Description
This car is Lot 121 to be auctioned by Bonhams|Cars at The Bond Street Sale 12 December, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Public Viewing:
Available 12th December 2024 from 09:00 until 17:00, at 101 New Bond Street, London.
Lot 121
Only two owners from new
1986 Aston Martin V8 Volante EFI
Registration no. C53 FEC
Chassis no. SCFCV81C4GTR15448
One of 44 RHD Fuel-injected Volante's
Rare and desirable factory colour scheme
Automatic transmission
13, 500 miles from new
Original owners handbook and warranty card
This beautiful V8 Volante is one of the first 'V585' series cars fitted with Weber Marelli electronic fuel injection. Works records confirm it was specified with Burnham Green coachwork; Natural hide upholstery piped in Special Mid Green; steering wheel matched to piping; Natural hood trimmed in Everflex; Beige carpets; and automatic transmission. Research has shown this to be the sole right-hand drive fuel-injected Volante delivered in Burnham Green.
The Volante was consigned to supplying dealer H W Motors on 29th January 1986 and sold to the first owner via H R Owen on 7th March 1986. Issued on 7th March 1986, the original warranty card on file records the first owner as Mr J J Morris Esq of Elstead, Surrey and the registration as 'C321 SPH'.
The original service book shows the first service as completed by HW Motors on 17th March 1986 at 955 miles. The original V5 confirms the sale on 24th February 1987 to second owner Mr Ashworth of Lancashire. The second service was undertaken by main agents JCT 600 on 9th July that same year at 4, 962 miles.
Following his acquisition Mr Ashworth assigned the cherished registration 'JA 444', which remained on the car until 1995 when it was replaced with the marque-appropriate registration 'AM 444'.
The Volante returned to JCT 600 in June 1988 at 9, 246 miles for repairs to a leaking radiator, new tyre and some minor adjustments. In June 1989 the Aston was sent to Strattons of Salford for an oil service at 9, 959 miles and saw minimal use thereafter until it was sent to Chapman Spooner Ltd in June 1994 where it received a 10, 000 mile service, automatic gearbox rebuild and attention to the air conditioning system.
Further parts invoices from Stratstone were issued in February 1999, and the MoT history shows the car was used sparingly for the following few years. The Volante was only used by Mr Ashworth on high days and holidays and resided alongside a very original DB5 and a Commemorative V12 E-Type Roadster. It should be noted that additional maintenance between 1987 and 2018 was undertaken in-house by the Ashworths' family-owned garages.
In December 2018 the family commissioned restoration specialists Mitchell Motors of Wiltshire to carry out chassis restoration works, the mileage now reading just over 13, 000. The history file contains invoices and photographs depicting the works, which included cutting away lower sections of front and rear wings; blasting back to bare aluminium; removing the doors; cutting away sills on both sides; cutting away box sections; re-manufacturing box sections and floor sides where required; welding in new outrigger sections and sills; welding wing bottoms back on; refitting doors; and repainting the sides, the total cost of which was £12, 000. Since the works' completion the Aston has lived in professional temperature-controlled storage and was regularly started with fluid and brake checks during that period.
This two-owner Volante is supplied with two sets of keys; the original owners' handbook, service booklet and warranty card; original Blaupunkt Toronto radio and manual; associated history file with service records; original V5/ V5C documents (old and current); and a quantity of MoTs (18 in number) for the period 31st March 1989 at 8, 959 miles to 16th July 2024 at 13, 488 miles.
Without question one of the lowest mileage right-hand drive V8 Volante's extant, this genuine, highly original and unmolested car represents a rare opportunity to own a unique example of this most desirable soft-top Aston Martin.
