"[gallery link="file"] With the extensive feedback from last month's 'eighties' feature thread, we decided this morning to have a look at that old French fancy the Renault 5 Turbo. Stone me if you weren't right, dear readers, the pocket rocket "
Impish Delights
It’s always been a bit of a mystery to us about the enduring appeal of the Hillman Imp.
Having grown up with our miserable next door neighbour polishing an immaculate version every Sunday for at least fifteen years – from the late sixties to the early eighties – we never saw the appeal.
In our minds these boxy rear-enders were associated with everything in car culture NOT to aspire to. If moody Mr Fluskey drove one, then they couldn’t ever been cool.
But this weekend we had the chance to have a little drive of a friend of a friend’s Hillman Californian – the fastbacked version of the Imp (Below) – now we can see what the fuss is all about.
Stories abound of the Scottish built motor’s tendency to overheat at the suggestion of a sustained hill – and build quality and corrosion resistance has never been a value associated with any British made cars of the era.
But – the car we drove , equipped as it was with upgraded running gear and engine mods like a new cylinder head and an exhaust manifold – was intensely fun – and it even looked pretty sexy, too.
It flew like a little demon. Like an Imp, in fact. It’s not exactly a 911, but if you’re more in the market for this sort of price point it will improve your mind-driving fantasies no end.
And there is, of course, a legion of enthusiasts out there who have dedicated themselves to the bijou, oversteering delights of this car.
You can find out all you need to know about these from a variety of their sites.
If you’re unconvinced of the ability of these little motors to give a satisfying drive, however, then check out the video below.
We think you’ll agree …
[dailymotion]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x93ute_graeme-wight-junior-onboard-hillman_auto[/dailymotion]
CLICK TO ENLARGE
Having owned and driven almost every type of cars the Imp i owned was the most fun car to be in and drive it went round corners as if on a rail line and i could bounce the speedo needle off the stop in third gear the engine just kept revving but i now have a new favorite which is a lotus 7 type kit car this car is just like driving a road going gokart and it gets the looks where ever it goes
My Late Father who I might add was a baker & confectioner replaced the gear box in a Hillman Imp at Nightschool 2 nights per week over a period of time with advice and help from others.For my brother to confidently take it to see the olympic games in Germany from West Yorkshire in the UK without a hitch Reg DUM IIC A brilliant little Car, Much loved by us all
My Late Father who I might add was a baker & confectioner replaced the gear box in a Hillman Imp at Nightschool 2 nights per week over a period of time with advice and help from others.For my brother to confidently take it to see the olympic games in Germany from West Yorkshire in the UK without a hitch Reg DUM IIC A brilliant little Car, Much loved by us all
Just a shame it took you this long to find how good these cars can be. Sure they had some problems, but if you believed everything people say about things, you’d probably live in bed.
Just a shame it took you this long to find how good these cars can be. Sure they had some problems, but if you believed everything people say about things, you’d probably live in bed.
I brought one as a run around after lossing my company car back in 1976, paid £400 for it and kept it for 6yrs, the only problem i had with it was the drive shaft dounut needed replacing, not a difficult job. It was great fun to drive and it hauled my wife and 3 kids around and we often went to Oxford and Cambridgeshire in it to see our respective parents, plus all the everyday use. Over heating, head gasket failing, never had any of these problems, and it would start first turn of the key unlike my company car (Escort Mk 1) which was more tempramental than the wife.