Sometime around the mid-’90s, I owned a Ford Cortina Mk2. A fellow work colleague asked me if I had heard of a Hillman Imp GT - I had not. I knew of the Hillman Imp but not of the GT version so I started my research.
Growing up with parents from Germany, my family owned a variety of VW Beetles. My parent's friends, both British, owned a Hillman Imp. This was when we resided in Darwin in the tropical north of Australia and it was certainly an unlikely place to find such a classic car.
I recall their conversations about the Imp and how it was off the road in repair more than it was being driven. This was concerning given the car was relatively new. I was curious to learn more about this situation.
During this time, I would use the Trading Post Magazine from the local store to try and find a bargain. Listed in the post was a Hillman Imp GT located in Dalby. Right away I called the owner and purchased the car. I had not seen it but I knew it was made for me! The car was delivered to my home and my obsession with the Imp began. I wanted to learn more about the Rootes Group vehicles.
Initially, I was advised against buying an Imp. The Australian Classic Cars Magazine wrote a feature article on the car and stated that the parts were unobtainable and the cars themselves were rare, not the case.
In the years that passed, I have owned more than one hundred of these cars and bought a variety of versions. I have also learned a lot! For this reason, I wish to put together my stories of the cars I have owned, restored and sold and share them with my readers here on this blog.
I look forward to telling you more about these amazing cars and sharing the knowledge with other Rootes Group Cars enthusiasts from around the world.
Frank - Rootes Automotive Parts
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