Hillman Imp Race/Rally car

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The Hillman Imp, or project ‘Apex’ as it was known internally, was the first small car project to come out of the Rootes group since before the war. The potential of the Mini, launched 4 years earlier, had not gone un-noticed and Rootes quite simply wanted a piece of the action.

Their solution was totally different, the chosen design being rear-engined, using a high revving lightweight ohc unit derived from a Coventry Climax industrial engine. This engine had already had some success in competition thanks to its light weight and free revving design. There was plenty of tuning potential, the initial prototypes proving to be embarrassingly fast.

The final production car had its engine canted at 45 degrees to lower the centre of gravity. Concerns from the development team about lift-off oversteer following extensive testing of the Chevrolet Corvair meant that the Imp’s rear suspension used a sophisticated semi-trailing arm setup. It worked, as the cars performed well and exhibited none of the wayward characteristics typical of most rear engined cars of the period.

Rootes had wanted to make the car in Ryton, but planning restrictions and Government intervention forced them to make the cars in Linwood in Scotland. With half completed cars travelling backwards and forwards, the efficiencies of production could never be truly competitive and industrial action ensured that they were always competing with arms firmly wedged up their backs. A shame as the Imp was a clever and bold design and one which was to have a lasting legacy in competition.

In 1965 the Rootes competition department prepared a winning car for the Tulip Rally with a 998cc engine, whilst a privateer team five years later dominated the British Saloon Car Championship for three years on the trot - proving yet again the potential of the design. A number of small manufactures turned to the engine for power, most notably Davrian and Clan.

This competitive Imp was built in the early 1990s to endurance rally car specification. Complete with three sets of FIA papers for various configurations of specs, it ran its last event in 1994. Using a really solid 1963 shell as a basis, it is now fitted with a 998cc works competition department engine with strengthened block. The forged pistons and steel crank have all been lightened and balanced and a competition clutch mates to a new dog gearbox with heavy duty drive shafts. The big valve head has an R20 cam and is fitted with twin DCOE 40 carburettors. Cooling is by front and rear radiators, the whole unit having done no more than a handful of miles since a full rebuild and sounding superb.

A set of Minilite-style wheels with two spares, adjustable shock absorbers, rally springs, a 10 ½ gallon tank and recent OMP race seats with 6-point belts and a full cage complete the comprehensive specification.

The vendor has advised us that with some light modifications it would make an ideal circuit racer, pointing out that it would then be eligible for events such as Goodwood or the every expanding Classic Saloon series. This very nicely prepared and put together Imp is ready to for immediate use.