This beautifully presented Aston Martin DB5 is chassis number 1577/R. First delivered on 28 May 1964, its guarantee was issued on 2 June and non-standard equipment included a 3.77 Powr-Lok rear axle, Motorola radio, twin Marchal foglamps, chrome wheels, a heated rear screen and three-ear wheel spinners.

The DB5 was registered ADA 222B, which it still wears today, and was delivered to its first owner – a Mr R Hampton of the Union Steel Manufacturing Co in Wolverhampton. Its service record shows that it was cared for by the Aston Martin factory until 1970. After that, it was serviced by Aston Distributors Limited at Perry Barr until 1975 and then Chapman Spooner Limited until the mid-1980s.

Andy Chapman – a lifelong marque specialist who had joined Aston Martin in the early 1960s before setting up Chapman Spooner – personally owned this car for a short period. Then, during the late 1980s, it was displayed at the Midland Motor Museum, which was run by Bob Roberts and Michael Barker. Over the years, everything from a Ferrari 250 GTO and 250 LM to an Aston Martin DB3S and Roberts’ own Bugatti Type 43 would be displayed there.

In the mid-1990s, Chapman inspected the DB5 for a prospective new owner and wrote that, ‘I would consider the car to be in the top 10 per cent for this model’. It is a well-known example that was used by Airfix to represent its scale model of the DB5 – an unmade, boxed kit is included with the car and shows ADA 222B on the back of the box.

The Airfix DB5 also pictured in the book Aston Martin – The Legend and appears on the cover of The Ultimate History of Aston Martin DVD. A copy of the latter is also included.

In recent years, the Airfix DB5 has been looked after at its spiritual home of Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell and all invoices are part of the history file. Its original instruction book is included, too.

Now being offered for sale by The Classic Motor Hub, this Aston Martin DB5 left the factory in Goodwood Green with Beige trim, and currently looks resplendent in Florida Blue Metallic. It’s a superb example of this enduring 1960s grand tourer and boasts a fascinating history.