A team of “Petrolheads” restored a record-breaking car that nearly killed Richard Hammond in 2006.
The Vampire Dragster is a British motoring legend that still holds the national land speed record at 300.3mph. Built in the late 1970s, the car was driven and demonstrated throughout Europe in the 1980s.
Phil Davies is part of the Bromyard team known as The Syndicate which possesses the vampire and restores it to its former glory.
READ MORE: Richard Hammond returns to the wheel of the car that almost killed him 16 years ago
There were reasons other than the unfortunate crash of Richard Hammond for their purchase.
“We bought it in November 2019. I’ve always been aware of the Vampire, since it was a record-breaking race car in the 1980s. It’s a car that’s had a lot of providence and had to be saved and shown and that’s what we’ve done.” Phil explained.
“We hold Bromyard’s annual speed festival every May and we thought the Vampire would be a great halo car because we’ve always had record-breaking cars at previous speed festivals. For example, one year we had Blue Bird, another land speed record-breaking car.
“It had a lot of restoration work to do and we had a lot of help from local volunteers, local businesses and contractors, all the people who are petrolheads like us, and Andrew Hurdle and Kieran Westman who originally developed and raced the car. After its restoration, it’s a vehicle of great heritage for static displays.”
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The syndicate are all Bromyardians, John Clayton, Jeremy Holden, Paul Anderton, Massie Piggott, Joy Hoyle, Tracy Weaver, Lawrence Bleasdale, and Phil Davies, whose common denominator is motor enthusiasts.
Hammond is reunited with his “nemesis” 16 years after the accident on his Drivetribe YouTube channel. “I’m finally going to do what I promised myself I’d never do,” he says as he sinks into the seat.
The episode had several million views and a nice plug for Speed Festival.
Phil added: “He came to see us a few weeks ago. It was wonderful to see him and to be reunited with the car. We are mentioned. On the front of the car is a large Bromyard Speed Festival decal.
“It’s still a record-breaking car. If we go on tour with it, we hope it will put Bromyard on the map.”
Keep your eyes peeled for the Bromyard Speed Festival on May 29, when the theme takes you through the seven decades of the Queen’s reign.
Click here for more info.
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