A new South African Imp

[African Imp]

Three and a half months back and on August 10th we took a drive out to the Swellendam area.

We left around 10am and arrived late afternoon, we went the scenic route and the long way round

Hout Bay
7806, South Africa

To

Swellendam
N2 National, Swellendam, 6740, South Africa
End Point: Station St, Swellendam, 6740, South Africa
Driving Distance: 228 km , Duration: 2 hours 36 mins, Route: N2
Different Units: 228.17 km, 141.78 mi, 123.2 nmi
Straight line or air distance: 191.3 km, 118.87 miles, 103.23 nautical miles.

[African Imp]

Swellendam is where Jean and myself stayed for the night, the next morning we were visited by Maureen and Rob, just after our breakfast.

The evening meal and breakfast were memorably very good, recommended!

The place is named The Old Mill, all buildings in Swellendam are old, none are built to look that way as they already are old.

[African Imp]

The cabins were historic ours was in a better one than the rest, the word basic comes to mind?

[African Imp]

Rob turned up in his 1971 Super Deluxe Imp which he keeps near by.

[African Imp]

I was then driven around the area and shown the way the car drives, I had never been in the car under its own power with Rob before.

[African Imp]

Once out of the town we got onto the national road, time to drive a bit faster.

[African Imp]

Rob has his fire extinguisher where it can be seen, mine is in the glove box.

We have to have them in terms of our classic car insurance, makes sense too.

[The Nun]

Have you thought about a plumbed in system?

What type is it? CO2

[African Imp]

Rob bought in a second dash board and using the two ended up with one good one, he even fixed the clock!

[African Imp]

Have you thought about a plumbed in system?

What type is it? CO2

We use dry powder out here and hope with all our hearts that we never need to use them

[The Nun]

Have you thought about a plumbed in system?

What type is it? CO2

We use dry powder out here and hope with all our hearts that we never need to use them

They work, but know what you mean, one extinguisher fell off its hook in the workshop at work and it set if off, it makes a hell of a mess, though it might have been worse if a fire did take hold??

[African Imp]

Re-building a 1971Hillman Imp motor car is all about the details, some are quite small, can anyone tell me where this screw fits?

[African Imp]

Jean like the inside of Robs car, so do I

[The Nun]

Re-building a 1971Hillman Imp motor car is all about the details, some are quite small, can anyone tell me where this screw fits?

Front edge of the quarterlight to the door frame.

[The Nun]

Jean like the inside of Robs car, so do I

Jeans saying heres your glasses dear, youve left the bonnet up.

[African Imp]

Assembly went on while all sorts of other parts were restored.

This picture shows the re chromed head light trims.

They were done locally but the special plastic rivets that hold the weather seal in place were imported from Bob of The Imp Clubs spares department

[African Imp]

I basically started with a new body shell again.

[African Imp]

The cars underside looked very litle different to the topsides, I did all that was under the car, engine bay, floor pan and suspensions etc.

[African Imp]

After some months, Rob and myself had a list of parts we required for his car (some for mine too) that list was sent to Bob Allan and Bob used all his contacts and a few he was yet to make, to assemble a large amount of car parts.

They were then shipped by air in the large crate you see in the picture.

The tyres and rims (13") came off the now returned 1967 Hillman Imp Californian, Rob took the rims away to his contact in Swellendam and had all that nasty red and black paint blasted off, even in bare primer the rims started to look better

Those tyres are Goodrides, near enough to being new and they are on the Imp Californian now and giving good service too.

[African Imp]

Re-building a 1971Hillman Imp motor car is all about the details, some are quite small, can anyone tell me where this screw fits?

Front edge of the quarterlight to the door frame.

Bingo! that will be a 10 out of 10 score, the vent light window story will follow.

Rob was fortunate that the cars original vent light rubbers where in good condition. ( I have new ones in stock )

[African Imp]

Doors and door related parts like windows just take so much time to work on.

There is a start point and a system, the problem is by the time you get to do the work again you have forgotton what the system was?

Rob supplied his own copper slip for the vent light windows, I have the stuff anyway, also Tef-Gel and other similar products like Fluid Film, as long as we use one of them the protection will remain.

The painted part of the metal frame was blasted back to bare metal and spray painted black again.

[African Imp]

Robs Imp in Swellendam, we were taken for morning tea as a special treat

[African Imp]

The vent light windows were stripped, painted and rebuilt.

[African Imp]

Robs car had the original wire loom, it still does, I removed it and made repairs of the ends as required using new brass bullet ends that I had imported some years back. it was nice to keep things original, not to use some other connection system.

I now need to import some more of those brass ends, they are well made from a solid brass rod and solder on easily

[African Imp]

On the road again, I think this was the car going to be the trimmers?

With the car going backwards and forwards every few months it gave me a break and I was then able to do my own car

[African Imp]

Rob went to some length discussing the cars interior.

The so called " Deluxe " was anything but deluxe, no heater fan and no door pockets come to mind.

Rob wanted the interior upgraded but not overdone, some leather was used, the dash roll and the steering wheel were two such Items.

The rest was vinyl and fabrics and to the cars standard panel layout, the original interior was intact so design and its layout was easy to copy.

[African Imp]

Nothing over the top and nothing that hits you in the face as incorrect?

For this car Rob chose more modern seat belts, he fitted lap belts for the rear seats also.

[African Imp]

The cars dash panel was the result of Rob buying a second one and making one decent dash from the two, some parts required a strip down and a re core, did he rewind some coils by hand?

This image was taken the day that I started the new 998cc engine and for the first time, it fired up at the turn of the key and ran just fine.

Note the leather steering wheel and matching dash roll, the blue thread is repeated on the stitching of the cars seats

[The Nun]

What needed a re coil on the dash? Voltage stabiliser?

[African Imp]

What needed a re coil on the dash? Voltage stabiliser?

The clock comes to mind?

[African Imp]

Lucas bullet ends, the ones with tails (not the green one) are from an original Imp wire loom, others will be Lucas but from a 1966 Jaguar S type loom.

The two in solid brass were an import from the UK, they are all that I have left now

[The Nun]

Proper solder on jobs, I do hate the modern crimped things along with Scotchloks connectors cheap and cheerful but the weather can get in later and cause connection problems, apart from the obvious messy look, solder takes a little longer its neater and you can more or less guarantee a permanent job

[African Imp]

The engine on this car was supposed to have become a fast road or even a sprint engine, for many reasons none of that happened.

When Rob came on the scene I was thinking that the car and engine would remain mine, in time I would sort and develop the 998cc block and for my own use?

The way things went, the car and the original engine block became the property of Rob and then all development was done for Rob

The engine was to be used for daily driving when required, no fast road sections and no competitions, so we stayed with the standard camshaft and the standard but larger Solex 24mm carburetor.

The engine is otherwise quite a standard unit and possibly what Rootes should have sold in the first place?

[African Imp]

I was becoming closer to starting the engine, while testing the electrics I fitted an in line fuse, Rob later fitted his own fuses and under the dash panel.

This one was removed.

[African Imp]

I have mentioned a Mrs Conradie a number of times but as yet have never met her, Rob is the link with that lady.

She has two shops in the high street in Swellendam, they are side by side and we saw them in August, why I never went in to meet Mrs Conradie I have no idea?

The shops are situated side by side but are worlds apart in what they have for sale, one is a haberdashery and the other a general store selling all and anything to the local farmers

[African Imp]

The sport oil cooler was reshaped by Rob, a task that can take some many hours, those of you who have done it will know what I mean I had new pipes with the correct ends made up.

[African Imp]

With the oil cooler pipes in place starting the engine was becoming a very real possiblity.

[African Imp]

Ready to run says my caption for the picture.

That was not quite the case as the coolant expansion tank was still not fitted.

[The Nun]

I see theres no carb undertray fitted on that car either?? I know it can be a hassle if you need to do any carb adjustments but it does keep a lot of the muck out of the engine bay kicked up by the rear wheel, especially if you dont have flaps fitted, also the engine is designed to operate with all its factory shielding fitted so cooling might not act as design intended without it there even though you might think it does, but airflow at the rear of the car doesnt necessarily act as you think it might do due to aerodynamics??
Ive gone to great lengths to ensure my car will have all its proper and correct guards and shields fitted.

[John Simister]

Absolutely agree on the need for an undertray, be that for keeping dust out of the engine bay to the benefit of the air filter, for aerodynamics, for efficient running without heating the carburettor(s) up too much, for acting as a barrier to reduce the likelihood of fuel dripping on the exhaust, for the very fact that the factory deemed it necessary and would gladly have saved a few shillings by deleting it were it OK to do so.

Years ago I used to remove the trays and chuck them away because they were a bit of a nuisance, until it occurred to me that all that direct exhaust heat can't possibly be a good thing under a carburettor. Very early Imps - I'm talking the first few months of production - had a much shorter tray from the vertical shield panel to not quite as far as the exhaust silencer entry point, its purpose presumably to shield the air filter spout, but it was very quickly modified to the full length arrangement.

IIRC the early Sport undertrays had a small hole directly under each Stromberg adjusting screw so you could get an adjusting tool in from underneath, later deleted perhaps because of scary moments when the carbs leaked. As they would be more likely to do if exposed to direct heat, to the detriment of the O-rings.

[African Imp]

I see theres no carb undertray fitted on that car either?? I know it can be a hassle if you need to do any carb adjustments but it does keep a lot of the muck out of the engine bay kicked up by the rear wheel, especially if you dont have flaps fitted, also the engine is designed to operate with all its factory shielding fitted so cooling might not act as design intended without it there even though you might think it does, but airflow at the rear of the car doesnt necessarily act as you think it might do due to aerodynamics??
Ive gone to great lengths to ensure my car will have all its proper and correct guards and shields fitted.

Page twelve!

Guys,

Thanks for your concern and comments.

In the case of Rob's blue Imp I had one of those long heat trays here and donated it to his car, Rob fitted it?

There was just the one access hole so I assume it was for the Imp engines with the Solex?

I have never seen another over here, it would be nice to fit one on my own car, is there a drawing?

A picture?

I do have the two drop panels, not fitted but I can make a plan to do so.

Having said such, I have run a number of Imps here, single and twin carbs, the heat has never ever been an issue.

If I am to make one I need dimensions, does anyone have those?

[African Imp]

Absolutely agree on the need for an undertray, be that for keeping dust out of the engine bay to the benefit of the air filter, for aerodynamics, for efficient running without heating the carburettor(s) up too much, for acting as a barrier to reduce the likelihood of fuel dripping on the exhaust, for the very fact that the factory deemed it necessary and would gladly have saved a few shillings by deleting it were it OK to do so.

Years ago I used to remove the trays and chuck them away because they were a bit of a nuisance, until it occurred to me that all that direct exhaust heat can't possibly be a good thing under a carburettor. Very early Imps - I'm talking the first few months of production - had a much shorter tray from the vertical shield panel to not quite as far as the exhaust silencer entry point, its purpose presumably to shield the air filter spout, but it was very quickly modified to the full length arrangement.

IIRC the early Sport undertrays had a small hole directly under each Stromberg adjusting screw so you could get an adjusting tool in from underneath, later deleted perhaps because of scary moments when the carbs leaked. As they would be more likely to do if exposed to direct heat, to the detriment of the O-rings.

John,

Thanks,

I will see what can be fabricated, from alloy sheet I think, its easier to work with.

My early style Strombergs, they have the hex adjusters, have Vition O rings, sourced over here, they leak not a drop, really rather good I think.

[The Nun]

The undertray is not only to stop heat from the exhaust rising up under the carbs, that cant help with fuel evaporation, stops fuel pouring directly onto the manifold/silencer in the event of a carb flood/leak and it also stops the dirt/dust from the rear wheels entering the engine bay which then no doubt gets sucked through the rad clogging that up worse than it would do normally, it stops stones etc being flung up that could damage the carbs and it must affect how the air flows around the engine bay too?

This is the Sport carb undertray, Ive just managed to obtain for mine, the twin carb version is slightly different to the single carb one because of the exhaust manifold obviously.

005.JPG

I also fitted the High Eff radiator with the Sport spec rear cowling too, (standard cowl is on the left).

002.JPG

005.JPG

[African Imp]

Rob wanted an expansion tank system, I still run the standard constant loss one but this far I have lost very little coolant in the past two years

The Caltex extended life coolant has a five year life or 200,000 kms, plus it raises the boiling point by eight degrees, which is quite a large number?

[African Imp]

The undertray is not only to stop heat from the exhaust rising up under the carbs, that cant help with fuel evaporation, stops fuel pouring directly onto the manifold/silencer in the event of a carb flood/leak and it also stops the dirt/dust from the rear wheels entering the engine bay which then no doubt gets sucked through the rad clogging that up worse than it would do normally, it stops stones etc being flung up that could damage the carbs and it must affect how the air flows around the engine bay too?

This is the Sport carb undertray, Ive just managed to obtain for mine, the twin carb version is slightly different to the single carb one because of the exhaust manifold obviously.

005.JPG

I also fitted the High Eff radiator with the Sport spec rear cowling too, (standard cowl is on the left).

002.JPG

005.JPG

Peter,

I guess I can fabricate one from some suitable sheet steel, not the stiffeners but I can sort those out another way?

The cut outs, are they for the oil drain pipe, the exhaust pipes and then the oil cooler pipes?

Could you supply me with some measurments and more pictures please, what thickness is the steel plate?

Roy

[African Imp]

It really is nice when a rebuilt engine (all of it) starts first time

[The Nun]

Are you using pink anti freeze or inhibitor in this shot?
Or maybe there it never gets cold enough to freeze?
Minus 7c here.

[African Imp]

Are you using pink anti freeze or inhibitor in this shot?
Or maybe there it never gets cold enough to freeze?
Minus 7c here.

Caltex say they can protect down to minus 40c, in our case we are more interested in the plus 8c past boiling point that the Caltex Extended Life Coolant offers, that and the five years and 200,000 kms use they offer

I only use the Caltex fluid now, it is the best protection for an alloy engine at the price we can find.

23c expected today here, my daughter is in Botswana on a travel fact finding trip, they expect 33c to 38c up there?

[African Imp]

The original yellow sticker that was attatched under the front bonnet

[African Imp]

We left that sticker on until the car went to the spray shop.