On the beach

The beach is in Hout Bay.

Perfect weather for the perfect car.

The cars roof still needed painting when I took this picture, the motor glass has since been fitted.

Roy

A 998cc engine build

This went very well when I sorted out some issues with the liners myself.

The engine started first time which was niice.

Roy

Engen petrol station

We have four filling stations in Hout Bay, I use them all from time totime.

This was last Monday morning.

An amount of R150 goes a long way here, we have LRP petrol, that means lead replacement petrol.

Roy

The cars new interior

This was done to the very highest of standards.

The correct panel layout was kept to, I had the old seats from a Singer Sport to give some direction, those panels run the opposite way but the panels widths are the same.

Roy

1963 Jaguar S type wheel wrench

Progress was made in many directions.

I had the wrench, having it re plated just made things better.

The other wrench is an original 1963 Imp type that has the cranking starter end on it.

Roy

A new spare wheel

I say new but the rim was date stamped 67 which ties in well with the cars 1967 manufacture date.

The new tyre is the 12" type, the car runs on 13" rims but having a 13" spare takes up all the area on top of the tank,so I have reverted to the normal sized 12 x 155/80 tyre.

The steel rim was made in South Africa and by Sankey, it has their name and trade mark stamped on the rim.

Roy

The engine bay

This is now just about complete, just a few minor items to attended to.

Try clicking on the images to enlarge them.

Roy

Imp Californian progress

So much has happened with the Californian since my last post.

The car is now a very much neater  car, the new seats and door cards are in too.

The car has the correct road use insurance and I try and drive it weekly now.

Roy

Hillman Imp Californian passenger side

I turned the car around today so that work can start of the floor pan inside the car on that side next.

Its nice which ever way we look at it?

Roy

Hillman Imp Californian gets the floor pan painted

One side is now complete, it looks too nice to cover with the new carpets?

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Taken with a Canon G11 digital.

The passenger side floor pan will be stripped next and painted the same way.

Sound seal and a way to level the Hillman Californian Imp floor tray out.

This took a little thinking about but it works really well.

The plan was to create a flat floor finish that the new under felt and carpet can lay on top of, otherwise there would be a wavy or wash board effect. The material used is 1.5mm pre glued sound seal, three strips fit into each groove and a single layer covers them and the remaining floor.

The finish is rather level, amazing!

Roy

Imp Californian gets a special etch primer coating

This paint is special and has an acid additive cure agent, just 6% only of the acid.

The paint is a special formula and has a high solids content, it covers most things with one coat which is what you can see in the picture.

A second coat will be applied to complete the finish.

Carpets can then be fitted.

Roy

Hillman Imp Californian transformation with paint

Click on the image to enlarge it, note the green etch primer on the drivers side floor and also the rear parcel shelf. The floor on that side took two days to clean and get ready for painting.

Now then, all I did today was paint the section of floor I was working on the last two days but it has transformed the car? 



I will paint a second coat in the morning, then I need to turn the car around to do the nearside of the car, that will be at least another two days work if not more 

Roy

New seat covers for the 1967 Hillman Californian

Things are moving fast on the interior side.

The seats are almost ready but the car is not quite ready for them yet.

We have kept to the same panel layout that was original, plus used vinyl rather than leather.

With new carpets and headliner installed the car will look as good as it ever did when it came from the factory in February 3rd 1967.

Exciting!

Roy

Scotty Dog and me

They were out for a walk while I was out for a drive.

I say they, as there are two Scotty dogs and of course Tojan the owner and it was he who took the picture.

If your looking closely I do have a face mask on as there is no wind screen in the car.

Roy

Lifes a beach, Hout Bay and a 1967 Hillman Californian Imp

I have been asked will I sell this car?

Eight months into the restoration and with still some months to go this is doubtful but who knows?

Roy

Up high in Hout Bay with an Imp Californian

This spot has a fantastic view of Hout Bay.

What a nice car to be driving once more.

There is no interior but that is being made right now.

Roy

Driving the Imp Californian

It is so nice to have the car as a driver now.

The roof and bonnet still require a top coat but progress can be seen.

Roy

Hartwell small bore sport exhaust

That has now been fitted to the car.

This is the genuine item as I bought it from Hartwell in Bornemouth, England myself.

We may be offering copies later in the year.

Roy

An all red Imp Californian

The paint works are still not complete but we are closer

Lifes a Californian at the beach

I have been driving the 1967 Hillman Californian quite a lot this past few weeks.

We life close to the beach!

Click on the picture to view full size.

Roy

Hillman Imp Californian in the sunshine

I took the car for a drive today, feels good and drives really well!

The roof still needs painting but with the constant South Easter gales we have there is just to much dust in the air to consider paint works.

Next week?

Roy

Imp Californian in New Red

The name New Red is my own, I had it blended for me as a special mix, Rootes do have a similar red but I have no access to that colour code here in South Africa.

Seen from this angle the car is very different from the Hillman Imp saloon it is based on.

The coupe has  1 1/4" or 30mm lower  roof line than the standard saloon.

One of around 55 to  60 known to have survived world wide, its now rare and soon to be my daily driver if I choose.

Roy

New red Hillman Californian

This car came off the Rootes Car Co production line in Scotland on February 3rd 1967, it still has its original engine, 875cc pistons and original bearings on the crank, they are in perfect condition also.

I have now fitted the passenger side window glass and have turned the car round to work on the drivers side paint works.

Now on 13"steel rims and Firestone tyres, the suspension is better upgraded to handle well on the original road springs.

The engine was taken apart and rebuilt to suit the factory specification for a sport version motor, with the exception of the larger oil cooler which was moved to the nearside to allow easier access to the carburetors.

Work continues on the cars paint works.

Smile!

Roy

Imp Californian comes back home

I have not added to this thread for some while, the rebuild of the 1971 Imp Deluxe was taking my time and I have joined The Imp Club forum pages, adding to that has seen me slack on this side.

I first bought this rare export right hand drive car (RCO on the Vin plate) over twenty years back, then about five years ago I sold it to make space when I re sized my work shops.

Then early July 2014 it was on Gumtree here in Cape Town, I bought it back and have started a very full restoration of the car.