<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-30</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000790708</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>IMPCO TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>imco</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001246172</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GARNER BRAD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>16804 GRIDLEY PLACE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CERRITOS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90703</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>COO Americas Asia/Pacific Oper</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>7.17</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-30</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>75000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>7.17</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-09-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>75000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>246838</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Options become exercisable in 25% annual cumulative increments one year from date of grant and expire ten years from date of grant.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Brad Garner</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-31</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



