework time!
Step one: Get up to speed on the Hillman Imp as a model.
(pt2. link here: • STORYTIME 2/2: How (an... ) - Auta a dopravní prostředky
"Imp people will be watching this, well they probably won't"
Bought my '65 car in early 2021, at 20 years old it's my second car. Doing A LOT of work on it since it's been sat for 30 years undriven but I already love it and all the amazing engineering breakthroughs it has for such a humble car. Yes it has its quirks... the front suspension being one of them and the master cylinders hidden under the fuel tank being another but I absolutely love it and can't wait to drive it once it's ready to go.
Can't wait to see the project develop! Keep it up.
I borrowed an Imp from a nieghbour for a week just before I emigrated to Australia in 1982. He'd bought it cheap after a freak accident, and showed me the newspaper photo of the car sitting on its roof. The only damage was the roof panel. No other panels or glass damage! I loved it! The gearshift was magic, the handling was good for a rear engine, and it carried two adults, three kids and shopping easily. I was tempted to load it into the container with my furniture. I now wish I had.
Why don't you relive your dream? Send one over!
The IMP was called Sunbeam 900 in Finland. I have owned 2pcs, one -70 and another -72. The first one was quite crusty and the later one actually was in very good (no rust!!). The -70 has been turned in to knives & forks, but the-72 could still be alive -at least one guy called me 15-20 years ago and told me he was going to restore it.
My cousin had a 1966 Hillman Imp when he was studying in the early seventies. He crashed it and then got got a 1968 Sunbeam Imp where we transferred all the go-faster parts. Otherwise the two cars were identical (same dashboard etc. etc.). I think the name changed around 1967 - 1968 for Scandinavian imports, because Hillman was seen more as an old man's car and Sunbeam was more "sexy" or upmarket. It was an "Imp", though, not a 900. But that might be a later modelname. BTW: That Sunbeam Imp was not in any way better spec'ed that the older Hillman, just different badges.
Finland (and Scandanavia generally) plays a small role in the next video.
@@UPnDOWN IMP has been a huge success in track & rally. Here is one channel where a Hayabusa-engined IMP is performing in both diciplines: czcams.com/users/alanenvideos
@@friedjohn Here in the UK the Sunbeam version had a glove box and auxiliary instrument panel with real wood, rubbing strakes on the engine cover and IIRC a different faux grille. My '66 Super got the glove box etc from a scrapyard and a Sport engine cover with rubbing strakes and louvres from somewhere now forgotten.
The engine cover had the only bit of proper spraying I've ever done. Borrowed a compressor and gun from work that needed a good strip and clean before it worked properly, and managed to get less orange peel than the factory which pleased me no end.
Had an Imp Van from new in 1970. It was a Husky without the back windows and seats. It was my first car and I loved it. Proved ideal for a camping holiday round Wales with two former school mates ... It was followed a year later by a Hillman Hunter GT which I took to South Africa. Wonderful and very robust car which stood up to dirt road driving brilliantly!
Would that have been a Commer Imp? Or was it still a Hillman?
@@UPnDOWN Definitely Hillman ...
My dad had one and made up a trolley so he could remove the engine in about 20 minutes, do what he had to do to service it then put the engine back. Rear spark plug is difficult to get at in the car. He had it for several years (even had the kingpins renewed) then sold it. He then bought the same car back a couple of years later so my brother could learn to drive in it. Great little cars. The electrical firm I worked for as an apprentice electrician had 2 Imp vans, until one of the electrician wrote one off trying to go around a roundabout the wrong way!
I once drove a Sunbeam stiletto after we had fitted a radio in the car (to test for interference) and it had a bit more poke than a standard Imp (twin carbs I believe?) .
Great video by the way.
Yes, I think the Stilettos were more like 50-55bhp?
I too made up a trolley to remove my imp engine quickly and I had a couple of spares to change out after spirited driving ( I did hill climbs and sprints).
Many car enthusiasts in Australia sound exactly like what you describe, dismissive of many things due to perceived reliability or even just because they're different to the norm! My first car was a MK1 Mini,so "too hard to work on and unreliable" according to most Australian 'experts'. I now have an even more controversial car, 1973 Leyland P76 V8, so I'm very used to being told how rubbish my cars are now😆 Great video as always, looking forward to finding out what lurks inside the Imp!
Ian drove a P76 while down-under, I think?
@@UPnDOWN He did indeed! A 'Hairy Lime' coloured one in Tasmania. Was nice to see a balanced review of the P76, certainly not a perfect car, but better than many Aussies would have you believe🙂
My first car was a 1968 Singer Chamois that I bought for £50 in 1981 with a buggered clutch. £17.50 for a clutch and half a days work for my Dad and I and it was fixed. Great little car, bought a later 1974 Imp thinking it would be a better car but it was a shed - as you mentioned early in the video it hadn't been looked after.
Great content and I love the way you produce your videos, thanks.
Thanks Eddie!
Great video and a new subscriber. I went down to Imp route it 1979 for my first car and bought a Californian. Unfortunately rust had gotten hold of the rear wheel arches as had the head gasket issues. Kept it running for a year or so then sent it to the scrapyard.
Welcome aboard! Doubt yours was the first to go to the weighbridge!
Great delivery in a rambly enjoyable and interesting way.
People who owned these cars didn't know or were not interested in maintaining cars of this era (like 70%of clueless motorway drivers?)keep up the good work
Fantastic piece, thanks for finally talking about Hilda. I have a soft spot for Imps, having been given one as my first car. I was 12, it was a rot box and my dear dad decided it wasn't vaguely fixable so got me a MOT failure mini instead to bomb about in. I can't complain frankly but I do wonder what I missed out on with that little bottle green Hillman.
Love this style of presenting too, your enthusiasm is evident, as is your editing prowess...
Thanks, that's really kind. The next vid will explain and show more around the car itself.
I’ve always thought these looked brilliant and unique and much cooler than the minis but could never figure out what it was about them. Certainly stood the test of time.
Great video Rich on the history of the imp and hard to beleive it was built about 50 miles from where I live, one day i will have to visit Linwood for a look, see if there is anything to show the history of Hillman.
I have come on your "Hilda" vlog a bit late ( or just lately ). Wow! I had a Mk 1 which got modified to Mk 2 as soon as I could and I loved it. I can live with your potted Imp and Linwood history. Spare parts were often lobbed over the fence at the back of the factory for an appropriate amount of beer tokens - allegedly. The stories abound about Linwood! The number of cars you have or worked on is right up my street.. I have owned, worked on and driven / raced all sorts of vehicles and the only rear engined car to have caught me out was a Fiat 126. I am subscribed now and looking forward to going through your playlists. Never apologise for trying to juggle working on cars and filming it happen. After 60 years of building, restoring and enjoying cars and bikes I don't have a lot of pictures let alone videos of the work I have done. Well done and please keep it up.
My god you know how to ramble. I love it 😂
Been looking forward to seeing Hilda, what a stunning little car it is 😍
I really need to pull my finger out and get more stuff filmed Rich as you're doing so well with this CZcams malarkey.
Doesn't matter what I do Steve, you've done that hazard lamp crossover thing. You've beaten me, hands down!
@@UPnDOWN 😄 Behave!
You own an SM!...forever in your shadow.
Nice to see......I owned a 67 Imp in '76 (aged 19 and yes I abused it), a 1988 BX19 Gti in 91 (I liked it!) and a TVR S1 in 97 (loved it).....our paths in life are complexly linked......
Ah, I sold my TVR S1 a couple of years ago now!
@@UPnDOWN I loved the 2.8 flexibility....lived in London and it was never a problem to poodle about in.
I really enjoy your content, there's a lot of good information in the waffle! I had a '64 Imp LVG93B, very early original car I should never of sold. I believe its still alive somewhere.
Thanks mate, I appreciate that.
@@UPnDOWN imagine a Tesla Model 3 front motor it would be behind the rear axel line in the Imp... thus leaving space under the seats and around the rear bulk head for batteries and some battery packs in the front...
@@kylereese4822 Put it in a milk float where it belongs!
@@imarcus1973 want to see a twin ev motor crx with 600 hp ?? of is it to much for you ??
@@imarcus1973 Milk float HAHA what century you from ??
I wish I watched this one first. Love it. Long haired and long winded hippy explaining an ancient car. Great content. Love it.
Well, it was the first one. I've never been called a hippy before, though!
@@UPnDOWN no offence meant. Sorry
All automotive engineers all over the world looked at what the others did and used/combined technical concepts to improve and get a tech advantage over other car brands.
All that tech was not all new but it was crammed all in 1 small car and that makes the Imp special.
FI. That swing axel rear suspension was being used in many BMW's like the 800, the Neue Klasse 1500, the 02's, the e3, e9, etc. Mercedes also used it.
The transverse alu engine/gbox setup was used by Peugeot in the 204/304 cars.
And the concept of a boxy RWD rear engined was already done in the Simca 1000, Fiat 600, Renault 4CV
Put it all together and you get the Imp.
Great video Rich and funny as. Top work mate.
I love the description of the Linwood factory at the end; "Think De Lorean but without the drug trafficking". 🤣
To Marschfieldjeff.Wow that's quite a claim! WHO exactly was dealing the drugs?
@@nygelmiller5293 John De Lorean was accused of cocaine trafficking back in the mid-eighties but was found not guilty. It was a huge scandal at the time.
@@silkyfan from Nygel Miller .Thanks for replying, 're. drug smuggling
I'd just watched the Netflix three-parter on J.DL. It's good!
Well done - your format, camera work and editing style are improving - this has been a most excellent, enjoyable and informative video - I find your mechanical skill, knowledge and aptitude pleasing when compared with other CZcams bozos who just learn and spout facts from books whilst having no idea of what they are talking about - looking forward to part 2 - thankyou.
Thanks!
Love the history lesson but more so your style and enthusiasm 😚👍
Thanks Paul, that's kind.
I have very fond memories of the old Hillman Dimp.
The body styling of the Imp was very much "inspired' by the Chevy Corvair. Not only that but the Corvair was similarly laid out with a rear-engine/transaxle setup -- albeit the Chevy was air-cooled. See them side-by-side and the similarities are more than just coincidental 🙂
That'll be why I quite like Corvairs too, then!
Thank you for posting this video about your Imp.
My pleasure! Hopefully it provides context for the upcoming ones.
Great video, thoroughly enjoyed it!
Thanks Paul
I drove an Imp in this exact same colour, at The Great British Car Journey recently. I've never owned or driven an Imp before and I really liked the overall feel of it. It's s shame that they've become so hard to find now.
It wouldn't have been this exact colour (I don't expect) but if it was a similar year, it might have been Aquarious met., which is what this car was to begin with (and still is, in certain places!) There was another shade very similar to this one on slightly earlier models.
That factory story sounds the same as a Bagpuss episode where the mice had a biscuit making factory and nearly convinced everyone that it was turning raw ingredients into new biscuits. They only had one biscuit though and kept rolling it round the back to look like a another was being produced. Not sure of the timings so I wonder who took inspiration from who.
I wouldn't have done Linwood any justice as I don't know enough to talk about it, but it's worth reading up on. I'd love to meet folk who used to work there, building them.
It's a trick that has been used by air forces to make it look as though they have huge numbers of some superior type--both the German Air Force in the 1930s, and the Soviet AF in the Cold War. The Bagpuss episode is a wonder.
I've always told my mates how what matters is how well you take care of your car, not if it's French or Japanese. It's good to know I'm not alone!
Yep. The country of original of a car bears no effect on how good it is, and to think otherwise is dumb, borderline racist! You get good cars, and you get bad cars, and all cars could last forever if they were maintained to.
Well, until the Sun swells up and swallows the Earth whole, anyway.
@@UPnDOWN I'll be honest, I still like to make the odd joke about them anyway, especially French cars (I drive a Citroen, so I consider them fair game).
Informative video. My dad had one the same colour. Great design for a small car at the time really, they feel a bit more substantial than a Mini to me.
Greatly explained. Love the color too
Thank you!
One of my first cars, I de-camber the front wheels, mine blow a head gasket and I can remember the trouble I had removing the top hose and when reassembling there was a small rubber o ring that I kept dislodging when putting the head back on and if memory serves me right when the engine was running would pressurize the cooling system.
I think they were definitely cars you had to 'know' to get the best from them.
This is cool mate, I've never seen an Imp close up 👍
You'll see it much closer, this is just the 'intro'
Another brilliant video. Love the green subtitles (very attractive green, keeps me awake) Thats It!!you remind me of a University Lecturer I once knew who always seemed gasping for a pint of scrumpy (Cider) , Sorry you dont drink. Will Iron Bru do? Try the Drac - on the Naval History channel and you will see what mean. Mate of mine had one, kept over heating ( The car that is) - never looked after it just you were saying. St Neots to Potters Bar took about 4 hours, Keep them coming Well Done and of course very interesting.
I don't drink? I was half-cut on Whisky during one of the edits on this vid! Thanks!
Great video. Always like a 1973 model as its the same age as me. My dad passed his test on an Imp
So you're MoT-exempt too, then?
(this Imp isn't any more, ironically! Due to the engine swap!)
love you n your videos always. AND the sound is sooo loud n clear now, i see a mic on your chest. Excellent, thanks. New Zealand
Cheers! Have always had a mic though, ever since the 3rd or 4th one, I think! Genuinely don't know what causes it at the moment. Maybe I just mumble too much!
@@UPnDOWN oh!, im sorry if i was wrong, but yeh, this was friggin clear as n i enjoyed every bloody minute. jus like a good pot of tea, lol.
There used to be a Chrysler dealership in Bedhampton, Hampshire. Then it became a PSA Talbot dealership at some stage before going to a Volvo dealership, which belive it still is to this day. I knew a guy that had a Singer Chamois in mint condition as his daily drive in the 90's. Also, my wife's uncle had an hillman imp in the 90's as his daily drive. From what I heard in the 80's, if the head gasket blew and the head was skimmed because of that, they used to go like rocket after that......
One way of raising the compression ratio, I guess!
Iv always wanted an imp, great video
I did, too!
I've only ever travelled in an Imp once. Hitching a lift home from university; guy stops, first thing he says is "Could you put your bag on the floor--keep the weight low." Then mentioned, as we drove along briskly, that some people thought the thing to do was shove a length of railway track in the front of the boot (or "frunk" as they call it these days) to improve the weight distribution. He was probably shooting a line, rather, but it seemed a nice car, certainly less crowded or frenetic than a Mini. Unfortunately, there aren't many in New Zealand, so I haven't had a chance to own one. Pity.
A railway sleeper! That's a new one! The stories in the UK usually involved some bags of cement...
@@UPnDOWN It is just conceivable that I have confused the weighted object, and was crossing it with the 1960s Sydney taxi replacement front bumper, which was a length of railway track (I suppose you would call that a piece of rail). One thing that always seemed a bit dodgy was the construction around the hatch; whenever I ogled one, that always looked a bit unsubstantial. True or false?
@@UPnDOWN Paving slab in my case, until I lowered it an inch with Monte Carlo springs, stiffer bushes, modified kingpin carriers and decent radials.
They are a brilliant car! I had one and would love to have another. But why do I keep thinking Ricky Gervais should be narrating this slot 😳 great vid.
Erm...Ricky Gervais? I love the bloke, but I'm a little lost on the link (sorry, I'm a bit slow!)
@@UPnDOWN Absolutely no offense intended. My apologies if the comment came across not as intended. I just find the style of your presentation to have very similar attributes as Ricky Gervais, certainly not in a negative way. I find your style very entertaining and have subscribed accordingly. One point though, it’s clear you don’t like “minis” ! In the early 1970s I was lucky (?) enough to acquire a 59 mini that cost me £12. 😳 By the time I’d torn it apart and thrown parts at it, it had a 1340 ish motor, Jack Knight straight cur gears (3) and a home made rear suspension consisting of a 2” galvanized tube with radius arms and BSA motorcycle shocks at each end. My mate had an imp and I spent more time keeping his running than mine., (plus his Lambretta) I loved the mini but no one else did. Keep up the great work and please, don’t change your presentation style 😎.
Oh, I see! No, not offended at all, I genuinely am just a bit slow! Similar to Ricky Gervais? I'll take that, I'm a big fan of his!
I don't 'dislike' Minis at all, either. I'm not a fan of them as such, but I don't mind them. They're just 'there' for me, like the sky! I respect them immensely - probably one of the top 3 best cars ever made.
I think the Imp was ahead of the Mini from some technical areas (and ahead of most of the garages of the day, too) but the Mini was ahead in others. Swings and roundabouts, but we know which one won out!
Cheers!
Your video making skills are coming along nicely. I mean - we can actually see and hear stuff! I hope Steph @idriveaclassic sees this, she loves Hillman Imps. I wonder if a Ford 3 cylinder turbo would fit in these.
It's weird because it sounds the same to me in the edit, but if the formula works I'll leave it this way!
Ford 3 cylinder? Seeing as Peugeot bought out Chrysler Europe including Rootes and Scimca, I would say that the PSA (Stellantis) 1.2 Puretech Turbo would be a more appropriate install.
@@huwdavies6650 or an SM V6?
Thank you for making me laugh ( with you not at you) - keep up the good work
Always!
It's like a car, only smaller! I drove a slightly crappy one many decades ago, it was pretty good considering it only had about half of the bodywork left. Personally, I'm a Mini fan. The car, not my size. Uhm? Yeah, well, whatever.
Marvellous. At last a sensible synopsis of the ' greatest little car that never stood a chance '. Politically, geographically, constant industrial action, rushed to market to satisfy earlier than sensible deadlines before all debugging could be done on and on.........etc etc. Had it been built at HQ instead of Scotland with unfamiliar inexperienced labour and all the other spanners thrown into the mix it would have been a much serious contender to the mini as the later models proved.... unfortunately all to late. Now that's off my chest !! I'm really looking forward to this project ( just hoping this one you have is not going to be modded to buggary ). Cheers.
Thank you! That's what I was trying to do - give a fair explanation of what the Imp is, before talking about what this Imp is.
(It is slightly modified, yes. Though I hope you'll see the logic in the next vid).
13:00 i find rotaries had the same problem. They weren't really designed for stop and go traffic and they're meant to be revved to the moon.
If you drive them like a 1.6 shortshifting everywhere or a lazy V8, you have the wrong car.
You're also meant to check the oil every other fill-up.
And in terms of them being temperamental, they will run even if they're blown up. Name how many other engines can do that.
Rotary engines are what killed the Citroen SM (true story!) I love and hate them in equal measure, but they're fantastic things, really. Probably a bit pointless, but they have a character like nothing else.
My Dads first car was a Hillman Imp - bizarrely bought on holiday in Blackpool - an Imp DeLuxe ( I think ) in Harvest Gold - GFR 208 D - I am only confident about the make model location of purchase and - oddly - the reg - why do I remember reg numbers from years ago but only know that the Duster outside my front door is a 13 reg?
Anyway I am quite invested in project Hilda mate so you crack on....... Go Hilda ......which is an odd thin to type
When I saw the title I thought your Imp was going to have a HONDA VTR engine it it... that would have been something.
My first car was a 67 F plate in white. Which apparently had a Mk1 dash, it was poverty spec, seriously rusty (I had it in the early 90's) , and yeah it understeered impressively especially in the wet. It was affectionately called the Gimp, as mates would say, 'hey you bringing the gimp out tonight?' lol.
I blew the head gasket (again) and finally it terminally failed its MOT. Rip HDR 353F.
Later for a while I also had an early (drum style speedo, awesome indicator switchgear) Citroen BX.
Ha! No, there is only ONE VTR haha! I'll cover the engine in the next vid.
best colour on an imp,looks epic..
Thanks. Next vid talks a bit more about the colour.
A mate gave me a lift to work and ran into the back of an imp at some traffic lights, (she stopped, we didn't). Most of the imp went across the junction. The engine remained where it was.
I lol'd at this.
@@UPnDOWN I omitted to mention we were in a 7 1/2 ton truck 🚚
I owned a LHD 1964 Mk1 back a few years ago here in the states but sold it only because of having to always find parts for it. Then after selling I started hearing about BMW bike engine conversions which that engine is so readily available that I tried buying it back......he didn't want to sell it. I want another someday again. By the way, there was not a speck of rust on it!
An Imp in the States? Wow! You were very much in an exclusive club.
I grew up in Imps, both parents had them at various times - they seem massive when you're 5 years old! Chamois = "shamwa" - it's a French mountain goat/antelope critter, where "shammy" leather comes from, the stuff your grandad scratches car paintwork with. HTH
Shamwa! I'm remembering that!
Accepted ! But Singer Shammy sounds funnier !!
Thanks to a prompt from Hubnut, I took my wife to the “Great British Car Journey” as part of a big birthday present where as part of “drive dads car” she drove the mini and the imp back to back and I was struck by the feeling of space that I got being in the back of the imp in comparison to the mini. Sadly, It was only a humble Imp and so I wasn’t able to show her any posh wood during our outing!😂. Mmmmm. I’ll get my coat!😳🥺
I've seen that car in the background of Ian's videos. It looks pretty similar to how Hilda would have looked, back before I bastardised it...
Great video, enjoying the content. I think you need to do a video on the 75.
It's been suggested to the owner. I don't know anything about Alfa 75's, though, which could be a problem.
I can sit just off camera and correct you all the way through if you like 😄
I find your statement regarding the k-series rather.....hmmm.......optimistic. But, as always, great video! :)
Haha! Honestly, K-Series are (at the core) decent. Clever little things, too. There were some 'issues', sure, but overall they were pretty good.
@@UPnDOWN Once you replace the head gasket, yes they are. But if you´re not a mechanic, and are some poor bastard driving a Rover it´s a death sentence. An many Rover owners were poor bastards. Only the rich bastards had money for the Lotus with the 5* head gasket.....but that´s life...
I always thought the Imp was better than the Mini. A little bigger on the outside which, let's face it, doesn't really matter and more comfortable on the inside. A more comfortable ride and less noise but still with fun handling and very quick steering.
Did you know that the Sunbeam Stiletto was the first car to have split folding rear seats? I'm fun at parties.
Impressive facts! And I agree, I prefer it to the Mini.
Mate had one, got it off his mum and dad, he was a typical no nothing driver, he had heard horror stories about these things overheating so every year at the end of autumn beginning of winter i would empty and flush the whole cooling system out for him and refill it with a 25%antifreeze mix never overheated once, but the amount of crap that came out of the block after the flush!! Engine must have been eating itself from the inside out
Missed out the Husky. My wife’s first car was an Imp Californian, and father in law still has a Chamois (and a Husky until recently). He has a whole shed full if Imp bits from all the one’s he’smhad over the years.
Didn't miss it as such, just didn't think it was important to mention
Liked! I'll watch it later..... 😀
....and lived up fully to my expectations.
Episode 2 can't come soon enough. Intruiged as to what the PSA buyout meant....
Does the VTR engine bolt straight onto an Imp box?
Will we hear it running?
Might there be driving?
What murky goings-on got us to this point?
All (?) will be answered next time, hopefully
How can you see via that wing mirror? It looks really low... (loving your videos, btw)
You can't...that's one of the problems with it as it is currently 😆
I love the imp, still regret the day mine was sold.
I seem to remember some mad rallycross driver back in the early 70s stuck Rover V8 in one. Can't remember which end he stuck it in...
Great video mate, good contact and nicely delivered.
Just noticed the other browser window is on Ebay with an Hillman Imp search, How did that happen?
It's so, so weird when that happens, huh?!
@@UPnDOWN I have a BX search, a TVR search and even an SM search (that throw up some odd ones). then there is the 2cv, ford falcons, olcits searches etc etc.
you see how exciting my life is?
Back in the 1960’s cars never had antifreeze, owners just put standard tap water in the cooling system and in hard water areas, limescale formed and blocked the engine up. In my area we go through kettles every few years for this very reason.
The clever ish design thing was the opening rear window sort of making it a rear engined hatchback, handy for putting the shopping in easily.
The Singer Chamois was a well sporty version with quad headlights and they were much quicker. Akin to the Mini Cooper S over the standard mini.
Your car needs the correct number plates as the black silver aren’t legal from January 1973.
What, there were no inhibitors in the coolant at all? Jesus! The rear window I'll come to, but you're right.
The Singer Chamois was the 'posh' one. The sportier one was the Sunbeam Stiletto, as explained.
Your comment about the number plates is incorrect: "Due to a correction made by the DVLA on 1st January 2021, vehicles constructed after 1st January 1980 are not allowed to display a traditional number plate, i.e., with white, silver or grey characters on a black plate. This applies even if the vehicle is over 40 years’ old and recorded in the DVLA’s ‘historic vehicles’ tax class. Only vehicles registered before the 1st of January 1980 are allowed to display a black and silver number plate, providing they have applied to the DVLA and are registered with the ‘historic vehicles’ tax class."
@@UPnDOWN The result of using plain water in the Imp was a thermostat housing so corroded onto its bolts that it needed to be cut off as on my '66 Super.. Back then antifreeze disappeared from sale during the warmer months so Rootes dealers sold a small tin of 'summer coolant' that contained just the inhibitors.
Had 63 imp back in the late seventies rough biggest issue hillman water pumps were rubbish i seized mine late due too lack of water in engine took head off cylinderhead gasket fitted awy it went for years cousin bought it ...prefer it toodrive than a mini...happy days ..ps camber kit on front suspension altered camber and it handled..
My dad had one. He traded in an Austin 1100 for it.
He did have problems with the Automatic choke and eventually had it converted to a manual choke.
He had it for a few years before trading it in gor a Datsun Cherry.
I think many of the early ones were retro-fitted.
Was this car heavily inspired by the NSU Prinz?
They sure have a lot in common, don't they?!
But looks wise it's like a mini Chevy Corvair (1st model)
The prototypes were pretty different, but the finished article does look similar.
Glasgow got the Hillman Linwood plant and a Tampax factory with the regeneration program.
In my head (which is admittedly messed up) I visualise burly former shipbuilders hand rolling tampons on their legs like Cuban cigar makers 😂😂😂
Ohhh there's a song about the Tampax factory....but it's rude 😂😂😂
Peace
Charlie 🇬🇧
I once packed tampons in a packaging form for an agency. True story!
@@UPnDOWN please tell me you randomly handled fresh chillies whilst packing them 😂😂😂
What rims is Hilda wearing?
Custom Minilites. I'll cover these in better detail in a future vid.
This is one weird Porsche 911... let me explain
There was a concept exactly like the Imp coming out of Stuttgart, story went the designer of the 356 wanted the successor to be a sedan while Butzi, the new designer of the 911 came up with a compromise, the 754 T7, a coupe-like car with the two jumpseats in the back as a 911 and the roof wasn't sloped but it didn't look "good" and didn't fit with Porsche being the sports car maker of their day so they went with the 901 which had emergency jumpseats as they called them.
That became ofc the 911 because of Peugeot...and yada yada yada
Neat car this Imp. Had no idea it existed.
This is interesting stuff! Will have to Google and see what I can find.
Front suspension: The front is true swing axle with kinpins, apparently chosen to compensate for the rear weight bias and crossply tyres. The fix for the positive camber on early cars was to modify the kingpin carriers by taking metal off one side of the vertical fixing and making a packing washer with a locating rim to to bring the wheels upright. As only one track rod was adjustable you had to fit another one to give equal lock again.
The factory fix on later cars was to drop the swing axle pivots along with the rack, and for some reason the track was widened slightly*. However dropping the rack meant the inner steering column needed to be slightly longer, something I only found out after swapping over all the bits I thought were needed. I later fitted the 1" lower Monte Carlo springs and had to swap the kingpin carrier washers back to the other side.
* It's just occurred to me that this might have been done to give clearance for the wider 155 radial tyres.
I'll need to sort the camber on this, I've got too much -ve.
@@UPnDOWN Easy enough to do - I did it with a file and the washers I turned up using the lathe on a workshop course I was doing at the time. Amazing what you can remember from your late teens when everything you did was new and exciting even though it was 45+ years ago.
Good littel vidio short but ok there is an sunbeam stiletto a 69 that still go,s drag racing runs the 1/4 mile in 7.98 @176 mph keeping them alive is good
Not really much Stiletto left in it if it's as fast as that!
How is the driver expected to see through the mirror on the passenger door?
With difficulty....and is explained in subsequent video.
The Mk.1 had flaws which were too small a clutch, poor had gaskets, the front wheel camber, and the pneumatic throttle cable. I believe all of them were sorted in the Mk.2, but sales were never good because a car which has bad problems at launch, never lives down its bad reputation, no matter how much it gets improved in later versions. The aluminium engine needed special coolant to prevent corrosion, and many people just used standard stuff, resulting in blockages and overheating.
Sounds about right. The front wheel camber isn't forgiveable, for me. How does a multi-million pound (or billion, in today's rates) get something so stupid that wrong? Would have been better off just bolting some additional side lamps to the front in certain markets.
How many cars do you own?!
Thought I was bad with three…
Erm...11? Or 13 as a household.
@@UPnDOWN Good skills. 🙂
Issigonis was a master at packaging ..just his designs had as much panache as Hyacinth Bucket.
Pure engineer. (They're not the flashiest of people)
the imp also did a sort of an eatate called a Husky
Correct. And the commercial version, the Commer Imp van.
They then added a Ford Pinto effect.,the other way round.,the filler cap is on the front "bonnet" lip..
Very true. Mentioning this in the next vid.
I come here for the Rants.
I was following the build on Insta and..............it suddenly stopped : (
It's because I started this!
Uxbridge?
Or Uckfield? I actually said Uttoxeter but didn't know how to pronounce it, so edited it out.
@@UPnDOWN Upminster. Ullapool (Scotland, but). Uffculme (in Devon, but no O). Ugley (Essex). Ugthorpe (Yorkshire). Up Holland (Lancashire). OK, I found an on-line gazetteer. But I thought I'd channel the Rowan Atkinson sketch in which he's a schoolmaster handing back essays: all he does is say the boys' names. It's marvellous.
Interesting info again. Yes they are the same in other countries when it comes to dissing makes, here in NZ they slag off European and love Japanese. But not me Euro all the way Lol
European is often a different way of doing things. People are afraid of what's different.
Porsche seem to have rode the principal to this day
They've enjoyed a modicum of success with it, I won't lie.
Hillma Nimp!
Good thing you can add text in the video!
I know, I'd have to re-record loads of stuff otherwise!
You forgot the Estate. Another iteration which was as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike.
Ah yes, the Husky! Like I say, my Imp knowledge isn't the best. I don't have the 'passion' for the Imp that I do, say, an SM. But I do like it, and it's great fun.
"This Imp isn't a normal Imp"
Honestly, how many are now?
Very fair point!
My brother had a Mk2 Golf 16v in that colour, Monza blue i think it was called.
Ah yes, it's a similar colour. This isn't that - the next vid on it explains the colour.
Looks great
I had a Singer Chamoi BDO 754C reg followed by a Brand New Sunbeam Sport same colour has the one in your shop GDO 7N reg twin carbs Oil cooler fitted a small steering wheel and the 1st car that registered 100mph friends used to on sunday night the last one to get to town buys the round with the sunbeam i was alway's 1st beating escort . I could u turn in one they shunted back and forth. Shocked one night donig 85mph went past police at a junction. Put my foot down before he could chase me in his austin 1100.
Kingfisher blue unless i'm very much mistaken
You are mistaken, I'm afraid! Next vid will cover it.
"Think DeLorean but without the drug trafficking".... Er... It was in Glasgow.
Haha! I see what you did there...
I get the point you're making but there is an appropriateness of technology for a given application. The reason the Valenia 4 pot (or later iteration) lived well into the 2000s is because it was suitable for it's application. That isn't a bad thing at all but putting something that is a bit highly strung in a car which by definition will be driven by people who have zero interest & are likely to treat it as a white good will result in issues & a poor reputation. The Rover K is the same, that is borne out by the difference in perception of people who have them in Lotus or Caterfields vs Rover hatchbacks! I personally like most things but have to concede where clangers have been dropped!!
A very fair point. And as a car-geek I'm more biased to the 'better' stuff, but you're totally right in that sometime better is 'right for the application'. Cheers!
What about the Hillman Husky…. Just saying
There's loads of Imp-specific stuff I didn't mention, to be fair.
Just tell Americans it's a little Corvair..
I might do, if an American ever asks me!
One thing did was change the engine the Imp motor was crap what you could have put a Toyota engine in it make it more reliable at least its a better than the original engine and with more power latter on in motoring engines got better l own a 1997 Toyota Hilux with the 22R engine has 430000 kms still running well
The Imp engine was brilliant, from a technology point of view, but I think Rootes overestimated how much care people take with their cars, because like all the best engines you have to maintain them, and people didn't.
No need for a Toyota engine anyway, as the PSA TU series I fitted are pretty tough themselves.
@@UPnDOWN No there not they were unreliable at least you got a better motor in Hilda my elder brothers Sunbeam Stiletto is not running because of the motor nobody will convince me that they were a good engine
I do "Like" this video, but I will not be using the like button due to CZcams's feck up, as explained in the updated description in the first ever CZcams video from the co-founder "jawed" "Me at the zoo"
Until CZcams sorts out this royal feck up all users should boycott the like button. (Hopefully this comment will help with the CZcams algorithms as much as a like would have)
You wrote this in another vid - are you a bot, or do you copy & paste this onto everybody's comment section?
My elder brother has a Sunbeam Stiletto and its not running lets face it the lmp was a crap car killed a Rootes Group why Chrysler bought them out
In your opinion, perhaps. I drive this and then drive a Mini, and the Imp is much better behind the wheel. That's not the knock the Mini as they're very clever cars, but the Imp is a very clever little package.
Way too much waffle. Get to the detail ffs.
I fear this is not the channel for you, David. Farewell.