If the Imp engine is built properly and maintained well, the Imp can be as reliable as any car of its era.
I built my own Imp Sport engine on the cheap about ten years ago and it ran like clockwork (only a bit quicker!
) for 25k miles, no sweat. Even the twin Strombergs were no problem!
Head gasket problems rear their heads if decent anti-freeze is not used, if the car is allowed to overheat for a prolonged period (e.g. if the radiator is not in tip-top condition) or if there are leaks or water pump issues. The Imp engine's light alloy engine castings are prone to warping and then the head gasket inevitably leaks. But I've never had one go on me.
My present car has a self-built 930cc Talbot Sunbeam-based engine with big valves, a works race camshaft (R21), Cosworth tappets, ARP big end bolts and a steel strengthening plate on the bottom end, lightened, balanced... It's already seen 9000rpm and it's only had 1200 miles from brand new, so it is distinctly nippy!
I did have a close ratio transmission but it was secondhand and melted its first motion shaft bearing after 30 miles, so it's back on an old, spare standard transmission, which is not ideal (ratios too wide) but gets me about in the car on high days and holidays.
I have not competed in it yet, although I really want to. In fact, I have never competed in any motor sport (apart from some friendly karting on rare occasions). Sprints and hillclimbs are my favoured types of events because I consider the likelihood of damage that much less if mine is the only car out on track at any given moment! No car-on-car contact. If I bin it, it's my own fault.
But the car is built to compete. It has a full roll cage, disc front brakes, a bias pedal box, lightweight seats, harnesses, stripped shell, a battery kill switch... You name it! I don't have an extinguisher system for it yet but want to fit one.
I am a fairly well-rounded petrolhead, though.
My passion for things automotive stretches to many, many types of car, from Edwardian racers right through to lightweight, specialised hillclimb single seaters... and everything in between! I have a particular penchant for AC Cobras (and replicas) and things like big-engined sports racers, like the Ford GT40 and Lola T70, as well as the old Group C machines.
Hillclimbing and sprinting seems like a very friendly, good-spirited and fun past time, so I shall start there. I might one day try circuit racing but I have the perception that it is very expensive and risky to the car (knocks, etc.). But autosolos also interest me, as well as track days - of course!
That's me!
Paul
