The year 1953 was when life in Britain began finally to bleed from monochrome to colour. Not everywhere, and not for everybody, but, slowly, there was a palpable sense that brighter days were just bey

Richard Hammond is selling four cars from his own classic car collection

PERRY SHAW WEST YORKSHIRE

That’s marque historian Clare Hay’s verdict regarding the boat-tail body on 1927 Bentley 3 Litre chassis TN1564, and it’s no idle hyperbole. This ultimate development of the ‘skiff ’ body style (origi

I SUCCUMBED. OR, as younger people say, I caved. I’d been looking at my Phantom’s bodywork (the victim of a blow-over respray prior to my renewed ownership, after a white ‘wrap’ was removed) and alway

Year of manufacture 1980 Recorded mileage 73,997 Asking price £97,750 Vendor Graeme Hunt, Battersea, London; 020 79378487; graemehunt.com WHEN IT WAS NEW Price £53,332 (1979) Max power 220bhp (est) Ma