The problem was that Rootes were directed to Scotland by the British Government to provide employment for out of work shipbuilders, for the workforce at Linwood.Initially the exercise was a failure . Alan Fraser retrieved the reputation of Rootes by super tuning a brilliant engine.
I had a '67 Imp Sport - It would do 30, 50,70, 90 through the gears - and 50mpg driven (more) sensibly - not bad for 875cc and twin stromberg carbs. It was also a hell of a lot quieter than a Mini. Mind you, it did chew up head gaskets, water pumps and gearboxes - but I loved it.
My parents had a Sunbeam Imp for their first car. It was a 1968 G-reg. Dad had that car for years and it was the first car he bought when doing his driving lessons in 1973. My parents went all over the UK with my older brother in that car before they had me. Mum always said it never let them down apart from the fact it was rear engine, it was prone to poor running when it rained. Dad being a good man he was, donated it to a family friend free of charge when his parents bought him a newish car in 1982. I was born in 1979 and mum has a picture of me and my parents stood next to the Imp with Mum holding me in her arms in 1980. I wonder what it would be worth now!
The choice of engine for the Imp was determined by cost. It was much cheaper to use an engine already in production than design a new one from scratch. The only small capacity engine made within the Rootes Group was a light aluminium OHC engine designed for use in fire engines to drive the water pumps, and in that application it would run at a constant speed at high revs. Thus the Imp inherited an engine that could run at 12,000 rpm. The Imp became very popular for rallying because you could tune it for 100 bhp at a fraction of the cost of tuning other small car engines. Just skim the head, bore out the ports and fit larger valves and a high lift cam, and twin carbs, and you didn't have to touch the bottom end. Result, 100 bhp per 1000 cc.
englishjack The Hillman Imp was alright on paper plenty of cars had the engine in the back, VW beetle and fiat 500 were famous bestsellers in the sixties. It had less individual parts than the mini, probably cheaper manufacturer than the mini. Government stopped them from building plant in Coventry, which was typical British Governments at time, they did the same BMC/BL at the time. Unlike foreign Governments they used subsidies/loans upgrade factories or build new factories next to the old ones. It underdeveloped thanks to them getting a Royal to open the factory, It was the swinging sixties they could have got a celebrity to open it. If they’d allowed Root’s to build the factory in Coventry, or fully developed it or both. Then it would been a bestseller.
1971; My first car, after my first motorcycle, in Ohio was a '64 Roots Hillman station wagon, green. paid $75 for it and she got me through the winter. It was a cool looking car but a little beat up. Out late after work one night deep in the country with friends when I realized the fuel gauge was showing full when I had been driving it all week. 2 AM, 20 miles from anywhere way cold out side, and I had to knock a knuckle on the gauge .....I had never seen a needle bounce off the bottom stop before. SSShhhhiittt. Made it back. I have never seen a picture of that exact model of Hillman.
I believe the 'bow-leggedness' was to induce understeer, as the thing was a little tail-happy. Round side lights inboard of headlights would have worked too, and make less of the Corvair look.
There are 2 answers, the mini never made a profit, was state owned so it didn't matter. Early minis had 1 CV joint on the outer and a UJ encased in rubber on the inner.
Many of the arguments could be levelled at the Imp's competitors- the Mini was launched with design faults and quality problems. A rear engine was not a problem for VW and Fiat. The Imp's engine was superior to the Mini's. As the designer says, the cost saving of deleting the CV joints was to the Imp's advantage. The Mini was not profitable for Austin Morris, initially, so the legend has it. The crucial error was launching the Imp from a new factory, with a workforce unused to car manufacturing, and doing it in a rush. If the factory had been introduced gradually, possibly with an existing model, then used for a new product, it might have succeeded. The design of the car was not the problem.
Correct, like a lot of cars they were just badly thrown together, a had 6 and the only problems were the cold heater in winter for me, I never really got to the bottom of it. I see a lot of comments on here saying they were crap etc probably never drove one or never looked after one properly.
Loved My Hillman Imp, and after that the Singer Chamois. Far better than the mini, and the Chamois left the Mini Cooper flat at the traffic lights on my Friday nights going home from the city to near Bedford.
Great post. I knew a German Woman who was the model used when displaying the IMP for the first time on National TV in Germany. She said it was live TV. When she went to open the door, the cars handle broke and they couldn't get the door open to show the audience inside....lol...she was extremely embarrassed.
the mini was underpriced by 30 pounds, and imp was 60 pounds more than the mini, also i don't think the government ever owned any part of the motor industry until the BL bailout in 1977
don't forget the Italians who are not likely to be crippled by the European financial crisis since they intelligently bought Chrysler who's dealer network can be used to re enter the US market
My first car which was the only reason for my loving it. I should have seen the warning signs when the guy I bought it off gave me a spare engine after Id paid him. Well, I was 18 and wanted some wheels. It ran quite well though the heating system was useless.
The heater WAS absolutely shit, I have tried everything but never had any success with the std setup, there was no problem with hot water and no problem with the fan or air locks I just guess there was not enough circulation, maybe an extra electric pump in the heater circuit would have helped. Maybe with the next one..
Regarding the Imp itself (as opposed to the circumstances surrounding the project), a pity a 4-door body was not built into the design from the outset similar to the Simca 1000 and Seat 850 to give it another USP over the Mini aside from the engine. Another would be discovering early on the dry-liner Imp engine was only capable of being reliably enlarged to 948cc instead 998cc and bringing the former into production, while focusing their attention on the tall block 998-1150cc+ engine project.
I would love oblige but i recorded it in the early 90's on VHS. I have right clicked on the tape but the properties window just doesn't seem to open. The BBC also love repeating programs for cheap TV so it could have been any number of dates.
Another ugly car from Britain's Automotive past. Its right up there with the Morris Minor, and the hideous Morris Traveller. Oh and we must not forget the Austin A40.
Sorry I had two of them , utter junk , after that 3 Volkswagen bugs and never a problem , British cars were junk , there had to be a reason they disappeared of the planet.
@@bruceburns1672 I owned a Singer Chamois for more than five years, of course being a mechanical expert I found it no Problem at all, such an easy car to maintain.. The engine was brilliant and it drove superb, far more comfortable than the cramped noisy rough Mini.. It was a hobby and tuning it up to produce loads of Power.. In my opinion with the lowered front suspension it was a modern sporty looking Vehicle.. As for the Morris Minor, pensioner material..and to some extent VW Beetle which was reliable but SLOW and the heater was Terrible in the Winter..
The problem was that Rootes were directed to Scotland by the British Government to provide employment for out of work shipbuilders, for the workforce at Linwood.Initially the exercise was a failure . Alan Fraser retrieved the reputation of Rootes by super tuning a brilliant engine.
Never driven a Hillman Imp but I've driven the 1980s Škoda Rapid 1.36 with the engine in the back.
I had a '67 Imp Sport - It would do 30, 50,70, 90 through the gears - and 50mpg driven (more) sensibly - not bad for 875cc and twin stromberg carbs. It was also a hell of a lot quieter than a Mini. Mind you, it did chew up head gaskets, water pumps and gearboxes - but I loved it.
My parents had a Sunbeam Imp for their first car. It was a 1968 G-reg. Dad had that car for years and it was the first car he bought when doing his driving lessons in 1973. My parents went all over the UK with my older brother in that car before they had me. Mum always said it never let them down apart from the fact it was rear engine, it was prone to poor running when it rained. Dad being a good man he was, donated it to a family friend free of charge when his parents bought him a newish car in 1982. I was born in 1979 and mum has a picture of me and my parents stood next to the Imp with Mum holding me in her arms in 1980. I wonder what it would be worth now!
I loved them too but they were never worth any money. Too unreliable. You could buy one for about $50 in 1978.
I bought a brand-new Sunbeam stiletto she was a beautiful little motor
Definitley cost more now. I sold one about 1990 for £800 ish, the engine would be worth a couple of grand now.
Can’t help but luv um
The choice of engine for the Imp was determined by cost. It was much cheaper to use an engine already in production than design a new one from scratch. The only small capacity engine made within the Rootes Group was a light aluminium OHC engine designed for use in fire engines to drive the water pumps, and in that application it would run at a constant speed at high revs. Thus the Imp inherited an engine that could run at 12,000 rpm. The Imp became very popular for rallying because you could tune it for 100 bhp at a fraction of the cost of tuning other small car engines. Just skim the head, bore out the ports and fit larger valves and a high lift cam, and twin carbs, and you didn't have to touch the bottom end. Result, 100 bhp per 1000 cc.
englishjack
The Hillman Imp was alright on paper plenty of cars had the engine in the back, VW beetle and fiat 500 were famous bestsellers in the sixties. It had less individual parts than the mini, probably cheaper manufacturer than the mini. Government stopped them from building plant in Coventry, which was typical British Governments at time, they did the same BMC/BL at the time. Unlike foreign Governments they used subsidies/loans upgrade factories or build new factories next to the old ones. It underdeveloped thanks to them getting a Royal to open the factory, It was the swinging sixties they could have got a celebrity to open it. If they’d allowed Root’s to build the factory in Coventry, or fully developed it or both. Then it would been a bestseller.
1971; My first car, after my first motorcycle, in Ohio was a '64 Roots Hillman station wagon, green. paid $75 for it and she got me through the winter. It was a cool looking car but a little beat up. Out late after work one night deep in the country with friends when I realized the fuel gauge was showing full when I had been driving it all week. 2 AM, 20 miles from anywhere way cold out side, and I had to knock a knuckle on the gauge .....I had never seen a needle bounce off the bottom stop before. SSShhhhiittt.
Made it back. I have never seen a picture of that exact model of Hillman.
Hillman is still alive, pickup version of arrow is still in production in Iran, called vanet peykan
Remember the TV show called "Man In a suitcase" he drove a Imp
did you know that roots group's design studio was located in America which is why many of their cars resembled American cars of the time
I loved that car. It gave me the mobility to explore.
But Id ride a bike before buying another. :)
Philip Jones
I believe the 'bow-leggedness' was to induce understeer, as the thing was a little tail-happy. Round side lights inboard of headlights would have worked too, and make less of the Corvair look.
There are 2 answers, the mini never made a profit, was state owned so it didn't matter. Early minis had 1 CV joint on the outer and a UJ encased in rubber on the inner.
BL was partly state owned in 1975, 17 years after the mini was started by which time it making a small profit, a year before Imp was retired.
Many of the arguments could be levelled at the Imp's competitors- the Mini was launched with design faults and quality problems. A rear engine was not a problem for VW and Fiat. The Imp's engine was superior to the Mini's. As the designer says, the cost saving of deleting the CV joints was to the Imp's advantage. The Mini was not profitable for Austin Morris, initially, so the legend has it.
The crucial error was launching the Imp from a new factory, with a workforce unused to car manufacturing, and doing it in a rush. If the factory had been introduced gradually, possibly with an existing model, then used for a new product, it might have succeeded. The design of the car was not the problem.
Correct, like a lot of cars they were just badly thrown together, a had 6 and the only problems were the cold heater in winter for me, I never really got to the bottom of it. I see a lot of comments on here saying they were crap etc probably never drove one or never looked after one properly.
recorded on vhs in the late 90's, sorry.
Loved My Hillman Imp, and after that the Singer Chamois. Far better than the mini, and the Chamois left the Mini Cooper flat at the traffic lights on my Friday nights going home from the city to near Bedford.
No worries. thanks for posting in the first place.
Cheers!
Great post. I knew a German Woman who was the model used when displaying the IMP for the first time on National TV in Germany. She said it was live TV. When she went to open the door, the cars handle broke and they couldn't get the door open to show the audience inside....lol...she was extremely embarrassed.
The imp looks cool
the mini was underpriced by 30 pounds, and imp was 60 pounds more than the mini, also i don't think the government ever owned any part of the motor industry until the BL bailout in 1977
AGC 371G Loved my Imp!
2:13 if CV joints were expensive how did they pull it off with the mini
coz they made a loss on every mini
Lottery numbers
i always wanted an imp not a mini.
don't forget the Italians who are not likely to be crippled by the European financial crisis since they intelligently bought Chrysler who's dealer network can be used to re enter the US market
Chevrolet completely stole it and hung a Corvair label on it.
My first car which was the only reason for my loving it. I should have seen the warning signs when the guy I bought it off gave me a spare engine after Id paid him.
Well, I was 18 and wanted some wheels. It ran quite well though the heating system was useless.
The chick down the road has got a tricked out imp, she calls it the gremlin
@cinosthehedgehog1 about imps or about the demise of british cars
It was built in Linwood not glasgow
Same place
The heater WAS absolutely shit, I have tried everything but never had any success with the std setup, there was no problem with hot water and no problem with the fan or air locks I just guess there was not enough circulation, maybe an extra electric pump in the heater circuit would have helped. Maybe with the next one..
higher resolution?
Sure looks like a corvair nose-on with fewer headlights. Not that that's all bad.
My thoughts. Just add some chrome around the dual headlights and you got your self a British Corvair.
@@19seventy97- You could fit an Imp in the "Frunk" of a Corvair. The hint is in the name "Imp".
Now Sadly the Rootes Group only manufacture Reggae Reggae Sauce . I'll get my coat !
Making fun of the imp... how about the VW beetle, that had a rear engine, no room inside and crap handling, that was pretty successful I believe....
Not forget the Imp was the cheapest brand new car, significantly cheaper than the Mini.
The basic Imp was cheaper than the basic mini. The Imp was probably cheaper manufacturer than the mini.
Junk from the Begining Death Trap Car
Had three, last one modified, all handled well compared to other cars of the age.
Regarding the Imp itself (as opposed to the circumstances surrounding the project), a pity a 4-door body was not built into the design from the outset similar to the Simca 1000 and Seat 850 to give it another USP over the Mini aside from the engine. Another would be discovering early on the dry-liner Imp engine was only capable of being reliably enlarged to 948cc instead 998cc and bringing the former into production, while focusing their attention on the tall block 998-1150cc+ engine project.
Whenever you post TV productions, please ALWAYS state the date when it was originally aired.
I would love oblige but i recorded it in the early 90's on VHS. I have right clicked on the tape but the properties window just doesn't seem to open. The BBC also love repeating programs for cheap TV so it could have been any number of dates.
I grew up in the 1970s near the Linwood factory and even today, when I see a Hillman Imp on the road, I still think what a shitty little ugly car!
We sold them back in the 70's and they were a total pile of shite. Just like the entire Austin Morris range.
Wasn't built by BMC, was a rootes group/chrysler UK product
Another ugly car from Britain's Automotive past. Its right up there with the Morris
Minor, and the hideous Morris Traveller. Oh and we must not forget the Austin A40.
Morris Minor = cute, reliable and functional at a very reasonable cost.
Cute? Well they do say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In that case, I must be blind.
Sorry I had two of them , utter junk , after that 3 Volkswagen bugs and never a problem , British cars were junk , there had to be a reason they disappeared of the planet.
@@bruceburns1672 I owned a Singer Chamois for more than five years, of course being a mechanical expert I found it no Problem at all, such an easy car to maintain.. The engine was brilliant and it drove superb, far more comfortable than the cramped noisy rough Mini.. It was a hobby and tuning it up to produce loads of Power.. In my opinion with the lowered front suspension it was a modern sporty looking Vehicle.. As for the Morris Minor, pensioner material..and to some extent VW Beetle which was reliable but SLOW and the heater was Terrible in the Winter..