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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.
The name Sunbeam Imp Sport was replaced in April 1970 by Sunbeam Sport. It would gain the same front styling and trim as the Stiletto in September 1970.
Its production would continue until the end of the Imp-era: March 1976. From October 1966 until March 1976 some 10.336 Sports were produced.

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 ?

         
1 January 1966

D

31  July 1966

 HBU 15 D

 

 TRX 73 D

 

       
1 January 1967

E

31  July 1967

 GER 398 E

 

 HHO 699 E

 

 MMO 963 E

 

     

 NAE 195 E

 GFY 492 E

3rd IMP04

Bob Hawes 

 PLN 59 E

 

 

   
1 August 1967

F

31  July 1968

 ABH 675 F

 

 JXJ 157 F

 

 MVN 524 F

 

 NPN 712 F

 

 OFN 140 F

 UPA 512 F

1 August 1968

G

31  July 1969

 DSU 353 G

 

 MVR 797 G

 

 NDL 510 G

 
     
1 August 1969

H

31  July 1970

 HHK 748 H

 

 MER 855 H

 

 TUJ 622 H

 

     
1 August 1970

J

31  July 1971

 EYU 897 J

 

 FGK 26 J

 

 GUY 306 J

 

 JCN 742 J

 

 NPR 270 J

 

 PNE 773 J

 

1 August 1971

K

31  July 1972

 

 AKP 781 K

 TSX 186 K

Karen Clements

 ALJ 117 k

 BOU 252 K

 TSX 186 K

 
1 August 1972

L

31  July 1973

 FRB 52 L

 

 JUE 463 L

 

  JUM 628 L

 

 LNK 635 L

 

 MPD 743 L

 

 TTK 649 L

 

1 August 1973

M

31  July 1974

 IMP 067

 

 NJK 999 M

 

 

 OTT 916 M

 

 UYD 580 M

 

 
1 August 1974

N

31  July 1975

 HAF 699 N

 JAC 366 N

 KBC 88 N

 TFD 46 N

 USY 134 N 

 
1 August 1975

P

31  July 1976

 OGP 933 P

 

         
Others

 40 YB 94

 

 600 EYG

 

 85 01 DE

 

 253 ELC 91

 

 7938 XT 71

 

DG 6688

 

 IMP 067

 

 LF 67 58

 

DM 1688

 

RAI 997

 

ZV 88421

 

No 106

 

(c) Andy Smith 2022