Quote from: McColm on June 10, 2023, 10:47:09 PMAs London England is becoming an EV /hybrid zone why not bring back the Hillman Imp. A range-extended version or even the Bubble Cars of the 1950s-1960s even the Bond Bug.

Not quite sure where you'd put the batteries in an Imp without reducing its luggage carrying capacity to zero.

And I write as someone who's built a whole Imp from scratch, well, from parts purchased from various 'factories' anyway. 

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 11, 2023, 05:04:28 AMNot quite sure where you'd put the batteries in an Imp without reducing its luggage carrying capacity to zero.

And I write as someone who's built a whole Imp from scratch, well, from parts purchased from various 'factories' anyway. 

Well, you won't need a engine, transmission, prop shaft, or gas tank.  Sandwich the LiON or Lithium Iron Phosphate battery pack underneath the floorboard.

The Messerschmitt KR200

Quote from: scooter on June 11, 2023, 05:12:19 AMWell, you won't need a engine, transmission, prop shaft, or gas tank.  Sandwich the LiON or Lithium Iron Phosphate battery pack underneath the floorboard.

You'd need some sort of transmission to get the drive from the motor to the twin axles. And putting ANYTHING under the floor of an Imp would run the risk of it hitting the ground, they're very low!

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 11, 2023, 09:35:23 AM

Quote from: scooter on June 11, 2023, 05:12:19 AMWell, you won't need a engine, transmission, prop shaft, or gas tank.  Sandwich the LiON or Lithium Iron Phosphate battery pack underneath the floorboard.

You'd need some sort of transmission to get the drive from the motor to the twin axles. And putting ANYTHING under the floor of an Imp would run the risk of it hitting the ground, they're very low!

Something to ponder...but, during my googling, found this:

>>LINK<<

Yeah, I remember that 'see-thru' Imp. 

The body shell  was made in the PDU (Plastics Development Unit) right next door to the R&D Structures Lab where I worked. After every Show they used it for it had to come back to be repaired as some part of the plastic ALWAYS cracked and needed fixing!

Now I'm no fan of small English cars..fact I don't like small cars in general but   
On our neighbors farm their son had a Hillman Imp and we used to fang the hell out of it ..powersliding the thing all over the place which was a real skill cause man short cars don't like to slide ..they like to donut .
That car was pure fun 😄
And yes..the floor did have a couple of water exit holes in it..well after going thru a couple of places to fast it did 
As Kit said...their quite low 

I have a vague memory of having a ride in an Imp during my time at primary school , we they used to send us on field trips to Perivale Woods. I managed to catch a ride in one.  Someone has the remains of a rusty Imp in their front garden,  I pass it on the 486 bus to Bexley Shopping Centre when I go to the food bank in Welling Kent.

I've had 4-5 Imps of various sorts, one of which I did build myself while at Pressed Steel. New ones cost £650 or so at that time and mine cost me maybe £200, through buying an about to be scrapped prototype body, and all the rest of it from Rootes Competitions in Coventry. All of them we 'tried and tested' bits from their rally team cars, so were in good shape, just too tired for them to use. Result for me!

The others came over a few years, one of which was my drag race car, and the last was a Husky estate. I REALLY liked that, and I'd have another one now if I could a) find one and b) afford one!

Bloke across the road has/had about 4 Zephyrs in his back yard & garage but I think he was using 2 or 3 to scavenge for parts for the 1 or 2 he was doing up.

Haven't seen them recently but none of the family cars are in their garage.

One car I'd love to see brought back to life is the 1969 Opel GT .........but...
This time around made wider and longer ..id keep the pro- file but stretch out to make it sleaker.
Also the benefits of extra length means ppl over 6ft would fit inside the bloody thing.
Making it wider just has benefits everywhere...room..performance and most importantly pure looks.
I'd even keep the flip over head lights.

What engine would you have in it?

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 13, 2023, 10:01:49 AMWhat engine would you have in it?

GM 3.8L V6?

Quote from: scooter on June 13, 2023, 10:43:25 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 13, 2023, 10:01:49 AMWhat engine would you have in it?

GM 3.8L V6?

YEAH! That's a bigger version of the V6 I have in my Signum.

No 3.8 ltr bullocks there laddies..5.0ltr Opel V8 ..detuned from a  DTM  race engine .