1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 'Mark I' Vantage Sports Saloon
Coachwork by Mulliners of Birmingham
Registration no. OXK 827
Chassis no. LML/705
Engine no. VB6E/50/1289

'OXK 827' was first registered on 29th April 1954 to the selling dealer, H R Owen Ltd of Berkley Street, London W1, possibly for use as a demonstrator. The second owner was Thomas Bland & Son Ltd of Ivy Bank Mills, Haworth, West Yorkshire. The Aston was purchased for the use of managing director Harold Evan Jones, ownership being transferred to him from the company on 9th August 1962. Following Mr Jones's death in 1973, the present owner purchased the car from his executors. The aforementioned facts are confirmed by the original logbook on file. Mr Jones liked to travel Europe in the Aston and had made, possibly by the factory, a footrest/box for a continental touring kit, which is a perfect fit in the passenger foot well. The car also has the complete original tool kit in the centre armrest. Apparently, Harold Jones had the car repainted in dark green from the original Sea Green. The provision of a brake servo and twin-pipe exhaust system are the only other notified departures from factory specification.

When purchased, the Aston had not been used for a few years and was a non-runner requiring re-commissioning. Essentially, the car was fully serviced; all the running gear overhauled and replaced with new parts where necessary; the brightwork re-chromed; the wheels refurbished and new tyres fitted; and the dirty interior deep cleaned. After the work's completion the car passed its MoT test on 12th June 1974. The recorded mileage then was 68,206 and is now 79,703. However, this is believed not to be the actual mileage as the works history shows a new speedometer was fitted at circa 21,000 miles. After about a year of occasional use the cylinder head gasket failed and an engine top-end overhaul was carried out by specialists. In 1999 the car began suffering from low oil pressure, necessitating a professional engine rebuild. The car was also rewired completely, the ancillaries refurbished where necessary, and a new clutch installed. While the engine was out, the engine bay was repainted.

'OXK 827' has been well maintained and used almost every year, albeit sparingly, and there is an almost complete run of MoT certificates on file together with some tax discs and a V5 registration document. The history file also contains every invoice relating to work carried out during the present ownership. There are probably no other surviving DB2/4s that are essentially two-owner cars with such a full history and in such original condition.