Some administrative hiccoughs have delayed the return of the Imp but with a bit of luck it will be brought to Port Elizabeth next month. From there I will drive it to Cape Town and then on up to Joburg.
Can’t wait!
My manuscript of the journey’s story that i have written since my return from Coventry is almost ready to be presented to prospective publishers, so if anyone who reads this knows of a publisher that might have a leaning to publishing a story such as this one, please contact me chop chop.
I have prepared the following missive ready to launch onto the desk of any such publisher so I would be grateful if any of you could pass this along if indeed you might have a connection in this realm.
Why your company should publish my book, NO WAY BACK!”
In May last year the Hillman Imp, one of Britain’s most unreliable small cars turned the half century mark and to celebrate it golden birthday I decided to throw caution to the wind and attempt to achieve the impossible dream, to drive a Hillman Imp from Johannesburg to the big Imp party in Coventry, England where its engine emanated from.
The challenges that needed to be overcome were monstrous and all but a handful of our friends believed we would make it and many of our enemies hoped we wouldn’t. Well we did make it and this epic Imp trip has produced meaningful interest across the globe.
With the voyage completed the story ended not; the car became the centre of attention as we drove it across the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland meeting with celebrities at every turn. Public votes placed our Imp as finalist in the prestigious Classic Car Of The Year competition in November and it was the highlight of the Lancaster Insurance Car Of The Year stand at the 2013 National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.
Since our return we have had regular radio interviews and TV talk show invites. Our story has been carried by numerous newspapers and motoring journals. (The list of these publications is attached.) Over and above all this exposure, our Blog www.jolonimp.wordpress.com and the Imp Forum http://forum.theimpclub.co.uk/ have jointly generated upwards of 25, 000 hits.
The trip was such a mammoth undertaking more especially since we set off with zero back-up and neither of us experienced travellers nor mechanics it was unavoidable that I would reduce the memories to print so that more than just Geoff and I could get to enjoy the thoroughly gripping adventure.
I have up until now compiled over 80, 000 words and I expect the complete story would range between 85, 000 and 90, 000 words with end of March my target for completion of the first draft of the manuscript. Many of my friends has insisted that they will certainly purchase the book once it is published and I am convinced most of the imp club members will buy at least one copy not to mention members of other car clubs such as the Historic Racing South Africa and the MG club of Johannesburg and many more such groups.
Along with the rich verbal tapestry of our transcontinental mission we have a massive collection of photos of the trip’s trials and tribulations that would add handsomely to the tale. I now need the help of your company to allow me to bring this great story to market.
Kindly give very serious consideration to my proposal that you are here presented with and I firmly believe we will both be richly rewarded.
The JoLon Imp patiently waiting for spares from the Austrian Imp Club member Peter Rosenzweig who helped us to make the final stretch to Coventry by May 6th last year on the very last day of Imp celebrations.
Jolon Imp's Blog 