The Yimkin
Although not specifieally designed as such, the Yimkin Special, which has been raced for two seasons now, is a boon to the proverbial impecunious enthusiast who contemplates a season’s racing for the minimum expenditure. Conceived by AJD Sim, a young enthusiast, the Yimkin has a simple space-frame and easily maintained running gear so that the car can be driven to and from racing meetings with a minimum of expense.
The name Yimkin has puzzled many people and it is explained simply by the designer, who spent some time in the Middle East and picked up this word which in Arabic means “maybe”. At the time the car was first built some correspondence. ensued in Motor Sport and eventually Khartoum University had the final word, which proves that Motor Sport is read all over the world.
Originally designed to the 1172 Formula, in which it was not too successfuI due to insufficient funds to fully tune the engine, the designer entered into an agreement with another driver to use the latter’s A35 engine, in which form it has been raced this season.
The chassis, of 18 and 20-gauge 11/4-in mild steel, is designed to fit the body shape so that a lot of extra framing is not required. The front suspension uses Standard Ten wishbones and stub axles, BMC hubs, Morris Minor brakes and Sprite rack-and-pinion steering ! This mixture seems to fit together very well and uses Woodhead Monroe telescopic shock-absorber/coil-spring units. When costs were being taken into consideration an independent rear layout was regretfully dismissed but it was decided to locate the A35 axle as rigidly as possible. This was done by a long fore-and-aft Watts linkage together with a combined “A” bracket-cum-Panhard rod and suspended on coil-spring/damper units.
The engine has not been modified too extensively, the work being restricted to balancing and the usual porting and polishing work, together with twin 11/2-in SUs fitted with ram pipes and a Yimkin exhaust manifold, while the gearbox is equipped with close-ratio gears which together with five alternative rear-axle ratios covers every British race circuit.
The bodywork is divided into six units of 20-gauge light alloy with cycle-type front wings and rather unusual flared rear wings. This enables the car to he laid bare quickly for maintenance work.
The Yimkin is now available in kit form at £500 excluding engine, which can be obtained from Yimkin if required. The basic design is also suitable for a Formula Junior car, which can be supplied for £800 complete and assembled. The successes of this car in the hands of its designer in Club races have been fairly numerous and anyone contemplating a season’s racing would be well advised to study the advantages of the Yimkin before undertaking such a venture. The Yimkin Engineering workshops are now situated at 73, Cadogan Lane. SW1.–MLT.