Hamilton sustained unpleasant injuries during the 1958 24 Hours of Le Mans, while contesting the lead in his Jaguar D-Type, and then he was shattered by the death of his friend Mike Hawthorn in early 1959. That tragedy finally prompted him to hang up his racing helmet and gloves in 1959, and concentrated on his garage business in Bagshot. His love and passion for the finest classic motor cars led Hamilton to establish his own company back in 1948. Since then, Duncan Hamilton & Co Limited has become an international recognised for being one of the most respected and well-connected specialists in historic cars.