From an advert by Rootors Motors Limited, in Sportscar, Dec. 1965

Hillman Imp, EDU 710C

By 1965/1966 the works Imps were becoming increasingly modified. An example was the Imp driven in the 1965 RAC Rally (21-25 Nov.) by Rosemary Smith. EDU 710C was road-tested by Autocar soon after the event.

1965

June 1965: Scottish Rally

scottishrally.co.uk: Previous Winners

This rally is the main subject of the Rootes video "Highland Imp 1965". Only a few weeks after the Tulip. And only 3 days after the Acropolis Rally where three other Works Imps competed, only the crews being flown home to compete [source: Don Barrow]. The Works team had three Imps, driving with the engine lid agap: the third one being David Pollard with comp.# 11 - he wasn't shown to finish. The event lasted 5 days. It consisted of 1166 miles, mostly rough and muddy roads through forest area, and 52 special sections. Paddy Hopkirk (Mini-driver) declared it the roughest rally he'd ever been in. Of the 105 cars that started only 42 finished (according to the video). But the Imps were much in evidence.

Grand Touring cars up to 1300cc

1st: Ian 'Tiny' Lewis, Robin Turvey
2nd: Rosemary Smith, Valerie Domleo, 4525 KV, comp.no. 5

Overall

1st: Roger Clark/ Jim Porter, Ford Cortina
2nd: 'Tiny' Lewis / Robin Turvey, Hillman Imp 4526 KV with comp.# 8. 3708 points
5th: Rosemary Smith, Valerie Domleo, Hillman Imp EDU 710C with comp.# 16. 4932 points

Ladies' Cup (G.T.)

1st: Rosemary Smith, Valerie Domleo [my 1st source (don't remember who, what, where) said Sheila Taylor, but Don Barrow says it was Valerie Domleo]

1965 July 19-25 (26th Coupe des Alpes)

This rally was put on video - The Rootes Group presents: "Miss Smith and her Imp, 1965". The narator is Rosemary Smith herself, which is unusual.
93 starters leave Marseille, 53 reach Grenoble, but only 32 complete this rally. It consisted of 2200 miles, mostly in the mountains, divided into three main stages: 500, 800 and 900 miles with overnight stops. There were about 60 special sections, which are practiced first, so pace notes can be used.
The other two Hillman Imps spotted in the video are a red one with a white roof, comp.# 104 and no. 108, 4525 KV, in the same blue as the Works Imp, but with standard wheels rather than alloy ones. Both of these are shown to reach the first overnight stop (in Grenoble ?).

GT up to 1000cc

1st: Rosemary Smith / Sheila Taylor in blue EDU 710C with comp.# 105

Coupe des Dames / Ladies Cup in Grand Touring category

1st: Rosemary Smith, codriver Sheila Taylor

Grand Touring Class

5th: Rosemary Smith / Sheila Taylor in a Hillman, 420 points

Overall

19th: Rosemary Smith / Sheila Taylor in a Hillman, 420 penalty marks

1965; 14th RAC Rally
21st-25th November 1965

This RAC was particularly tough. Rootes and only one other factory team out of nine starters finished intact. All three works Imps survived, and Rootes received the Manufacturers' Team Prize. Due to snow, ice, fog and pouring rain, only 62 out of 162 participants finished.
The three Works Imps in this rally: 4525 KV (Andrew Cowan / Brian Coyle); EDU 710C (Rosemary Smith / Susan Reeves); 4526 KV ('Tiny' Lewis / Robin Turvey).

Ladies' Award

2nd: Rosemary Smith

source: TeamDan:
168 entries, 163 starters, 62 finishers

IMP AGAIN !
R.A.C. International Rally 1965 Hillman Imps win Manufacturer's Team Prize
Three started - Three finished - That's Imp reliability !
Three Imps started in the Rootes team - three Imps finished, to carry off one of the most important prizes of them all - the Manufacturer's Team Prize for a nominated team of three cars. And Rosemary Smith - outright winner of the 1965 International Tulip Rally - finished 2nd for the Ladies' Cup. Only 62 of the field of 162 starters completed the tortuous 2,350-mile route, and the almost unprecedented wintry conditions brought hazards of snow, ice and fog. The 55 Special Stages of the rally were mostly run on forest tracks.	Success in the R.A.C. Rally follows an outright win in this years Tulip Rally - and successes in the Monte Carlo, the Alpine, the Circuit of Ireland, the Scottish and the Polish Rallies. Imp's performances in these gruelling international events is your proof that you're getting a winner when you get an Imp.
Hillman keep on winning with the Imp - that's why you can't lose
HILLMAN IMP	Rootes Motors Limited

1966

1966, November 19-25: RAC Rally

Overall

14th: Rosemary Smith and Susan Reeves in EDU 710C with # 9
2nd in the Coupe des Dames
Rootes won the Team Prize
Autocar, 28 January 1966

Both 'Tiny' Lewis and Andrew Cowan had to retire due to transaxle problems.

The table on TeamDan has Rosemary Smith/Valerie Morley in EWK 573C, still finishing 14th overall, but with comp. no. 20 and in class 9. They supply the time it took for them.
That table also supplies that Peter Harper/R.Turvey retired (comp. no. 32, class 9). I.Lewis/T.Bosence in comp. no. 39; Andrew Cowan/B.Coyle in comp. no. 41 have a blanc, not an R.
Miss J Nadin/, comp. no. 93
R G Badham/J H Alcock, comp. no. 98
P Burch/G E Jones, comp. no. 103
W Sutton/C G Gilbert, comp. no. 124
H Mackie/J McKenzie, comp. no. 147
Major M Bailey/Major Cruickshank, comp. no. 151

1967

EDU 710C was sold on August 18, 1967: Rootes invoice 663617
Product of Humber LTD. (contracting company)
Model: Imp saloon (- chassisno. 411... = Hillman Imp de Luxe Mk I)
Colour: C. Blue
Standard Extras

	Rosemary Smith standing next to JAI 791, saying that for display purposes outside of Ireland, she sometimes uses the number plates with the Imp's original register number.

Present day

Clark Dawson rebuilt EDU 710C for Rosemary Smith. To take it with her to Ireland, it had to be imported and given an Irish registration number: JAI 791.

Literature

Rallye Imp : given the works 4. - Autocar 1966 January 28. - p.190-192
An impression of Hillman Imp Rallye EDU 710C. This was the Imp driven by Rosemary Smith on the 1965 RAC Rally. It had a 998 with twin Strombergs, producing around 65bhp. Extra equipment included an alternator, twin ignition coils, heated windscreen, twin brake servos and an oil cooler mounted on the left-hand side of the engine bay, in front of the radiator and the fan. Performance was 0-60mph in 15 seconds, with a 92 mph top speed.
reprint in Impressions 3 (1983), 6 (July)