This is a rare car and is near Cape Town, South Africa.
The UK registration papers I hold tell me the car was first licenced in England on January 01 1973, so in effect it is a 1972 car. News later came in to say that the car was produced in 1971 and as all Imps were made in Linwood, Scotland, the car cannot have been made at Ryton as first thought?
Yes, this car has the round dial dash and an indicated 90,458 miles on the odometer.
The instrumentation on the later Imps was a lot more modern than those of the early ones.
While the cars papers show the car to be a Hillman, the car has been badged as a Sunbeam,those cars were exported to the USA, Holland and Australia, was this just badge engineering?
Records show me that the paint is named Loch Blue, code #78.
This Imp? well its a grade 'A' Mk3 series shell and rather rare too, as it
was built at Rootes/Chrysler plant named Ryton, which is near Coventry, rather than Linwood
up in Scotland, the Imp spares guy has told me its an
unusual car, I suppose not many got made in the Ryton plant?
Bobs mail reads:
I can check out the details of the R3.413 car. Very unusual. We could
then prepare a full Heritage Certificate for you.
Bobs mail reads:
I can check out the details of the R3.413 car. Very unusual. We could
then prepare a full Heritage Certificate for you.
This can be seen here on the Triplex motor glass, they used to mark the year with an asterix, check just above the second letter and 'R' all you needed to know really was the cars decade of construction and the placement of the asterix would tell you the rest, so in this case 1972.
Yes, this car has the round dial dash and an indicated 90,458 miles on the odometer.
The instrumentation on the later Imps was a lot more modern than those of the early ones.
Four on the floor, plus reverse of course.
The car comes with a transaxle (gear box and differential) but no engine, thats an ex stock item so no bothers on that side.
The car is in a wonderful mess but mainly complete, its mainly rust free and the body is straight, I think this car has never been in an accident?
This is what the interior and dash panel should look like.
While the cars papers show the car to be a Hillman, the car has been badged as a Sunbeam,those cars were exported to the USA, Holland and Australia, was this just badge engineering?
Records show me that the paint is named Loch Blue, code #78.
The underside of the car will also be treated to a full MCU (moisture cure urethane) primer coating as this Singer Sport race car had in 2012.
Work on a rebuild will start as soon as its at the workshop!
The resulting restored car may well look like this.
Click on the picture for a better sized view.
The resulting restored car may well look like this.
Those look to be the American specification bumper over riders and lower bars?
The optional sun roof is still available.
And so is our front disc brake kit set up! assembled with the help of a producer in England, they
do update the car to a higher standard.
And so is our front disc brake kit set up! assembled with the help of a producer in England, they
do update the car to a higher standard.
I have these on my 1967 Singer Chamois now, braking is totally different, no fade, no sideways movement
just pure control and the confidence it gives.
The cars rolling shell will arrive next Saturday, after a strip down it will then be inverted on the turning jig so that cleaning and paint work can be done properly on the underside. At the same time the steering rack, brakes, gear shift and hand brake will all be removed for inspection and service.
Saturday 2nd November 2013, the car arrives here this morning, work will start next week, strip the shell, turn it over on our purpose made jig and prepare the underside of the car first.
Will this shell become a road car, we could even make it into another race or sprint car?
just pure control and the confidence it gives.
The cars rolling shell will arrive next Saturday, after a strip down it will then be inverted on the turning jig so that cleaning and paint work can be done properly on the underside. At the same time the steering rack, brakes, gear shift and hand brake will all be removed for inspection and service.
Saturday 2nd November 2013, the car arrives here this morning, work will start next week, strip the shell, turn it over on our purpose made jig and prepare the underside of the car first.
Will this shell become a road car, we could even make it into another race or sprint car?
We have an engine that would suit competition work,with a brand new set of Hepolite Powermax plus 0.060" pistons fitted to a genuine Singer Chamois Sport engine and the Rootes R17 rally camshaft installed, we could make this car into rally car easily enough too.
The 2015 Africa Safari Rally run by ERA comes to mind, with the 2014 rally entries closed, what about taking an Imp on the next one, the JoLon Imp proved these cars are more than capable for such work.
Now there's a thought!
Roy
Its here right now:
For sure one of the very best Hillman Imp body shells to be found anywhere in the world, it is straight and virtually rust free.
The 2015 Africa Safari Rally run by ERA comes to mind, with the 2014 rally entries closed, what about taking an Imp on the next one, the JoLon Imp proved these cars are more than capable for such work.
Now there's a thought!
Roy
Its here right now:
