1967 Aston Martin DB6

Lot details
Registration No: NYM 64E
Chassis No: DB6/3023/R
Mot Expiry: July 2013

Launched at the 1965 London Motorshow, Aston Martin's decidedly elegant DB6 was stylistically indebted to its DB5 predecessor and the final iteration of a line that had begun with the DB4 seven years earlier. The 1967 right-hand manual DB6 on offer is a Mk1 example that is understood to have been originally bound for Hong Kong, but sold first to an Alfred Bryan from Solihull who kept it for about four years. Following two or three further keepers it was purchased in 1983 by a Graham Mansell who had discovered it stripped and spread between 14 tea chests in a garage in Lye, West Midlands. He refurbished and repainted the car, retaining numerous original parts. No engine work was carried out at this time and the DB6 was re-commissioned in 1992. Over the next 10 to 15 years it was improved with new front windscreen, stainless steel exhaust, bumpers, wire wheels and refurbished bright work. The carpets were renewed and the interior retrimmed in 2008.

On acquiring it in October 2011, the vendor decided it again merited major refurbishment, as the paintwork was showing its age and the engine smoking on start-up - this restoration work was entrusted to renowned Aston specialist PF Autos in Stoke on Trent. They in turn sent the engine to well-known Aston engineers Hutsons of Northwich, where it was thoroughly stripped and rejuvenated. The valves and guides were replaced, the cylinder head reworked, the crankshaft reground, and new bearings, pistons and liners installed. Along the way, the unit was upgraded to 4.2-litre specification. The body was resprayed in Aston Martin California Sage Green and all panel gaps restored to their original tolerances.

The vendor regards this 'matching numbers' car as "an excellent example of the marque that's covered just 700 miles since the restoration". It comes complete with a photographic record of the refurbishment work, original green logbook, V5, many old tax discs / invoices and current MOT certificate valid until July 2013.