1934 Aston Martin 1½-Litre Mark II Drophead Coupé
Coachwork by Enrico Bertelli
Registration no. BGF 560
Chassis no. G4/461/L
Engine no. G4/461

'Big-car enthusiasts are apt to think that effortless, fast touring is a quality exclusive to vehicles of high horsepower rating, but their views will be considerably altered after they have taken the Aston Martin over a 300 mile journey.' – Motor Sport magazine on the Aston Martin Mark II.

Manufactured by Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin, the first Aston-Martins (the hyphen is correct for the period) rapidly established a reputation for high performance and sporting prowess in the years immediately following The Great War. Unfortunately, the management's concentration on motor sport, while accruing invaluable publicity, distracted it from the business of manufacturing cars for sale, the result being just 50-or-so sold by 1925 when the company underwent the first of what would be many changes of ownership.

The foundations were laid for the commencement of proper series production with the formation of Aston Martin Motors Ltd in 1926 under the stewardship of Augustus 'Bert' Bertelli and William Renwick. Bertelli was an experienced automobile engineer, having designed cars for Enfield & Allday, and an engine of his design - an overhead-camshaft four-cylinder of 1,492cc - powered the new 11.9hp Aston. Built at the firm's new Feltham works, the first 'new generation' Aston Martins were displayed at the 1927 London Motor Show at Olympia.

Like his predecessors, 'Bert' Bertelli understood the effect of competition success on Aston Martin sales and sanctioned the construction of two works racers for the 1928 season. Based on the 1½-litre road car, the duo featured dry-sump lubrication – a feature that would stand them in good stead in long distance sports car events – and this was carried over to the International sports model, newly introduced for 1929. Built in two wheelbase lengths (8' 6" and 9' 10") the International was manufactured between 1929 and 1932, mostly with bodies by Augustus's brother Enrico 'Harry' Bertelli.

The 'Le Mans' label was first applied to the competition version of the (1st Series) International following Aston's class win and 5th place overall in the 1931 Le Mans race. This conceit was fully justified when the model placed 5th and 7th in the 1932 race and collected the Rudge-Whitworth Biennial Cup. It may, in fact, be the first car named after the Le Mans Race, although many others have since followed Aston Martin's example.

The early 1930s was a period of economic recession and with sales of expensive quality cars falling off, some serious rethinking had to be done at Feltham. The prudent decision was taken to redesign the International chassis using proprietary components to reduce cost. A Laycock gearbox was adopted, mounted in unit with the engine, and the worm rear axle, which had never been completely satisfactory, was replaced by an ENV spiral bevel. There was a redesigned chassis frame and many other modifications resulting in what was virtually a new car, although it carried the same coachwork and was sold as the 'New International'. The original line-up of what would become known as the '2nd Series' did not last long, the New International and two-seater Le Mans disappearing from the range before the end of 1932. That year's Motor Show had ushered in the more familiar Le Mans 2/4-seater, which was also available on the long chassis as the Le Mans Special four-seater.

Introduced in 1934, the replacement Mark II model sported a new, stronger chassis and a revised engine incorporating a counter-balanced crankshaft and dry sump lubrication. Short (8' 7") and long (10') wheelbase versions were built, the latter available with stylish four-seater sports saloon coachwork by Enrico Bertelli. Priced at £700, it was the most expensive model in the range. The Aston Martin Mark II is today exceedingly rare, with only 166 cars built up to the end of 1935, of which only eight were drophead coupés like that offered here.

'BGF 650' was specially built in 1934 for Lance Prideaux-Brune to his own design and specifications. Lancelot Prideaux-Brune was the main financier of Aston Martin at that time, a board member of the Company and also owned the sole Aston Martin concessionaire in London, The Winter Garden Garages. He was also a co-founder of the Aston Martin Owners' Club with Mort Morris-Goodall in 1935.

His design, the first drophead coupé by Aston Martin, was built on the long wheelbase (10') Mark II chassis and featured a long, low bonnet; three-position external folding hood; wind-up windows and semaphore indicators: the first time any of these had appeared on an Aston Martin. The attractive result led to some seven others being made, though Prideaux-Brune would not allow these 'replicas', as he called them, to be identical to his original car. He was assiduous in promoting his new creation, entering the 1935 RAC Rally's coachwork competition (2nd class award); the Welsh Rally (1st in class, 1st in coachwork); and the Eastbourne Concours (1st in class). In 1936 he and 'BGF 560' achieved another 2nd in class award at the RAC Rally and a 3rd class award at the JCC Rally, Brooklands.

The current owner purchased the Mark II in the autumn of 1981 when it had been off the road for some 20 years. After a little 'tweaking' plus oil, grease etc, it was driven home, some:100 miles, without missing a beat. Mechanically and bodily (apart from one small panel) 'BGF 560' remains original, although the paintwork (its original dark blue paint was found under numerous other colours) and upholstery were renewed in the early 1980s when the car was restored. The vendor and his wife met Lance Prideaux-Brune and his wife, Constance, on several occasions and have photographs of them with 'BGF 560' in 1935 and, almost 50 years later, in 1983. Lance died in 1987 at the age of 92, followed within a few months by Constance. 'BGF 560' features in his obituary in The Independent newspaper, which sent a courier to obtain a photograph of him with his wife and the car.

Over the last 80 years, 'BGF 560' has featured in numerous publications on the marque. While in the vendor's care it has also taken part in various prestigious events, both in the UK and Europe, including Motor 100 at Silverstone, AMOC Concours, Goodwood Festival of Speed, and Lauren Perrier-sponsored rallies to the Champagne and Alsace regions of France. It has also been displayed at the AMOC Heritage Museum and participated in Aston Martin's 100th anniversary celebrations at the Wilton Supercar Classic and British Motor Heritage Museum, being one of only six cars chosen for the latter event.

Noteworthy features include aluminium coachwork (except the scuttle and wings, which are steel); three-position hood providing open, sedanca and closed positions; a 'crash' gearbox, gear positions being a mirror image of 'normal'; Andre Telecontrol hydraulic shock absorbers, adjusted from the dashboard; reversed-position throttle and brake pedals (as in the racing Astons) to facilitate 'heel and toe' gear changes; and a Kigass choke system. The only departure from original specification is the installation of a modern oil filter, concealed within the original casing. The accompanying history file contains period (and later) photographs of the Prideaux-Brunes and their correspondence with the vendor, together with sundry invoices, a quantity of expired MoT certificates, a V5C registration document and an old-style buff logbook (issued 1949) listing owners up to 1966.

Presented in good original condition, this delightful Mark II will surely reward its fortunate new owner with a delightful driving experience as well as the opportunity to continue the preservation an historically significant Aston Martin.