Description
- A charming survivor project
- 5 previous owners
“The Aston Martin DB2/ 4 is an expensive car designed to cater for the connoisseur of sports cars who is not limited by financial considerations.” — The Autocar, 2 October 1953.
The DB2/ 4 broadened the appeal of Aston Martin’s acclaimed DB2 by introducing a practical 2+2 layout, achieved through the addition of occasional rear seats and a raised roofline. The resulting flat rear deck created one of the earliest hatchback-style designs seen on a British sports car. A one-piece windscreen replaced the earlier split-screen arrangement, while full bumpers added refinement to the already elegant styling.
Powered by the celebrated W. O. Bentley-designed twin overhead camshaft straight-six engine, the DB2/ 4 initially displaced 2. 6 litres and produced 125bhp. From 1954 onward, a larger 3. 0-litre unit delivering 140bhp became available, enabling performance figures that were exceptional for the period — with a top speed approaching 120mph and 0–60mph achieved in approximately 11 seconds. Combining outstanding road manners with genuine long-distance comfort, the DB2/ 4 stood among the finest high-performance British motor cars of its era.
The highly attractive Drophead Coupé was unveiled at the 1954 London Motor Show. Featuring additional chassis stiffening and produced in very limited numbers, it commanded a premium of approximately 37% over the fixed-head version. Only around 73 examples are believed to have been built.
This particular example was supplied new through Charles Sidney Ltd of Westgate, Bradford, to its first owner, Mr J. M. Potter of Manor Row, Bradford. Within only a few years, the car passed to Mr R. H. Owthwaite of Ingleby Road, Bradford. Extensive correspondence on file from Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd documents comprehensive maintenance works, including a full engine and gearbox overhaul alongside numerous additional mechanical improvements.
Also accompanying the car are the original Exchange & Mart advertisement and the 1965 sales invoice recording its purchase by Mr E. J. Back for the sum of £550. An especially charming inclusion is the Automobile Association inspection report dated April 1965.
From 1965 until 1991, the car remained in Mr Back’s long-term ownership, during which time a substantial history file was compiled, including extensive correspondence with marque specialists Aston Service Dorset and Capt. Ivan Forshaw.
Following Mr Back’s stewardship, the DB2/ 4 was briefly owned by Mr Phillip Jones of Byron Garages Ltd, Wallington, Surrey, before being sold in 1991 to a European member of the Aston Martin Owners Club. There it formed part of a private collection and saw very limited use over the subsequent decades.
Since acquisition, the car has been sympathetically recommissioned. Work carried out includes:
-New fuel pump
- Complete draining and replacement of all fluids
-Replacement wheel cylinders
- New brake lines
-Replacement master cylinder
-New brake hoses throughout
The DB2/ 4 now runs, drives, steers, starts, stops, and engages gears correctly.
Retaining a wonderfully authentic patina and immense character, this rare Drophead Coupé represents a superb opportunity for sympathetic preservation or survivor-style restoration.
POA
To find out more about this significant motorcar please contact our sales team for further details.
Viewing by prior appointment.
