From: Peter Valentine
Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009
[...] the International Rally Team of Imps run by Coventry-based haulage contractor, the late Harry Skelton and named 'TEAM HAS'. Harry was close to the works and ran a team of ex-works Imps on several events, winning the team prize on the 1967 Scottish and getting a class win on the 1967 Gulf London International with his ex-works car driven by Barrie 'Whizzo' Williams. There is a fine picture of Barrie Williams driving one of these Imps in his newly released biography, 'Whizzo'. [...]
The team for the '67 Gulf comprised:[...]
- Harry Skelton/ Mike Lindsay-Jones,
- Barrie Williams/ Tommy Thompson and
- Pauline Wynn/ Venetia Sadler.
From: Peter Valentine
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2009
[...] I mentioned the late Harry Skelton who ran his own team of ex-works Imps. He really was a super person.
As he lived close to the factory in Coventry, his cars were always up to specification and he himself was a very quick driver. It was very shrewd of him to put Barrie 'Whizzo' Williams in one of the cars as he was one of the quickest drivers around back then. To put Pauline and Venetia in the other car and thus have a chance at the Ladies Award as well, plus the possibility of the team award, which he achieved on the Scottish, was a great move.
When I first knew him he was using a Sunbeam Rapier for National and International rallies. I can't remember whether this was an ex-works car, but if not then it was certainly prepared to works specifications. He used the Rapier up to the end of 1965, but by then the Cortina was the car to beat in that class. [...]
scottishrally.co.uk: Previous Winners
This rally is the main subject of the Rootes video "Highland Imp 1965". Only a few weeks after the Tulip. The Works team had three Imps, driving with the engine lid agap: the third one being David Pollard in 4525 KV with comp.no. 11 - he wasn't shown to finish. The event lasted 5 days. It consisted of 1166 miles, mostly rough and muddy roads through forest area, and 52 special sections. Paddy Hopkirk (Mini-driver) declared it the roughest rally he'd ever been in. Of the 105 cars that started only 42 finished (according to the video). But the Imps were much in evidence.
There were many privately entered Imps, at least six:
| comp.no. | colour | reg.no. | finish ? |
| 39 40 | both green Singer Chamois with large, sturdy antennas | DGD 89C ? | Probably not Maybe |
| 56 | red Hillman Imp (Greenward ? Greenwood ?) | CJ5 165C | Probably |
| 72 | white Hillman Imp | 1LKJ | Probably not |
| 83 | red Hillman Imp () | ? | Yes |
| 93 | white Hillman Imp | CWF 663C | Probably |
Whizzo: The Motor Sporting Life of Barrie Williams / Paul Lawrence. - TFM, 2008. - 192p. (or 182?)
ISBN 1903378621, 9781903378625
For 50 years, Barrie 'Whizzo' Williams has been thrilling motor racing crowds with his outstanding talent on the circuit and great sense of humour off the track. He has raced and rallied with great success, starting in 1957. He has had a life full of adventure, excitement, success and a few bumps. This is his story. When discussing the title for this book, he said: 'Should we call it 'Whizzo' the first 50 years?' Still racing with as much speed and determination as ever, he is currently president of the British Motorsport Marshals' Club. "I've raced every year, I've never stopped racing," said Barrie. "I don't know what I'd do without racing. I don't know what else to do. It's my way of life. I'll drive anything with four wheels. I race to win, but if I don't it's not the end of the world. With a bit of luck, there's always another race." This book, which includes 200 photos -- many never published before -- attempts to capture the successes, the failures, the adventures, the people, the places and the laughs that have made for a remarkable five decades.
The Autocar vol. 173, 1987 Jul. p.85
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