1968 hillman imp - another one to the clan

[MightyMork]

Well how exciting am I, another new car but the difference is I've not got rid of anyone to have this. Not sure if the wife has realised this fact yet. . . Shhsss

So, Hillman Imp California 1968.

This motor was my old man's, it was even for sale earlier in the year but never got round to being sold so I've brought it from him.

Plans are simple, mot and enjoy giving me garage time on the taunus. Of course best laid plans are exactly that, a while back I rebuilt the top end after the failing of a valve spring finally rebuilt the carbs so it runs (needs tuning badly) and I'll be plopping it in for an mot tomorrow to see what additional work it needs if any.

All insured now as well so hope to be back on the road soon, until then enjoy these bad pictures








Oh, and is a rather sparse interior. More tomorrow after the mot test I hope

[breadvan]

cool i like that

[hastandard]

Very cool! I'm a big fan of the imps they're different in a good way.

[MightyMork]

Mot attended today, or would appear is spring a fuel leak from the supply pipe under the car so that's job one second job is two new sills. To the garage

[MightyMork]

Ok, little update, MOT repair work is in progress. new fuel line has now been fitted, full length replacement made sense so that's what I did, all be it in copper.

Sills, this did not go so well. I've started on the drivers side and there is good news and bad,
bad news is the amount of rot is pretty much the total length of the sill, to its under face. no real effort to remove this was required,



So that the bad, the worse news is my own fault, as this imp is in nice condition generally I've decided to get correct replacement panels. that hurt the bank! but by the end of the week I should have correct 4 pieces of sill replacement to sort this mess out. Until then I'll be mainly rebuilding carbs.



But at least the floors don't need any work

[grifterkid]

Brilliant...!

Love the numberplate by the way...

[tdk]

Love that! Please give it the paint job it deserves though

[duncanmartin]

It's a super cool car. I'm glad you kept it and are sitting it out. Looks like a significant project, so I'm glad I didn't buy it (no offense)!

[MightyMork]

So am I so don't worry. I'm looking forward to getting this one back to the roads then tweaking it to suit my taste further, want to modify it but be able to return it to correct firm as there arnt many california Imps left now.

[MightyMork]

A few hours this evening, not many pics sorry as I'm trying to get this solid again but the drivers sill has been replaced with a new correct two part one. Just the bottom edge to spot weld, inner strengthening plate repaired as well them treated with k-rust to give me happy motoring for some time



Plan on getting this side all welder tomorrow night and then start the passanger side as well. By the weekend I'd like to be solid and running better for the re test (free if I can get in by Sat) so paint may wait protection will do for now.

Once that's done I can start phase two of the plans. This should be finish taunus whilst using imp but will proberbly end up being paint imp and engine swap ( not sure what for yet but thinking something small and light from Japan)

[bazzateer]

Get it MoT'd in time and get along to the Wicked Welsh Weekend nr Abergavenny at the end of the month.

theimpclub.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=26951

[MightyMork]

Sounds good. If I can get it running nearly I'll take it along

[dinglem]

Looking good mate - nice to see another Imp being returned to the road. I can thoroughly recommend the Welsh Weekend as has been pointed out above; if you go you'll quickly work out that you can get some pretty decent performance out of an Imp/Imp engine! Here's a link to my Imp thread....

retrorides.proboards.com/thread/124196/1970-sunbeam-stiletto-1969-imp#.VA3NLPldVik

[remmoc]

Top save , Imps are so much fun to hoon about in , massive grin factor guarenteed

[chambers1984]

pm sent

[MightyMork]

Ok apologies, not much in the way of updates but still news. .

It's mot'd and on the road. .

New sill both sides, new fuel line and mot was done. Then disaster on the first outing and a diaphragm in one of the carbs failed and left me stranded. Lucky a mate helped me push her the few miles home e were so glad she was light!

New diaphragms fitted to both carbs and skiing back together got her running (badly) the exhaust system needs a repair at the joint been manifold and backbox as is blowing so no point setting her up fully until that's sorted and the oil on exhaust / block and everywhere else is slowly burning off by she made it to the filing station to get this pic for now.



Ruining restoration to follow.

[claymore]

Nice to see it on the road mate

[eternaloptimist]

Why would you want to change the engine?

[MightyMork]

Because I hanker for another rotary powered toy, loved my herald but heat control was a problem. Wild like to do it without effecting the car so a standard setup could go back in.

Paint first tho, after some enjoyment which may change my mind about swapping the engine or just building a fresh one.

[MightyMork]

This project has been a touch of a headache, new sills fitted and replacement fuel line gave me the mot needed but it's not really been running correct proberbly because it's been off the road for a while so arrived today were a set of carb rebuild kits so tonight I've taken the carbs off and will be getting some cleaner tomorrow to stay the rebuild.

This should see me on the road and tuned up to be able to enjoy it instead of struggeling to make a journey.

At the same time I'm planning to change the engine fuel pump to an electric pump, refurb the wheels, a new set of bucket seats as these are a bit tight even for me and some lowering springs to sort the height out. Some Road time before the bad weather really sets in and then sort the paint (if I ever decide on a colour)