Introduced in 1963, the DB5 was the product of nearly five years of Aston Martin’s development and refinement of its predecessor, the DB4. The DB4 innovated considerably, and saw substantial improvements throughout its production. The DB5 combined these lessons and incorporated additional improvements, including a larger engine and many detailed refinements. Designed by Tadek Marek, an all-new, twin-cam engine replaced the LB6 engine that W.O. Bentley had originally designed at Lagonda. The now-iconic engine displaced 3.7 litres in the DB4 but grew to 4.0 litres in the DB5. Initially equipped with twin carburetors, the engine was optionally available with three SU carburetors in late DB4s – an arrangement that became standard on the DB5, as did the previously optional oil cooler. Other sophisticated characteristics shared by the cars included rack and pinion steering, four-wheel disc brakes, and a fully synchronized gearbox. Relatively early in the DB5’s production, the David Brown four-speed was replaced with a ZF five-speed gearbox.

This fantastic DB5, chassis DB5/1759/R, is an original ZF five-speed example and was first delivered in the UK finished in Dubonnet Rosso (Deep Burgundy Red) with a Fawn interior. By the late 1980s, the car was in California, and was later exported to British Columbia, Canada, where it received substantial restoration work in 1994. At that time, a left-hand-drive conversion was performed and the engine was rebuilt to displace 4.2 litres. In 2003, a five-speed Toyota gearbox was fitted using a kit supplied by Conversion Components Ltd., which has specialized in fitting more modern gearboxes to classic British cars for over 30 years. The Toyota unit is quieter and more user-friendly than the stock ZF five-speed, which is included in the sale.

From 2013 to 2015, the Aston received a photo-documented, over-2,600-hour rotisserie restoration by St. Pierre Restorations of Surrey, British Columbia, which included a respray in the iconic shade of Silver Birch. The interior was retrimmed using new Vaumol Connolly leather and the suspension, electrical, and braking systems also received restoration work. The driveline was inspected and serviced at this time, including the engine, which still had less than 4,000 miles since being previously rebuilt. A new stainless steel exhaust system was fitted, and the shock absorbers were renewed as well.

Shown at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, and offered with workshop and owner’s manuals, parts catalogue, tool roll, extensive documentation and BMIHT Certificate, this DB5 has been used sparingly since its restoration and presents beautifully. Benefiting from desirable driveability upgrades, this DB5 represents an ideal combination of elegance, mechanical attention, and substantial performance.