Over the years I have owned quite a few cars, and I have had the opportunity to own almost all of the cars I always wanted. These include a pair of Ferrari Daytonas, scores of Porsche 911s, a 246 Dino Coupe, and a pair of Aston Martins. All have been amazing in their way and I consider myself quite lucky to have had these chances, but there is one car that has eluded me over the years. This car is one I didn’t even know existed when I was in high school, the time when I initially fell in love with most of these cars. That car is the Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk III.
I first became aware of the Aston 2/4 Mk III (usually just called a Mk III) while rereading the James Bond book Goldfinger about 15 years ago during Arizona’s auction week. Somehow I had forgotten that the Mk III was the car Bond drove in the book, as the DB5 had yet to be built when the book was published in 1958. During the week while preparing for one of my auction tours I saw an Mk III for the first time. The auction company let me take it for a test drive, and I knew then that I had found the perfect David Brown Aston Martin for me.
Yes, the Mk III is much more primitive than say a DB4. But the car, with its taller greenhouse, was a much more comfortable car for my 6’4″ frame. Sadly these cars have always been misses for me with both private party and at auction, always costing more than I had to spend at the time. Someday I will own a DB Mk III and sadly the example in today’s Pick of the Day would be just about perfect.
The Pick of the Day is a 1958 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk III located at a dealer in Philadelphia, PA. The listing for this car on ClassicCars.com is a bit scant of information, so I decided to go to the sellers website and see if there was any more information. This does not always work, but this time I hit a home run.
The seller describes this car in great detail stating that it is 1-of-83 LHD units to leave the factory. It is chassis #AM/300/3/1672 that was built in September of 1958 and dispatched to the dealer Charles H. Hornburg Jr Inc. of Los Angeles in January 1959. The car was originally finished in Satin Bronze paint with an Off-White leather interior, Firestone Super Sports whitewall tires, and the optional fully chromed wheels.
The first owner was Mr. Saul Pollack of Los Angeles, CA, in April 1959. Mr. Pollack happened to be the owner of the Waverly Mansion, president of Karl’s Shoe Stores, and brother-in-law to Harry Karl, Debbie Reynolds’s second husband and adoptive father of Todd and Carrie Fisher.
The car then went back to the UK for its second owner in October of 1991. In March 1992, it was sold to its third owner from Hayward Heath, also in the UK, and once again to its fourth owner in April 1993.
In 2002, the car traveled overseas once more to its fifth owner, Baron Paul van der Straten Waillet, in Belgium. The service records file accompanying the car starts around 2006 under Mr. Van der Straten Waillet’s ownership, showcasing the care and attention he put into keeping this British wonder on the road. A major service in September 2007 at Twin Cam (now Marreyt Classic Cars) in Aalst gave this Aston a new 8.6:1 83mm piston set, cylinder liners, head gasket, water pump, radiator, and other new parts. A return visit in April 2011 resulted in a new power steering rack. Later, in 2013, the headlights, mirrors, as well as both horns were replaced with units from RetroClassic Car Parts Ltd.
In October 2013, the car traveled back to the U.S. when it was sold to its current owner, who also kept extensive service records. During this ownership in2014, the car was stripped and repainted in Fern Green, the color it still wears today.
They describe this Mk III as a great driver level example with a strong engine and gearbox, a new clutch, suspension that is perfect, and an interior in amazing condition. The paint has some flaws but it is a very presentable car that is eligible for most vintage driving events across the world.
The buyer will receive the original factory manuals, the original factory build sheet, an original dealer brochure, the BMIHT certificate, the car’s FIVA identity card, a period article about the model, two Concours awards, as well as the service and ownership records on file.
I wish I had the $250,000 that is being asked for this car as it looks to be a truly great example of what is the first James Bond Aston Martin.
Click here to see this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com Pick of the Day.
Source: www.classiccars.com