Saturday, 8 December 2012

The first Hillman Imp engine?

Note quite the first but certainally very close!

The Imp came out May 3rd 1963 I have engine number B / 41 / 50 1572 here, a gift from fellow Imper Eric who lives just around the corner. I had shown him my own early Imp block just after I had done its rebuild, engine number B41 / 1 / 50 2369.

Does anyone have an earlier engine than 50 1572?



A Mk1 camshaft and alloy carrier off the early engine from Eric, the cylinder head it came off is casting number 7010031 and again predates my own early head by some numbers, as mine is 7010128.


This is the head I now have, number  7010031 it predates the one I have built into another engine.

Click on the pictures to enlarge them.



The later heads had a recess where those webs are.


 

Yes, it does look new and is in top condition for an engine part 49 years old.



Washed and bead blasted clean, it shows the quality that Rootes Cars put into the Hillman Imp.



I assume this is the first camshaft casting number 7010141 and from engine number 50 1572, the last four digits inicate the amount of engines built at that time.



Another number set in the camshaft casting , 2350 what does it mean?

Roy