At last, I found a picture of my Hillman Imp!

**Flatout Phil** · Thursday 6th October 2011, 15:17

I'm always rattling on about this beastie - but this afternoon, confined to home with my sickly daughter, I found an old stash of photos. Will add to thread as I scan them.
This one is a 1967 Hillman Imp Super with a 998cc R17 engine and cam. Also featured a cross-the-rear silencer from an Aston Martin DB4 (centre box)! It was VERY loud...and flatout too!

Looking at the wheels I can see where my affection for yellow Volvos comes from...but this was in about 1989 so I reckon they pinched the idea!

Not mine but belonged to my best mates sister (LHD GT6) - I used to take a good picture!:

Even got a decent Daimler (1967 of course) for the wedding in 2000!

Yes Duane, I too had a BMW!

My very first car
Triumph Sodomite 1300 - it wuz krap

**M-R-P** · Thursday 6th October 2011, 15:22

My parents had an Imp when I was a baby. They had to weld the rear window shut to keep the fumes out. To make it look more friendly, they painted a smiley face on the front too.

**Mrs_PA** · Thursday 6th October 2011, 15:50

My first car was a Hillman Imp, in a fetching shade of beige. It wasn't a good starter, and would occasionally stall in idle, necessitating my swift exit from the car, to dash round the back, open the lid and whack a screwdriver across the solenoid, then dash back and blip the throttle before it stalled again.

**p fandango** · Thursday 6th October 2011, 16:36

i bought a Sunbeam Imp Sport for £50 as a project car, didn't need much to finish but the P1800 came up cheap so sold it (got more money for the spoiler lol)

**Flatout Phil** · Thursday 6th October 2011, 18:20

Originally Posted by Mrs_PA

My first car was a Hillman Imp, in a fetching shade of beige. It wasn't a good starter, and would occasionally stall in idle, necessitating my swift exit from the car, to dash round the back, open the lid and whack a screwdriver across the solenoid, then dash back and blip the throttle before it stalled again.

Not like this one was it?

This cost me £200 and I sold it for £350 - having resprayed it myself!

**Flatout Phil** · Thursday 6th October 2011, 18:42

And found this little gem...with the original plate on it prior to the one in my signature...

**Mrs_PA** · Thursday 6th October 2011, 18:52

Originally Posted by Flatout Phil

Not like this one was it?

This cost me £200 and I sold it for £350 - having resprayed it myself!

Yep, exactly like that.

But cheaper - £60 at auction.

**Flatout Phil** · Thursday 6th October 2011, 19:03

Originally Posted by Mrs_PA

Yep, exactly like that.

But cheaper - £60 at auction.

Possibly only exceeded in revoltingness by the turd brown Imp.

**Flatout Phil** · Thursday 6th October 2011, 19:04

Originally Posted by p fandango

i bought a Sunbeam Imp Sport for £50 as a project car, didn't need much to finish but the P1800 came up cheap so sold it (got more money for the spoiler lol)

Have you seen the cost of these lately...you should have kept it! LOVING that spoiler!

**local-looney** · Sunday 27th November 2011, 21:14

Originally Posted by Flatout Phil

And found this little gem...with the original plate on it prior to the one in my signature...

nice looking car!! any idea where i can grille from like the one in ur pic???

**AndysR** · Sunday 27th November 2011, 21:17

Originally Posted by Flatout Phil

And found this little gem...with the original plate on it prior to the one in my signature...

I'm sure I've got a couple of shots of your car when Dave used to have it... I'll dig them out for you

**rockheadrumble** · Wednesday 30th November 2011, 17:33

That spoilers amazing!

**p fandango** · Wednesday 30th November 2011, 17:39

Originally Posted by Flatout Phil

Have you seen the cost of these lately...you should have kept it! LOVING that spoiler!

i only paid £50 for the car, i just thought it was a normal Imp. I went to an owners club meet & explained what i'd got & one of the chaps asked if he could go & see it. When we got to the lock-up & told me it was a Sunbeam Sport (still meant nothing to me) he was nearly in tears, he did say "its f****d now you might as well carry on wrecking it". Apparently the boot lid (which i'd cut the extra vents out of) & the front panel (which i drilled to mount the spotlights) are quite rare & hard to get hold of. When i sold it i got more for the spoiler than i did the car lol

**p fandango** · Wednesday 30th November 2011, 17:41

Originally Posted by rockheadrumble

That spoilers amazing!

not bad on a car thats already known to be front light is it lol

**Flatout Phil** · Wednesday 30th November 2011, 21:51

Originally Posted by 850-shane

nice looking car!! any idea where i can grille from like the one in ur pic???

I hated it but I think it is an American item - sometimes see them on eBay.

**Flatout Phil** · Wednesday 30th November 2011, 21:56

Originally Posted by AndysR

I'm sure I've got a couple of shots of your car when Dave used to have it... I'll dig them out for you

Cheers Andy that would e fantabulous!

**Filterlab** · Saturday 7th January 2012, 11:33

Wicked! We had a Hillman Imp when I was a little'un. I remember on a holiday to the Isle of Wight, me, my Mum and my sister had to get out and walk on the very steep hills. Given the tiny 800cc engine, bonnet full of luggage, a loaded roof rack and a trailer tent, it wasn't really surprising!