Bit of Nostalgia

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by bernjb56, May 20, 2021.

  1. Merlin Cat

    Merlin Cat Moderator

    Very nice it is too @Fruitcake :)

    this is Sarah’s.

    7A280E03-1180-4A4D-9714-7255ABF98BC3.jpeg
     
    jivedubbin, Meltman and F_Pantos like this.
  2. Merlin Cat

    Merlin Cat Moderator

    Yes, of course :)
     
    Meltman and F_Pantos like this.
  3. :thumbsup:
     
  4. Fruitcake

    Fruitcake Supporter

    Wow, that's gorgeous @Merlin Cat a proper Old English White convertible :):)
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  5. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    For a mere 45 of your finest pounds you can have a 20min/ 6 mile drive... assuming that the Top Gear crew don't spot it and drop a piano on it.
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  6. I’m not sure I could handle the power, TBH
     
    Merlin Cat and Betty the Bay like this.
  7. Faust

    Faust Supporter

    Yes you do ...i think it says so in the Speedwell conversion booklet .
     
    Meltman and Merlin Cat like this.
  8. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    The lads going out in an 850 mk1 mini and a 1600 Capri...I've bagged a go in the Hillman imp.
     
  9. Merlin Cat

    Merlin Cat Moderator

    I looked at the web site and thought I would go for the Imp as mum had one when we were kids :)
     
    Betty the Bay and bernjb56 like this.
  10. Faust

    Faust Supporter

    The moggy vans fetch good money ...big money fully restored .
    I had 2 back in the late seventies ..an H reg maroon one and a rare Austin badged moggy van the ones with the rippled grill ,had a gold seal engine ...sold it to a painter and decorator who had it all sign written up K plate one
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  11. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    The booking lady said it was very popular... so it will probably be broken down by the time we go.
     
    Meltman and Merlin Cat like this.
  12. You spend 15 minutes of that trying to get it started. Sponsored by Lucas, I believe.
     
  13. Fruitcake

    Fruitcake Supporter

    My first car was an Imp in 1977, I paid a tenner for it as a non runner without a bonnet, got it on the road for 20 quid or so and ended up rolling it into a field after hitting a tree stump coming down a country lane on the way back from the pub.

    I had a cunning plan to switch off the lights when I came to a bend in order to see if anything was coming the other way to save unnecessary slowing down. Sadly I had the plastic extensions on the toggle switches to look cool and on this particular occasion I switched off the lights, saw it was clear and went to switch the lights back on but the extension flew off and in the dark I hit the stump and rolled int the field. All 3 of us in the car were unhurt but I did feel a bit of a cock I must admit :oops:
     
    F_Pantos, docjohn and Merlin Cat like this.
  14. I once drove an Imp with the clever* hydraulic throttle linkage which appeared to work along the lines of ALL or nothing.
     
    Merlin Cat and docjohn like this.
  15. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    Had a couple...1st car was £50 second one only a couple of hundred.
    Always breaking down...but did all my courting in them .... surprisingly roomy in the back with the seat folded.
     
    Merlin Cat likes this.
  16. Faust

    Faust Supporter

    And how many pints had we had ;) The fuel tank is in the front if i remember .
    A fellow apprentice i used to work with had a mate who hit a wall with his imp caught fire and just managed to get out before it went up .
    Another guy i know had a metallic kingfisher blue imp a right wreck ....he took it to the local garage to get it sorted for MOT ...went to pick it up ,the mechanic said it just wasn't worth touching and just said....What We have Here is a Very Very Sick motor ..we both just burst out laughing .
     
  17. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    Coming back from the pub, the gearstick came of in my hand...though I could get home in 3rd...well I got home, but misjudged the drive and took the wall out.
     
    Merlin Cat and docjohn like this.
  18. Fruitcake

    Fruitcake Supporter

    I can't believe how many on here have disaster stories revolving around Hillman Imps, surely just a coincidence that we all went on to own Bays :eek:
     
    Merlin Cat, snotty and Betty the Bay like this.
  19. Faust

    Faust Supporter

    No ...they were terrible motors ...you would be better for the Hillman Avenger Tiger .
    Now they are worth a lot of brass up with the Mexicos by all accounts .
     
    Meltman, Merlin Cat and Betty the Bay like this.
  20. Meltman

    Meltman Sprout Lover

    My first car was also an Imp. We went all over in it including going on our honeymoon. The water pump failed (again) on the day before the wedding. My brother in law and I changed it after tea and still got out for a couple of pints. We went to Cornwall the next day without trouble.
     
    Merlin Cat and Betty the Bay like this.

Share This Page