... LTU 378C ...

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 8:08 pm

This is my imp. I'm new to the scene, but I've always fancied one and when this came up I couldn't resist.

Cost £100 and it was full to the top with spares... engine, 'box, glass, carbs and so on ! Needed a patch on the sill for the mot. Wicked little machine ! I've done more miles in it than the previous owner has since 1993 already. Its got 30k on it.

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:00 pm

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:26 pm

I'm looking forward to it. I have not seen a single Imp on the road for years. In fact I can't wait just to see someone else on the road with one ! I know theres a couple of forum users in my area - makes me wonder why I've never seen them out n about. I drive round the north west on a daily basis too !

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 10:36 pm

Haven't really done a lot to the car since I bought it - Fitted a sport manifold/back box, oil cooler, L4 motor with sport cam and twin Stroms. Made a dodgy dash board and some minor body work ! Covered 2000 miles so far

Still missing the bonnet side trims !

Merry Christmas to everyone !

Regards, Don

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 1:26 pm

Well its that time of year again when one has to pay a visit to the MOT man. Pleased to say the car passed with only a couple of advisories. Handbrake cable needs replacing now and the brake pipes will get completely replaced very soon. I managed a measly 2061 miles - not bad I suppose as it is only a toy after all ! Fitted a home made bib spoiler today :

Next on the list is a set of new 13 inch wheels...

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 6:48 pm

Decided to treat the rusty bits on my door before they took hold...

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sun May 17, 2009 11:32 pm

Not been doing a great deal recently. Just been driving most days and reliability has proven to be far better than I ever thought it would be ! The exhaust decided to give up this week (as I drove off the drive at a strange angle, whacked the tail pipe on the curb...) so I had to make a new one today. Had a bit of stainless pipe off a Honda st1100 and a box that came with the car so had a go at sticking them together seeing as my sport silencer looks like its 99% rust. Took me a while but I ended up with this :

Will paint the manifold with some VHT paint before fitting it tomorrow...

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Wed May 20, 2009 6:37 pm

Got the exhaust fitted back onto the car. Looks good and actually sounds really good, so much so I'm thinking of putting the cherrybomb on hold for now...

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Fri May 22, 2009 6:51 pm

I went out this afternoon for a bit of a run around only to limp home with the clutch packing in !
Better to go now I suppose rather than on the way down to Reading

I've got various bits of clutches but I think its probably best to just whack in a brand new one. The wifes car has run out of MOT, my clutch has gone and my van blew up last week. Looks like I'll be dragging my pushbike out of the shed for the next few days lol

ImpManiac · Post by **ImpManiac** » Sun May 24, 2009 7:23 pm

Nice work!

Now enjoy!

IM

chris · Post by **chris** » Fri May 29, 2009 11:50 am

DUDE!!! check out page 53 on the gallery (users cars section) Im well sure your car is on ther from years ago up in scotland!I was just looking through and spotted it!

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:01 pm

I've found out that doing doughnuts in the Asda car park breaks doughnuts... doh !

Luckily I've got some super glue so should still make Impulse

According to my comprehensive service history this was fitted as part of a pair on 27/08/1992 for the princely sum of £25.27 !
Who said SUK doughnuts suck eh ?

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 7:33 pm

After some debate I have decided the best way forward is to fit a H/E rad.

Whilst waiting for a new rad I have been messing a bit...

Fitted this 55 amp alternator that I got off a top bloke at Impulse (Sorry James):

Might need a high speed pulley yet but will see...

And this £5 wheel. Not particularly retro I know but the other one was too close to the stalks !

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 3:52 pm

Slowly fitting all the bits I bought from Impulse. Got this rev counter on before...

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:45 pm

Decided to get a few jobs done on the car today with it being dry for a change ! Fitted a couple of gauges and then stripped the front brake calipers, cleaned them up and re grease everything as they were sticking on the slide pins. Removed the rear drums and cleaned everything. Also made it over the 34000 mile barrier today

Just after leaving for Impulse I went past 33000, so all in all thats about 450 ish miles since getting back. Still haven't replaced the heater pipes so thats next...

long_gone_John · Post by **long_gone_John** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 8:49 am

... why didn't ya take the piccie with the engine running... and everyone would know yr OilPressure

LGJ

chris · Post by **chris** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:09 am

that was, and his alt is neither good or bad

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 8:35 pm

Well, its MOT time again. Behind the front valance is starting to become a little too crusty I think :

Cut off all the crud and replaced it with some good old trusty box section...

Will finish off the bottom with this piece I just happened to have lying around... once I've fettled it a bit !

Will look good with my fibreglass bib spoiler hiding it !!

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:34 pm

And just picked these up :

Hopefully will look good !

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 6:28 pm

Cleaned up my wheels today and got them in etch primer. Will top coat tomorrow, not sure what colour/s to do them yet. Maybe a silver edge and another colour inside ? Maybe black ?

They're not in bad condition - not sure how old they are tho'

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:05 pm

Another couple of coats of paint and they'll be ready to go on the car !

Astonishing how things clean up with a bit of elbow grease, The guy who sold them should have invested a couple of hours work - who knows how much extra cash I may have paid him !

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 5:33 pm

Okay, so it turned out that the tyre bloke couldn't afford my tyres, however he did try and swap me some almost bald unknown brand rubbish for them ! No surprises there... so I've just thrown caution to the wind and fitted the ones I had. There's not a lot of difference in size to the 165/60/12 Falkens I had originally. If its too harsh I'll turn the Spax down a click !

Next on the shopping list - wheel nuts that can resist rust better than the rusty ones I've got !

chris · Post by **chris** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:01 pm

That looks COOL AS MAN!!!!!

ImpManiac · Post by **ImpManiac** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 9:43 pm

I am crossing mine for you too.

IM

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:09 pm

Right...

With all the MOT nonsense outta the way its time to start tarting up the car again...

Picked this up off Ebay last week........for a MASSIVE 99p: Should add a few BHP !

excuse the pics - taken in the dark! Don't know whether or not to keep the same paint theme as the one on the car now with the inner area painted black. Will decide tomorrow...

super66 · Post by **super66** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:21 am

Good going there mate! Looks gd that! I'd say stick with the green, not black only my opionion though

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 2:00 pm

note the specialist painting area for the best possible results

chris · Post by **chris** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 10:05 pm

Nice green ramps, match the car

lol

617sqn · Post by **617sqn** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 11:00 pm

Hey gnatman ! Nice looking car that and coming on a treat

Burning question now is; when are you gonna join the Imp Club ? With all the money you saved on the sport engine lid, you should be quids in ..........

Andy G.

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Fri May 07, 2010 7:43 am

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Fri May 07, 2010 12:11 pm

super66 wrote:...
You managed to get the sport lid on the back yet?

Stuck it on, Noel - think I need a new square numberplate?

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sun May 30, 2010 10:55 pm

Started rectification work to the cooling system today...
It started off like this :

Then this :

And ended up like this !

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Mon May 31, 2010 8:11 pm

The aforemantioned 'brace' :

This is the final mock up before I add the ducting tomorrow and then bolt it all in ! Ducting will screw onto the side rad supports... :

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 10:23 am

I usually use ASDA's "I can't believe it's not oil" BUT they no longer sell it

Only got really high quality oil now apparently and no 20/50 in sight

JamesImp · Post by **JamesImp** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 12:51 pm

Cars looking sweet Don, the wheels really finish it off nicely and a square plate will complete that lid!

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 1:17 pm

Well after testing my rad ducting I have decided it works, so this morning have made up a template for the new 'box' (out of weapons grade cardboard of course...) :

This is going to be transferred to some aluminium sheet later and the top part will be easily removable for access.
I have also enlarged the hole in the spare wheel well.

Just wish it would stop bl***y raining !

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 12:50 pm

Been having issues with air locks in the cooling system for a while, but recently I've been unable to use the car. I was bleeding the air out then running the car around the block and the temp would start creeping up. Checking the system found a load of air in it ! So I decided the H/G must be the problem and parked the car up.....
Fast forward about 4 weeks or so til today when I had time to find this out :

I was thinking it may have been the waterpump sucking in air etc but thankfully its just old age set in on the gasket. Should be up and running again this week when I get a gasket !
When undoing the head, I must say that none of the headbolts seemed to be very tight except one. The rest were all varying degrees of slack!
The engine was running faultlessly by the way.(for 10 mins anyway before getting warm)

So today I will set about cleaning the head and block up etc...
Might give me something to do on Christmas day actually...

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Mon Dec 13, 2010 7:00 pm

Heres my entry for the ropey headgasket award , My car also got to national and back on this , Like yours it looked to be original

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 5:43 pm

Old newness......

Just waiting for a gasket now...

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:54 pm

Oi, stop messing around and get that head gasket finished you lot

(Thats if you want any pocket money)

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 6:32 pm

So its gone from looking like this:

To this:

It does look better now its lost it's 70's stance !

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:33 pm

Here's a taster IM ! The Minor has GOT to be finished in the next few weeks or else.... Makes the Imp look massive !

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:52 pm

Well

You start out with one of these :

Fit it to one of these:

And end up with one of these :

Simples !
Gearbox lives on!

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 10:32 pm

Well I finally sold my 'modern' today ( The one that had a small scratch on the side a bit further up this thread somewhere !) so its Imp power only for the time being

The kids will have to arrive at school in style for the forseeable future (they HATE the Imp lol). Or until something major falls off/breaks !

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sat May 14, 2011 5:59 pm

You're right, Noel I'll keep the seats for future use - not worth anything anyway lol. Fitted the first one today :

From a Cossie so nice and supportive!

Have made the subframes to fit so if it stops raining I'll try the other one as well...

...if my son will give it back to me. Apparantly it makes a good 'gaming' chair ! Whatever one of those is lol

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sun May 15, 2011 6:46 pm

Between rain showers I cut a little bit of the sill off to inspect the condition of the inner. Was actually surprised to see some of it left :

When its dry I will chop the rest off and get it cleaned up !

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Sun May 29, 2011 10:34 pm

Been putting in a bit of work here and there, weather(wind!) and work permitting. Got the sill on and started the bodywork...

This was a battle scar from the distant past. Left it on last time I did some fettling for old times sake !

Sill on and some stopper waiting to be rubbed back...

Needs an all over make over to be honest but its getting there.

Also had a massive mishap where the car was on 4 ramps when I went to work, but when I came home the bl***y thing had rolled over the front ramps resulting in one major mangled new sill. Funny how the damage was only to the bit I had just replaced eh?
Things happen and you've just got to get on with it I suppose. I have removed the front half of the sill and bashed it sort of sill shaped and re-attached it so that will have to suffice as I aint got the dosh for another !

I have since chucked the sill away and got another better quality one... rewind !!

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Tue May 31, 2011 8:37 pm

Thanks for the info, Chris.

I have moved around to the front panel now. Massive rot and has been whacked sometime...

The bracket thingy that the light bowl sits in is not actally attached either !
I have a 'brand new' front panel so I'll cut n shut it this week hopefully...

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 10:29 pm

Luckily the rotten bit of the front panel turned out to be nothing more than a tiny pin hole, ala :

Should be able to just blob some filler in there !!!!!!

gnatman · Post by **gnatman** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 11:22 pm

The car has gone from my driveway at long last...

...to my new premises ~

Here it is eagerly awaiting some love....

Hopefully I'll get somewhere soon without having to worry about t'weather lol