240 General: New (to me) 1980 Volvo 244

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

I remember a relative, while under the affluence of incahol, managed to wrap a Singer Chamois round a lamp post, parked car and a post box!

For anyone too young to remember the Singer Chamois, it was an Imp Coupe with single headlamps, badge-engineered to be a model in its own right. Its "posh" brother was the Sunbeam Stiletto that had twin headlamps and i think, twin carbs so was quite sporty compared to the rest of the range.

Right again, 'L.S.'. Rootes and, later, Chrysler were, like B.M.C., not averse to a spot of badge engineering. The Stiletto was undoubtedly a very pretty car but also rather impractical. Its coupe body sacrificed the convenience of the saloon's opening rear window and the back seat was only usable by the severely vertically challenged.

The Sport used the saloon body with Sunbeam refinements and, as you say, boasted twin Stombergs, a hotter cam and an oil cooler as standard. Having a rear engine and rad, the standard cooling system was marginal at best even when new - the all alloy motor was prone to over-heating and blown HGs were common. The rear mounted engine also did nothing for its handling vs a Mini Cooper. A Stiletto / Sport was identifiable from the rear by its louvered engine cover.

I always considered it an unwise economy by the manufacturers not to fit helicoil inserts to all external threads on the engine on the production line. Very early Imps had a pneumatic throttle which was quickly dropped as it was problematic due to leaking - often from new. On the plus side, they were equipped with grease nipples on the king pins, which, if religeously lubricated every 5K miles would last almost indefinitely. Later models had sealed for life units which seldom lasted more than 15 - 20K at best. Ask me how I know this?!

While a well set up Imp could be a lot of fun, I still think the Mini Cooper was a better car all round!

Regards, John.

Edit: And then there was the Bond 875 - remember those? Same engine in a car weighing only 8 CWT with only three wheels. It was advisable to carry a spare pair of underpants in one of those, especially if driving in the wet! J.