1962 Aston Martin DB4 Series IV Special Series GT-engined Coupé
Chassis no. DB4/886/L
Engine no. 370/0209GT

The competition potential of Aston Martin's new DB4 had been recognised from the outset, and the factory lost no time in developing a lightweight version suitable for racing, the resulting DB4GT debuting at the 1959 London Motor Show. The model had already been proven in competition earlier that year when the prototype ('DP/199') driven by Stirling Moss won its first race at Silverstone. Extensive modifications to the standard car took 5" (127mm) out of the wheelbase, and replaced the rear seats with a luggage platform on all but a small number of cars. Together with lighter, 18-gauge bodywork, these changes reduced the car's weight by around 200lb (91kg).

The GT used a tuned engine which, equipped with a twin-plug cylinder head and triple Weber 45DCOE carburettors, produced a claimed 302bhp at 6,000rpm, a useful increase over the standard car's claimed 240bhp. Maximum speed, of course, depended on overall gearing, but 250km/h was achieved during testing with a 0-100km/h time of 6.2 seconds recorded. The DB4 was also one of the first cars to go from standstill to 160km/h and then brake to a dead stop on under 20 seconds, a tribute, in part, to its up-rated Girling brakes as used on Aston Martin's competition sports racers of the era.

While several customers liked the idea of the GT engine, not all were so keen on the DB4GT's Spartan, competition orientated and less roomy interior, preferring the civility of the standard model. To accommodate these select few clients, Aston Martin was happy to supply the DB4 with the GT engine. The first three such examples were completed in 1961 during production of the 'Series 3' DB4, followed by a further five in 'Series 4' and six in 'Series 5' plus one convertible, making 15 cars in total (source: AMOC Register).

This matching-numbers car, left-hand drive chassis 'DB4/886/L', is one of the five 'Series 4' saloons delivered with the twin-plug GT engine installed, three of which were left-hand drive, and is thus one of the rarest of all DB4 variants. The car was delivered new in 1962 via US importers J S Inskip first owner Henry Dingley Jr of Auburn, Maine, a motor sports enthusiast known to have raced Alfa Romeos and a Lotus XI. The DB4 was ordered with the desirable GT-type dashboard, overdrive gearbox, oil temperature gauge, brake servo, chrome wheels, and a Bray block heater as well as the GT engine. The Aston's immediate history thereafter is not known, but by January 1985 it was in the ownership of Thomas Clark of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. '886/L' next passed to S A Taylor in the USA and in 1992 was acquired by Philip Cowan of Guernsey, Channel Islands. Later that same year the car was sold to Mr Rolf Annecke of Neuenkirchen, Germany.

During the years of Mr Annecke's ownership the car was completely restored (body, mechanicals, engine, transmission, suspension, brakes, electrics, etc) including a bare metal re-spray in Deep Carriage Green (an original Aston Martin colour). The extensive engine overhaul and tune up was carried out by Roos Engineering of Safenwil, Switzerland, while the interior was completely refurbished using correct original materials: Connolly leather, Wilton carpeting, etc.

In 2014 Mr Annecke offered the DB4 for sale. At that time approximately 1,000 miles had been covered since the rebuild's completion in 2005, the odometer reading at time of sale being 48,000 miles. Some 500 miles previously the old original Dunlop wire wheels had been exchanged for new 16" Borrani-style wheels shod with new Dunlop racing tyres. Most aspects of the restoration are documented by bills and photographs on file.

In early 2014 Mr Annecke sold the DB4 to the consignor, a connoisseur marque enthusiast based in Belgium. Determined to return the Aston to concours-standard original specification, he commissioned Carrosserie Philip Vilain in Brussels to start work in the summer of 2014. Vilain's brief was to completely restore the coachwork and chrome, and so the body was stripped back to bare metal and repainted in its original black livery, the entire process being documented by numerous photographs on file.

The factory's Aston Martin Works division was approached in 2015 to carry out a thorough evaluation of '886/L'. They made several recommendations, resulting in further refurbishment that included installing a new radiator, steering wheel, front/rear windscreens, headlights, and accelerator pedal. At the same time the interior was correctly re-trimmed in red leather with Wilton woollen carpets and a correct headlining. Related invoices on file total over £78,000 (approximately €90,500). Aston Martin Works issued a Gold Certification book in September 2016, confirming '886/L' to be a fully matching-numbers car retaining its original GT engine. Additional paperwork includes a factory production record; a former bill of sale and registration document; a BMIHT Certificate; and the aforementioned restoration records. The car is UK registered and comes to the sale with EU duties paid.

To call the GT-engined DB4 a 'factory hotrod' may not be entirely appropriate, but there can be no denying that its unique combination of high performance and 'gentlemen's club' refinement, not to mention a decent sized boot, makes it particularly appealing. Rarer but in the same top league as many a more expensive motor car from Maranello it represents a very refined choice for the discerning collector. As such it is nevertheless the ideal companion for use on long-distance tours and rallies and would surely be a welcome participant at any prestigious concours d'élégance event.