The only Imp information I found on the web (before I decided to put Imps on the electronic highway myself) was a photograph of an Imp in a rally.
The Imp has been doing well in races and rallies, and in Historical Competition, it still is... The number of Imps engaged in competition today [Imps at YouTube] is surprising (not!). And it isn't just all in the U.K. either: the Imp is eg. quite popular in Finland.
| Rallies Historic Rallies Races Historic Races Ice-races PCTs & Classic Trials Economy Runs |
Sprints & Hillclimbs Grass track racing Rallycross Slalom Drag-races Hot-rod races (banger racing) Boats (hydroplanes) Sidecars (motorcycles) |
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Over sixty outright wins, class wins, and team prizes in rallies and racing events. As often as not the Imp is the smallest and slowest serious contender in the events.
| Date | Event | Award | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Monte Carlo Rally | best performance by a British private owner best performance from the Glasgow start | Hunt and Mac |
| April 1964 | Belgian Twelve Hours Rally | won- the 850-1150 c.c. class for touring cars | Truillet and Mollers; locally-entered car |
| November 1964 | R.A.C. Rally | won the one-litre G.T. class | Pollard and Baines |
| 1965 | Monte Carlo Rally 35 finished out of 237 starters |
22nd overall; 4th in the 1-litre G.T. class + 2nd in the Coupe des Dames 2nd in the 1-litre G.T. class + 15th overall |
Rosemary Smith and Margaret McKenzie Pollard and Hughes |
| April 1965 | Circuit of Ireland | Coupe des Dames; 16th overall 3rd in the 1300 c.c. G.T. class |
Rosemary Smith & Sheila O'Clery Tiny Lewis and R. Turvey |
| April 1965 | Tulip | won outright + the Coupes des Dames, the G.T. category and the 850-1150 G.T. class 2nd overall, 2nd in the G.T. category and 2nd in the class |
Rosemary Smith and Valerie Domleo Tiny Lewis and David Pollard |
| May 1965 | Tanzania rally | outright win | |
| May 1965 | French MobilEconomy Run | second | Joe Lowrey with Margaret McKenzie as co-driver |
| May 1965 | Danish Economy Run | won their class | Jensen and Andersen |
| June, 1965 | Scottish Rally | winning the ladies' prize, finishing fifth overall and second in the 1300 C.c. G.T. class won the class and finished second overall |
Rosemary Smith and Shelia Taylor Tiny Lewis and Robin Turvey |
| June, 1965 | MobilEconomy Run, Austria | class win | |
| International Gulf London Rally | won, of all things for an Imp to win, the unlimited capacity class | Evans and Spokes | |
| Alpine | Coupes des Dames and the first prize in the 1-litre G.T. class | Rosemary Smith and Sheila Taylor | |
| Polish Rally | finished second | Thistlethwaite and Yond | |
| Canadian BP Economy run | lowest consumption of any competitor with 46·34 m.p.g. | ||
| 1965 | R.A.C. Rally | Manufacturers Team Prize | Rosemary Smith and S. Reeves, Tiny Lewis and Robin Turvey, and Cowan and Coyle |
| sixteen first places and seven lap records | Alan Fraser racing team: Jacqui Smith, Bernard Unett, Nick Brittan, Ray Calcutt | ||
| 1966 9th July | international saloon car race at Silverstone | won | Bill McGovern |
| Monte | won the onelitre modified production class second the series production cars one litre class |
Lewis and Bosence Simonetta and Dirren Lier and Vuarrez |
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| East African Goodyear Rally | won the 1300 c.c. class + 3rd overall | Collinge and Dunk | |
| A month later | Nairobi Rally | won outright | |
| MobilEconomy Run | best overall fuel consumption: 54·37 m.p.g. - won the onelitre class but was also the best consumption of the whole event | J.A. Parham | |
| Ireland | won the ladies' award + 2nd in the 1300 c.c. G.T. class won the 1300 c.C. G.T. class third and fourth |
Rosemary Smith's turn again with Valerie Domleo Malkin and Lyall yet two more Imps |
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| Tulip | first three places in the 1150 c.c. class | Lewis and Bosence, Rowe and Turner, and Heijndijk and Martini | |
| April 1966 | Governor's Cup Race in Venezuela | won its class | |
| Arboe and Veralpen Rallies, in Austria | three of the first four places in their class in both events | ||
| Canada, Shell 4000 Rally | finished eighth overall, first in her class and won the ladies' award | Rosemary Smith with Anne Coomb | |
| Acropolis Rally, Greece | win the Coupe des Dames, to finish second in class and third overall | Rosemary Smith with Val Domleo | |
| Scottish Rally | won the Coupe des Dames and the 1300 G.T. class, finishing third overall, while more Imps took the next three places in that class and another won the 1-litre series production class | Rosemary Smith with Val Domleo | |
| Swiss Tessin Rally, Yurrup | outright win; | ||
| Austrian Alpine Rally | a class second | ||
| Swiss Championship Slalom | a class win | ||
| Geneva Rally | A second overall and a class second | Lier | |
| international Gulf London Rally | first three places in the 1600 C.c. G.T. class + the team prize as well | Cowan/Coyle, Pollard/Baines, and Rosemary Smith/Valerie Domleo | |
Source: Sport scene / Reported by Mark Cole. - Hot Car August 1969. - p.23
Rootes have announced that they are withdrawing from motor sport. It seems a great pity that they are going to rest on their laurels, laurels which have earned them great respect with their victory in the London-Sydney marathon in a Hillman Hunter, their clinching the World of Sport Rallycross championship this winter with a Sunbeam Imp, the Imp's success in the '69 Mobile Economy Run, and notable successes in rallying and circuit racing.
Rootes say: 'Although we have achieved considerable success in international events over the years, we now feel the stage has been reached when, due to the limited number of manufacturers participating, the commercial value obtainable is now outweighed by the cost of achieving the highest honours in the sport'.
What a shame that having put so much in, they are now pulling out just when motor sport needs all the support it can get. I can't help thinking that Andrew Cowan/ Brian Coyle might have won the Scottish last month in their 2nd place works-prepared Imp if they has official service and backing. Let's hope Rootes will be back before too long.
Results of the Works Imps (1964 - 1970).
Imps in rallies (post-Works) 1970 - ...
(Both files are very incomplete, of course).
Heyndijk & Klarenbeek won the Group 2, class 1 Star Rallye of November 1970. A mud wrestling match with delightful stages. StAR: Foundation Automobile sports Rotterdam. Participants can choose their own route, as long as they check in at all the control posts (Gulf petrol stations) within a certain time.
Heyndijk & Govert de Jong in a Sunbeam Imp, Yperen June 1971, 12h. rally
Group 2: class 850-1000cc. They came second, behind an NSU. (slippery roads)
De Telegraaf wrote (9 August 1968): Siem Heijnsdijk is a very well known (in the Netherlands) Hillman Imp driver, who proved his capabilities a.o. at Zandvoort and the Tulip Rallies. - The subject being the Dutch National Team for the London-Sydney Marathon, in which the Rotterdam garage holder offered himself as a reserve driver.
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Le Jog: Land's End to John O'Groats
The MSA are organising the AXA Classic, a Classic Car run at the end of May. 10 start points and finishing at Millbrook. Each route takes in a variety of Hillclimbs, test tracks etc. The cost is £160 for the 2 day route or £90 for the 1 day. Classic Malts Reliability Trial: Scotland
Rally des Alpes Liege-Rome-Liege (which finishes in Rome) HRCR Historic Road Rally Championship P. Loveridge: Historic Rally Car Technical UK Rallying: rallynavigation.com Historic Rally Car Register HRCR |
The UK rules are layed down by the RAC. Cars must have either an RAC Historic Vehicle identity form or a more detailed FIA document. The basis for the identity form are the Homologation Papers produced by Rootes for the Imp. These are essential, as they contain all the legal extras that can be added to the Imp. There are two homologations:
Geoff Bailey & Brett Burvill entered the 1996 AEM (1967 Hillman Imp, 1040cc), car no. 56 in class D (from 1961 on, up to 1300cc) they came 2nd out of 11.
By outright points: Bailey/Burvill, 42nd; Brooksby/Barsden, 69th; Pilbeam², 109th.
Total points: Bailey/Burvill, 25th; Pilbeam², 31st; Brooksby/Barsden, 50th.
Automotive Event Management (AEM)
Alain Barbou (France)
Nigel Barnett & (Paul Marshall or Dennis Greenslade)
Arnaud de Beaucaron and Alain d'Espois
John Brooksby & Don Barsden entered the 1996 AEM in a 1968 Sunbeam Stiletto (998cc), car no. 114, class D (from 1961 on, up to 1300cc). They ended 5th out of eleven.
Navigation point: the Pilbeams were sixth, Bailey/Burvill 50th, the Stiletto 91st of 153.
By outright points: Bailey/Burvill, 42nd; Brooksby/Barsden, 69th; Pilbeam², 109th.
Total points: Bailey/Burvill, 25th; Pilbeam², 31st; Brooksby/Barsden, 50th.
Automotive Event Management (AEM)
Sheila Ellis (Burnham-on-Sea, UK) used her 1968 Sunbeam Imp Sport to take part in the first Marlin Cars Jurassic Classic Car Run (29th June 1997), from Teignmouth through to Weymouth. 23 entrants.
James Hoyles & Paul Burns won the Ilkley Jubilee Historic Rally of 1991 in their Hillman (no further specified)
It was the first year it was run.
Ernie Larton & Kevin Savage - Illuminations classic rally 1990 - 2nd overall - Hillman Imp (Road)
Lee & Gary Matthews entered the RAC International Historic Rally 1996, Britain's round of the FIA European Historic Rally Trophy. Leeds. They drove a 1965 Hillman Imp (875cc) in class TC11, competition no. 41. They won their class and ended 15th overall (2:18:54)
David & Gary Moore entered the Donegal Historic Rally of 1996 in a Hillman Imp (comp.no. 22). 3rd in class C1 and 16th overall.
Adrian Oliver - visit the Revilo Racing site ! [interview]
Derek & Christine Parling won Class B1 of the 1996 Circuit of Ireland, Historic Rally in their Sunbeam Stiletto. They had competition no. 213 and finished 9 overall.
In 1997, there were no Imps in the overall top 18.
Horacio Passegi Torre, 1000 Millas Sport y Clasicos 1996 (Uruguay)
John (driver) & David Pilbeam (navigator) entered the 1997 AEM Classic Rally with a 998 Hillman Imp from 1967. (Category C: 1961 - 1990, up to 1300cc, car no. 109). 27 stages. They finished 34 overall (navigation), 5th in a class of 9.
They had entered the 1996 AEM, too (1967 Hillman Imp, 930cc), car no. 116 in class D (from 1961 on, up to 1300cc). Tehy were 4th out of eleven.
Navigation point: the Pilbeams were sixth, Bailey/Burvill 50th, the Stiletto 91st of 153.
By outright points: Bailey/Burvill, 42nd; Brooksby/Barsden, 69th; Pilbeam², 109th.
Total points: Bailey/Burvill, 25th; Pilbeam², 31st; Brooksby/Barsden, 50th.
Automotive Event Management (AEM)
Rob Pilcher & Roger Burkill came 3rd overall in the 1993 National Rally Britannia in their Hillman Rallye Imp (Stage)
Brad Purdy (RAFMSA) rallies a 1969 Hillman Super Imp. He entered the 1999 Historic Rally Car Register's (HRCR) Road Rally, Newcomers Championship.
Dave Rayner & Phil Smith
1995 Channon Dorset classic rally - 3rd overall - Hillman Rallye Imp (Road)
1995 Ilfracombe classic rally - 1st overall - Hillman Rallye Imp (Road)
1997 Classic Rally of the Vales - 3rd overall - Hillman Rallye Imp (Road)
They now compete very successfully on Historic rallies in a Sunbeam Tiger.
Ted Roberts & Rob Grainger - 1996 Tour of Anglesey historic rally - 3rd overall - Singer Chamois (Road)
Petteri Sappinen, Motul Historic Rally Trophy (Finland)
Aart van der Star / Pat Barrett, 1963 Sunbeam Imp - Langley, B.C. participated in 1997 in the BMW Seattle Classic Motorcar Rally.
Geoff Taylor & (Peter Joy or Mick Briggs)
N. Barnett, another Imper, won the class. (Taylor/Joy weren't elligible for a class award as they won the championship).
Geoff Taylor & Steve Greenhill - 3rd in the Severn Valley Historic Rally (1 June 2009) (round 3 of the Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship)
Bulldog Historic Rally (31.03.2010): In class B1, Geoff Taylor and Steve Greenhill stormed through in their Sunbeam Imp Sport despite a misfire and a puncture late in the last stage. Some way back, but happy to finish his debut BHRC event, was Simon Whitehead, teamed with Gary Wood in his Hillman Imp.
Billy Tobin & Noel Devlin
1992 West Cork Retro classic rally - 1st overall - Sunbeam Stiletto (Road)
1995 West Cork Retro classic rally - 3rd overall - Sunbeam Stiletto (Road)
Chris and Colin Valentine entered the Ilkley DMC Historic Road Rally of 12 September 1999 in Chris' 1965 Mk1 Imp (EAJ 257C). They won their Class against Elans, TRs, MGAs, etc... 150 miles of competitive motoring, approx 6 hours.
A Road Rally is usually on tarmac and can be entered with a road car. There is a lot of accurate navigation expected on the road and there are a few closed road stage bits. Entry is around £50+
EAJ 257C has now been immortalised in a Lledo limited edition, complete with registration number. ;-)
Philip Wylie & Gregory Lockwood were second in class B1 of the 1996 Circuit of Ireland, Historic Rally in a Hillman Imp (comp.no. 218). They finished 11 overall.
In 1997, there were no Imps in the overall top 18.
Class B1 7 1 114 Alistair Bell / Peter Horsburgh Austin Mini Cooper 0:50:15 11 2 117 Nigel Barnet / Paul Marshal Hillman Imp Califo 0:51:03 12 3 116 David Rayner / Phil Smith Hillman Rallye Imp 0:52:31 19 5 131 John Holloway / Mike Matthews Hillman Imp 0:58:31
This was a historic rally with both Regularity sections and stages.
Class B1 Pos. CarNo Total Driver Navigator Car Ability 1 9 2629 Peter Valentine Tony Pettie Austin Cooper S E HRCR/HRCR No/No 2 8 4591 Owen Turner Andrew Dadswell Hillman Imp N GBMC/GBMC No/No 3 7 5725 Fiona Duncan Michael Turner Hillman Imp N GBMC/GBMC No/No 4 6 7871 Jason Thompson Hugh Thompson Austin Mini Cooper SE HRCR/HRCR No/No 5 5 11013 James Turner Simon Hawkins Hillman Imp N
Historic Rally Championships:
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While the Rootes competition budget was devoted to rallying, the factory did support third-party teams on a small scale - officially only the Fraser team.
Teams:
Link:
The Imp Motorsport Gallery: all about spaceframe Imps
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The Finnish Ice-Racing Championship of 1995 was won by Ilkka Jutilas in his Stiletto.
Eleven Imps took part. Ilkaa Jutila won his 7th ice racing championship with his Citroën-engined Imp. Reijo was second with his Stiletto.
| From: Mark Chater Date: Sat, 23 Oct 1999 I've never broken a diff or a do-nut on trial or autotest. I must be blessed in some way! |
There are Production Car Trials (PCTs) and Classic Trials. There are also Auto tests, but an Imp might break a donut or differential over those. Classic Trials are rough, PCT's are gentler. The entry fee is maybe £15.
1973 Production Car Trials Championship (Mike Hinde) - Clan Crusader.
1993 Production Car Trials Championship (Bill Moffat) - Clan.
Caltex North Eastern Car Trial (Victoria, Australia), 1966
Up to 1100cc: 1st - Driver: Peter Janson; Nav.: Peter Davidson
Colin Valentine does PCTs like the Southern Autos PCT
If you would like to do speed events (sprints and hillclimbs), you will need to join a motor club that either promote them or are invited to them.
In the UK, if you run your Imp in road legal state, safety regulations are not too demanding. (But with early Imps the front seats may not be latching in place, and this has to be sorted out.) The standard belts, seats etc. are fine, no roll cage or extinguisher is required. The idea is to keep this a sport. Many events you will be allowed to attend in your unmodified road car. You will need overalls and helmet (maybe £50-60 each) and a 'non-race National B' competition licence (£27). Entry fees are maybe £50-65 depending on venue. No-one runs a 1000cc class anymore. Likely class for an Imp would be 'Roadgoing under 1400cc'. |
I have a video "Motorsport Moments; Hillclimbs", published by K.L. Speedvideo in 1992 which features a few Imps and Clans. It is the kind of video where not all goes right...
The Hill Climb at Longleat House (26-Sep-98): the Cashmores Imp attended and 15 Davrians, 12 of which were Imp powered. It was wet.
Imp Sprint '96: a hillclimb
Gerald Stanley/ Ray Stammers' G15
Philip Lomas used to hill climb in his very fast Clan Crusader.
He also had a Californian he raced, sponsored by Mobile Windscreens. He raced it at Castle Combe 3rd August 1990. And he raced a space-frame Stiletto (comp.no.13) at Castle Combe on the Saturday of 1991 National Weekend. So did Ian Skinner in the other space-framed Stiletto (comp.no. 15) that visted the National Weekend.
Gary Bond (Coronation Rally with Neil Fraser as navigator; sprinting and hillclimbing).
Ben Boult ran his 1040 Saracen Imp in Hillclimbs and Sprints. He participated at Weston and at Brighton (and where else ?). It was quick and it beat the Cosworth BDJ's (which cost some 12K).
Mark Chater converted his Davrian from Ford to Imp power (Sep 99), and then took it to Colerne for a sprint. (Colerne is an RAF airfield, where his motor club runs sprints). It is a very fast course of about 3000 yards (nearly 2km). Maybe 95% of the lap is done at full throttle.
One convoy lap to know the course, two runs in practice and two serious runs.
With his 998 Imp, he was thrown in with the Modified Production Sports Cars up to 1400cc. And the rest did have those 1400cc. He was fastest on the second half of the course, which has some very high speed corners.
A 998 Clan attended the Weston-super-Mare Sprint of 1983.
Dave Payne used a Chamois during 1989 for autograss racing with the Mid Kent Autograss Club. He participated in class Production Cars up to 1000cc, so he was up against Minis and fiat 127s.
 Flying Imp, flying mud |
Roger Burn was a BTRDA Autocross Champion in the 70s.
Andrew Cowan and Colin Malkin
Peter Harper (Fraser Team)
Juhani Kynsilehto, Oulu (Northern Finland)
A kind of pioneer in the Imp's rallycross history: First Finn to drive a rallycross in a factory team.
He had been the Finnish motocross champion. In the late sixties he was employed by the Wihuri concern, the importer of Imps in Finland. No wonder this keen competitor with motocycles, rally and race cars got the privilege to drive the Imp's rallycross-specials for Chrysler U.K. in England. Then and while he had some cars visiting Finland too; one race/rally Imp by British register REG-3 was here about 1970. That one had 110 hp at some 10500rpm. - [Kari Tossavainen, 4 Feb 2001]
Paul Anderson, Norway.
Oslo Champion 1985. Imp, Sport engine, R15 cam.
Steig Hardeng, Norwegian Slalom Champion (class 1) 1990.
He drove Paul Anderson's 1969 Sunbeam 900. Paul himself ended up fifth. The championship was held in Sarpsborg in August 1990. The previous champion, Ivar Opås in a very special mini, was beaten.
Class 1 is for cars shorter than 4 meters.
Some specifications:
Imp engines were used for drag-racing motorbikes. They gave amazing power, but the pistons only lasted the event.
 Unknown sport, unknown imper, likely Dutch, maybe French. Stamp on rear of photo: 11.1.74 | |
 Likely Dutch, maybe French imper. Comp. no. 21. Stamp on rear of photo: 21.2.74 |
Grahame Waite (in the late 70s)
One Imp competed in Scotland with moderate succes against the Escorts, circa 1974.
Date: 23-5-2010
From: Bill; (Dreambook Entry 58)
[...] Reading your article about various competitive imps, you mention Graham Waite as being the sole competitive Imp hot rod in Scotland. I must correct you there, as this is very inaccurate. I used to be a regular attender at Cowdenbeath hot rod circuit, which was run by Spedeworth Scotland in the 70s. The grid line-ups consisted of mk1 and mk2 Escorts, the odd Mini and Hillman Imps ! Regularly the Imps outnumbered the Escorts on the grid and were very competitive due to their suitability to short circuit racing. The only dissadvantage they had, was their lack of weight. Hot rod racing was supposedly non-contact, but inevitably it happened, and an Escort would be more successfull in pushing an Imp aside, than an imp pushing an escort. Top Imp drivers of the time were:There were more, but i can't remember them all. These drivers regularly embarrased the larger more powerfull Escorts end their drivers.
- MALCOLM WATT (130)
- JAMES KIRK (21)
- JAMES MC GAUCHIE (58)
- ALEX GRANT (127)
- GRAHAM WAITE (140).
regards
bill
Alan Smith's double championship winning Imp powered Davrian Stiletto
Dutch Koni advert of 1976. (jpg, 111 Kb)
Leeds - RAC International Historic Rally 1996
Classification after Leg 1
OVERALL CLASS NUMBER CREW CLASS TOTAL 1 1 1 Jimmy McRae/Beatty Crawford Porsche 911 G11 1:21:25 12 1 41 Lee Matthews/Gary Matthews Hillman Imp TC11 1:43:46
James and Jenkins Coronation Rally, March 29th (1997 ?):
1) Clive Fidgeon/Cathy Fidgeon Porsche 911 69mins 39 secs 7) John Morris/Peter Rust Hillman Imp 74:32
Circuit of Ireland; Historic Rally 1996
General Classification - Final
Pos. Car # Driver / Codriver Make Class Class Pos. Time
9 213 Derek Parling / Christine Parling
Sunbeam Stiletto B1 1 4:54:39
11 218 Philip Wylie / Gregory Lockwood
Hillman Imp B1 2 5:07:26
SpeedSport Design Clubmans Rally Championship
Hughes Historic Rally, 1st June 1997
final results
Historic Cars
No Driver Navigator Car Overall Pos Class Class Pos Score 9 Ted Roberts Rob Granger Singer Chamois 7 B1 3 844 49 Wayne Ellett Mark Wojtanowski Sunbeam Stiletto 36 B3 NF NF
No Driver Navigator Car Class Posn Score 27 Dave Williamson Joan Williamson Clan Crusader C1 6 1345
Alan Conley in his works Clan (rallying?)
| The Imp Site Imps in Competition (this file) | © Franka |