Hillman Imp front suspension rebuild

This is the front suspension from the now returned 1967 Hillman Californian, now known to be a rare example and one that was a genuine Rootes Car Co export car.

Imp parts and rebuilds tend to be an ongoing event these days!

How easy can this be?

Very after so many years working on Imps.

Roy

Argie 15 is ready to sail today

This sure looks nice!

Ready for the water
Hopefully sometime today

Thanks Andreas,

More pictures as we get them.

Roy

Hout Bay, the home of Hillman Imps in South Africa

Imps have been a part of my life for a very long time, ten in all and counting the return of one that was sold four and a half years back I guess thats now car number eleven.

Right now the 1971 Hillman Imp under a full restoration is away for other works and the 1967 Hillman Californian Coupe is having new front suspensions fitted.

Hillman Californinan Coupe, a rare export model.

New parts in the front brakes include the cylinders, lininings and flexible hose to the brake fluid.

The steering rack rubber gaiter is a very hard to find part.

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Pre assembly sorts out where each bolt belongs.

Do you know of any Hillman Imps in South Africa for sale?

Engine rebuild parts are in stock, restored cars are a possibility but we need more cars.

Roy

We meet the JoLon Imp drivers

For those who do not know the JoLon Imp is a 1972 Hillman Imp that drove from Johannesburg to Coventry for the May 2013 Imp Club meeting in Coventry, England, the event was fifty years of the Hillman Imp.

Here Geoff and Terence are looking at the map of the world and no doubt centering on Africa as they drove most of that continenent, plus into and across two others, they did a drive of 14,000 kilometers in 29 nine days, made the event on its last day and went into Imp Club history.

They never had a single puncture!

Plus the engine they used was an old Mk1 version so circa 1963.

How easy can this be?

Well we can read all about it here, http://jolonimp.wordpress.com/


Roy

Andreas has finished his Argie 15 build!

That was the news early this week and the plan is to launch the new Argie 15 at the weekend.

We supplied the plans, North Sails and also the deck gear.

Thanks Roy

When can I expect it?

Almost ready for final coat and hope to launch this weekend

regards

The sailing adventures of yacht Tididi

Yacht Tididi,  which is a Hartley 37 sailing yacht, has a way to go before she sets off on what I am sure will be an adventure on the sea.

The fact is and I am always keen to point this out, the adventure started some time back, from the decision to purchase the plans, to the buying in of materials and then to start building your dream boat. Andrew the boats owner builder, has done a fine job here, the side decks are complete and soon the coach roof and cockpit will be fitted.

I think Andrew is an IT or electronics guy, yet he seems to have no bothers building his ply/epoxy yacht, materials to the hull and decks were supplied by CKD Boats cc.

The pictures are proof that we can build boats and to a very high standard given the desire to do so.

How easy was this? I have no idea but Andrew may explain in his own blog!

Roy

Hillman Imp spares for Africa

Not only that they are in Cape Town and right now, a set of spares bought in for future engine rebuilds of the Hillman Imp.

There are gasket kits, piston rings, bearings for big ends and mains bearings, plus thrust bearings and camshaft bearings.

How easy can this be, buying was easy!

Roy

Loading Africas best Hillman Imp

Well I am saying the best until someone shows me one that is better?

We discovered enough original paint of this 1971 Rootes Car Co made car to see that it was a very close match to Fords (samcor) Aquarius metallic blue colour, which just happens to be their current shade right now.

Click on the pictures to make them larger.

For sure we could buy a decent small car for the cost of this Hillman Imps new paint work.

The car will be returned when the interior is fitted out, the new 998cc engine will then be installed.

Roy

Hillman Imp on the road again

Loaded on the specialist trailer we had the 1971 Hillman Imp Deluxe transported back to the spray shop for some minor works.

Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

This may just be one of the nicer Hillman Imps around, one of them anyway?

The car will then be taken to the motor trimmers for a full refit and then return to have the 998cc Imp engine fitted.

How easy was this, I wonder myself sometimes!

Roy

Hillman Imp 998cc engine block re assembly

There were questions on just how to apply the required Loctite 648 retaining fluid to the larger steel liners in the all alloy block, applied the way I think it should be has in this case worked for me.

We found a specialist machine shop who was able to skim the bonded liners level once they were bonded in  with the Loctite 648 retaining fluid.

The car will now be taken by a specialist road trailer to the paint shop for some small works, after that onto the trim shop for a full re trim and new seats. The engine will be installed at a later time.

How easy was this?

Well we started about October last year!

Roy

Sadler 26 rudder ready for collection

This will be collected by its new owner over the weekend, probably the last rudder I will offer as a finished product there will be CNC blanks on offer however.

Finished with epoxy and 410 gram biaxial glass cloth, then lots of sanding, the final coating is Intergard white epoxy primer.

Roy

Marina walkway planks

We have been doing this for many years, supply of the local treated pine timber and over imported hardwoods just made sense.

The sample shows how we maxed out the thickness of the plank with an end rebate and also had a bevel machined on the long edge of the plank to give a more comfortable feel when walking barefoot.

The logic was based on the lower cost and lighter weight, with the correct treated wood we saved on both.

How easy a choice was that to make?

Deliveries any place in the Western Cape.

Roy

A day at the office goes like this, Hillman Imp door glass fitting.

At the moment the total rebuild of the 1971 Hillman Imp Deluxe has reached the re fitting of the door glass, not my favourite job as they had specialists fitting glass when the car was new and its now a learning process,.

Coppaslip as was applied originally.

So just when you understand the process on the first door the second door goes so much faster and then you forget all about it as there may not be another job like this for some years?

The stop bar has to be in the correct position to make sure the vent window opens just far enough.

The frames were blasted and cleaned then sprayed with DTM black gloss paint.

Fitted and working well, even the original rubbers are in good shape.

One Hillman Imp vent light refitted, its a days work to do one and the wind down window in the same door.

How easy can this be?  try it and see!

Roy

Hillman Imp front disc brake kits

These have now been fitted on both 12" standard size rims and also the larger 13"
size, tests have been done with a commercial brake supplier.

Imp disc brakes as fitted to the 12" standard steel rim size 

The main Test conclusions are:

- the Discs do not have the initial "snatch" of the twin leading shoe Drums. (Mintex described this as a "self servo" effect)

- the Discs can pass the Industry Standard 15 High Speed Stops with ease.

- The Drums overheat and fade on the first stop. And the subsequent 14 !

How easy can this be?

The choice is clear I think.

Roy

Summer arrives with the South Easter winds

Well sort of, we can expect some more rain but with the South Easter winds blowing up clouds we can be sure the seasonal summer winds will kick in soon enough now.

Hout Bay Harbour.

Chapmans Peak Drive in Hout Bay as viewed from the HBYC marina.

Tee shirt weather once again!

Roy