I was watching one of the satellite channels yesterday and they had a guy trying to sell a Hillman Imp Californian - a coupe version - quite a smart looking car.

Got me thinking that it might be a candidate for a sort of Z-Cars Mini job - especially as it already has the engine in the back! Only problem is most of them have rusted away, but maybe someone could do a replica GRP body/chassis a la FRA Mini (or Z Cars, come to that) set up for a bike engine.

Any thoughts?

Here's a pic I found on the web of the Sunbeam Stilletto posh version - I think it would look good with bigger wheels, minimal chrome, etc.
Rescued attachment Stilleto.jpg

Hi, I have seen a bec imp it was at a local hill climb it was owned by Kevin Cole and used a mini differential converted to use a sprocket and was rear mounted.

More info can be found on Swansea motor club by its down at the mo.

I have pics somewere I will try and find.

Cheers

Jools

thats kinda in reverse..... in the 70s people used to put imp engines in norton frames

had an imp once, innovative in many ways, but REALLY front end light. You could turn the wheel easily with one finger, when parked, and it didnt have power steering. The guy i bought it from was selling it for his daughter. He used to put a bag of sand in the front of it in windy weather to help handling!

The car had a strange trait of coating your windscreen with petrol... as the car aged and the fuel cap washer wore, braking would make the feul rush forwards and blow onto the windscreen. The filler on the imp is where the bonnet on a 'normal' car locks down....

atb

steve

[Edited on 23/9/05 by steve_gus]

Don't tinker with the imp. It's a classic - in its own way more so than the mini.

If you want to go BEC with one, do a silhouette - but don't please mess with what's left unmolested.

JMPO

It doesn't seem that long ago since we had imp engined bikes in the form of racing sidecars.

Oops... just read your post Steve - I'll get my coat.

[Edited on 24/9/05 by CairB]

Do anything like that to an Imp and I will send the Imp Club boys round to break your bones.

The Imp had the sweetest most tuneable lightweight engine ever found in a british production car, the Imp Sport & Coupe were also the best handling british car bar none .

oooh! touched a nerve with some "Impies" out there then. OK, I just thought the shape looks good. How about this for an idea then:

GRP replica of the Imp coupe, space frame chassis and a mid-engine by losing the back seats - could be a car or a bike engine. Still leave room for a boot front and rear if you wanted

i can put you in touch with the man who makes the davrian (imp)saloon bodies , if thats what you want .

all the bits still exist !!

My first car was an imp californian, it was a 1967 E reg and needed major welding back in 1980 . I spent a year rebuilding, it fitting a stilletto engine with a modded head and front anti roll bar and then drove it for less than a year before selling it to buy an MGB .I would love to get my hands on it again and use it as a cheap to run classic but suspect it would have been crushed by now they did rot very badly and had lots of known problems but are really great to drive .
Paul