1965 Aston Martin DB5 Sports Saloon

Highlights

• Only two registered keepers from new with the current keeper since 1987
• Finished in Solent Silver over its original navy Connelly Leather hide
• Total body-off restoration carried out by Goldsmith & Young circa 2000 to the tune of over £63,000
• The engine was bored to 4.2litre for increased torque and limited slip diff on the back axle
• Harvey Bailey suspension with adjustable Koni dampers; front suspension rebuilt by RS Williams with modified, lowered front coil springs; additional rear axle shock absorber in 2020
• Nearly £90,000 spent with Vantage Engineering between 2021 to 2024 on a mechanical overhaul and a full engine rebuild
• Less than 300 miles covered since the complete engine rebuild
• Fitted with quality Borrani wire wheels that cost £5,000 each
• Extensive history file including the original bill of sale, warranting the mileage of 67,968

The Appeal

Today, everything is ‘iconic.’ It’s a word as overused as ‘game changer.’ But when considering this car, the DB5, it’s a word that is impossible to avoid. Aston’s evocative fastback is as iconic as iconic can be.

The DB5 was virtually identical to the earlier DB4 Series V, save for two major changes: the 4L, 282bhp version of Tadek Marek’s straight-six masterpiece and a slick five-speed ZF gearbox. These improvements made it better suited to the new high-speed European autoroutes. Just 821 standard coupes like this 1965 car were built over two years.

The original bill of sale confirms this car’s Caribbean Blue over blue leather colour scheme, along with other extras including a heated rear screen, seatbelts and fog lights.

This manual gearbox car is remarkable among DB5's for being a genuine two-keeper car. It has been with the current one since 1987. In the mid-00s, it was repainted in popular Solent Silver, and the cabin re-trimmed in dark blue, similar to the factory specification. The car was fitted at this time with air conditioning. In the early 2020s, it was dispatched to specialist Vantage Engineering, where, over four years, nearly £90,000 was expended on mechanical work, including an engine rebuild, rewiring, gearbox overhaul, and an extensive list of new parts, including the flywheel and water pump.

This car’s specification and provenance stand apart. The condition is impressive, the exterior and interior wearing just a few exceptionally light signs of use. Here is a chance for the buyer to relish all that recent mechanical work, perhaps on a scenic trip to Glencoe…

History and Paperwork

• Chassis No. DB5/1724/R
  Engine No. 400/1708.
• First registered 1st January 1965
• Two registered keepers
• Current keeper since November 1987
• Colour change recorded April 2003
• Original bill of sale shown in photos
• Factory supplied in Caribbean Pearl with dark blue leather
• Factory fitted with fog lamps, heated rear screen, seatbelts and Selectaride (latter since removed by Goldsmith & Young during the restoration)
• V5C present
• Large history file as shown, including original dealer correspondence
• 1 set of keys with two fobs
• Nearly £90,000 of mechanical work by Vantage Engineering shown in photos
• Distinctive ‘DAD’ plate included

The vendor says:

"Around the end of 1987, I noticed that classic cars were rapidly increasing in cost, precipitated by the passing of Enzo Ferrari. All cars prior to his death were skyrocketing in value and being soaked up by investors. I myself have always worked on my own cars, performing my own repairs and improvements. I then decided to move to something more exotic and challenging."
"So, in November 1987, I took a trip to Autodrome Classic Cars based in a former fruit market wholesaler unit in Ladbroke Grove, London, not far from the famous antique hub in Portobello Road. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of exotic cars for sale, and after a few visits, I made my choice to buy the Aston Martin DB5 with the attractive DAD 668C number plate. The car had one owner and needed a lot of work, both mechanically and bodily, which suited me."
"Over the next 10 years, I learned much about the car and realised that with an aluminium body and a high-performance engine, I needed much help to bring the car back to its former glory. Throughout this period, classic cars had risen much in price, and as this model, the DB5, was the James Bond Goldfinger car, it held an added premium in value. Many times I was offered tempting proposals, even from overseas, to buy the car, but I resisted as I am not an investor but an Aston Martin enthusiast."
"After much debate and time constraints with a growing family and working away offshore, I chose Goldsmith & Young from Mere in Somerset to just restore the engine and other mechanical parts. This actually ended up with a total body restoration project requiring 300 hrs of welding alone to replace age-damaged panels. The engine was bored to 4.2 litres for increased torque and a limited-slip diff on the back axle. The suspension was treated to a Harvey Bailey system with adjustable Koni shock absorbers."
"Furthermore, I had air conditioning installed with discrete back parcel shelf vents and pipes running through the sills. The music was enhanced from a single speaker to a discrete 6-speaker system. A Todd alarm was installed, and a steering lock with an ignition key. This necessitated installing a push start button on the dashboard, thus replacing the ignition key switch. Also, an extra blower was installed under the bonnet to enhance the air flow to the cabin.
"The complete interior was removed, and I paid a personal visit to Connolly Leather in Wimbledon and chose the dark blue hide. The seats were stripped, and to my surprise, the pipes for the headrests were in the frame. I had the headrests made to slot into the existing frame, which gave me comfort for safety reasons. I collected the car about 4 years later, completely renovated both mechanically, bodily and a new interior, windscreen and all.
"I used the car very occasionally, and my furthest drive was to Snowdonia in Wales. I entrusted RS Williams to improve the suspension, steering and carburettor linkages and settings. Over the next 15-20 years, the car will mostly reside in the garage with a few local excursions. In the meantime, I treated myself to a set of Italian Borrani wire wheels, knock-offs and tyres. Over time, a few engine leaks developed, and I decided to have these rectified, necessitating a complete engine strip-down to replace the rear crankshaft oil seal. The crankshaft was machined to accommodate a modern type of simmering seal, replacing the old asbestos type. Vantage Engineering at Horsham did an excellent job. COVID struck, and this meant a horrendous delay in 3rd party support and parts. I ended up with new liners, Hepolite pistons with carillo rings and all engine mechanical parts, including a new block and a complete cylinder head and carburettor overhaul.
"This whole process took nearly 4 years, and I got back a beautifully running Aston Martin DB5. This was completed about 1 year ago, and since then, I have done a few hundred miles and no more. I have decided to sell the car and give someone else the pleasure of the work I have put into making this a great car to cherish."

The Condition

• Repainted in Solent Silver in the early 2000s and remains in very good order
• Some light chips and marks to note on the paintwork highlighted in photos
• Bodywork in very good order with flush panel fit and good panel edges
• Stainless bumpers fitted, with unique rear lights as part of the bumper
• Underside as shown in photos
• Borrani Italian wire wheels with spinners, £5,000 each, showing light tarnish
• Quality Michelin tyres fitted with decent tread and dates shown in photos
• Spare wheel included
• New windscreen fitted
• Re-trimmed dark blue Connolly leather hide, personally selected by the owner
• Interior presents well with very slight bolster wear to note
• Headrests fabricated to fit the existing frame
• Inertia seatbelts with rear anchor points installed
• Rear reflectors with integral fog lamps
• Hazard warning lights
• Spotlamps connected to dipswitch
• Air conditioning with discreet parcel-shelf vents fitted
• Additional heater blower on relay circuit
• Variable-speed wipers
• Six-speaker audio system
• Additional interior lighting; boot and under-bonnet lights fitted
• Three-spoke DB wood-rimmed wheel and classic-style stereo fitted
• TOAD alarm; iPhone ignition immobiliser; ignition isolation switch; steering lock; push-button start

It’s a testament to coachbuilder Harold Radford and the team at Aston Martin that they managed to evolve Touring’s original 1958 DB4 design into something altogether new. Unlike some icons, the DB5 was a tweaked and improved design, rather than anything fresh. But, as this Solent Silver car shows, it’s so cohesive that you really wouldn’t know.

This car was repainted silver, a colour naturally associated with the DB5, in the mid-2000s. It carries some light signs of age, but nothing unsightly or requiring close attention to spot. The interior has been re-trimmed in a shade similar to the car’s factory specification. It also presents well with light age in some high-traffic areas, but again, barely noticeable.

The Mechanics

• 4.2-litre straight-six bored and rebuilt from the 3,995cc unit, with new liners and CP Carrillo pistons
• Modified crankshaft with Simmering-type oil seal replacing the original asbestos type
• Enhanced crankshaft main bearing shells and housings
• Triple SU carburettors; complete carburettor overhaul carried out
• Programmable electronic ignition
• Solid-state SU-lookalike fuel pump; fuel isolation valve under fuel tank
• Five-speed ZF manual gearbox, overhauled by Vantage Engineering
• Limited-slip differential
• Harvey Bailey suspension with adjustable Koni dampers; front suspension rebuilt by RS Williams with modified, lowered front coil springs; additional rear axle shock absorber
• Electric cooling fan; high-flow radiator core; uprated alternator
• Stainless exhaust
• £90,000 mechanical overhaul and full engine rebuild by Vantage Engineering; fewer than 300 miles since completion

A bigger engine delivering more power and a long-legged five-speed gearbox set the DB5 up to compete with the best of the new breed of European grand tourers. Even without certain silver screen associations, these are reasons enough to consider the DB5 the ‘ultimate’ 60s Aston.
Chassis No. DB5/1724/R
Engine No. 400/1708
The engine has been totally rebuilt with a cylinder head overhaul and all critical parts replaced: liners, piston rings, bearing shells and special caps, crankshaft and a new block was fitted during the rebuild which has been stamped with the original engine number 400/1708. The original factory matching numbers block stamped 400/1708 is supplied with the car.

Aside from the compelling specification, this car has received a seriously ‘blue-chip’ mechanical makeover. Between 2021 and 2024, £90,000 has been invested with specialist Vantage Engineering, including a complete engine rebuild, gearbox overhaul and attention to the wiring, brakes and suspension. The list of invoices is provided in the photos.

With few miles since this work was completed, the car arrives with the buyer in very good order. Please note that the steering wheel in the video has now been changed back to original factory steering wheel.

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