1971 Aston Martin DBS

Highlights

Original, straight-six engine fully rebuilt by Kent Auto Developments with 0 miles and recent test data
Largely completed body and chassis restoration by Aston Martin specialists
Interior seats and leatherwork retrimmed to a superlative standard
Believed complete and ready for finishing
Accompanied by a copy of the original build sheet
£35,000 documented spend on bodywork restoration alone

The Appeal

It’s that time of year again when you’ll no doubt be looking for a winter
project.

How fortuitous then that this Aston Martin DBS is now awaiting a new
custodian, someone to continue the already extensive rebuild and return this
legendary GT to the road.

Originally launched alongside the DB6 and intended as its replacement, the
DBS initially shared the same engine - Tadek Marek’s legendary DOHC
straight-six in 4.0-litre form. The DBS’ styling differed markedly from its DB
predecessors as it was designed in-house by William Towns rather than by
usual partner Carrozzeria Touring, which had recently gone out of business.
Today, these stylish and capable grand tourers are exceedingly sought after,
making this restoration project very appealing.

A substantial amount has already been spent with marque specialists and most of the big jobs are done. This includes circa £35,000 for the restoration of the chassis and shell alone. The engine, fully rebuilt by renowned specialists KAD, includes custom pistons made to original specifications. A comparable engine rebuild would cost upwards of £30,000 at today's prices. Similarly, the high-quality restoration and re-trim of the interior leatherwork and seating wouldn't leave any change from £20,000 if you had to have it done to similar standards.

The vendor believes that the Aston is complete, including all trim, glass and bumpers, so the next owner will be able to get stuck straight into the remaining jobs rather than begin the hunt for hard-to-find parts.

The History and Paperwork

Original build sheet shows ‘Dubonnet Rosso’ over black
The project stalled after restoration specialist Spellbound Cars ceased trading
Since then, the car has been in professional storage, coated in aerospace sealant designed to protect the metal parts and stored in a Carcoon inside a storage facility
The engine and parts have been stored separately indoors and the engine has been tested very recently (documents included)
Circa £35,000 of invoices (for the bodywork restoration) accompany the car and can be viewed in the photograph gallery below
Research indicates that a spend of around £30-£50k for the engine rebuild and the £20-£25k on the interior leatherwork, seat restoration and re-trim would be required in today's market for work already completed
The car comes with a stainless steel exhaust and the chrome-work is in decent condition
Included in the sale are many parts additional to those required to complete the car, such as additional wheels, bumpers, glass, chrome etc. which are in varying condition. Some of these are pictured in the gallery
Accompanied by a photographic record detailing restoration work thus far
The indicated mileage is unknown
UK market right-hand drive example

The Condition

The vendor states that the shell needs a little finishing work before it’s ready for painting, but not a great deal
Uniquely for these cars which are notorious for hidden rust (usually extensive), everything is visible since the car is offered in this bare metal state
As the photographs show, a great deal of bodywork restoration has already been carried out and as a result, it looks very straight and solid
The seats and interior leatherwork have been restored and retrimmed to an extremely high standard in biscuit hide
Comes with a large selection of extra spares in addition to those that will go back on the car
Neatly categorised spares in various receptacles (photographed)
Car currently coated in aerospace sealant designed to protect the metal parts and stored in a Carcoon with a marque specialist
The shell is is rolling on original wire wheels (an extra set is included)

The Mechanics

4.0-litre DOHC straight-six
The engine has been rebuilt by a race specialist to original specification, including custom-made pistons to original tolerances
0 miles covered since the completion of the engine rebuild
A three-speed automatic gearbox accompanies the car - the next owner could carry out a manual conversion if desired
The engine has been run, and the vendor had the engine compression tested and a leak-down test carried out recently in readiness for sale - (the results accompany the car)

BEFORE YOU BUY

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