Hello my name is mike i have been rallying an imp for 14 years, mostly in the NESCRO championship events. For some good info try http://www.imps4ever.info/ .
A friend sent me a link to this site some great information on here. Here is some poor vids of me from a couple of years ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRC2YfXHQIg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8nwYZXALyY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41C4wr5kS2k
regards mike
Full Version: Works rally Hillman Imps
Originally posted by RS2000
Photo in Peter Robinson's recent excellent book on the 70-73 MN Championship. JDU48E finished 3rd on 70 Seven Dales (last Seven Dales to use competitive road sections?), listed as Jeremy Coulter/Chris Gray (Stuart Gray was a different guy, better known navigating the likes of Brian Newman's Lotus Cortina?).
Is the Mulll photo Coulter/Gray? Navigator looks like someone else whom I know used a works-spec Imp at least once - but only prior to the 70 London Mexico WCR, so can't be who I'm thinking of.
Anyone know which reg no was on the Cowan car for the 67 Coupe des Alpes (the other two cars were JDU46E and JDU48E but 47E is said earlier on here to have not been used after the 67 Monte.
Photo in Peter Robinson's recent excellent book on the 70-73 MN Championship. JDU48E finished 3rd on 70 Seven Dales (last Seven Dales to use competitive road sections?), listed as Jeremy Coulter/Chris Gray (Stuart Gray was a different guy, better known navigating the likes of Brian Newman's Lotus Cortina?).
Is the Mulll photo Coulter/Gray? Navigator looks like someone else whom I know used a works-spec Imp at least once - but only prior to the 70 London Mexico WCR, so can't be who I'm thinking of.
Anyone know which reg no was on the Cowan car for the 67 Coupe des Alpes (the other two cars were JDU46E and JDU48E but 47E is said earlier on here to have not been used after the 67 Monte.
Some info that you requested.......I asked Andrew Cowan and here id his reply:
"My Imp reg. on 67 Coupe des Alpes was JRW 702 E Dark blue 10TH OVERALL 3RD IN CLASS cant remember much about it."
Hope this helps. Ian.
Many thanks - the CdA specialist on Forum Auto will apreciate that - I'll pass it on.
Originally posted by Pugwash52
Hi there,
My first post - I've been trying to find info on this car for some time without success and hope that someone here can help:
In the early seventies I navigated for a guy called Peter Read in an ex-works Imp. We did club rallies in the North of England including a couple of Motoring News events. (The Illuminations Rally comes to mind). The reg was JDU47E and it was dark blue with a black bonnet. It was one of a series of three works cars as far as I know and they were registered JDU46E, JDU47E and JDU48E. I've found info on the other two but not 47. I think I'm correct in saying one was Rosemary Smith's car (48?). I think 47 might have been Andrew Cowan's car fot the Tulip Rally but haven't been able to confirm this.
I've been in New Zealand for almost 30 years now and long since lost touch with Peter Read, but I believe that after he sold the car it was robbed of various parts and eventually dismantled. If this is true it's a great shame as it was a terrific little car that just needed constant TLC.
Can anyone help with the history of this car. Better still, does anyone have a picture of it? (Corgi made a model of it!)
Any help appreciated.
Regards
Paul.
Hi there,
My first post - I've been trying to find info on this car for some time without success and hope that someone here can help:
In the early seventies I navigated for a guy called Peter Read in an ex-works Imp. We did club rallies in the North of England including a couple of Motoring News events. (The Illuminations Rally comes to mind). The reg was JDU47E and it was dark blue with a black bonnet. It was one of a series of three works cars as far as I know and they were registered JDU46E, JDU47E and JDU48E. I've found info on the other two but not 47. I think I'm correct in saying one was Rosemary Smith's car (48?). I think 47 might have been Andrew Cowan's car fot the Tulip Rally but haven't been able to confirm this.
I've been in New Zealand for almost 30 years now and long since lost touch with Peter Read, but I believe that after he sold the car it was robbed of various parts and eventually dismantled. If this is true it's a great shame as it was a terrific little car that just needed constant TLC.
Can anyone help with the history of this car. Better still, does anyone have a picture of it? (Corgi made a model of it!)
Any help appreciated.
Regards
Paul.
Paul,
I have sent you a PM for info on this.
Regards,Ian.
Originally posted by IanG
My first post on this magnificent site. My name is Ian Grindrod and I live in Lancashire, England.
The picture refered to earlier of the 1970 Tour of Mull.
Tried trawling through the records of the Tour of Mull but no-one has any entry list now for that year.
I seem to remember in the distant past, spectating on a Seven Dales Rally around 1970-71 that an ex works Imp with a JDU reg. was driven by the famous Irish songwriter Phil Coulter and navigated by Stuart Gray.
My first post on this magnificent site. My name is Ian Grindrod and I live in Lancashire, England.
The picture refered to earlier of the 1970 Tour of Mull.
Tried trawling through the records of the Tour of Mull but no-one has any entry list now for that year.
I seem to remember in the distant past, spectating on a Seven Dales Rally around 1970-71 that an ex works Imp with a JDU reg. was driven by the famous Irish songwriter Phil Coulter and navigated by Stuart Gray.
Hello Ian, my name is Pete Taylor (also a new member), I was an apprentice at Mullard the year behind you and worked alongside Art Howarth and Ian ????, who had an Imp with a works engine, damned if I can remember his name but his Dad worked there too- rally mad. I see that the 2300 Club is still going, which is good news.
Look forward to seeing some rally tales from you.
I recall David Thistlethwaite (Bolton Le Moors) had a works replica, or was it an ex works one?. I wonder what happened to that?
Somewhere I have a letter from Marcus Chambers with a competition parts list.
Somewhere I have a letter from Marcus Chambers with a competition parts list.
The competitions department also built a very small number of "works" replica rally imps. My company purchased a Green 998cc engine with a close ration top gear car to do local club events in Scotland. These cars could have different spec dependent on the order. I am not sure how many were made. The mechanics were very reliable except for the donuts. We had one break at Croft in a relay race. Result a bent S/A! I will try and find the registration number.
I've never seen balamory... er Tobermory before they painted all the houses like Josephs Amazing Technicolour Exterior Design Services. I've been in every pub on the prom mind 
Its about 30-40 miles from my house as the crow flies yet strangely I've never been to the tour of mull!
Its about 30-40 miles from my house as the crow flies yet strangely I've never been to the tour of mull!
As the sole British entrant in the '69 D.D.R. rally we were surprised to find ourselves running behind a British "F" registered right hand drive Imp. It was listed as a Danish entry and as we got friends, we learned it was a factory prepared car loaned for a year as the reward for winning the Danish rallying championship. The driver was in the tanker business in Malmo. From what I recall (it is 40 years ago) the car was green and biege.
Were there other semi works Imps about?
Were there other semi works Imps about?
This is Richard Young (sometimes seen around here) and myself on the 1973 Valentine rally.
I believe the Imp had some Robin Eyre-Maunsell connection but I'm sure Richard will be able to tell us more.
Fred
Fred
Why don't you tell everyone about the trip down Knockalla and the journey into Letterkenny on the '73 Donegal, I can't remember who was more concerned about the broken brake line you or Richard. Who says Works mechanics know what they are doing all the time?
John
Why don't you tell everyone about the trip down Knockalla and the journey into Letterkenny on the '73 Donegal, I can't remember who was more concerned about the broken brake line you or Richard. Who says Works mechanics know what they are doing all the time?
John
WYH394H was the first Gp 2 car built for Robin after Gp 6 was dropped as an option for Internationals.
The rules for 1970 said that you could modify the bodywork but only up to the level of the wheel centre so Chrysley comps option of ducting the front radiator out of the bonnet was out. Their response was to cut the back out of the spare wheel well and raise the bonnet at the back to let the hot air out. This gave them a real problem, they couldn't fit the spare wheel in the normal place without letting the air pressure down to a point where it would be useless as a spare and they couldn't run it at the normal pressure as the heat would make the air in the tyre expand..... The solution was to put the spare behind the drivers seat.
This car was the only single headlight post '68 Imp Sport built by the factory. It was originally Marina Green in colour but after Richard bought it, it caught fire at Knocknagonery roundabout (Fred knows where that is) and when Baird's rebuilt it Richard had it painted Capri Blue. Richard sold it to David Shirlow who in due course sold it on and after being see on the Galway International in the late '70s it disappeared.
Robin replaced the car with FHP234L (not an Imp Sport) which was also Gp 2 and factory built. He bent it very severely on the 1972 RAC and had it repaired at Baird's taking it (still banana shaped) to 8th overall (with only 3rd gear left) on the 1973 Circuit of Ireland (there's a fabulous photo somewhere of the car tweaked sideways and nearly wagging a front wheel on the Ardmillan stage). The car was Polar White initailly and eventually painted in Chrysler Dealer Team colours. Robin last used it on the RAC (I think) where he broke the gear box early on (a favourite past time) and went out, he then moved on to Avengers and 2 x Gp 1 Championships.
John
The rules for 1970 said that you could modify the bodywork but only up to the level of the wheel centre so Chrysley comps option of ducting the front radiator out of the bonnet was out. Their response was to cut the back out of the spare wheel well and raise the bonnet at the back to let the hot air out. This gave them a real problem, they couldn't fit the spare wheel in the normal place without letting the air pressure down to a point where it would be useless as a spare and they couldn't run it at the normal pressure as the heat would make the air in the tyre expand..... The solution was to put the spare behind the drivers seat.
This car was the only single headlight post '68 Imp Sport built by the factory. It was originally Marina Green in colour but after Richard bought it, it caught fire at Knocknagonery roundabout (Fred knows where that is) and when Baird's rebuilt it Richard had it painted Capri Blue. Richard sold it to David Shirlow who in due course sold it on and after being see on the Galway International in the late '70s it disappeared.
Robin replaced the car with FHP234L (not an Imp Sport) which was also Gp 2 and factory built. He bent it very severely on the 1972 RAC and had it repaired at Baird's taking it (still banana shaped) to 8th overall (with only 3rd gear left) on the 1973 Circuit of Ireland (there's a fabulous photo somewhere of the car tweaked sideways and nearly wagging a front wheel on the Ardmillan stage). The car was Polar White initailly and eventually painted in Chrysler Dealer Team colours. Robin last used it on the RAC (I think) where he broke the gear box early on (a favourite past time) and went out, he then moved on to Avengers and 2 x Gp 1 Championships.
John
Yes....Nice to see WYH again after all these years, and I apologise for the somewhat random application of decals !
Fred, you seem to have more photographs of the car than I have !
I'd forgotten the Knockalla 'no brakes' episode, which became fairly spectacular later on.
As I recall, the servo sheared off over the famous 'flying crossroads' leaving us brakeless for the latter, downhill, paert of the stage. We did manage though, to get to the finish, by which time the handbrake cables were about 15ft long (1) rushed through the flying finish, straight past the 'Stop' car and eventually came to a halt 100 metres or so down the road.
At this point Fred leaped out, card in hand, to go back to the control and get a time. Unfortunately his helmet was still on with intercom cables still attached. He had built up a reasonable amount of speed by the time the spiral cable reached its limit........
I seem to recall that, having managed to get through the last two stages at reduced pace, the road run in heavy traffic to the finish at Letterkenny was only achieved by our using the service car - another Imp - as brakes !
Rally Imp , were you, by any chance in that service car, or am I thinking of somebody else ?
Incidentally, a Mr Brophy or Galway tells me he may have found WYH somewhere in the West ! I await further news with avid interest.........
Richard Young
Fred, you seem to have more photographs of the car than I have !
I'd forgotten the Knockalla 'no brakes' episode, which became fairly spectacular later on.
As I recall, the servo sheared off over the famous 'flying crossroads' leaving us brakeless for the latter, downhill, paert of the stage. We did manage though, to get to the finish, by which time the handbrake cables were about 15ft long (1) rushed through the flying finish, straight past the 'Stop' car and eventually came to a halt 100 metres or so down the road.
At this point Fred leaped out, card in hand, to go back to the control and get a time. Unfortunately his helmet was still on with intercom cables still attached. He had built up a reasonable amount of speed by the time the spiral cable reached its limit........
I seem to recall that, having managed to get through the last two stages at reduced pace, the road run in heavy traffic to the finish at Letterkenny was only achieved by our using the service car - another Imp - as brakes !
Rally Imp , were you, by any chance in that service car, or am I thinking of somebody else ?
Incidentally, a Mr Brophy or Galway tells me he may have found WYH somewhere in the West ! I await further news with avid interest.........
Richard Young
And another pertinent point. The car caught fire just three days after I bought it, and was comprehensively toasted as far forward as the instrument panel.
I was devastated, as you might imagine, since insurance was only third party.
However Robin Eyre-Maunsell (may his name be revered) took the car back and his team at A.S.Bairds rebuilt it.
A bill was never presented.
Maybe this was an oversight, in which case I hope he never sees this (!) but I prefer to think of the whole episode as proof that there are some true gentlemen in this sport of ours.......And that Robin is one of the best.
I was devastated, as you might imagine, since insurance was only third party.
However Robin Eyre-Maunsell (may his name be revered) took the car back and his team at A.S.Bairds rebuilt it.
A bill was never presented.
Maybe this was an oversight, in which case I hope he never sees this (!) but I prefer to think of the whole episode as proof that there are some true gentlemen in this sport of ours.......And that Robin is one of the best.
Richard, I thought Fred was coming to join me on the back seat of that service car as we caught up with the queue of traffic slowing for the Ballyraine (as it was then). I heard Mr Brophy's story from the guy who prepares his cars, I've tried to persuade them its not your old car, in the hope I can find it first! Mind you I also heard Mr Brophy when asked at the end of the Galway if his car had been prepared by said guy, said that he didn't know the person they were talking about! 'Excited' was how he was described to me, but in less printable language. Do you remember AZJ3 (hint - it's in your book) does Mr Brophy have that in his collection?
The same car with a very motley crew before the Valentine Rally. Me on the right (!) and dessie Nutt by the adjacent Mini's drivers door.
Fred
Fred, that's John White beside you and Big A (Arthur) to the extreme left, was the other Mini owned by Bruce Kelso or Jimmy Ogg - I can't remember?
John
John
Think it was Jimmy Ogg. He was certainly present......
Jimmy Ogg third from left. Arthur Hodgson extreme left.
Fred
Fred
QUOTE (Fred Gallagher @ Jan 31 2009, 16:45) 
Jimmy Ogg third from left. Arthur Hodgson extreme left.
Fred
Fred
Hi everyone,
Only 10 months late, but I have just picked up this thread, I remember when we did the 1971 Scottish International rally, that Colin Malkin lead the rally for the first couple of days in his Imp, and rumour had it that Des Odell had even used the new One Pence piece as cam spacers to try and keep him in the rally, ( I got a lift back to my hotel in Grantown from Avimore by Colin in one of their Avenger estate service cars after he had retired) PHEW!!!! but thats another tale.
The rally was eventually won by the new boy Chris Slater in a Withers of Winsford Escort.
I remember competing in road rallies in and around Dorset in the late sixtees, and Mike Ranger was then using an ex Rosemary Smith Imp, and getting very good results on most events.
Humbled to contribute to the same thread as a couple of OUR (UK) greats Fred and Ian.
The TNF has brought me back to life after many years of boredom, well done guys.
Regards from France,
Les Dalton.
Pete ,contact Jim Richards. He used to race one in New Zealand. Sponsored by ''SIDCHROME''. regards,gray.
QUOTE (cosworth bdg @ Jan 14 2008, 05:35)
The 2 competition cars that were bought to Australia by Chrysler Australia in the mid 1960's, any person know where these cars are now . One of these units was driven by Norm Beechy, mainly in hill climbs with great gusto and specticle...............
Pete,don't forget ''TUBBY'' Ritter.Castrol sponsored ,i think!!! Poor little car should have had a smaller pilot. gray.
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