Hillman Imp
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hillman Imp | |
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| Manufacturer | Rootes Group |
| Production | 1963-1976 440,032 made |
| Predecessor | none |
| Successor | Chrysler Sunbeam |
| Body style | 2-door saloon Husky estate Californian coupé |
| Engine | 874 cc Straight-4 Overhead camshaft |
| Transmission | 4 speed manual |
| Wheelbase | 2082 mm (82") |
| Length | 3581 mm (141") |
| Width | 1524 mm (60") |
| Curb weight | 725 kg (1600 lb) |
| Related | Hillman Californian Singer Chamois Sunbeam Sport |
The Hillman Imp was a compact, rear-engined saloon (US: sedan) automobile manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group (later Chrysler Europe) from 1963 to 1976. An estate version known as the Hillman Husky was produced from 1967.
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[edit] History
Known internally within Rootes as the "Apex", the Imp was intended as a rival to the Mini. The key difference between the two cars was the Imp's 875 cc all-aluminium, single-carburettor ex-Coventry Climax version of a fire pump engine which had appeared on the racing scene. This was mounted behind the rear wheels, slanted over at 45° to fit. In order to counteract the oversteer handling characteristics of a rear engined design, the Imp had a sophisticated rear suspension. Over the life of the car, Rootes (and then Chrysler) produced three basic body styles. The original Saloon was introduced in 1963 with an opening rear hatch and ran through to the end of production in 1976. A coupe was introduced in 1965 that had a non-opening rear window that was more steeply raked than the saloon hatch, and a roofline 2 inches lower. In 1965 the Van was introduced and the same pressings were used to create the estate, badged as a Husky in 1967. Both vehicles were retired in 1970. Through the use of the opening rear window on saloon models, the car was effectively a hatchback. In true Rootes (and British) tradition, there were also some badge-engineered derivatives, such as the luxury Singer Chamois, and the Sunbeam Sport with a more powerful twin-carburettor engine. The coupe bodyshell was used to create the Imp Californian and Sunbeam Stiletto variants.
The Imp was a massive and expensive leap of faith for Rootes. Not only did it not have any real experience in building small cars or indeed wholly aluminium engines, it was forced to build a new assembly plant on the outskirts of Glasgow, in the town of Linwood in which to assemble the Imp, since planning regulations banned it from further expanding its Ryton plant near Coventry. Government pressure was applied to bring jobs (approx 6000) to this unemployment blackspot. The investment also included an advanced die-casting plant to manufacture the aluminium engine casings, and a stake in the Pressed Steel Company which manufactured body panels. The problem was that Linwood was over 300 miles away from Ryton, and the engine castings although made in Linwood, would have to be sent to Ryton to be machined and assembled, and then sent back up to be put on the cars - a 600 mile round trip.
The Glaswegian workforce who were all recruited from the shipbuilding industry were also not versed in the intricacies of motor vehicle assembly, and Imp build quality and reliability suffered. They also brought with them their militant left-wing values, and as a result strike action and industrial disputes were a rule rather than an exception. In 1964 there were 31 stoppages and only a third of the plant capacity was realised - 50,000 rather than 150,000. On the other hand the Imp was seen as a "Scottish car" and was popular north of the border.
The daring design of the Imp was also somewhat underdeveloped, and mechanical problems were common in the early cars. In 1966 a major revision of the Imp was released, effectively splitting the marque into Mk I and Mk II cars. The Mk I Imps had a pneumatic throttle linkage and automatic choke, both of which were replaced by more conventional items on the Mk II. The Mk II also had improved front suspension geometry and a host of trim and detail changes. Although the car was constantly improved over its life there was no single change as big as that in 1966. Despite the initial problems, the car itself was relatively popular, thanks to its competitive price, distinctive styling and cheap running costs.
The huge investment in both the Imp and the Linwood production plant proved to be the undoing of Rootes, and its commercial failure led to huge losses to the Coventry-based firm. By 1967 the company had fallen into the hands of Chrysler, to become part of Chrysler Europe, whose stewardship led to the death of the Imp in 1976, after fewer than 500,000 were built and the entire empire collapsed two years later, when it became part of Peugeot.
The Ryton assembly plant continued in operation until 2006 manufacturing Peugeot models. The Linwood plant was closed in 1981.
[edit] Production
Approximately half a million, 50% of those in the first 3 years of production.
[edit] Export
Unassembled cars were exported for assembly in Ireland, New Zealand, Portugal, Venezuela, Uruguay, Costa Rica, South Africa & Australia.
[edit] Imp-based cars
- Hillman Imp
- Hillman Imp Mk I
- Hillman Imp de Luxe Mk I, Mk II
- Hillman Imp Super
- Hillman Californian - coupe/fastback saloon version
- Hillman Husky - estate version of the Imp
- Commer Imp Van
- Hillman Imp Van
- Singer Chamois Mk I, Mk II , Sport, Coupe - upmarket, luxury versions of the Imp
- Sunbeam Imp Sport
- Sunbeam Sport
- Sunbeam Chamois, Chamois Coupe - luxury version of the Imp
- Sunbeam Stiletto
- Sunbeam Californian
- Sunbeam Imp Basic (USA/N. America)
- Sunbeam Imp De Luxe MkI, MkII (USA/N. America)
Cars using Imp mechanicals (engine and suspension)
- Clan Crusader
- Ginetta G15
- Davrian Imp
[edit] Imps in motorsport
The Imp enjoyed modest success in both club and international rallying. Rootes introduced a homologation special called the Rally Imp in 1964. The Rally Imp featured many modifications over the standard model, the most important of which was an engine enlarged to 998 cc. Notable successes for this model include the 1965 Tulip Rally in which the works Imps of Rosemary Smith and "Tiny" Lewis finished first and second overall.
Imps were also successful racing cars. The privateer team of George Bevan dominated the British Saloon Car Championship (later known as the British Touring Car Championship) in the early 1970s. Driven by Bill McGovern, the Bevan Sunbeam Imp won the championship in 1970, 1971 and 1972 with limited factory support.
The engine proved flexible and very easy to tune. The overhead camshaft design meant that the head could be flowed and ported to allow the engine to run at high speeds. Useful improvements in power could be gained by replacing the standard silencer with one that impeded the exhaust gas flow less and with better carburettors.
