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.