Running an Imp/Stiletto?
Discussion
Hi,
I know there are a couple of you who have run Hillman Imps and Stilettos in the past.
I'm vaguely toying with the idea of getting one, a grand for a decent one seems about right. I know they are not very reliable, but it wouldn't be an only car.
What are they like to work on? I'd love to learn more about working on cars. I know they are basic, so it might be a good start. Ally engine which is even liftable without an engine crane!
SO what are they like as an everyday proposition, and what are they like to keep running, and work on?
I know there are a couple of you who have run Hillman Imps and Stilettos in the past.
I'm vaguely toying with the idea of getting one, a grand for a decent one seems about right. I know they are not very reliable, but it wouldn't be an only car.
What are they like to work on? I'd love to learn more about working on cars. I know they are basic, so it might be a good start. Ally engine which is even liftable without an engine crane!
SO what are they like as an everyday proposition, and what are they like to keep running, and work on?
Hillman Imp now there is a blast from the past Saw this on ebay...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sunbeam-Stiletto-1970_W0QQitemZ4579962367QQcategoryZ9883QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
800 quid at the mo...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sunbeam-Stiletto-1970_W0QQitemZ4579962367QQcategoryZ9883QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
800 quid at the mo...
That and overheating! They were tested under really hard conditions before they came on sale. They just forgot to test them under normal driving conditions 
Poor man's 911 - rear engined rear wheel drive. My dad had a couple including an Imp Sport (Stiletto engine in normal Imp body).
There's something about the halycon days where a 950cc engine could be considered sporty! In these days of super sticky fat tyres on 18" wheels and every hot hatch having 200+bhp I think it's easy to forget what "fun" is - Imp / Mini / RS1600 on crossplies
Closest modern day cars are the Smart and the Mk.1 MX-5 I think...
Poor man's 911 - rear engined rear wheel drive. My dad had a couple including an Imp Sport (Stiletto engine in normal Imp body).
There's something about the halycon days where a 950cc engine could be considered sporty! In these days of super sticky fat tyres on 18" wheels and every hot hatch having 200+bhp I think it's easy to forget what "fun" is - Imp / Mini / RS1600 on crossplies
Closest modern day cars are the Smart and the Mk.1 MX-5 I think...
Funny you should say that ,, i find myself hankering after a Mini i see a suprising amount of them around Cologne , i had a basic Clubman years ago and that was a hoot to drive for such a basic car 
and now you got me thinking about it again
You are dead right about the back to basics thing its fun , i also seem to be drawn to the Smart Smoadster they look fun as well
and now you got me thinking about it again You are dead right about the back to basics thing its fun , i also seem to be drawn to the Smart Smoadster they look fun as well
Firstly 5 cars is fine.
The imp will be easy to look after, As far as I know most of the overheating issues can be solved simply, and probably will have by now.
The MX5 is also a very good bit of kit, I would not be without mine. I can accept that people think it is a hairdressers car.
My advice buy both
The imp will be easy to look after, As far as I know most of the overheating issues can be solved simply, and probably will have by now.
The MX5 is also a very good bit of kit, I would not be without mine. I can accept that people think it is a hairdressers car.
My advice buy both
You guys are not helping! 
<checks credit card limit>
Edit: 5 cars not so good when your flat has a garage and space for 1 car - and even then we are frowned upon by our neighbours. Clearly the garage is some sort of storage space! In fact if some people used their garages we could probably keep 5 cars here!
Of course the Stiletto is tax exempt.... Classic insurance less then 200 quid.... do servicing and repairs myself....
>> Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Friday 7th October 15:25
<checks credit card limit>
Edit: 5 cars not so good when your flat has a garage and space for 1 car - and even then we are frowned upon by our neighbours. Clearly the garage is some sort of storage space! In fact if some people used their garages we could probably keep 5 cars here!
Of course the Stiletto is tax exempt.... Classic insurance less then 200 quid.... do servicing and repairs myself....
>> Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Friday 7th October 15:25
72twink said:Didn't they put Wills Rings on the Imp engines??
A high efficiency rad and a decent head gasket should cure all over heating woes.
As an aside, an aquaintance of mine fancied rallying one in Historics and bought a fairly low mileage 'old lady' car. When he rang Peugeot Sport to try to find out what mods were applied to the rally cars he spoke (just days before he retired) to the guy who had been in charge at the time and dicovered that the car he had bought was one of the cars which Rootes claimed had been built to Rally spec for homologation! Although it hadn't, it obviously made his car appear to be an original works built car....
Ferg said:
72twink said:
A high efficiency rad and a decent head gasket should cure all over heating woes.
Didn't they put Wills Rings on the Imp engines??
Yes for a very short time considered running a rally car based on 998cc Wills Ringed Imp with 4 Amal carbs.
When it was running properly, which wasn't often, it went like the bars, but otherwise a PITA. Running it in Historics would be more like running it in Histrionics though.
That Stilletto though..... get it bought!!!!!
I'll not get into a bidding war, Mrs FiF she says NO!
PS Vinyl roof..... rolled?
Are those wheels Minilites or copies?? vv smart even so.
hmmmm checks piggy bank
>> Edited by Flat in Fifth on Tuesday 11th October 11:58
Flat in Fifth said:
Ferg said:
72twink said:
A high efficiency rad and a decent head gasket should cure all over heating woes.
Didn't they put Wills Rings on the Imp engines??
Yes for a very short time considered running a rally car based on 998cc Wills Ringed Imp with 4 Amal carbs.
When it was running properly, which wasn't often, it went like the bars, but otherwise a PITA. Running it in Historics would be more like running it in Histrionics though.
That Stilletto though..... get it bought!!!!!
I'll not get into a bidding war, Mrs FiF she says NO!
PS Vinyl roof..... rolled?
Are those wheels Minilites or copies?? vv smart even so.
hmmmm checks piggy bank
Wills rings are often used on competition Imp engines, but they were never a production fitment.
A good quality standard head gasket is usually fine (you want one by Reinz - a lot of the pattern gasket manufacturers are rubbish), so long as you keep the cooling system in good shape. One potential problem is people running the car without decent antifreeze, though - it results in a sediment of aluminium oxide which clogs up the internal waterways on the block.
Don't overtighten the fan belt, either - it wrecks the bearings in the water pump in no time flat.
Gearboxes can be a wee bit fragile, and you need to keep an eye on the condition of the Rotoflex rubber couplings ('donuts') on the rear driveshaft, but other than that they are pretty reliable and incredibly cheap to run.
If the car hasn't been fitted with them already, get a set of 'Monte Carlo' springs, which are slightly shorter than standard items. Legend has it that the ride height was increased to make the headlamp height comply with US regulations, which really upsets the handling of the swing axle front suspension. A set of Monte Carlos really transforms the handling, for very little cost, by effectively bringing it back to the original design specification.
The vinyl roof is fine - it was standard fitment on the Stiletto only, and it tends to need replacement as part of body/paint works so I wouldn;t be too concerned that it is trying to disguise damage from a rolled car!
>> Edited by Sam_68 on Tuesday 11th October 13:29
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