The Imp Club National Weekend

"What really is the point of the National, what is a National anyway ?"
The highlight on any car club calendar is the National Day or National Weekend (depending on the size of the club), when the club presents an opportunity for a wide cross-section to get together and relax.
Nationals, such as those run by The Imp Club, attract every model variation, specification and condition, blowing away the concept that only the immaculate and spotlessly rebuild cars are worth taking. Read the reports of Nationals-past and you will read of on-site rebuilds, the efforts to source supplies and spares above and beyond the call of duty, and thank-yous for the sterling efforts to get an Imp back on track once more.

"But it's only for the enthusiasts: the car nuts who can tell when the hungletrump is worn out, and those types who modify their Imp to hit warp factor nine in 6.3 seconds, and moreover do it in the length of the driveway..."
Well no, not exactly, though it has to be said that they do appear every year, thankfully. The Imp Club is made up of a wide spectrum of characters, backgrounds, professions and ages. There are no particular types of Impers who come to the National - it takes all sorts, and the greater the variety, the better the event.
Every year the weekend is attended by a mixture of people, from entire families to single senior ladies to boyracers, with Imps ranging from concours to patchwork, as the Imp Club is for everyone!

photographer: Ken Pape

"Well", (shrugs), "it's too far to go."
Every year the award for 'Longest distance travelled with an Imp' goes to Impers who come from far away, maybe further than you will have to travel... Imps, like most classic cars, were production line built, and sold for daily use. When they receive their routine maintenance they are happy to clock up the miles.
If your concern is over what would happen if the car broke down or the navigation then you might consider travelling in convoy. Organise or join your Area Centre's initiative. Imps have been known to travel in packs. Making the trip to the National as part of a group is great fun. It's pure ego to realise that as you pass other cars, they are looking at you, all of you ! (And if you are overtaken you get the same attention ;-)
The beauty of 'convoy running' is that if something does happen, there is usually the knowledge to sort it out in at least one of the other cars, and spare to fix it in another. Yes, you may still get lost, but at least you can blame someone else for it. And unless you've taken over a Happy Eater or a Little Chef en masse, you haven't lived !
Scotland was the venue for the 1998 event, and many turned up. Birmingham for 1999 is more central. Don't write it off as impossible. If it is outside your normal driving range, get in touch with your ACO and find out who else is going. Travelling in a group is a lot easier.

"So, what's the point of going to one ?"
The National Weekend is a social gathering. Attending one not only gives you a break away from your normal weekend routine and the chance to see the sights of another part of the country. You can kick your mind into neutral and relax with the on-site events. If you think of the financial side of things, the Weekend brings together a wide selection of spares providers: commerical, club and private car-booters. The savings on a year's servicing parts could almost pay for the visit; the range of tools and spares can surprise even the most jaded.
The host Area Centre puts a lot of effort into creating something special, something to be remembered.