Sunbeam Imp Sport
After the tuning firms like Hartwell's had had a go at the Imp's eager engine
to produce road-going quick Imps, Rootes left it quite late to produce their own
sporting model. It took about two years to develop it, but in October 1966 saw
the birth of both the Singer Chamois Sport
and the Sunbeam Imp Sport.
The block, crank and transmission needed no changes. But the cylinder head was completely new. It had reprofiled ports and water passages, larger inlet valves (1.27 instead of 1.18"), double valve springs, and a high lift camshaft. Not only that, but there was carburation by twin horizontal 1.25" choke Zenith-Stromberg carburettors, a four branch tubular exhaust manifold, and an engine oil cooler mounted behind the engine, close to the rear deck. All these Sports had their engine lids slatted with 'Venetian Blind' to aid oil and water cooling. To deal with the high temperatures, the exhaust valves were made of a very tough alloy: 28/30/4NS The head design was slightly altered to make for better cooling around the valve seats. Carburation was set rich over 4,000 rev. so as not to have a weak mixture at speed -- again to protect the exhaust valves. In October 1968, with the designation of the Mark 2, the trim of the Sunbeam
Imp Sport was downgraded to Super Imp style. Although the instrumentation was
more up to date, the ergonomics of the older car were superior. |
Random Sunbeam Imp Sport Picture |
Click on the Registration number to go to the page for that car.....
1 January 1965
C 31 July 1965 |
FPM 8 C 3rd IMP05 ? |
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1 January 1966
D 31 July 1966 |
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1 January 1967
E 31 July 1967 |
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GFY 492 E 3rd IMP04 Bob Hawes |
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1 August 1967
F 31 July 1968 |
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1 August 1968
G 31 July 1969 |
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NDL 510 G |
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1 August 1969
H 31 July 1970 |
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1 August 1970
J 31 July 1971 |
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FGK 26 J
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1 August 1971
K 31 July 1972
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TSX 186 K Karen Clements |
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1 August 1972
L 31 July 1973 |
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1 August 1973
M 31 July 1974 |
IMP 067
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1 August 1974
N 31 July 1975 |
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1 August 1975
P 31 July 1976 |
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Others |
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IMP 067
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LF 67 58
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