Nigel's Car History

Our route to MX-5’s

By Nigel Williams

I have always been into cars since I first passed my driving test and worked part time on Saturdays at a Car showroom in South East London cleaning and polishing cars allowed me to get my first car, courtesy of a loan from my Dad. A pale grey and blue 1964 Hillman Imp,

This turned out to be a somewhat unreliable car and the engine failed through overheating, having no money I decided to rebuild it myself. It failed again when the Crankshaft seized.

Not to be deterred I stripped it down again and made sure every component was totally clean and rebuilt it again - Success this time.

Little did I know this was the start of a long term relationship with the Rootes marque - as it was known then.

Several cars later including a Fiat 124 that rusted away before your eyes, the search began for another Imp (you would have thought I had learned from the first time). However this was no ordinary Imp it was actually one of the few ‘Rootes Rallye’ versions fitted with a 998cc engine with twin carburettors, Recaro bucket seats and special dashboard and knobbly winter tyres on wide wheels.

With my new (to me) car I joined the Sevenoaks and District Motor Club to participate in a bit of Motor Sport. (Rallying and Hill Climbs). It soon became obvious the car needed more work to prepare it for such events and over the months it morphed into a proper competition car. Suspension was changed to adjustable shock absorbers and lowered, Disc brakes fitted to the front, a roll cage fitted, front radiator fitted to keep it cool. Twin 40 Weber carbs etc.etc.

One stroke of luck happened when I found out a chap called George Bevan ( he who built Race Imps and won the British Saloon Car Championship 3 times during the 70’s) lived just round the corner from us. Obviously a font of all knowledge and an expert in building and preparing race cars.

As it happened, I was working shifts and was able to spend time with him, doing the odd job for him in his workshop - my reward he built my engine for me. So my car went from about 60 bhp to nearer 95+hp During the period we owned many Imps as well as the rally one.

So what is the relevance of all this - my life long interest in cars.

Many cars have passed through my hands since those days including an Original Avenger Tiger in Bright Yellow and an Original Mk1 Lotus Cortina

(hindsight is a wonderful thing as these are now reputed to be worth about £60,000).

Eventually I decided I wanted to build a kit car, a convertible sports car.

First to arrive was a Robin Hood kit car collected from their factory in the Midlands in the back of a Bedford Luton Van and the build started in a single garage where we lived in Kent. Things went well initially but once I started on the electrics progress slowed and frustration set in. (too many wires the same colour)

I had now retired early from the Bank I worked for and we decided to move to Devon, the Robin Hood was trailered down and I started work on it again, however progress was slow (I blame my need for perfection).

Summer was here and the days were bright and sunny and the urge for a convertible that was actually drivable was too great and so the search for a convertible started, MG’s were ruled out due some reliability tales

The Robin Hood was sold and taken away on a trailer.

A quick look through what used to be a paper similar to Exchange & Mart (anybody remember those?) showed a Red MK1 MX-5 for sale in Queen Camel near Yeovil.

The owner was a lady who belonged to the MX5 Owners Club and the car was a an early Red 1.6 Mk1 and was a personal import into the UK by the previous owner who lived and worked in Japan, It came with a huge folder of documentation and the car even had the original flares under the dashboard. It also included a full car cover