Friday 28 March 2014

The JoLon Imp one year ago today

They set off for the Impossible journey one year ago,the plan was Johannesburg to Coventry, England, they made it too!

The car was 1971 Mk3 Hillman Imp but the engine was an old 1963 Mk1 engine that was used as it was handy.


Coventry.

Frank Clayton is on the left, it was he and a mate who had tried to get to Mongolia in his own Imp some years before, they failed at that attempt but Terence on the right and his mate Geoff  succeeded.

This took 29 days, 19 countries, 3 continents and 14,000 kilometers plus 1000s more by ferry,they arrived
with six hours to go an the last day of the Imp Clubs event.

Well done guys!

TT writes below, his book on this epic trip will be published later this year.

The JoLon Imp will be shipped to South Africa soon, it will then drive from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, then on to Johannesburg to close the loop, let me know if you want to see the car and meet the guys who do the driving.
Almost a year ago we Geoff and Terence achieved the Impossible; they managed to drive a Hillman Imp from Joburg to Coventry in the UK to celebrate the car’s 50th birthday. After the success of their trip the car was entered into the Classic car of the Year competition in England and against hundreds of other much shinier classics it managed to claim runner up at this prestigious event. 
On the 1 year anniversary of the Groot Imp Trek we will bring the car back to South Africa. It will arrive by ship in Port Elizabeth and then travel to the Historic Hillclimb in Knysna. Thereafter a trip to Cape Town for a few days before continuing on to Joburg, Arriving back where it started with a generous amount of fanfare that the little car deserves. 
Tomorrow 28 March is the 365 day anniversary of our famous departure and to mark the day, Geoff and I will drive another of Terence's Imps again north from Johannesburg but this time we will spare the folk of Coventry and pay a visit instead to our good friend and Imper David Alderson Smith who lives in the quaint little town of Cullinan which some years ago produced the World's largest daimond which is today to be found on the Queens crown! 
the picture was sent to me by a lady who once owned a chamois and immediately took an interest in the Imp as i was chatting with Frank who previously did the Mongol Rally in an Imp under the name Team Badger. (great clip on U tube worth watching!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5hk_chz47Q


Terence Tracey

Manager of Scrooge Diner.



Get there for good value and interesting fellow diners, who may be from all over the world plus motor sport fundi's.

Roy


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