Description
An iconic Aston Martin in a desirable specification
Aston Workshop are delighted to present for sale this 1958 Aston Martin DB2/ 4 MKIII, finished in Dark Blue over Grey leather. Previously sympathetically restored to a high standard, the car now presents in a charming condition ready for many more miles of enjoyable driving. This car is now in our County Durham showroom after a period of time on the continent and represents a fantastic opportunity to own and use an example of the ultimate 1950s Aston Martin.
Faithful to its original condition, this car features the 2. 9L Aston Martin straight-six engine in DBA specification (Twin SU carburation, quoted power output of 162hp). Being a ‘B’ spec car, this DB2/ 4 Mark III (more commonly known as a DB MKIII) features ‘Cathedral’ rear lights as seen on early DB4s as well as Girling front disc brakes. Other improvements to the Mark III over its predecessors included a tidier design with the removal of some excess chromework, and a new dashboard design that would be carried on into the Astons of the 1960s.
A storied continental life
This DB Mark III was finished on the 12th of December 1957 and delivered to distributor Brooklands of Bond St. Ltd. on the 26th of January 1958. Originally finished in Desert White over Black Leather, the car’s first owner (Mr G Griffiths, Somerset) took delivery on the first day of February. A Mr N. G. K. Dawes of Worcestershire is listed as the second owner, and in 1965 ownership changed again when Mr M Green, Warwickshire, bought the car from Old Hill Motors Ltd. for £750.
Mr Green used the car for the following decade before placing it into long-term storage for over 25 years. In 2001, he gifted the car to his son-in-law, who immediately set about restoring the Mark III over a period of three years. During this time, the original engine was rebuilt, and a full body restoration was carried out, including a respray in Dark Blue. Hexagon Classics then acquired the car and carried out a full interior retrim utilising Connolly Bros. Vaumol Luxan Grey hide.
In recent years, the car was purchased by a German collector of classic British cars who kept it in fantastic condition with regular servicing and maintenance. The Mark III has now returned to the UK, and is for sale in our County Durham showroom following a thorough inspection; we believe the car to be a very usable example that would be equally suited to regular use or display in a private collection.
Exceptional history file
With the car is a detailed history file containing countless documents from throughout the life of the car. MOT certificates, invoices from various different suppliers and specialists, letters from insurers and from the Aston Martin Owners Club as well as copies of the original build and service sheets from Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd. Also present is extensive documentation relating to the cars recent time in Germany. The documents in this incredible history file date back to the purchase of the car in 1958. At the back of the folder are original clippings of DB2/ 4 MkIII road test articles from the leading magazines of the day.
The Aston Martin DB Mark III
The final evolution of the DB2 design, the Mark III model of the DB2/ 4 is more commonly known as the DB Mark III. The famous Aston Martin grille shape was seen clearly on the Mark III for the first time, with the soft, rounded grille design inspired by the DB3S race car that achieved 15 race wins in the 1950s.
Widely considered the most attractive Aston Martin road car of the Feltham era, the DB Mark III became famous as the first Aston driven by international super-spy James Bond. The film adaption of ‘Goldfinger’ may have featured the DB5, but when the original novel was released it was a Mark III (erroneously named a DB III) that Bond used on his continental journey to track down Auric Goldfinger.
The DB2/ 4 MKIII was in production from 1957 to 1959, overlapping DB4 production by seven months. As the final model produced during Aston Martins ‘Feltham’ era, the Mark III represents the point at which Aston Martin transitioned to making true GT cars capable of matching (and beating) anything produced by Astons continental rivals.
