1964 Aston Martin DB5 Sports Saloon
Registration no. CJW 585B (to be reapplied for)
Chassis no. DB5/1775/R
Engine no. 400/1704

Aston Martin's post-war evolution took a giant step forward with the launch of the DB4 in 1958. Classically proportioned, the Touring-designed body established an instantly recognisable look that would stand the marque in good stead until 1970. The engine was still an all-alloy, twin-overhead-camshaft, six but the old W O Bentley supervised 3.0-litre unit had been superseded by a new design by Tadek Marek. The new 3,670cc engine featured 'square' bore and stroke dimensions of 92mm, and developed its maximum power of 240bhp at 5,500rpm. The David Brown gearbox was a new four-speed all-synchromesh unit.

Touring's Superleggera body construction, which employed a lightweight tubular structure to support the aluminium-alloy body panels, was deemed incompatible with the DB2/4-type multi-tubular spaceframe, so engineer Harold Beach drew up an immensely strong platform type chassis. The DB2/4's trailing-link independent front suspension gave way to unequal-length wishbones while at the rear the DB4 sported a live axle located by a Watts linkage instead of its predecessor's Panhard rod.

Five series were built as the model gradually metamorphosed into the DB5 of 1963. The latter's distinctive cowled headlamps had first appeared on the DB4GT and the newcomer was the same size as the lengthened Series V DB4. Its 3,995cc engine - first seen in the Lagonda Rapide - was mated to a four-speed overdrive-equipped gearbox; a proper ZF five-speed unit being an option at first and standardised later. Famously featured in the James Bond movie, 'Goldfinger', the DB5 was immensely popular, with demand swiftly outstripping the factory's ability to supply following the film's release in 1964. In total, 1,021 examples were built between 1963 and 1965.

Chassis number '1775' comes with a copy of the original purchase form recording that the car was delivered new on 7th December 1964 to the Osborn Manufacturing Company, which supplied it to S B Reed, Esq. We are advised that the only alteration in specification concerns the colour scheme, originally Sage (green), which was changed to Silver Birch prior to the preceding owner's acquisition of the car in 1971. The car was maintained by Ian Mason in 1970s prior to being laid-up (bills on file). There is a note on file, written in 2005 by the previous owner, Peter Hammerson, which states: 'from 1977 the car was laid-up in private garage following which it has been undergoing extensive and lengthy restoration.'

The latter was carried out by Arthur Birchall & Co of Norfolk between 1987 and 2006, during which period the car benefited from a body-off, chassis-upwards rebuild while the engine was converted to take unleaded fuel (bills on file). Between 2008 and 2010, the DB5 was looked after by Aston Martin Works.

The current owner purchased the car at Bonhams' sale at Aston Martin Works, Newport Pagnell in 2010 (Lot 303) since when it has resided in Norway as part of a private collection. A lovely example, '1775' has covered only some 68,800 miles from new (and only 1,000 since restoration) and is described as in superb condition. The car is supplied with a custom fitted car cover and offered with a large history file, two workshop manuals, copy old V5 registration document and current Norwegian registration papers.

Please note this Lot will be subject to the reduced import tax of 5% should it remain in the EU.