Hillman imps

[Wyn]

Hillman Pimps

I just bought me a 74/M Hillman Pimp

Not even seen it yet either lol

Don’t ask why, but I thought it was a good idea at the time lol

Anyone on here know anything about them, esp the frt suspension setup as its had a whack on one of the frt wheels, n it's now stitting wonky lol

It must use a lower arm which is prob bent, but what setup do they use above that?

 

[Wyn]

Hmmm, just found this ....

Short Video Link

Inspiration is what we need here

I have an idea lol

 

[Rob Gaskin]

An Imp was one of my first cars, fitted a sump guard and rallied it too. I then bought a Stilleto (fastback with 'sport' engine), what a great car and really well equipped for its day.

I also did the 'Plains Rally' a Motoring News Road Rally, as a navigator in a 998 Imp.

The car has many weak points, the front suspension being one of them. I tried lowering the centre wishbone mounts to give it negative camber but that was too weak, so I ended up modifying the king-pin castings.

A really experienced Imp engine builder was Andy Chesman of Coventry, I used his company to do the engineering work on my 240 engine.

 

[SKiddell]

Just getting over the other one

I just bought me a 74/M Hillman imp

Oh no here we go -- what engines going in this one ? a little something taken fom a Saturn V maybe or are we going nuclear.

 

[Mr.G]

Well whatever it may be I can see it being finished in less then a week.

 

[Wyn]

The car has many weak points, the front suspension being one of them..

Sounds a common fault lol

Atm it's going to take more then a week to sort it!!
I need to fix me Zed 1st


So it can go live in the garage until I get ready to work on it.

enie meenie minie mo

 

[Nigel Brook]

An M reg Imp is the last of the line and had all modern tweaks fitted like, for instance, an alternator! The horrible positive camber of the early cars was more or less cured by revised suspension and is a very simple layout.
I had three of these brilliant little fun cars which at the time, in my view were extremely under-rated. Engine developed from a Coventry Climax fire pump! and will pull 11000 rpm in full race form. Only thing you need to keep an eye on is the cooling which was suspect if not regulary maintained.

 

[Wyn]

Cheers Nigel
This thing has a dynamo still lol
Got it home today n had a quick look over it.
Mint little car for its age that's fa sure, dare I say it as good as me Zed lol
Tucked it away now, atleast till I get chance to look at it proper.

I know everyone wants to see it so here ya go

 

[Zbirdy]

Mmm Ive owned several imps, and I can tell you that they are FUN, Cant comment on the suspension question, but what i will say is, the driving style may prompt you into a bit of street rallying when mr plods not watching, but take care because the cooling systems are not brilliant and they are SOOOOOOOOOO proned to overheating and the ally heads warp like a plastic spoon in a hot cuppa.
Don.

 

[260ZG]

Have also had a couple of Imps. My de-camberring kit on the first one consisted of a couple of paving slabs under the bonnet-well it was cheap!

Water system does need to be looked after and IIRC there is a bleed valve for the heating system behind a trim panel under the bonnet. Worse job is probably adjusting the tappets as they are all shimmed.

We did manage to get the engine out time down to 30 minutes with a couple of small mods to the back panel.

There was still at least one running on night rallies in the SE up until a year or so ago-only problem was with getting it through the sound check as its done at half metre from exhaust and picks up all the engine noise.

At least it's a bit different from a Mini-Enjoy

 

[grolls]

wyn, weld the doors up (exit dukes of hazard stylie) transplant a 454cu into the cab and take your mini mate on at the pod!

 

[Wyn]

Paul
If I do anything i'd like to fit a bike engine aka the vid

but it'll never happen

So best I leave it be n sort the Zed (Gaggin to get it sorted for a wang around a track) which is good lol

 

[adrianfr]

If you look in the mag that Mr Skidells car is featured in there are two Imps with blowers on at 250bhp, now thats a Hillman Imp not to be messed with. Adrian

 

[Zbirdy]

900, have you done anything with the imp yet?
Don.

 

[Wyn]

Yep
















I pushed it in the garage n shut the door, n there it stays

Got no interest in it atm till I get me Zed nearer the mark

 

[SKiddell]

The real reason is that NASA are still assembling the engine

 

[Zbirdy]

from some of those tiles that fell off the shuttle.

Get crackin mate, it wont do itself ya know.

 

[Wyn]

Get crackin mate, it wont do itself ya know.

Too much on me plate atm
Zed needs finishing
Escorts just eat its turbo
126 decided it was going to drop onto 1 cylinder (not good on a twin cyl eng lol )
n now its dark the time I get home
Everything is falling apart


Glad it's just the Zed I need to fix now

 

[Zbirdy]

Gulp !!

 

[260ZG]

Just as a bit of encouragment you could always try a bit of Production Car Trialing (PCT) with it like this (if you are interested I'll put up some 126 pics-they are rather good at it .)