1972 Hillman Imp Super

Description

Lightly modified for use in trials and road rallies; bucket seats; uprated drive shafts; SU carb conversion; 4-core radiator; recent repaint; original interior included

Every now and again, a car comes along which deserves to be a lot more successful than it proves, the Hillman Imp falling firmly into this ‘heroic failure’ category for poor old Rootes. Code-named Project Apex, it was to be the Rootes Group’s first small car and they were determined to get it right, work beginning on the car in 1955 and continuing steadily until it was finally ready for launch in 1963 – which was far too late as the equally brilliant Mini, launched in 1959, had by then stolen all its thunder.

Despite having fine handling by virtue of its all-independent suspension, an innovative opening rear screen, and a superb rear-mounted, race-derived, all-alloy Coventry Climax engine mated to a brilliant baulk-ring synchromesh transaxle that was far superior to the one found in the Mini, it just didn’t catch the imagination of the public like it’s giant-slaying rival and sales never came anywhere close to those that Rootes had envisaged.

The press loved it though: “The Imp can be hurled into corners at speeds which would be suicidal with most saloons… The performance is astonishingly lively for an 875cc car and bears comparison with many family saloons up to 1600cc… The gearchange is quite certainly one of the best, if not the best we have ever handled… If Rootes cannot sell 150,000 Imps a year, we shall eat our editorial hat,” gushed The Motor in 1963.

We can only hope that the hat tasted good because eat it they surely did – in 13 years only 440,000 Imps were sold before production finally ground to a halt in 1976. A shame, as the Imp was a clever and bold design with an eminently tuneable engine that made it a great success in competition, notably the 1965 Tulip Rally in which the works Imps of Rosemary Smith and ‘Tiny’ Lewis finished first and second overall. It still has a loyal following today and owners tend to hang on to them for years.

First registered in May 1972, this Hillman Imp Super sadly comes with no history other than a V5C. Our vendor, a keen motor sports competitor and long-standing member of the Imp Club, acquired the car from a fellow club member in 2019 by which time it had already been lightly modified for use in trials and road rallies.

The exact nature of the modifications isn’t clear but we are told that it has been fitted with a tuned 875cc engine which has better low-end torque for trials use in muddy conditions (the V5C records the capacity as 930cc). Other mods include an SU carburettor conversion; uprated drive shafts; 4-core radiator; electric fuel pump; competition exhaust; sports steering wheel; Cobra bucket seats; 12” trials wheels shod with Michelin tyres and inner tubes plus a battery cut-off switch.

We are told that the car was treated to a full repaint in the original Mood Indigo Blue shortly before our vendor acquired it. He states that it is exceptionally solid and rust-free and appears never to have been welded underneath. The original seats, carpets and steering wheel are included in the sale so the car could easily be returned to standard if preferred.

Our vendor was intending to use the car in trials and club events but unfortunately ill health has meant that he has been unable to use the car so it has been kept in storage since he acquired it. Classed as a Historic Vehicle it is free to tax and MOT-exempt, the last MOT having expired in May 2019 with no advisories recorded.

Starting promptly and running well when it arrived on site, it now needs some fresh fuel and a new battery -  this neat little Imp also needs an enthusiastic new owner who can give it the more regular exercise it deserves.

For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com