Rally Imp... have I lost my mind or..?

I've had to come to terms with my current situation. Mainly when it comes to cars, I have to realize that I'm going to live where I am for quite sometime.. and the garage is tiny.

So how about a smaller car.. like an Imp?

They can be made to go:

http://www.heartracing.fi/uutiset/?page_id=28





Any thoughts?

I should mention that body parts seem plentiful/cheap considering.. not sure what to do about an engine (lots of choices).. but I need to find a car first and get a cage in it before I get too worried about that (as long as there are realistic options).

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2008 05:30PM by hudson.

I think you should do a PV544...

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Self-righteous douche canoe

>Rally Imp... have I lost my mind or..?


Well, yeah, you've lost it. But haven't we all?

Wheelbase may be the biggest problem. Wikipedia says the Hillman Imp is only 82". Probably way too short to be competitive in North America where 100" is considered optimum for handling and higher speed STABILITY.

There was a Rally-Lite regional class in the Northwest for under 1500cc. But it died for lack of participation. And there were other less successful attempts to get a small car class off the ground with Justy's and then Metro/Swifts. Not much interest there either. Even the Historic Class (My favorite) doesn't get much participation.

But do it if you want too. You may not be competive with bigger/newer cars, but sure would be a lot of fun. And the crouds would love it.

Rich Smith

A rally-prepped Hillman Imp Californian or Sunbeam Stiletto is still my dream rally car. It wouldn't be competitive, but boy would it be fun.

---

Christian Edstrom
New York, NY
Age: 30

Rich Smith Wrote:
> Wheelbase may be the biggest problem. Wikipedia
> says the Hillman Imp is only 82". Probably way too
> short to be competitive in North America where
> 100" is considered optimum for handling and higher
> speed STABILITY.

Them are fighting words!

I have been thinking about getting canning my latest attempt at a TR7 rally car (after one rusted fastener too many), but this kind of "you have to do it this way" talk winds me up enough to keep it going.

John Buffum won three SCCA championships in a 85" wheelbase TR7/8. Short wheelbase is not a problem; you just need to have some extra ability at car control.

alan

Or maybe...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110270592761

---

Self-righteous douche canoe

tipo158 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Them are fighting words!


Alan,

Ha! Yeah, I mostly agree with you. But far be it from me to eschew conventional wisdom (grin).

I particularly enjoy pointing out that the beloved 2wd Ford Escorts only had 94.5"(2400 mm). And I find it curious that nobody ever complains much about cars with wheelbase OVER the fabled 100". On the other hand I wouldn't drive my old 93.5" Colt on the fast roads of Pomeroy. That would just be asking for it.

In the final analysis I give thumbs-up to 100" for competitiveness; and thumbs-up to anything for fun factor!

Rich Smith

hoche Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Or maybe...
>
>

that begs for this:

---

Andrew Steere
Lyndeborough, NH
KB1PJY

Well Andrew, I just happen to be supplying some critical parts to the PNWs premier Imp-perv.
He was hired by one of his Imp-customers to build a Amazon for some of those loonie open road flat out Mexican events so he comes to me for some of my truly Sooooper Bitchinâ„¢ 160mm c-c Volvo rods and light CP Pistons, and when he gets the parts he says "Man I wish I could get some like this for these Imp motors I'm building for guys for roadrace."
I says "52 minimum", and 2 days later he says lets do it.

So looks like we'll be doing little 105mm c-c little buggers and setting them up to use the commonly available BMC A series rod bearing and may even do some stroker cranks.

Can you say "10,500 rpm"?

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

bjorn240 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A rally-prepped Hillman Imp Californian or Sunbeam
> Stiletto is still my dream rally car. It wouldn't
> be competitive, but boy would it be fun.

Christian.. yes anything close to stock wouldn't be competitive for sure..

But you can put all kinds of motors in there.

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

john vanlandingham Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well Andrew, I just happen to be supplying some
> critical parts to the PNWs premier Imp-perv.
> He was hired by one of his Imp-customers to build
> a Amazon for some of those loonie open road flat
> out Mexican events so he comes to me for some of
> my truly Sooooper Bitchinâ„¢ 160mm c-c Volvo rods
> and light CP Pistons, and when he gets the parts
> he says "Man I wish I could get some like this for
> these Imp motors I'm building for guys for
> roadrace."
> I says "52 minimum", and 2 days later he says lets
> do it.
>
> So looks like we'll be doing little 105mm c-c
> little buggers and setting them up to use the
> commonly available BMC A series rod bearing and
> may even do some stroker cranks.
>
> Can you say "10,500 rpm"?
>
> John Vanlandingham
> Sleezattle, WA, USA
>
> Vive le Prole-le-ralliat
>
> www.jvab.f4.ca

That wouldn't be a mister Petersen would it?

If one stuck with the mill that came with the car.. you would need either crazy RPM or forced induction..

I'm fairly stoked about the idea in general.. just the thought of having a car that fits in my garage so that I can comfortably walk around it AND work on it, is a massive plus!

The whole half decent suspension and rear engine are pluses

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

tipo158 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Rich Smith Wrote:
> > Wheelbase may be the biggest problem.
> Wikipedia
> > says the Hillman Imp is only 82". Probably
> way too
> > short to be competitive in North America
> where
> > 100" is considered optimum for handling and
> higher
> > speed STABILITY.
>
> Them are fighting words!
>
> I have been thinking about getting canning my
> latest attempt at a TR7 rally car (after one
> rusted fastener too many), but this kind of "you
> have to do it this way" talk winds me up enough to
> keep it going.
>
> John Buffum won three SCCA championships in a 85"
> wheelbase TR7/8. Short wheelbase is not a
> problem; you just need to have some extra ability
> at car control.
>
> alan

It would definitely want to be twitchy at speed.. how twitchy though?

How much could be helped by good setup and not being a spaz with the wheel?

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

hoche Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think you should do a PV544...


That's what I have in my garage.. not sure if you knew that.. it's just a bit too big for my garage. Most of my spare time happens in the winter.. so the door has to be closed yadda yadda.. I'm a big whiner..

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

hudson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> john vanlandingham Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Well Andrew, I just happen to be supplying
> some
> > critical parts to the PNWs premier Imp-perv.
> > He was hired by one of his Imp-customers to
> build
> > a Amazon for some of those loonie open road
> flat
> > out Mexican events so he comes to me for some
> of
> > my truly Sooooper Bitchinâ„¢ 160mm c-c Volvo
> rods
> > and light CP Pistons, and when he gets the
> parts
> > he says "Man I wish I could get some like
> this for
> > these Imp motors I'm building for guys for
> > roadrace."
> > I says "52 minimum", and 2 days later he says
> lets
> > do it.
> >
> > So looks like we'll be doing little 105mm
> c-c
> > little buggers and setting them up to use
> the
> > commonly available BMC A series rod bearing
> and
> > may even do some stroker cranks.
> >
> > Can you say "10,500 rpm"?
> >
> > John Vanlandingham
> > Sleezattle, WA, USA
> >
> > Vive le Prole-le-ralliat
> >
> > www.jvab.f4.ca
>
> That wouldn't be a mister Petersen would it?

Why of course. He's young but he's sharp and he listens.
He's been hired by his customer to run what was Seattle's oldest independant Volvo place "Oddvar's", (a cantanerous grouchy old Norwegian guy who was an alleged superman" and we've been talking about what sort of exciting things we could do in cooperation.
And of the idea of having a part of the business as "the Orphanage" cause old cars are needing lots of love, and oddly enough, some of us know old performance cars.
>
> If one stuck with the mill that came with the
> car.. you would need either crazy RPM or forced
> induction..
>
> I'm fairly stoked about the idea in general.. just
> the thought of having a car that fits in my garage
> so that I can comfortably walk around it AND work
> on it, is a massive plus!
>
> The whole half decent suspension and rear engine
> are pluses

Still seems like a project only good for pure giggles and no competitiveness really. Have a hard time with building something with no chance of decent results, nort when entries cost what they do now.
>
>
>
> Andrew McNally
> Hamilton ON
> 28

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

john vanlandingham Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why of course. He's young but he's sharp and he
> listens.
> He's been hired by his customer to run what was
> Seattle's oldest independant Volvo place
> "Oddvar's", (a cantanerous grouchy old Norwegian
> guy who was an alleged superman" and we've been
> talking about what sort of exciting things we
> could do in cooperation.
> And of the idea of having a part of the business
> as "the Orphanage" cause old cars are needing
> lots of love, and oddly enough, some of us know
> old performance cars.

He seems like a good guy. I'd love to have an orphanage well I've got 3 old cars.. but need a farm with a barn damnit!

> Still seems like a project only good for pure
> giggles and no competitiveness really. Have a hard
> time with building something with no chance of
> decent results, nort when entries cost what they
> do now.

For what reasons are you writing it off? The wheelbase, the mill or both?

Would it still be loony if you could get some torque and hp to the wheels?.. what about a mid mounted engine?

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish