Hartwell Imp - Restoration

[1602Mark]

Such a great little car. So good to see it still being properly used too.

[TISPKJ]

At long last a gauge I can see and trust just in time to put away for winter .....

[TISPKJ]

These just arrived from USA but suspect will be next years job now as I have another project inbound.

[TISPKJ]

Couple more goodwood shots NOT MINE ....

[TISPKJ]

[WJNB]

I remember Ray Payne at Hartwells Holdenhurst Rd Bournemouth who was the gem bloke when it came to tuning Rootes Group cars. He even tinkered with the rather naff Zenith carbs. of my Series 1 Alpine & it subsequently ran a treat. Was worth it just for the HARTWELL TUNED window sticker!
Ray also worked on Tommy Sopwiths speed boat engines down in Poole.

[robpayne]

the other hendricks imp,date on photo but no other info unfortunately.

[TISPKJ]

Hi Rob, great photo even if not of my car, thank you.

Looks like could be the Nurburgring ?

edit to say - Ok just seen that it says that on the photo ........ was a good guess honest :-)

Edited by TISPKJ on Friday 25th October 07:04

[eccles]

I'm not sure if you've seen it, but there's a nice period colour picture of Bill McGovern in a Bevan Imp on this website.
Click on race of champions support 1971, at the bottom of the page is a link to more cars.
There's also a nice picture of Jeremy Nightingale in a white Imp in the British GP support races pictures from 1969.
Loads of lovely colour pictures of some great cars there.

http://f3history.co.uk/Racingpics/index.htm

[TISPKJ]

eccles said:

I'm not sure if you've seen it, but there's a nice period colour picture of Bill McGovern in a Bevan Imp on this website.

Bevan ? never heard of them ...... :-)

[TISPKJ]

Guys, So not the end of the story by any means but now unlikely to have the car out until next year unless for display at one of the indoor shows.

Plan for next year is to run the car at Spa classic event, but its silly money to enter that one so will see, other UK events are Silverstone classic and Donnington and from memory one or two others but my drivers job to sort that bit out.

Will keep you informed as to the cars journey but for now she's tucked up with the jet wash and snow skis and next years slicks :-)

As i mentioned above I have another project to keep me busy over winter and will start a new thread ........ Hartwell SubaImp

[TISPKJ]

Night Night

[rickygolf83]

Just read from start to finish during nightshift!

Lovely read and a very interesting build given the Imps history. Heartwarming to read Rob Paynes posts too.

Got a lot of love for the Imp and Rootes products in general; I live near site of the Linwood factory, my Granda worked there until it closed.

I was there for the 50th anniversary event and it was surreal watching the cops shut the road to let all the cars rip it between the roundabouts on the dual carriageway.

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/photos/the-50th-anni...

Edited by rickygolf83 on Tuesday 10th December 00:30

Edited by rickygolf83 on Wednesday 11th December 00:16

[Bevan IMP]

robpayne said:

the other hendricks imp,date on photo but no other info unfortunately.

Rob .....That car was in Germany as well, it was in bad shape and needed a new shell, someone purchased it in the UK though.

[Keep it stiff]

TISPKJ said:

Night Night

I suggest you park the trailer with the handbrake off, wheel chock is a much better plan!

[robpayne]

Bevan IMP said:

Rob .....That car was in Germany as well, it was in bad shape and needed a new shell, someone purchased it in the UK though.

Thanks, I thought the car looked familiar ,from the photo,s on this forum, sad to see it in such a sorry state, the fact that these cars are still in existence after all these years is amazing.

[TISPKJ]

So, Car is still sat in hibernation as per the above photo, sadly due to this terrible virus the plans we had to race it this year are obviously on hold, hoping to at least be able to get it on track if we are allowed maybe Aug / Sep who knows.

Only real update is I picked up a set of period correct Revolutions that need a refurb.

[TISPKJ]

Little update, looks like we maybe doing Goodwood outing on the 4th July ....... as always all welcome but please check with Goodwood direct as to the spectator policy in force .......... If I don't take this car I will do my best to post here before the event.

I dragged the car out of the garage in order to fit those longer wheel studs, sadly I couldn't as need a 14mm drill.

I also wanted to try on the revolutions as they are a fraction smaller offset to the BBS, and I wanted to see what they look like with 21 inch tyres as we are currently running 20 .....

I lost the front sunbeam badge last time out so found and fitted a replacement ...

Few pictures below.

[TISPKJ]

[a8hex]

That's looking really smart.

A quick question about your new badges if I may, are they a standard off the shelf product or were they made for you?
They look like the same sort of badge as the Jaguar head which acts the boot release button on my X300 and which fell off and was lost a few years ago and doesn't show up on the parts list. So I was wondering whether the people who made your Sunbeam badge might be able to make me a Jaguar one.