1973 Hillman Imp review from UK and Ireland

Problems we had were many -

Blown head gaskets (at least one of them caused by a poor head tightening procedure).

Destroyed clutches (caused by repeated slipping the clutch under full power).

3 broken diffs (repeated full throttle attempts to drive up steep dirt slopes).

Erratic fuel supply (unknown cause, but I do not recommend pressurising the fuel tank by blowing as hard as you can into the fuel tank to try to clear the perceived blockage).

The most frustrating problems were the rubber "doughnut" couplings in the rear axle. These would suddenly snap; once within 10 metres off the start line, early on one icy Sunday morning, 200 miles from home. Cured by fitting high tensile coupling bolts in place of regular old Rootes/Chrysler stock.

Decided we would have a go at Production Car Trialling in the West Country and bought a 1973 Imp for 500 quid that had been partially prepared with rear-exit exhaust, twin spare tyre mounts on the boot lid, racing seat and shirt-button steering wheel. The all important underside protection plate was fabricated from a heavy piece of "tread-grip" steel plate, but the chap who had built it put the tread-grip facing down which had the effect of stopping us dead whenever it touched soft ground, which it did often as we drove up farmer's dirt tracks on our standard 12 inch wheels (as required by the regulations). Also it made a splendid loud, ringing sound as we clanged over rocks, a sound which you could hear from over the other side of the valley. However, this skid plate undoubtedly saved our engine and gearbox from countless terminal smashings as we thrashed it up steep dirt tracks never leaving first gear and slipping the clutch as the engine started to bog down.

Other classy mods were front-mounted radiator using Skoda pipes and big valve head. To check the aerodynamics of the many hot air extraction vents we put in the top of the bonnet, we taped short lengths of knitting wool all over the area, just like tell-tales on a sail. This was handy as we could monitor the airflow as we drove along (the neighbours stopped speaking to us from then on).

The beautifully designed, all alloy 875 cc Coventry Climax engine would rev happily to 7000+ rpm (as far as we could tell by listening to it).

Managed to give the car a few inches extra ride height (back to standard) by stuffing a couple of 4x2 off-cuts into the rear spring wells.

I recall finishing only one event in the two years or so we were competing - the Exeter Clouds Classic - the certificate still hangs on my wall as a testament to our sheer determination (and good luck).

The RAC threatened to blacklist us as we became on first name terms with a couple of their local recovery operators.

A cheap and tough car (comments above not withstanding) with glorious rear-engined, rear wheel drive handling (just like an old Porsche 911). Provided many side-splittingly hilarious moments (watching a fellow competitor deliberately bounce his car off a huge tree in order to make an impossibly tight turn without stopping) as well as a greater number of miserable ones, stuck in the mud, in the pouring rain up a hillside track that a Land Rover would struggle to get to.

As standard, Imps are a bit fragile, low slung and underpowered for trialling, but if you move the radiator to the front, jack up the suspension a little, replace the diff with a stronger unit, the drive couplings with CV joints, tune carefully for torque, use wills rings and/ or competition head gaskets, heavily baffle the sump, bounce around in your seat like a demented raver (for added traction) and pray hard, it can be an excellent and competitive machine.

CMark & Smudge.