Video at the bottom of the listing
Pictures of the restoration added to the end of the gallery
Pictures of the restoration added to the end of the gallery
Highlights
- Very rare manual gearbox Aston Martin V8 with even rarer Banham conversion
- Extensive mechanical, interior, bodywork and structural rebuild exceeding £75,000 from 2015 to 2022
- Vast history file documenting the car’s restoration
- Superb, virtually concours example of this William Towns-designed classic
- Rare to find in this specification, even rarer in this condition
- Low mileage car fully overhauled my marque specialists
The Appeal
The DBS was a sharp, clean sheet design by William Towns and the arrival of the Tadek Marek-engineered V8 moved the new car firmly into the GT class.
It was not available as a drop top so Banham, which specialised in converting high end cars to convertibles, offered one instead. Only four V8s are believed to have been converted, of which this is one. What makes it even rarer is that it is believed to be one of the handful of factory manuals.
Restored at a cost of over £75,000 since 2015 this immaculate 1974 car is a very rare opportunity to own not just a Banham conversion but a manual gearbox V8. The car has covered just 1,000 miles since the work was completed.
Exquisitely finished in Cumberland Grey metallic to a very high standard it is surely one of the most exclusive classic Astons to come onto the market in recent years.
The History and Paperwork
- Originally UK registered on 27th September 1974
- Chassis records confirm that this is a 1974 Aston Martin V8
- Comprehensive restoration exceeding £75,000 since 2015
- Complete engine rebuild in 2015 at a cost of £32,356 by Rikki Cann of Essex, UK
- Full transmission rebuild at a cost of £24,413 in August 2022 by Novling Autovaerksted, Denmark
- Bare metal respray in 2018 by DAS Karrosseri, Danish Aston Martin certified bodyshop
- Interior fully reupholstered by Lincoln Scott Upholstery in 2016 using original Aston Martin shells
- Full set of invoices for and pictures from the restoration work
- MOT 2022 in Denmark and 2015 (UK)
- Tax and MOT exempt in UK
Aston’s replacement for its iconic DB6 was launched the DBS with a straight six engine work was underway to offer a V8 option which was available from 1969, its 5,340cc engine engineered by Tadek Marek and offering 320bhp. The car was renamed the Aston Martin V8 in 1973.
Each DBS was hand-built by Aston Martin in very small volumes, mainly because 1,200 man hours went into each one.
The early history of this car is not known but most Banham conversions went straight from the showroom to the converter for the work.
It was put up for sale by a company owner in Liverpool, and auctioned at the National Motor Museum in September 2009 by Bonhams (lot 506).
The car was exported to Sweden by an elderly classic car collector to add it to a number of restoration projects. However, he ran out of funds. When the current owner discovered the car in 2014 in a windowless garage beneath a railroad track in rural Sweden, it had been partly stripped and left untouched since 2010.
The current owner acquired the car in 2014 and began its comprehensive restoration in the experienced hands of restoration specialists such as Rikki Cann, Lincoln Scott vehicle upholstery and Danish Aston Martin certified workshops it has undergone a major refurbishment. This has included a complete engine and transmission rebuild, full overhaul of the suspension, brakes, propshaft and steering rack and a bare metal respray.A new hood and complete retrim have also been undertaken. The seller has only covered 1,000 miles since the work was completed.
The seller says that it is now time to hand over the custodianship to a new owner who can complete the final, minor finishing touches to this Aston Martin classic.
The Interior
- Completely re-upholstered by Lincoln Scott using genuine Aston Martin shells
- New back seat built and trimmed from scratch
- New seatbelts installed
- Fuel tank capacity significantly increased
The interior of this 1974 car is remarkably.Designed to be every inch the long-distance GT car it is neatly designed, cleverly blending classic Aston styling cues with a more modern take for the dawn of the 1970s.
This car has been beautifully and painstakingly retrimmed by Lincoln Scott trimmers in 2016 to a very high standard. It has been barely used since.
The work included building the back seat from scratch using original Aston Martin shells. The entire interior has been retrimmed in tan leather and new seat belts installed. Due to the very limited use it is in excellent condition and likely very similar to the day it was finished.
Fronted by a Mota Lita three spoked wood rimmed steering wheel, the dashboard is original. Some of the dashboard contacts and lights have been required and new air channels created. The owner states that there are some minor jobs left to do but these are not immediately visible from the photographs.
Everything works except the air conditioning. It is correctly installed but hasn’t functioned since.
The Banham conversion removed the factory car’s second fuel tank and reduced the capacity to 25 litres. To remedy this and make the car significantly more usable the spare wheel compartment has been converted to an additional fuel tank, bringing the total capacity to 70 litres.
The boot has an additional side panel installed to conceal the battery. The battery has also had an isolator switch fitted to prevent drain when the car is stored.
The Exterior
- Immaculate Cumberland Grey metallic paintwork
- Bare-metal respray to a very high standard in 2016 with little use since
- Bodywork repairs and respray carried out by DAS Karrosseri, certified Aston Martin workshop, at a cost of £10,679
- Two layers of paintwork applied
- No visible marks on paintwork
- Clean, straight lines and panel gaps
- Restoration involved removing all corrosion and treating with Hammerite coat
- New hood including metal frame, material and cover
The chiselled William Towns lines of the DBS were a radical departure from the earlier DB6 but have stood the test of time well. It is a classically styled coupe profile with neat detailing that has come to influence Aston Martin design right up to the modern era.
This car received a bare-metal respray in smart Cumberland Grey metallic by DAS Karrosseri of Copenhagen in 2018, the work including bodywork repairs particularly to the front and rear left hand panels.DAS Karrosseri is a Danish Aston Martin certified workshop.This work cost £10,679.
This car is one of a handful of Aston Martin V8s converted by Banham’s. The firm spotted an opportunity between 1970 and 1977 when Aston Martin did not offer its own convertible. With experience of converting high end exotica like Ferraris and Rolls Royces, the Banham conversions are well regarded and, of course, very rare.
The paintwork is complemented by the new hood which was made in 2014 by Romdal Sadelmake, an in-house upholstery arm of Autoseum, one of Europe's leading motoring museums based in Sweden.The metal frame was adapted during restoration to make it more flush with the body of the car when retracted. The hood comes with a bespoke cover.
The wheels are in very good condition and shod with new tyres. The seller has always stored the car in a heated garage and states that the underside remains in very good condition, helped by that Hammerite coating.
The Mechanics
- 5,340cc Aston Martin hand-built V8 engine developing 320bhp
- 5spd manual transmission
- Complete engine and suspension rebuild by Rikki Cann in August 2015 and covered less than 1,000 miles since:
- Complete engine rebuild
- Full suspension, steering rack and braking system overhaul
- Koni shock absorbers fitted
- New complete exhaust system
- Unleaded cylinder head conversion
- Dyno tested
- New alternator, Kenlow fan and water pump
- New radius arms
- Replacement of all brake pipes, discs, pads, pistons and calipers
- Heavy duty battery fitted with isolator
- Hi Torque starter motor
- Repair of corroded areas
- Hammerite painting
- Rikki Cann work cost £32,356
- Complete transmission rebuild and electrical work by Novling Autovaerksted finished in September 2022:
- Complete transmission rebuild
- Carburettor, ignition and alternator overhaul
- Dashboard clock and contacts repaired
- Air channels behind dashboard installed
- Indicator lights repaired
- Danish MOT
- Novling Autovaerksted work cost £24,413
The Tadek Marek-designed V8 moved Aston Martin into the modern era, able to compete against V8-engined GT cars from its competitors. It is a hand-built masterpiece, offering effortless urge with a distinctly Aston Martin soundtrack.
Most of the Aston Martin V8s were sold with automatic gearboxes but this car is fitted with a manual transmission. We were not able to verify if this was a factory fit option or later alteration. Either way, its overhaul has formed part of a mammoth mechanical restoration of the car totalling £56,769 taking place between August 2015 and September 2022.
All work was carried out by marque and activity specialists and the car has covered less than 1,000 miles since it started. The engine rebuild by Rikki Cann in Essex, an Aston specialist, covered the V8 motor as well as the suspension, drivetrain and ancillaries. Rikki Cann also put in a new exhaust system.
The transmission overhaul was completed in September 2022 along with electrical work to the interior and overhaul of the carburettor, ignition and alternator.
Summary
The DBS ushered in a new V8-powered era for Aston Martin and these crisply styled cars are becoming increasingly sought after for their style and usability. Built in very low volumes, even fewer left the factory with manual transmissions.
This meticulously restored V8 is one of the handful of high quality Banham conversions and a remarkable opportunity to buy a freshly restored car where someone else has done all the work. With few miles since that work was finished it looks sumptuous and a rare treat for any Aston enthusiast.
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