Richard Hammond’s Opel Kadett, which he affectionately named “Oliver,” recently got a full restoration at the Smallest Cog – Richard’s very own, restoration shop. The automotive journalist and former Top Gear host has a taste for the simplicity of classic cars, which is why Oliver was not discarded like many of the other vehicles from Top Gear and Grand Tour specials. Instead, the Opel Kadett A was taken in for some much-needed TLC, and now, automotive channel DriveTribe is showcasing the end result from the restoration.

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"Oliver" Goes From Botswana To Britain

The car was first seen, driven by Richard Hammond, in the Botswana Special back when Hammond, James May and Jeremy Clarkson were the trio of hosts for Top Gear. The small Opel performed admirably and managed to drive across the world's largest salt flat without the drastic weight reductions Hammond's co-hosts had to undertake for their cars in the classic episode.

The Opel Kadett A was built between 1962 and 1965, but the Kadett nameplate has been around since 1936. Typical for a mass-produced European car from the 1960s, Oliver features a boxy design, which translates to more interior space. DriveTribe host, Mike Fernie, points out that the best and worst part of the car is the soft suspension, which provides great comfort, but zero stability.

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The Opel is far from speedy given its 993cc, carburetted, inline-four puts out just 40 horsepower (29 kilowatts) at 5,000 RPM. That goes to the rear wheels through an all-synchronized, four-speed manual. The speedometer goes to 90, but how far the needle can climb is another question. For stopping power, Oliver relies on drum brakes front and rear. The car’s aesthetics have been returned to factory specs, with the two-tone, cream and white paint scheme and original 12-inch steel wheels.

Exciting Plans For Oliver

1962 Opel Kadett
DriveTribe / YouTube
a shot of the engine bay of Richard Hammond's 1962 Opel Kadett "Oliver"

At this point, all options for "Oliver" are on the table and nothing has been set in stone. According to the video, Hammond spoke of making Oliver into a rally car or a drag-racer. Now that the car is returned to factory specs, it’s like a blank canvas. There’s certainly a lot of room in the engine bay, which means a bigger unit can easily fit, and there’s no shortage of available powertrain options. The best part is that Richard, clearly, isn’t pursuing concourse-level condition as he likes to drive his cars. Whatever happens to Oliver now, you can bet it’s going to be driven.