Hillman Imp with Honda Goldwing flat six engine - first drive.

[@chrisparti]

That's brilliant, the Imp is probably lighter than the Goldwing too 😂😂

[@vipertwenty249]

They didn't call them Leadwings for nothing.

[@GreenJeep1998]

I was just thinking the same thing!

[@originalsusser]

I'm sure the Leadwing had something the Hillman had as well.... an ashtray 😂

[@vipertwenty249]

@@originalsusser Hmmm - I do believe you're right.

[@se4g4e]

@@vipertwenty249 "They" are ignorant idiots.

[@danjohnston3422]

"...and that's how my ancient wheezy English car ended up in the lake, four hundred and eight seven yards from the shoreline, Constable. And thanks for the towels." Seriously, mate - nice work, cleanly done. Kudos.

[@zbf5h89ftb]

Scottish actually.

[@chrisweeks6973]

@@zbf5h89ftb Given that this is in New Zealand, it's more likely to be one of the NZ-built cars. Fantastic conversion job, very neat! 👍👍

[@chrismckell5353]

An Imp that sounds like and probably runs like a Porche 911 , neat 👌

[@donbrashsux]

Just more reliable

[@rudiknapen4867]

you mean a Porsche

[@easygoing7011]

Exactly what we old petrolheads need right now. An old little car with a good reliable sweet sounding engine to shame modern hatchbacks. And one that puts a grin on your face from the beginning of the journey to the end even when driving at 20 mph, and then keep on grinning for another hour or so. Well done Sir, and thank you.

[@yoeddynz]

No worries. Pleased to entertain 🙂

[@Lurch-Bot]

Yeah, it is all fun and games until one of the braindead morons that populate the roads these days runs into you with their SUV. Then you get to feel like the waffle in the iron.

[@DavidM2002]

I love it. I owned a 1984 Goldwing GL1200 25 years ago. I have often wondered why these engines, in all of their variants, have not found more homes like this. Brilliant.

[@yoeddynz]

Very strong lightweight compact engines. Ideal and easy to swap in if one is to keep the stock transmission. Of course I had to make lots of work for myself......

[@emmajacobs5575]

They can be a bit bulky to fit in some cars which originally had straight fours; there’s one guy attempting to put one in an MG Midget but he’s had to cut so much out of the front structure that he’s essentially building a whole different car (and not doing a great job, judging by the pics) With the normal Imp engine laid over almost horizontal, the space is much better suited to a flat six

[@malcolmwhite3567]

@@yoeddynz looks like you are in New Zealand mate is that right?

[@subz555]

@@yoeddynzdid you keep your original transmission or use something else?

[@troo_story]

@@malcolmwhite3567well the clue's in the name. 🙄

[@darthvirago]

Great build. I love the uncluttered engine bay.

[@australiantruckspotting8883]

What a beast. And I never thought I would say that about a Hillman Imp.

[@eagleairborne7132]

Powered by Honda.

[@fontana6394]

Finally someone found a good use for a goldwing engine !

[@thisiszaphod]

This is not mechanics. This is ART.

[@idenhlm]

The sound application of physics, art or aptitude.

[@DPG-Guitar]

A Kiwi, can't say I'm surprised. You guys are crazy, in a good way. Nice job, mate. Cheers from across the ditch.

[@neilyoung5116]

That is just about the coolest thing I’ve seen in ages. Lovely sound. I wish I was that smart.

[@2manygunz]

Brilliant. The old Imp engines were awful. Constant overheating and cylinder head gasket problems. What could be better than a flat 6, reliable Honda engine. Really nice to see this great little car given a new lease of life.

[@philiptownsend4026]

Around 50 years ago I had a MK1 Imp. The clutches (three in a year) and the heating system (blocked)were my biggest problems but the engine never missed a beat, even with it's auto choke. I would say it was a better car than the Mini of the time and was much easier to work on.

[@byronmills5952]

There is nothing remotely wrong with the Imp engine itself - they can take a right old thrashing and come back for more. The only reason the head gaskets failed was due to the cars marginal cooling system and failing water pumps - and as a result people would slap on head gaskets without skimming the head or doing any servicing to the cooling system to prevent it happening again.

[@DrPowerElectronics]

Totally agree. I did several head jobs. The only one that failed was after a solid thrash round the M25 at a speed not considered appropriate and it blew as I sat at a red light in Egham! I should have put an electric fan on it.

[@Gough-jf9zf]

What I was told at the time was the imported ones were like many other Brit exports, unsuited to Aussie conditions. Meaning hotter climate. Early Cortinas overheated, so did Capris, Vanguards and Triumphs. Often simply a case of too small a radiator. But because they were so slow, I hated being stuck behind an Imp, acceleration was appalling, and along with the Morris 1100, seemed to be _the_ car most determined to build up along stream of frustrated drivers behind. Perhaps there was truth to the urban myth, that both models attracted little old ladies as owners.

[@thatcheapguy525]

my first car was a HImp at age 17. the engines were excellent IF you did a few simple things: keep a good tight fanbelt, used antifreeze at the right concentration and like Minis & 1100s jet wash the radiator from time to time because they filled up with dirt. unlike those A-series engines the little all alloy Imp Coventry Climax wouldn't keep forgiving you for no maintenance. de-cambered the front end on mine, put the widest proper radials on its standard rims, took a 930cc block from a Chrysler Alpine and combined it with the better Stilletto head, 28/36 Weber carb on manifold and Janspeed exhaust system, Stiletto interior transplant. but that was 40+ years ago...

[@marktibbetts3799]

The perfect engine for that Hillman

[@MoultrieGeek]

The amount of engineering that went into this banger floors me. You sir are either a certified genius or a madman.

[@glynnwright1699]

Definitely mad, did you note the demonic grin at the beginning! Seriously though, a very well executed project.

[@Azureecosse]

I would say genius not mad

[@roberthayter157]

Totally agree. A work of art.

[@olspanner]

Wow, from an Imp to a Impala!

[@PlattLaneEnd]

Brilliant, just brilliant. Great choice of engine. Subscribed! Best wishes from Manchester, England...

[@tommitchell8425]

Wow- smooth as silk- Sir-if you yourself did the engineering on this rig you should be super proud. I consider myself a gearhead-there is no way I could build that-BRAVO TO YOU SIR😊

[@yoeddynz]

Thanks man. Yep - all done by me with help from my wife and not to forget the workshop cat.

[@garylecarpentier9640]

Looks like that lump belongs there, nice conversion 👍😎👍

[@notme4921]

I like people with IMAGINATION ! Did something similar 15 years back in my Garage - Business when i got Bored ,had a Suzuki hatch given to me & when the engine died i could not give it away , so i bought a Honda CBR1000 from wreckers & spent next 6 months creating something unique ,mostly parts of bike & what i had on my shelves ,bit of custom work ,it actually worked ! 6 reverse gears amazed a few people .Your IMP- HONDA is a much better finished product ,congratulations fellow car nut .

[@yoeddynz]

Cheers.

[@SuperMickey57]

Perfect engine for that swap! Compact 6 banger, relatively quiet, plenty of torque, and shaft drive. Well done!

[@paulrollinson1305]

Plenty of torque for a bike, not so much for a car. Performance will be about the same as a Yaris, maybe a little better because of the light weight.

[@mazyata9958]

Sweet! Not just the swap but sits nice and clean. Other people have the skills but zero skills in making it look nice.

[@louisbabycos106]

100 percent spot on . Too many project car look way off . I like a good basic ,clean yet freshened up look and this car nails it .

[@yoeddynz]

Thanks fellas. It was my main goal to keep it looking neat . There's still more tidying to do as well.

[@charlesphillips8635]

It’ll be more reliable than the original lump!

[@davidmatthews3093]

The Imp engine was no lump, it was a great little engine.

[@johnmyers7054]

Coventry Climax Pump motor

[@davecooper3238]

⁠@@johnmyers7054Same design but built to a budget.

[@davecooper3238]

⁠​⁠@@davidmatthews3093Until the head had to come off when the head bolts would often break off in the block.

[@yoeddynz]

Yeah hannahs first classic was an imp and when it's head gasket started to leak we discovered the head bolts had been replaced by long bolts with nuts at the bottom and lots of sealant applied... Everywhere!

[@CensorshipGenesis]

As a lifetime fan of the Gold Wing in almost all it's forms, shapes and ages! I do love the sound and perceived smoothness of that application. BEAUTIFUL! 🙂

[@philgray1023]

I was taken for a spin in an Imp with a worked Lotus Europa engine. It turned out over 200hp. It was basically horrifying. No seat headrests and acceleration that pinned you to the seat. Yet it looked like something your grandmother would drive. Hopefully Gordon who did it will read this comment and add to it. The Goldwing engine would be sedate in comparison.

[@yoeddynz]

I'm more than happy with the turn of speed this has. I built it more for the sounds, looks and the fun of the challenge.

[@jacquespoirier9071]

a very intelligent swap to give a new life to an old car. congratulations.

[@pugmanick]

brilliant! just brilliant

[@jtjt210]

Very impressive. What a nice piece of work!

[@Ian_James_Storer]

Such a cool build. Great milestone. Well done that man

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

Absolutely brilliant job, it also looks and sounds great. The Imp engine itself was excellent when enlarged to 998cc and beyond getting up @ 100 bhp for the road. In the UK there were several specialist manufactures like Ginetta, and Clan that produced small sports cars using Imp mechanicals. I have seen a Clan with a BMW bike engine.

[@zounds13]

Around 1970 a guy named Fred Puhn made a tiny and very successful sports racer called the Quasar. He used an Imp engine, destroked to 850cc, because it was all aluminum and canted over to 45°. It used a Hewland gearbox, which was basically an upside-down VW transaxle.

[@roodick85]

I'm so glad more ppl are doing motorcycle engine swaps now 🙌🏿

[@stuw5910]

I had forgotten just how small the imp was. Four of us pushed one for more than a mile trying to bump start it without success. Oh those were the days!

[@markleeming1786]

Four of ya, I think three of ya must have been taking the micky outa of one of ya..

[@elhoward7440]

My Honda Civic had a 1000cc four cylinder engine. My Honda motorcycle had a 1800cc six cylinder engine. Yes, the Goldwing engine is bigger than the stock engine in many small cars.

[@levelcrossing150]

I passed my test in a 1964 Imp 53 years ago, and miss it lots. What a lovely powerful and smooth running conversion this is.

[@rogerwilson6367]

The same.

[@georgejacob3162]

Frank Spencer learned to drive in a Hillman Imp. Until he parked it in a lake!

[@breakawaymotorsports]

Wow. Cood car. Love the intake. We (the family) brought home a 1967 Hillman Husky to the states in 1968 before Dad shipped off the Vietnam. First car I got to drive at 11 years old. Not much pep but a nice car! Thanks Dad..and Hillman. No matter how many times I watch a UK video it still spooks me to see another car coming at me on the wrong side of the road! :)

[@yoeddynz]

Hillman husky would be a rare thing in the states!!!

[@r1273m]

@@yoeddynz Hillman Husky (or the Commer Cob van variant) are a rare thing here in the UK these days. Many years since I saw one.

[@doglover31418]

They're driving on the left but it's not the UK. The speed limit signs are in km/hr. Must be somewhere like Ireland or NZ.

[@subz555]

@@doglover31418 NZ

[@michaelhalsall5684]

Filmed in New Zealand. NZ, Australia like the British Isles drive to the Left.

[@olio_benzina]

Brilliant choice of engine. What a transformation that must be. Plenty of smooth power but not over the top. Well done!

[@markjarvis2894]

Haven't seen you and your blue Imp in town or around for quite a while. I guess that's because you have been busy!! Engine looks magnificent under the lid at the back. Motueka Saab guy.

[@yoeddynz]

Thanks mark. You'll see it back on the road now 😁

[@junebrooks665]

bloody hell those imps were bad enough driving along on their own power let alone with a super bike engine rammed in it there, you also used to have at least 2 or more bags of cement in the front just to keep it down , respect fella, brave man

[@JamesAllmond]

that shold move it down the road nicely....geez....I hope my old Gold Wings engine found a similar fate and not just rotting in the last owners garage....

[@harveysmith100]

Even the man's home made tool cart is a thing of beauty

[@yoeddynz]

The 'wheely box 2000'..... 😆

[@grahamstubbs4962]

How did you get that in there? Secondly, how did you remove that from my motorcycle? Thirdly, what happened to the flat bloke in overalls at 0:02 ?

[@rose-ey6ct]

49 years ago I put a Honda S800 engine in an imp which was the same colour as this one.

[@philiptownsend4026]

Everybody moaning about the Coventry Climax detuned race engine in the Imp. It was a super little engine, far superior in every way to the Mini A series engine.

[@chriswilliams5498]

Hi Mate. Now what everyone out there needs to know is this is an incredibly talented chap and his lovely wife whom im very fortunate to know. They Live in the best place in the world. Can do miracles with anything.

[@kiwi_comanche]

New Zealand??

[@yoeddynz]

Cheers Chris. Now I'm really blushing 🤭

[@yoeddynz]

@@kiwi_comanche Yep - Tasman.

[@kiwi_comanche]

@yoeddynz 🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿

[@PeterPanoramics]

AN Imp was my first car , had the heads skimmed 3 times before i finally got rid of it, nows the time to relive ownership without the skimming

[@Zippytie]

Brilliant engineering, perfect individual car ,

[@johndumarney1630]

Imp's are cool, but like old beetles you need 2x 25kg of sand/ballast just to make the front brakes work.

[@yoeddynz]

Same with those terrible 911s! What were they thinking. They'll never be a success....

[@farhorizons3901]

First drive on a wet road in a rear engine car... Impressed how smooth it sounds!

[@ImpManiac]

Stunning, mate! 🎉 That looks and sounds superb! 👍 Paul 😎

[@binky1612]

I dearly miss the Imp range. Great job!

[@SmallBikeStuff]

Man that sounds AMAZING!

[@yoeddynz]

You'll just have to get your arse down here and see it in person..

[@SmallBikeStuff]

@@yoeddynz Only if I can sniff the tail pipes.

[@karencarroll1324]

Was that car built for that engine,or was that engine built for that car?😊

[@notrut]

Check the Flux Capacitor Marty...

[@oliveranderson6426]

Recently read the full build thread for this. Truly incredible tinkering! Really lovely work and such a unique machine.

[@yoeddynz]

That's a long read and lots of cups of tea!!!

[@sidewayssam]

I have just read through the build thread on a 911 forum on this. I don my cap, masterful engineering,wonderful read, and by god are you patient, looks fantastic and sounds wonderful

[@yoeddynz]

Thanks so much for the comments. Glad you've enjoyed the read 😊 hopefully there will be more to come

[@oi32df]

Poor man's Porsche ? Certainly not in terms of the amount of work put into it.

[@WarrenArmstrong69]

Congratulations, I have been looking forward to seeing this video. Great work Alex and Hannah!

[@yoeddynz]

Cheers for that. Pleased to entertain :)

[@malcpaul996]

Has to be better than the Coventry Climax fire pump engine!

[@iandonkin6762]

How awesome does that sound! I’m just finishing up reading your fabulous build thread on DDK and the engineering skills that you have displayed on this are amazing. It’s mega!

[@yoeddynz]

Hey Ian - thanks so much. I'm glad you've enjoyed the build thread. I'm hoping to do an update on it soon as I've been chipping away at improvements/asthetics.

[@gordonmculloch4904]

Great wee car. With this setup, you need some weight up front as the steering with the bigger engine can be too light. 👍

[@knackeredrovers]

Absolutely fantastic. 👍😃 I have been following your progress with this project on RetroRides and it’s awesome to see and hear it running and driving. 👍👍👍

[@yoeddynz]

Thanks mr knackered rovers :)

[@knackeredrovers]

No problem. I’m GlenAnderson on there. 👍👍

[@p.istaker8862]

Bloody Hill-man !

[@rickd8765]

Lovely build and cool concept of using a goldwing engine in a IMP of all cars. Love it.

[@anonymuswere]

beautiful resto and a brainy engine swap idea (finally, someone that didn't use a Hayabusa). appropriate, too, as I think those "cruiser bike" engines are more apt for the idea. and i could tell it was new zeland right off; if it's a british car driving through what looks like the tropics, it's kiwi time.

[@yoeddynz]

It's a very torquey engine so well suited and quite punchy 😁

[@johnbrown4568]

Hot Rodders are genius mechanics 🧰 🧐👍

[@franzkoviakalak6981]

Inspirational! Outstanding.

[@adrianwheatley]

That engine runs like a swiss watch. My old neighbour used to use a Hillmam Imp for grass track racing. That had a V6 3.0 Ford engine. It served him well.

[@buzzshytyear3358]

That's awesome! Sounds just like a porsche too! My first car was a sunbeam stiletto. I've always loved these cars and variants! Great insight for fitting this engine! 👏

[@cpear760]

That intake reminds of 'The Wraith' engine scene.

[@aaronbrandes7456]

You created something amazing!

[@Workerbee-zy5nx]

Thats fun, great job. 🎉

[@randolfo1265]

People think Americans build the best hot rods. They're good when "there's no substitute for cubic inches" and when "only an LS swap will do". But this kind of ingenuity is always found elsewhere. This is The Way!

[@antonyiodice5351]

Im glad I found this video, i have been tinkering with the idea of transplanting a golfwing flatsix into something light and nimble. Truly awesome build

[@yoeddynz]

Cheers. Go for it!!! Great little engines.

[@lindapullan6937]

My first car back in 1973 was a Hillman Husky which is a Hillman Imp estate. Great little car.

[@yoeddynz]

Husky imps are quite a rare thing these days. Such neat little estates!

[@MrBillgiles]

What a brilliant idea. I always admired the Imps.

[@FlyingScud]

Perfect! I had two back in the day. Do mushrooms grow under the rubber mat in the back too?

[@yoeddynz]

Haha- I know what you mean. This shell had a very rusty parcel shelf when I bought it (for $50). All new steel now.

[@martinjohnson9316]

Fantastic effort! ....congratulations.

[@meltonin8837]

I LOVE this. Well done!

[@4saken404]

I'll bet that gets a lot of smiles per gallon. 😀

[@lucybrown-nd1cf]

This is the sort of back street inventiveness I love, nice one.

[@bo-dine7971]

Coolest Plenum of all time!!!

[@M1K3R0LPH]

The car looks and sounds fantastic, have been following progress the last few months. Is there a specific version of the Goldwing engine you'd recommend for somebody wanting to do the same conversion? Congrats, you must be so pleased.

[@yoeddynz]

These GL1500 engines seem to be cheaply available overseas (not so much here in NZ... I had to wait a while before one popped up) however the gl1800 engine is apparently a bit lighter and already has fuel injection.

[@M1K3R0LPH]

@@yoeddynz Thanks very much for the helpful reply.

[@paulaspinall919]

What a beautiful Imp. The engine is ‘lost’! Super smooth. Thank you.

[@dietznutz1]

Amazing, always wondered why people didnt use these glorious engines more

[@adamweston4152]

What an amazing conversion! It would benefit from a sportier exhaust note,a nice raspy sound would be the icing on the cake.

[@robertstenton6763]

So Bloody Cool ...

[@phil955i]

My first car at the age of 17 here in the UK in 1985 was one of those in the exact same colour. Albeit with the 37 bhp 875cc original engine lol. I love what you've done there 👍

[@yoeddynz]

Imps certainly have to be loud, bright colours on the road these days with the size of all the other traffic :) Cheers.

[@gerekappo]

LEGEND brother, LEGEND! What a great idea.

[@wdixon27]

that looks like all of the fun, even sounds good, just the kinda hotrod i love

[@chrisbarnes2823]

Hope you put some ballast up front?

[@rambler1964]

Sounds brilliant!

[@richardt.4224]

I like watch youtube videos and I found an Hillman Imp BMW conversion video which started me off. Back in the UK in the 70's I had a thing for the Hillman Imp Chamois, so I started watching more videos and found this one and within seconds I thought, this looks like NZ then saw your handle! What part of NZ are you in? My first thought was Sth Is West coast, but it could ne Nth, so which? I think the Goldwing engine looks and sounds better than the BMW K engine. If I was younger and still earning stupid money, I'd love to build something similar, GREAT JOB. Thanks for sharing.

[@keithpearson7539]

Always loved the "Dimp" even though it allegedly had a few issues ranging from skittish front end to lighting components that, as manufactured, didn't comply with UK positioning regulations.Concrete blocks in the front was a seemingly stsndard modification as I remember as well. Love this conversion.

[@dennissmelly9599]

Remember to put a big sack of cement under the bonnet to hold the front down when cornering. You don't want to wreck such a fantastic project.

[@roberthuntley1090]

Just out of interest, what does insurance for a Frankenstein car like that cost?

[@yoeddynz]

When insured with the datsun engine fitted it was something like 300 or 400 dollars, fully comp, agreed value. Probably won't go up much.

[@eoinmurphy210]

handling should be interesting,given back in the day when I drove these they would lift a front wheel with little incouragment,should be fun though.Enjoy,looks great.

[@nonyanks2510]

First Rate!

[@MelodyMan69]

I love both the Goldwing and the Hillman Imp. What a great idea. 👀 🏁 🇦🇺 Might need Bigger Brakes. ??

[@yoeddynz]

Yep it's brakes are already upgraded 👍

[@MelodyMan69]

@@yoeddynz Man. So cool. I have a Merc C350 and Holden Commodore but now feel deprived.

[@coleorum]

I loved my "Imps". I had two of them (though one was the posher "Singer Chamois"!)..Great conversion. Looks very neat.

[@philco7044]

I had a Sunbeam Imp Sport and a Sunbeam Stiletto 😊 great fun 👍

[@winc06]

Wonderful.

[@renefridge]

Awesome job Alex, must come and visit next time I'm in the neighbourhood 👍

[@yoeddynz]

Hey Ren- yeah definitely drop in man!! Coffee and cake and talk shit about cars and bikes :)