04x02 - A New Era

[bunniefuu]

Welcome to The Smallest Cog.

First impressions?

It's not having a wow factor.

The time has come,
like reluctant teenagers,

we must tidy our room.

This is Field Marshall
Montgomery's Rolls Royce.

What we might be invited
to do some work on it.

Yeah.

The Princess Royal
is very fond of that Rolls Royce.

Don't pile any more pressure on us.

RICHARD VOICEOVER:
It's nearly three years

since the Smallest Cog
opened its doors.

The business
still owes me a fortune.

I've been hiding bank statements.

I'm basically running a social club!

So, it's time for a big shake-up.

Clock in in the morning,
clock onto a job.

The dawn of a new era.

But not everyone likes change.

I'm very nervous about all of it.

This isn't going to tell me
what to do!

I'll tell you that for nothing.

We make history with
our most important restoration yet.

Did Montgomery or Churchill
ever imagine you sitting in it?

Probably not.

The work must be completed on time.

Oh, she's eager!

Can we race
into a bright new future?

With me at the wheel?
Oh, oh, oh!

Past the BP garage on your left,
roundabout right.

If you get to the sewage works,
then you've gone too far.

Yeah.
Alright, see you there, Richard.

Bye.

Um, no, I'm not talking to myself.

That's another Richard, not me,
and actually, arguably a Richard

that's gonna be of a rather more
value to the workshop than I am.

Uh, he's our new consultant,
management consultant really,

who's coming in
for a few weeks to try

and get some systems in place,

get us organised,
that's what he does.

Um, for instance,

exhibit A of how not to function
like a machine,

as a workshop, that BMW down there.

It came in two Christmases ago
and because we haven't recorded

the hours along the way,

it's highly likely it will have
cost me money once again.

Richard's gonna turn us
into that well-oiled machine

and I don't know
how well some of the cogs

are gonna take to this new era.

But it's gotta come,
because it can't go on like this.

Richard thinks we're all lazy

and I reckon he's gonna have
an eye opener.

I think this bloke's gonna turn up
now and go,

do you know, these people
are working their guts out?

On the other hand,
we'll get sacked, won't we?

Morning, Richard.

Hi. Nice to meet you.

Efficiency I can sense it.

It starts now. This is happening.

Right, um, we'll go up to my office
and we'll-we'll do all the...

we have to chat a lot, I guess.

Yeah.
Right, they're in there.

I don't know
why, but we'll go and begin.

What do you think they're talking
about up there.

Do you think there talking
about restructuring...

redundancies?

I think they'll be talking
about the hospitality package

that we're gonna be offered.

There'll be a coffee machine.
That'll be a big topic.

That will be at the top.

There is a first time to make
a last cup of tea, isn't there?

You know what I need to do.

I mean, not to put
too fine a point on it,

we need results.

Yes.
Where do we start?

Um, you start looking at jobs
that you've already got here

analysing what people
are doing on a daily basis

and I would say we need
a Dealer Management System in here.

That's the first thing.

What is a Dealer Management System?

It's a system that I've used before.

The guys can clock on

and clock off
jobs automatically through

little tablets or off their phone
and analyse what you thought

the job would take to compared
to what it did take.

So, when we say managing,
we are talking hour by hour.

Yes.

[LAUGHS] It's, um, um...

If this works,
you know I'll cry, don't you?

I'll always carry
packets of Kleenex.

Thank you.

The dawn of a new era
for The Smallest Cog.

I care desperately and deeply
about making this thing work,

and I think right now
he is my best shot.

He's not all shouty,
not like a sergeant major

but to hear him
talking about efficiency and data,

I think my fairy godmother just
arrived and he's called Richard.

OK, guys, the main purpose

I've come here
is to analyse the workshops.

That's where my background is.

So, we're gonna have
a Dealer Management System.

Would this be like
an app on your phone or something?

Yeah.

You clock in in the morning,
you clock on to a job.

Try and scrape every hour
to the chargeable side.

People think restorations go
wrong at the end, they don't.

They go wrong on day one.

I'm here to identify those issues,
put processes in place.

Certain people will go along with it

and other people
will be an obstacle.

But it's a good system

and it doesn't leave
anywhere to hide.

To be honest,
I like what he's saying.

I can understand the idea
of better time management.

I'm a bit worried in some ways.

You gotta have a bit of banter
and a bit of joviality,

you don't wanna be
in a production line you know.

I'm gonna just hold back judgement
until I see the results.

OK, so on this demo service record,

we've got a Jaguar ready to go.

Is that the new system going in?

She looks very worried, doesn't she?

Wiped the smile of her face a bit,
didn't it?

Smile's gone, hasn't it?
Yeah.

Happy Sophie's left the building!

So, this is gonna be
your main screen in the system.

Is it like Big Brother,

is it like, know where you
are on the tracker and...

That's the problem, isn't it?
It's going to be every hour.

If they're non-productive
that will show in blue,

and the yellow is idle so literally
we don't know where they are.

So, that represents everything
outside that window.

Exactly.

Is that thing operational now?

I don't know.

Well, if it ain't, we can sit
and drink our tea for a bit.

Make the most of it.
But if it is working...

If it is working,
we're gonna be in trouble.

I do wonder what the cogs
are going to think of this,

but this is essential data

that we're gonna need to implement

some changes around here,

and we need to do that to survive.

Come on, Robin!

Come on!

Want biscuits, don't ya?
I know what you're after.

Come on, this is unbillable hours.
I'll get into trouble. Quick.

Ah, knew you were there, didn't I?

Got a car coming in today,
that happens regularly,

obviously, but this is our first go
at looking at a job

from a more organised standpoint.

We're gonna actually go
through it properly

with our new management system.

We're gonna, for the first time,
I hope, assess this one properly

and be realistic.

Brian!

Ah, hi Richard. How are you?
Nice to see you.

Yes, lovely.
This is Anthony.

Hi. Ant.

Nice to meet you.
It's a Topolino! Look at it.

I've never seen one.
It's called a little mouse.

Yes, that's what Topolino means.

Yes, it does.
Well, it was a nickname.

It was actually called the 500.

Topolino was what they called
Mickey Mouse in Italy.

Yeah.
What year's is this?

Er, 1936.
That's the first year.

Yes.

'Cause this was a game changer.
This was Italians saying, right?

This is a car for people.

Do you know...
This is a bit of you.

This, isn't it, Rich?
Bloody Hell, Brian.

What?
It only just fits on your trailer!

I know.
Look at it.

It's so narrow.
Could have fallen through.

I know.
Oh, look at it.

It is very small.
Right.

Ant, come and have a look at this.

Little tiny four-cylinder engine.
That's smaller than Oliver's.

Imagine how small the pistons are.
They must be this big.

About the size of an aerosol cap.

Well, this puts out about




When was this last run?
I really don't know.

I went to have a look at the dark.
I gave the man the money.

So, why did you buy it?

Well, it was bought with my heart,

and I want to work on
it with my son.

He had quite a nasty bike accident.

He was in hospital for months.

Oh, bad. Is he alright now?

Yeah. Yeah.

So, what do you want doing to it?

I would like it running.
Yeah.

And the electrics sorted.

Well, we will give
you an accurate idea

of what we think needs
doing to get it running.

Yeah.
And you can take a judgement.

OK, I'm sure
you'll fall in love with it.

Hopefully not.

I'm sure you'll do it
free of charge, you know.

Yeah. I don't feel that.

OK. A bit sketch this, innit?

One, two, three.

I completely identify
with the way Brian

bought that little car
with his heart.

But I'm not running a charity
for ailing classic cars.

So, we are gonna produce
a proper estimate for the job

and I'm a bit worried for Bryan
because he's got a budget

of what, about three grand?

And there comes a point
when the cost of restoration

way outstrips the value of the car,
and even really cute classic cars

like that Fiat end up
on the scrapheap.

Bit of a drive ahead today.

Basically, an email came in
from this chap, Patrick.

He's opening a museum
on the High Street in Taunton,

featuring cars, classic cars.

Not all super flash ones either,
some of the cars we'll all remember.

And he dropped me
a line saying would I open it?

So, I thought, yeah, I'll do it.

Then I thought hang on a minute.

I've paused our racing activities
on account of the expense,

so would he like
a temporary exhibit?

Patrick, we finally meet.
Goodness gracious!

How are you?
How are you?

I'm great, and you?
I'm excited.

Um, as promised, you can have that
in there while we're not racing it.

And talking about in there...
Mm-hmm.

...can I go
and have a look at this museum

that I'm gonna be opening.

I want to be one
of the first people looking.

Yeah.

Patrick sold his first car aged 11
and went on to build up

a chain of garages
and an impressive car collection.

Today he wants to use them
to help revitalise the high street

of his beloved home town, Taunton.

Right, oh, straight away.

Fast Ford. Hello.
Yep.


Yes.

Had one. Loved it. E type.

That is handsome.

And probably
my all-time favourite car.

You have to love a Capri
you know, it's the law.

And over here a car
of immense significance to me.

OK.

I owned this car when I went
for my audition for Top Gear.

It had done a million miles

and I couldn't afford to run it
which they thought was amusing

because only someone
who loves his cars

would peddle around in that.

This vast building
was previously a department store,

so people have spent money here.

But Pat's spent 4 million on it.

So, you basically opened
a gigantic fire hose of money

and just sprayed
the place down with it.

I mean, you're not gonna
make it back.

I know that.

But I was ill, five years ago,
and I decided

that I really wanted
to give something back.

So, this is driven
entirely by passion?

Passion, and wanting to share.

You haven't disproved that
you're nuts, though, by the way.

I'm just saying.
No, I am completely, not slightly.

A lot.
It's a lot.

Scary. Yeah.

It's the sort of thing we think of,
but then you've actually done it.

[GROANS]

This place encapsulates

a lot of what I love
about the whole car thing.

It's purely for hey look
aren't these things amazing,

they've all got a story to tell,
come and have a look.

Patrick, thank you for letting me
have a look round today,

it's been a privilege.

Thank you, Richard.

And I'll be here in a few days'
time for the grand opening.

Fantastic. Richard.
I'll see you in a few days.

Thank you very much.
Have a safe journey home.

So, on my to-do
list is check static timing first.

Then ignition timing,
basically going through everything.

Before this system

we'd just jump in
and try and get it going

and we'd come across the issues

and then it would be
too late really.

But now, we're actually
diagnosing it all first.

Really, we should have done
this from day one.

So, the old school key,
a simple check.

The engine is free,
that's a good start.

So, I need to log
that now into my system

which is very strange for me

because I never go
on my phone this much in one day.

Get this bit clean there.
Pretty.

Morning, lads.
Oh, morning Kamla.

How's it all going?
It's alright actually.

Yeah, are you finding
you're working

more efficiently now with this app

and the whole system?

I find it a bit better with having
a list on our phones what to do.

Oh, that's good.

You just got to be careful
that you don't make,

um, a sort of us and them situation

because if you've got
the office staff...

I mean, we want to avoid that.

We don't want an us and them divide.

But who's managing them
because it would be quite easy

to fall asleep in that warm office,
wouldn't it?

Hello.

Kamla.
Hi, Richard.

Come in.
Hi R.J. Hello.

This is our big grown-up meeting.
I know.

So, R.J.

um, in the first sort of
short spell of time

that you've had
this system up and running,

what's it revealing
about their working habits?

I'm not asking you to drop them
in it, I'm really not.

They haven't been managed before.

So, what's it revealing?

I've got some reports
here that show where,

um, they were.

So, this is the first three days
of this week.






and nine had been idle.

So, in terms of percent efficiency,
they're working at 36%.

Yes.
It's not massive, is it?

No.
What's the red ones?

That's just them clocked in
but not clocked on to anything.

Gordon Bennett.

Nine hours over three days.

Bloody hell,
I'm basically running a social club!

Yeah, I did a little calculation
earlier on.

That works out to be about


worth of lost revenue.

Oh, my god, their tea addiction
is costing me 46,000 pounds a year.

That's a third
of the loss from last year.

I mean, what is the solution?

We can't ban tea breaks though,
can we?

Tea is bad for you.
It's bad for me.

Cut the plug off the kettle.
Yeah.

Yes!

Right, this is a special mission
we're on today

because the pub, where my garage
used to be is gonna be redeveloped.

So, you had a pub
next to a workshop?

Yeah!

That would have been dangerous,
wouldn't it?

It was
but I've been given permission to go

and retrieve the sign.

OK.

So, I can have it
in a bit of a man cave at home.

Yeah.
But this will be between me and you.

Because this is what we call
non billable hours.

What we, we've gone
to do an estimate, right?

Yes.

Look at that there look,
that's where it all was.

That's where it all happened there.

That's where it all started.

I know, I better not go down
memory lane.

Let's go memory lane that way.

Onwards and upwards.

Right, Isaac.

See if you can get on top
bit of the roof,

you might be able to stand on there.

Yeah, the roof's pushing in.
I won't stand on that.

You'll be alright.

Yeah, I will be when I'm in A&E.

It's not live then?

Whoo!

Isaac!

Is that beer or water?

I dunno.
It don't taste like beer.

Got it?
I got it.

Right. What about the frame?

Yeah, we need to frame if possible.
I'll chuck it back by the car.

Well, ain't that just
a piece of history, eh?

Well, this is a strange feeling.

I miss the place, I'll be honest.

I was my own boss.

I could do what I wanted,
when I wanted.

I didn't have to come to work
and clock on a phone, did I?

Actually, um, thinking about that,
Isaac, if we clock back out now,

say we doing the estimate,
we're on the way back, ain't we?

Yeah.
Right. There you are.

Job done.

Anthony.
Are we right now in a new world?

Yeah. Strange world.
Have you seen it?

No, I've see it in there
but I've not seen it on the floor.

So, my to do list.
Oh, my god.

General check
of steering and suspension.

One hour.

Remove all wheels,
check over brakes.

Estimated two hours.

And it will let Sophie
know exactly how long

I've spent on each section.

What about the job,
what have you learned?

It's looking very poorly
at the moment.

Is it?
The car, yeah.

If you put water in it,
it leaks all round the head.

So, it probably wants a head gasket.
Head gasket.

Yeah, the floor is not the best.

It's had a few home repairs
and they're not good.

So, there could be some fabrication
in there that starts to cost.

The wiring.

The fuel system's just pouring out,
and this is what this is about now.

I find what I need to find
and then, Richard,

there would build another report up
saying to the customer,

to get it to the next stage,
this is what it would cost.

It's good, isn't it?

Yeah, I'm actually enjoying it.
Why didn't we do this before?

You tell me. You tell me.

Right. Well, are we doing it now.


My special secret storage barn.

Coming here sometimes
is a bit depressing

because it's full
of reminders of things

I haven't done,
but today it's for a good reason.

The iconic British model
maker Corgi has been in touch.

Historically,
some of their best sellers

have been cars from film and TV

and now they wanna make
a model of one of mine!

It's interesting,
though, they didn't choose

the glamorous stuff like the Jag
or the Mustang,

they chose this, an old Ford Escort.

Admittedly, it's an RS 2000,
but not that many years ago

that was just
a worthless piece of junk.

Now, it's a Fast Ford
and it's collectable.

And a bit later on,
I've got a very nice man coming over

to have a look at the car
to start designing the model.

Time to wake up, Ford.

Oh, yeah. Simple and reliable.

Oh, I love this.

In actual fact,
when I was a little kid,

my neighbour had one.

It was orange and it was simply
the coolest thing I'd ever seen.

It had these headrests.

It's just so cool.

I will be interested to hear
what he thinks of this car,

'cause we did have
a few issues when we did it,

mostly because we had to rush it
a bit towards the end.

Also, um, this isn't its original
interior colour, it's tan.

When it left the factory,
it was black.

Looks nice.

See what he says.

Mark. Hello.

How are you?
Hi, Richard.

Thanks for making the trip up.
Nice to see you.

No problem.
You brought literature?

Of course, why wouldn't I?
Here is the beast.

Right.

Before we look
too closely at the car.

Mm-hmm, yep.
What do we do today?

What's the process
of getting from here

to the little model
of it next to it?

What we've got to do
is look at the car,

make sure everything's correct.

There are probably over


and trim combinations
and the Corgi models

will be built to factory spec.

Right.

So, it's gonna be not as it is now

as it was when it
was brand spankers.

Yep.

If you could imagine this car
rolling off the line in 1979,

that's what we're aiming for.

Are your buyer's very critical?

Extremely critical.

Well, I know we... I changed
the interior during the restoration,

what Mark's gonna tell me now
is what else we got wrong!

OK, you're in charge,
where do we start?

The wheels. They're replicas.

Yeah, but have you seen the price
of authentic wheels for these?

It's got to be right.

What else?
The lower side sills.

Yeah.
You've painted them black?

Er, yeah.

On midnight blue cars,
because the black

and the blue are so close
they were left in body colour.

Also the satin black
around the window frame here.

Again, this should be body colour.
That's all got to be blue?

Yeah.
Right.

Can we get more than another
inch down the car

before you find another problem?

Onto the rear quarter.
Oh, no we can't. OK.

RS 2000 decals on the side.

They shouldn't be there.

Well, is it an RS 2000?

The later cars
didn't have the RS 2000 on the side.

It's for executive drivers.

I'm not an executive driver, am I?

Move round to the back.
Oh, good. Right.

A couple of minor things.

There's only three things on it!

You've got a replica
badge there for a start.

How do you know?

You can feel the ridge
around the outside there.

Can I have that RS 2000 badge?

You can have,
it looks a bit close to the Escort.

Is it?
I'll get you the measurements.

Anything else?
Number plate.

The characters
on this are 50 mil wide.

Right?

It should be 57.

How far do you want this to go?
Oh, all the away fella!

I'm loving it.

We could be making


So, we try to leave
no stone unturned.

If we don't get it right,
someone will tell us.

Which brings us into the elephant
in the room, um, that interior.

Who orders a midnight blue car

with a black interior.

I love originality
but I just think beige

would be a much nicer car.

Right, beige.

Now, when we did this car,

I knew it was supposed
to be a black interior.

And I thought, you wouldn't wear
like a black jacket

with a blue shirt, would you?

Oh, you are.
I like it black.

You are like
the strictest judge ever!

Shall I buy another car?

Oh, no! It's a very nice car.

It's gonna be a proper pain
in the backside as well.

I'll admit to being
a bit conflicted here.

If they make a model of it
with all those things wrong,

what I thought would be a PR coup
will turn into a PR disaster.

I think I know what I wanna do...

and it's going
to involve my wallet... again.

Suppose we better clock on here.

What do you reckon
this is non-productive?

Well,
if you make me one it's productive.

Well, there's just
two sweeteners in that,

I don't see much
sweetness in that app.

Not liking it?
Put it this way.

It's an app, innit,
and I ain't 'appy!

Well, I'm not being funny,
I've had this conversation before,

because when I had my other garage,
the insurance man would come along

and go, "Oh, my computer says
you could fit that wing in an hour."

And I used to say,
"Yeah, if it's a new car."

Mmm.
But old cars are old cars.

Yeah.

And all that computer
jiggery pokery,

elastic trickery wasn't invented
in them days.

It was craftsmanship.

And its craftsmanship takes time
and skill and patience.

This BMW is quite a job.

It's months and months of work
and I think everybody

is a bit frustrated with this car
because they want to see it gone.

Well, I want to see it gone,

but I want to see it gone
in the right way.

And today is the day
it gets painted.

Now, I've watched Dad paint,
could 1,000 cars.

It always amazes me
because all the hard work

and the prep
he puts in at the beginning

then suddenly the car is back
to its former glory

because like an artist,
that's his work.

It's a proper craft. I can't do it.
I've tried.

I'm relieved.

The car looks lovely now.

To get from A to B has been
like climbing a mountain.

But we went the extra mile,
produced the goods

and that is what it's all about.

This is Taunton
and it's the big day.

It's the grand opening
of the Classic Car Museum.

Patrick's massive project.

Hopefully people
will turn out to support it.

I am doing official
duties opening it.

I'm hoping for a ribbon

and a pair of scissors
if they trust me with it.

So, what's the drill today
then Patrick, what happens?

What I would love to do is run
round to the front with this car.

Whether you drive it
or whether I drive it.

Do you want it upside down
and on fire or not?

Whatever you want to do.
I'll let you drive it.

Welcome, everyone.
It's good to see you all.

We were expecting a big crowd,
but not this big.

A bit spluttery.

Uh, oh!

Oh, sugar!

[RICHARD LAUGHS]
We really wanted that, didn't we?

I need you to make some space

because Richard Hammond
is coming round about now.

Right, what we've done
is break down on the way

to the grand opening
of the classic car museum.

In a classic car ironically.

[APPLAUSE]

Hello, how you doing?

OK everybody,

if we could just let them
through please.

Morning, very nice to see you.

The theme of this museum
I found particularly,

um, relevant right now

because these aren't necessarily
the cars

that we had on our poster wall,
some of them are the cars

that took us to school,
that we learned to drive in.

But we should all acknowledge

and salute
one particular individual,

a massive round of applause for Pat.

Well, done sir.
[APPLAUSE]

It's done!

The museum is open!

I'm really pleased for Patrick
that such a crowd turned out

to see his museum opening,
and that a museum like that

can be on a high street
where the cars are seen.

You cutting that ribbon today,
I'll always remember it.

Well,
I'm going back to my work then.

I'm really pleased
for you that you got it done.

I'll see you again, I will be back,
got to collect that one day,

and I might lend you another car
to put in there as well.

Thank you, Richard.

The owner
of that little Fiat Topolino

is coming in this morning.

We've produced one of our
new forensic reports on the car.

I don't think he's gonna like it.

This is a long list.

Um, his budget of three grand,
I'd say, isn't gonna cover this,

it's gonna cost
a lot more than that.

Which means that little car
may be about to leave us.

Indeed, it may be
about to depart this earth.

So, Brian's on his way.
Yeah.

This isn't like a good one, is it?

No.

He bought this with his heart.

Desperately wanted it,
but it's gonna cost...

That's the problem.

...more than it's worth.
Yeah, yeah.

Here he is now. Hello, Brian.

Hello Brian.
Morning everybody.

Hello, mate. Come on in.

How are you?

I'm very well thanks.
Nice to see you. Do come on in.

Well, we have as ordered
been through it.

So, um, I think what I'm gonna do
is give you this.

Yeah.

To look at because what that is,
is a menu of what you can be doing

and what we can do.

I'm guessing, for us to take
on all of that work and just do it,

it just wouldn't be
economical for you.

No.

What I'd like to do is,
if I sit down

and read this
and get some idea of cost...

Yep.

...then I can pick really
what I want off there for you to do

and pay for it accordingly.

This is what I love hearing.

You could have
been coming in thinking,

oh, maybe it's perfect.

And they're going to say 20 quid
and we'll fix it.

No, I'm a realist.

Yeah, my kind of customer.

Yeah, he's good, isn't he?

That was exactly
what the new system is about.

It's not all about
just straight efficiencies

and keeping things ordered
as we go along

and making sure
we're doing the right thing.

It's actually what we just saw.

This is working.

That's actually a result.

Because I actually thought
Brian was going to come in

and say, that's it,
I'll take my car away,

but actually,
we still got work out of it.

So, first thing on my list for this
is actually stripping the engine,

well, probably get the engine out
'cause it's so small.

This is actually quite
an exciting one to do.

I've been looking forward to today

'cause I'm going
to visit a model factory,

specifically Corgi.

I'm going to meet Mark
who is overseeing

the model that Corgi
are making of my Ford RS 2000,

and I've got to go
and see it 'cause if they make it

with the black interior
it should have,

I would then have to restore
the car's interior

to black to match
the model of the car.

Hello.
Richard, morning.

Nice to see you mate.
How are you?

I'm quite excited.

Well, welcome to the Wonder Works,
our brand-new visitor centre.

We've been open a few months now.

Looking around
at the familiar brands and logos,

I realise how embedded
into my youth they are.

We try to make it
the best toy shop you

could ever get access to.

Yeah, take me out of here quickly.

Here's our latest exhibit.
Oh, my word.

That's fabulous.

Ultimately, this is where your
RS 2000 will end up

when we do a launch of the model.

So, how big is the model
of my car going to be?

So, it's gonna be
the same scale as that.

Right.
And so we are designing today.

Pretty much.

So, welcome to our workshop.
Well, you'll remember Mark.

I do. Hello, Mark. How are you?

Hi Richard, good to see you again.

Nice to see mate, nice to see you.

You well?

Polished my anorak,
and ready to go.

Excellent! Best anorak on.

Have fun.
We shall. Yes.

Oh, this is your workstation.

This is where we'll working today.
Right?

And today we will be creating
a scale model of your RS 2000.

So, just as in the full-size car
industry we are prototyping.

Exactly. Yeah.

This one here's been primed.

While the next one.
That is the base coat Blue.

From the base coat it's lacquered.
Right.

Now, the one thing on this model

that is not in dispute
is the colour.

Accuracy is the key.
OK.

So, we have these trays
full of little tiny bits and pieces

that make up the final model.

We're coming to decision point,
aren't we?

We are, yes.

This is the bit
that we discussed at my house.

It is yes.

Interior first of all.
Mm-hmm.

The car left the factory
with black interior.

I then had the car trimmed
but I went for this.

Yeah.

Because I thought it
livened up the blue.

It's not original.

Can I just clip that in
and see what it looks like?

I know there's glass to go in.

If I do that
it looks a bit more moody,

doesn't it, with the black in it.

Yeah.

But my car doesn't look like that
and this is a model of my car.

It is.
I'll re-trim the interior.

OK.

The next decision is the wheels.

Yes,

we have
a set of the 6x13 RS 4 spokes.

Those are the ones
I've actually got on it.

You got the replicas.

Yeah, I know.
These are the 7x13.

Will I get original
ones second-hand?

If you're lucky.
They're very, very desirable.

Oh, god, I'm such a child.

I'm gonna do it
with the black interior

and I'm gonna find
some of those chunky alloys

and put them on mine
so it looks like that.

Yeah, definitely.

Full respect to Mark
for his model making skills.

Only slight concern,
I'm gonna have to spend,

well, a lot of money
making my car look exactly

like the model made
to look exactly like my car.

It's very me.

Is it today?
Please tell me it's today.

Is it today?
It is today.

It's done. It's going.
It's actually leaving.

Look at it now look at it.
Look, be honest.

It's...
It's beautiful.

Yes.
It-it has come a long, long way.

Are you pleased?
I'm very pleased with it.

You know, it's had a lot of work
and I mean, a lot of work.

It hasn't happened overnight.

When did it come in?
I made this plaque.

Look there.

Nearly two years.
Yes. Very nearly.

Richard, can we just agree
when this leaves here now

through that door.

Yes.

It's the last job
that unfolds the way this one did.

Yeah, hopefully.

Right. You are going home.

What are you doing?

Well, it's momentous. Come on.

It's going to keep making my life
worse right to the end, isn't it?

Yes, gone! Out of here!

Goodbye!

Yeah! Gone!

Now, go home. Damn you!

So, you open the door,
how tall's Richard?

About there I reckon. Yes.

Perfect. He'll never forget her now!

Hey Anthony.

Come and look at this.

Quick.
What?

Look at this look. Look at that.

Yeah?
That is Winston Churchill.

Why are you looking at
pictures of Winston Churchill?

Look what they're getting into.

That's that Rolls Royce.

What, the one you've been looking
at?

That's the one we went to look at.
That's the actual car.

Look at the registration number.
Oh, wow.

It's is a very, very important
piece of history.

Princess Ann uses that car.

Does she?
It's used by the King.

It was used be Eisenhower.
Montgomery and Churchill.

We actually got
the job then or what?

Well, I don't know.

We put a good case
but I ain't heard no more about it.

Shouldn't you be chasing this up?

If we're too late
on something like that,

we'll miss it, it'll be gone
and we'll miss out on...

That-that car there mate
is a job of a lifetime.

Go and ask him.

Hello.
Hello.

Any news on the Rolls Royce yet?

Well, no, it's the MOD,
they do bureaucracy.

It takes a while.

Can you ring 'em?
What now?

Well, yeah.
He's a Brigadier.

Don't ask, don't get.

Right. Have a seat. I'll do it.
No time like the present.

He's probably doing something
like Brigadier'ish.

I just don't want to lose it.
I think it's a really good job.

Brigadier Caldicott, good afternoon.

Brigadier.
Richard Hammond, Smallest Cog.

What can I do for you, Richard?

Um, just keen to know
any news on the Rolls-Royce?

Well, the trustees,
they have not yet approved

that we are gonna go ahead
with the work,

but they are at least convinced
that you should produce

an estimate of the works
you will need to do,

and of course, for you to do that.

I need to get the car to you.

OK, so I won't get over overexcited
but we are in consideration for it.

Yes, you are.

Brigadier,
thank you very much indeed.

You're very welcome.
Catch up with you soon, Richard.

Catch up soon. Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.

That's good.

So, this estimate needs to be
a proper, grown-up estimate.

Not one where, funnily enough,
it ends up taking twice as long.

'Cause already
there's only about two months

to those D-day celebrations
and it would have to be gone then.

It's a big job, a complicated job.

And we are not gonna have long.

I'm gonna struggle to justify
this one as not a skive,

but I'm gonna try.

I'm going to Goodwood,
er, Motor racing circuit.

Patrick Blakely Edwards,

my new mate
is having a test day there.

And, well, I'm the boss,
so I should be able to go

and do some fun stuff
with my motoring mates.

The motorsport season starts
in just a few weeks,

so this is the chance
for racing outfits like Patrick's

to fine tune their machinery...
and blow off the cobwebs.

Obviously Richard is
and will always be hugely passionate

about motorcars, so I'd quite like
to make sure that he knows that,

that passion's still there.

What's great is to be here
on a day like this

and to see actually see
Patrick at work.

He's got a massive truck over there

and a rack
of very special racing cars.

Can I hear the wheels spinning?

Yeah, it's pretty greasy out there.

It is, isn't it?
Yeah.

He's not actually
gung-h* out there is it.

I suppose you can't be.
No.

So, he'll be putting it
through its paces,

but nowhere near the edge.

Oh, here he comes.

Oh, we're getting a bit.
Oh, very out of shape.

That looked like fun?

I love this car.

It looked lively.

I haven't driven it for years.

I saw you coming out of the chicane

in all manner
of shapes and attitudes.

Look, the real pleasure
in running a business

like this is being able to go
and drive these cars around.

So, why don't you have a go
with this with no pressure,

er, and do some skids.

I go out there in it?

If you're up for it?

[LAUGHS]

Are you aware
of my reputation and record?

It only goes as fast
as you're willing to press

that pedal on the right.

Even on a track like this,
in conditions like this,

it really is safe.

Trying to think of the last time
I drove at Goodwood

and, um, I've never driven
at Goodwood,

I've never been round it.

I do know
it's a very, very fast track.

Yeah.

Richard, come into my changing room.

Thank you.
Overalls... Ah.

These...

Are they ripe?
Wow!

Oh, come on!

They did about two hours
around Silverstone

about two weeks ago
but it's all I've got.

Right, these are going to be
long on me.

Get this.

Oh. Why would you even do that?

Right, I'll put my lovely
clean feet in those.

I shall emerge
looking like the stale-ish racing

driver ever seen.

Excellent.

Well, this wasn't the plan,
I was quite happy

watching other people
try not to crash expensive things.

Here goes nothing.

This is a proper race car, isn't it?

Well, it's a gnarly old thing.
Ignition.

Ooh! Sounds angry, doesn't it?

Do not crash Patrick's
lovely rare car.

I'd feel bad. I would feel bad.

Marshall.

Right, we're away.

God, it's slippery as hell.

Squeeze the breaks,
it's wet, Richard.

It really is!

Ooh-ooooh!

It's got a very naughty
rear end this old car.

Constantly balanced
on the edge of disaster.

I'm gonna brake early here
because I'm scared.

[CHUCKLES]

Oh, I missed this nonsense!

I'm driving Goodwood!

Why have I stopped
myself from doing it?

This is what I've got to do.

The Smallest Cog racing team
is rising again

but with one serious change.

I want to do some driving.

It's not broken.

Ohhh!
How did you get on?

It doesn't really want to stay
on the tarmac, does it?

No, not on these tyres.

Obviously, I really hate it
when somebody else's right,

but he was.

I've got to remind myself
of-of why I'm doing all of this.

I'm not by nature a spectator.

Team Cog Racing might be
about to gain another driver.

Short, quite old, very unreliable

and brings a terrible reputation.

It's exactly what I would employ.

If Richard does well,

I'm hoping it'll give him

a bit more enthusiasm to get back

into the driving seat of the garage.

They're convinced
I'm gonna crash it.

He's actually not bad, is he?

Good to see you again.

The numbers on here
are not entirely small.

I think this is slightly
more than we're wanting to spend.

I think they call these estimates,
'eye watering'.