Hillman Imp collector on the time he bought classic car for a pack of 20 Marlboro
If ever proof was required of Linwood’s legacy being alive and well, car collector David Lane is the man to contact.
A long time admirer of the Hillman Imp, David has owned 40 of the cars at one time or another – matching the number of years that have now passed since the closure of the plant.
But, unusually for a platinum tier supporter of Scotland’s most successful commercial vehicle, David Lane hails from Yeovil, a town situated at least two tanks of petrol away from the birthplace of his all-time favourite motorcar.
His love affair with the Imp began, coincidentally, in 1981, the year the plant ceased operation. However, David admits he was completely unaware of Linwood at that time.
“I acquired a Sunbeam Stiletto aged 17, the year Linwood shut,” says David, 56.
"But at the time I wouldn’t have known anything about that. I didn’t even know there was an Imp owners’ club until the late ‘80s.
"I didn’t even know where it was built, I just liked the car.
"I liked it because it was different. Most of my friends had Escorts, Cortinas, and Minis, but I basically just fell in love with the Stiletto.
“It was unreliable and horrible and I loved it. Every time I went out in it, it brought a smile on my face, and also a lot of tears when it conked out.”
Linwood’s cars were notorious for breaking down. One running joke from the 1970s claimed that if you filled a Hillman Imp with petrol, you doubled its value.
However, for David, the questionable build quality of the Imp brought out the mechanic in him. He has been tinkering with the models ever since, cannibalising parts from wrecked models destined for the crusher.
