It has recently become known that Richard “Hamster” Hammond is going to open a new classic car restoration business he will call “The Smallest Cog”.
The new restoration workshop will also be part of a new series on the Discovery+ channel called “Richard Hammond's Workshop”, but despite the more than likely fame — and hopefully, success … — his venture will have to fund the new venture, Hammond was forced to sell some copies of his private collection:
The irony of selling his classic vehicles to finance his classic vehicle restoration business did not escape the well-known presenter.
Richard Hammond“The irony of me investing in my new classic car restoration business by selling some cars from my own classic collection didn't pass me by. sentimental value, but will help fund future business developments and bring other classic vehicles back to life."
In total, eight vehicles will be sold — three cars and five motorcycles — which will be auctioned on August 1 by Silverstone Auctions, during the event “The Classic Sale at Silverstone”, which will take place at the homonymous circuit.
Among the classic four-wheel models that Richard Hammond will auction off, there could not be more varied: Bentley S2 from 1959, Porsche 911 T from 1969 and the latest Lotus Esprit Sport 350 from 1999.
Bentley S2
The 1959 Bentley S2 has already met five owners, including Richard Hammond, who didn't miss an opportunity to "pull the shine" on the aristocratic model. Silverstone Auctions says the bodywork was recently rebuilt and the automatic gearbox replaced two years ago. It has just over 101 thousand kilometers on the odometer.
It is a significant model for being the first to debut the V8 L-Series, an engine that did not go out of production until 2020, 41 years after its introduction (not only on the Bentley S2, but also on the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II and Phantom). At 6230 cm3, the V8 was all aluminum and represented a significant increase in performance compared to its predecessor, which came equipped with a more measured six-cylinder in-line.
Porsche 911 T
The 1969 Porsche 911 T was among the first to benefit from the flat-six's increased capacity to 2.2 l — power rose from 110 hp to 125 hp — as well as an increased wheelbase of 57 mm (now 2268 mm) in favor of higher dynamics.
This particular unit has a left-hand drive, having been originally delivered in California and has a little over 90,000 kilometers, which Richard Hammond believes to be genuine, given the excellent state of preservation of this unit. Touring's “T” was the stepping-stone to the growing family of 911 versions after the 912 was withdrawn.
Lotus Esprit Sport 350
Finally, the 1999 Lotus Esprit Sport 350 can be considered a future classic. This is exemplar No. 5 out of a total of 48 Sport 350 built units and with it comes a Lotus Provenance Certificate. It has approximately 76 thousand kilometers and a flat crankshaft twin-turbo V8, 3.5 l and 355 hp that was rebuilt in recent years.
One of the most exclusive Esprits ever, the Sport 350 was based on the V8 GT, but was 85 kg lighter and brought several chassis improvements. From larger AP Racing discs, to new dampers and springs, as well as a thicker stabilizer bar. Finishing the OZ Crono wheels in magnesium.
In addition to the three cars, Richard Hammond will also say goodbye to five of his motorcycles: Sunbeam Model 2 from 1927, Velocette KSS Mk1 from 1932, Kawasaki Z900 A4 from 1976, Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk1 from 1977 and, finally, a very recent Norton Dominator 961 Street Limited Edition, 2019, which stands out for being the 50th unit out of 50 made.
Apparently, Richard Hammond will not stop here, and is already planned to sell some more of his classics this year, which includes, for example, a Ford RS200.
Source: Drivetribe, Silverstone Auctions.