Jalopnik: vampire

Hammond Vampire Jet-Car for Sale on EBay

Ray Wert — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 19:45:00 EST

We actually were wondering a few months back whatever happened to the infamous "Vampire" jet car Top Gear's Richard Hammond took to the obscenely crashtastic speed of 280+ mph and then did just that to it. Well, now we know. Apparently the Vampire's been stored in a warehouse about 40 miles north of London since the crash investigation was completed sometimes around this time last year. It seems where it goes next is totally up for grabs. It appears, according to an auction up on eBay UK at the moment, that the owner's looking to part ways with this unique piece of automotive history in order to pay for some health care needs. So what's the condition of the infamous dragster? Here's what the auction poster claims:

"The chassis is bent, the historic afterburning Rolls-Royce Orpheus turbojet engine might run again (there is a comprehensive spare parts inventory to go with the car, including a new jetpipe), and just about every component on the car is damaged in some way. The rollcage was removed by someone post-crash and has not been returned to us. But this is the only key component which is absent from the car, everything else is there exactly as it was last used."

Up for auction with NO RESERVE is 'Vampire', the jet dragster seen on the BBC Top Gear programme and which holds the Official British Land Speed record at an average, each-way speed of 301mph.
The cars owner helped build the vehicle originally and had lovingly cared for it and driven it since 1981: it is one of three land speed cars he operated. Shortly after the car was wrecked he suffered a near-fatal heart failure and now needs to raise whatever funds he can by selling everything off.

Want it? Unfortunately, you've got to be in the UK according to the seller. We'll try and find out if we can snag an interview with the buyer when the sale ends up going through. (Hat tip to Delsydsoftware!) [eBay UK]

Richard Hammond's Injuries Force Top Gear's Indefinite Postponement; Clarkson Gets Ready For Battle

Ray Wert — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 19:58:12 EDT

The BBC's just released a statement across the wires that they'll be postponing the upcoming season of Top Gear. "We would not think of finalising plans for the next series without discussing it with everyone involved," the BBC said in the statement. "When it is suitable, the team will do this and we will announce a new transmission date." This came after co-host Richard Hammond, who suffered serious injuries in a 280 mph Vampire jet-car earlier this week, was moved from the "really-fucked-up" room in the hospital to the "Keith Richards" room — a sign of unbelievable luck, and a positive indicator of a return to good health. Another sign was a statement released by "a source close" to Hammond, who stated:

"Neither Richard or Jeremy Clarkson want the show to be postponed and they most certainly do not want it to be given the chop,' said a source close to the presenter.
'Richard wants to get back to normality as quickly as possible, let all the fuss and commotion surrounding him die down, and just get on with the show.

'Richard's a pretty simple, easygoing soul and what makes him happy is driving fast cars and doing crazy stunts.

'If he has any sway, there is no way in hell the show will be axed. He is annoyed enough that the series is being postponed, because obviously the greater fear is that the BBC is making its first step on the path to culling the programme permanently."

While at the same time as the "close source" made the above statement and the Beeb announced the season's potponement, police and the UK's Health and Safety Executive (NAMBLA) were working on a joint investigation — prompting Top Gear's producer, Andy Wilman threatening to quit if there was any attempt made to tone down the program's emphasis on speed, extreme stunts and top-level hoonage.

"Change in some way? What would be the point? You either do the show you love or you walk away."

Clarkson's fully embraced Wilman's attitude, in his own statement — a much more crass and silly-sounding one than yesterday's comparably light response:

"You just hear this constant background chatter of lesbian women running around saying that men should be in prison, not driving fast cars. Richard Hammond is the first one to stand up to that kind of nonsense. When he comes back he will fight anyone to make sure he has a show to go back to...Next week I intend to be down on the track driving faster than ever. It's what we do."

Yes, and as we said earlier it sounds like Clarkson's girding up for battle. Anyone interested in seeing how he handles said girding — there's a video below which we think may interest you. Jeremy, try not to blow up too much stuff today, ok?

'We won't do Top Gear without him' [The Observer]

Update: Richard Hammond "Making Progress"

Ray Wert — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 10:04:58 EDT

We've spent the past few hours scanning the Brit press to bring you the latest news on Top Gear's beloved little "Hamster." We found a lot of speculation and rumors out there, but as the family's not releasing any specific details yet, we've precious little to tell you other than of course...speculation and rumors. So we'll toss out some of the best of that and see what sticks:

• The Beeb's saying Hammond's now out of intensive care and is making "satisfactory progress" — and a Leeds General Infirmary spokesman said: "This morning he has been moved from intensive care on to a high dependency unit. His condition has been downgraded from 'serious but stable' to 'stable'." [BBC News]
• Guardian Unlimited's provides some commentary from neurosurgeon John Firth, who serves on a panel of experts for the brain injury association Headway, said: "The basic rule is if the person talks again then what we are looking for is a good recovery." He also added the next 10 days are the most important in determination of long-term injuries. [Guardian Unlimited]

• Hammond's brother spoke to press yesterday, including the Daily Express, and he was also positive about the outlook. He said: "He's making a bit of good progress. Both his brothers are here and his wife. The doctors are very pleased." [Daily Express]
• Motortorque's reporting a bit of not-so-seriousness from Jeremy Clarkson:

His Top Gear co-presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May visited Richard in hospital yesterday, with reports claiming that Clarkson managed to raise a smile from his injured colleague, informing him that he only ended up in hospital because he was a "*** driver."

[motortorque]
• Motoring.co.za says police, along with folks from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), are examining the Vampire jet car responsible for Hammond's crash. [Motoring.co.za]
• The Mirror's got up a touching list of letters from around the world expressing people's concern over Hammond in the place of his weekly column for the "best newspaper on the web." [Mirror.co.uk]
• The Irish Examiner's claiming Hammond "was not attempting land speed record." [Irish Examiner]
• The folks over at PistonHeads have a donation page set up to contribute to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance — on site to help ferry Hammond to the hospital in Leeds. [JustGiving, PistonHeads]
• Keep checking back here at our mini-site we've set up for Hammond, or drop the RSS into your favorite feed reader.

Scene Of The Crash: BBC Video Report On Richard Hammond; Doctors Report "Significant Brain Injury"

Ray Wert — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 13:03:05 EDT

The Beeb's got a new report up with some blurry crash scene footage, some stock footage of the Vampire jet-car, and Clarkson arriving at the hospital. It's not much folks, and it's rather boring, but it's the latest we got. [Hat tip to Dan]

UPDATE: 24Dash.com is reporting the following:

TV presenter Richard Hammond suffered a "significant brain injury" in a high-speed crash, but doctors are "reasonably optimistic he will make a good recovery", Leeds General Infirmary said tonight.

In a statement, the Hospital Trust said: "Mr Hammond has suffered a significant brain injury.

"It's still giving cause for concern as it is still early after the injury.

"However, we are reasonably optimistic that he will make a good recovery."

Top Gear's Hammond suffered 'significant brain injury' in horror crash [24Dash.com]

Huzzah! Richard Hammond Now Described In "Stable Condition" After Jet-Car Crash

Ray Wert — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 20:09:04 EDT

We've got the first confirmed good news of the evening — the BBC is now reporting a hospital spokeswoman statement on Top Gear's Richard Hammond as being in "stable condition." The Beeb's also reporting some more from first responder Dave Ogden, a private emergency rescue contractor first on the scene (pictured at right):

Former firefighter Dave Ogden, who runs private firm Event Fire Services, was one of the first people at the scene of the crash.
He said: "We were down there with Top Gear who were filming him trying to break the British land speed record.

"On the previous run, the car had just gone over 300mph but I am not sure if it had broken the record.

"They had just done one more run and were planning to finish when it veered off to the right.

"One of the parachutes had deployed but it went on to the grass and spun over and over before coming to a rest about 100 yards from us."

He said his crew and an ambulance that was already on the airfield rushed over and found the car upside down and "dug in" to the grass.

Mr Ogden said he felt for a pulse and heard Mr Hammond breathing before the emergency crews worked together to turn the car the right way up and then cut him free.

He added: "He was regaining consciousness at that point and said he had some lower back pain. But he was drifting in and out of consciousness a little bit."

TV host seriously hurt in crash [BBC]

Update! Sky News Reports Top Gear's Richard Hammond Driving Vampire Jet Car At 280 Mph At Time Of Accident

Ray Wert — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 17:23:14 EDT

Sky News is reporting Top Gear's Richard Hammond was:

"...reportedly driving a jet-powered Vampire car when it overturned. Mr Hammond was said to have been reaching speeds of up to 280mph as the accident happened."

The Vampire, sponsored by the Swedish company Thule, weighs 2,200 lbs, is 30 feet long and drinks 7-10 gallons of fuel per mile (depending on the speed). The jet-car accelerates from 0 to 272 mph in six seconds and is powered by a Rolls Royce Orpheus jet engine and is theoretically capable of 370mph. The Vampire holds the "Outright British Land Speed Record" with a blistering fast 300.3mph. Sky News continues with some first hand accounts of the accident after the jump.

"Firefighter Dave Ogden, who witnessed the crash, told Sky News that the 36-year-old presenter was able to speak as he was taken out of the wreckage of the car.
Inspector Mike Thompson, of North Yorkshire Police, said officers were dealing with the incident at the airfield northeast of York where the filming was taking place.

He said: "At 5.45pm this evening we received a report via the fire service of a male person trapped in what was described as an overturned jet car which had been driven on the airfield.

"The male occupant has received serious injuries and has been airlifted to hospital at Leeds."

Top Gear Man In Crash [Sky News]

UPDATE — September 21, 2006: Scene Of The Crash: BBC Video Report On Richard Hammond

UPDATE #2 — September 21, 2006: Huzzah! Richard Hammond Now Described In "Stable Condition" After Jet-Car Crash

UPDATE #3 — September 22, 2006: Update: Richard Hammond "Making Progress"