A 1963 Hillman Imp engine rebuild

As this year draws to a close my mind turns to May 3rd 1963 and the launch of what was then a brand new motor car named the Hillman Imp. Seen in the early sixties as a revolutionary car for such times, its engineering still stands out today.

This engine is quite special and said to be very rare?

It has the date it was made printed in white on the steel sump, 7th July 1963, thats just three months after the launch of the Imp on 3rd May 1963.

Note where the inlet valve has just nicked it, the head gasket just misses the corrosion on the left!

There are no piston rings in as yet, I was checking the piston crown height to the top of the block before the rings are fitted. There is bore wear but with a brand new and original set of Rootes standard size piston rings, this motor will be a good runner.

What makes the engine so rare is it has pistons with no valve cut outs, its said that very very few of these engines left the factory?

The crank is in really great condition for 49 years old?

The cylinder head gasket is the last of a batch the Payen in South Africa made for me, they have worked really well and I have never had one leak or blow.

The engine has been a static display but will now be re assembled with its original 875cc pistons, crank and bearings which are all still on the standard sizes. The idea is to have it running on the 50th anniversary of the Imps launch!

Roy

Imp 998cc Wills ring gaskets

There are two types of gaskets when Wills rings are fitted, the actual hollow rings between the cylinder bore and the cylinder head with its groove machined in it and the outer paper gasket that stops water leakage from the block edge.

The rings in front of the blue gasket are the Wills rings, those under the gasket are 998cc piston rings.

Note, Wills rings can not be used on the Imps 875cc liners, they will crush the top alloy casting with the steel liner underneath.

Roy

Erics 1967 Mk 2 Imp

Seen here and after around six years of continual changes, additions and recently a supurb full body repaint is the car that Eric bought off me on one christmas day around 2006.

The Imps rear window is now a closed panel, it really does smarten up the back of the car. I made the template to have tempered glass made to, the frame rubber is made in South Africa.

Roy

Fitting front discs to an Imp and how to remove the caliper pot.

am in the process (slowly) of fitting a set of front disk brakes to my 1967 Singer Chamois.

The parts came as a kit from Colin Valentine, he has supplied two full kits to Hout Bay this year, the other kits

were complete with calipers and discs. In my case I sourced them locally, being Ford Fiesta used calipers and new 240mm diameter

steel discs, which are really low priced here at R280 the pair, about twenty pounds?

This saved a lot on postage, as the small parts kit with mount plates, braided hoses and bolts weigh so much less.

Colin mentioned to check and service the caliper pot by using an airline and place a block of wood across it to stop it flying out, beware your fingers he added!

I tried the air line method but both pots were well stuck and would not move at all, the jig I made used brake fluid and the pots came out with very little problem at all.

Regards

Roy

Phil Webb has an Imp once more!

News from South Africa and taken from the web site named Jolon Imp.

Tonight visited Phil Webb in Krugersdorp to see his 1965 Hillman Imp.

Phil in fact was the one who purchased the Bob Kelsey Imp W103 from Conrad Spamer of the DKW fame and he is hopeful that he can even retrieve the origional Minilite rims rom the Kelsey Imp.

Great chatting with Phil and we hope soon to have a whole fleet of Imps to send me on my way next march.

Terence Tracey standing is with Phil Webb who has found himself another Imp after a very long time!

http://jolonimp.wordpress.com/

 

Roy