Roys Imp Californian and Scimitar GTE SE5e

Both cars are parked outside our old 34 Glynn Street premises behind what is now the State Archives, formally Roeland Street Jail, its a short walk to the city and Parliment.

Picture taken with a Canon FT film camera, about fifteen years ago.

Note, both buildings were on one Erf (plot) the same guy owned both, they have since been demolished as a part of the East Sector rebuilding of Cape Towns outer city. The older building was said to have possibly been the stables for Cape Town Castle?

Roy

Wedding cars ready to collect

Did I post this one before, well anyway here it is once more.

The Singer Chamois is a 1967 model and the Jaguar 3.8S Type is a 1966 model. Both cars engines were fully rebuilt by myself at some stage.

 

Photo taken by myself using a Canon FT film camera.

Both cars engines are still on the original bore sizes but neither car has the original engine fitted.

Roys 1967 Singer Chamois rebuild

I decided right away to strip the car of all its parts, that incuded the suspensions as well, just an empty metal shell was left really.

Picture by R McBride using a Canon FT film camera.

With all parts off the car it was quite easy to respray both inside and outside, its a long job of course and I can remember when I asked for the four litres of paint, the supplier asked was I spraying a bus? as two litres will normally cover the cars outside.

The engine as it is today, this picture was taken just a few months back. The engine was removed for the sole reason of re painting the engine bay. The engine cover being a spare one from a Hillman Imp, when the old one is ready I will refit it with its correct stainless steel rub strips.

 

Roy

Singer Chamois rebuilt in Hout Bay by Roy

This was the car that got me back into Imps about twenty years back. The car was under a cover at the back of a filling station, after some months I asked Alistair what he was intending doing with the car?

Roys Hillman Californian Imp at Killarney

This is a 1967 car, I sold it a few years back to make space for other projects. The car has a sport specification 875cc engine and sits on Pirelli low profile tyres with 13" wider rims.

Picture by R McBride using a Canon FT film camera.

I was later to do a lap of the circuit, only to have the fan belt jump off as I entered the last corner now known as Cape Town Corner. It was called BP Corner when I raced a 998cc Hillman Imp there around 1972.

Finding a Mark 2 Hillman Imp in Cape Town

This is a rare event and its now about six years since I bought the last one, the garage had a selection of old cars all over the place, they were delighted I made an offer on the Imp. (The subject of this blog is a car found earlier)

This car is most probably a South African assembled Imp and  was discovered in an open but fenced off lot in Maitland just outside Cape Town city, I bought it for the parts and body, the engine was in bits, the camshaft missing.
The pictures are dated 30th October 1997, we will have bought the car early that year or in 1996?

When the car was taken home and checked out, I discovered the shell was mainly in good condition, this was a low mileage car with all the suspension points rot free.

It was some months later I had the car licenced and on the road. This is Jean outside the workshops at 34 Glynn Street, Cape Town.

Building up the new engine from spares was not a problem, at this stage there was the Mk2 head and single Solex carburetor, later I added the Sport head and camshaft, plus the Sports twin Stromberg 125CD carbs.

I sold the car to Eric who is an ex Imper and a good friend one Christmas Day, he walked around from his home close by. It was the start of a major make over, the car is just stunning today.

From the scrap heap to one of the best Imps in the country!

Eric imported brand new Lucas rear tail lights, the car is worth it and really makes the job complete.


Roy