Chassis No. DBVC/2309/R
Engine No. 400/1734

At the arrival of the DB6 in 1965 as the successor to the DB5, around forty DB5 chassis remained at the Newport Pagnell works. These were soon transformed into the very first Aston Martin Volantes, the first in a long line of convertibles carrying this vaunted designation.

Based on the DB5 chassis, nearly 90 mm shorter than the DB6 and featuring its latest design refinements, including split bumpers and chrome-finished taillights, the Volante was dressed by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera and powered by Tadek Marek's 4.0-liter inline-six, paired with a ZF five-speed gearbox. Produced for just twelve months, it stands as the rarest series-production Aston Martin convertible ever made.

Among the 37 Short Chassis Volante produced, this particular example was delivered new on 21 January 1966, through Plough Motors Ltd to Mr. A. D. Richardson, as documented in the guarantee and warranty papers, copies of which remain on file. It was originally a right-hand drive, equipped with a ZF five-speed transmission, dressed in highly desirable Silver Birch with a black Connolly leather interior.

At the wheel, Richardson explored the car's sporting character, taking part in the Wiscombe Park Hill Climb in 1967, 1968, and 1969, before entrusting it to its original dealer, Plough Motors Ltd., West Country distributors for Aston Martin and Lagonda. According to the period invoice on file, it was then sold to Pennyview Instrument Co. Ltd. in exchange for £1,350 and a Ford Cortina! At that time, it carried its original registration, GDD 300 D.

Under the ownership of Charles Gigg, the car was repainted in white, before being sold in 1988 to Roger McCouat who undertook a complete restoration, fully documented by invoices and correspondence on file. During this work, the engine was overhauled, aluminum body panels restored or renewed, and the car returned to its original Silver Birch color. Upon completion, it earned an impressive second prize at the AMOC Stanway Concours.

In 1992, Mr. Mark Simpson, the fourth owner, acquired the Short Chassis Volante. He enjoyed it for several years before commissioning an engine overhaul in 2000 with Aston Martin specialists Goldsmith and Young Ltd., who discovered that the engine block was cracked and fitted it with a replacement unit. The invoice for this work remains on file.

That same year, marking the new millennium, Mr. Tarek Mahmoud, a well-known enthusiast of classic racing circuits such as Goodwood Festival of Speed and Le Mans Classic, acquired the car. Between 2002 and 2005, he oversaw an extensive restoration, instructing Goldsmith and Young Ltd to carry out the work “to a high standard despite extra time and costs involved,” with detailed invoices and photographs on file. The car was completed in 2005 in time to take part in the St George's Day Parade at the Festival of Aston Martin at Windsor Castle.

A few months later, the current owner acquired the car and has since focused on perfecting the already remarkable restoration and maintaining the car with meticulous care. The work undertaken, fully documented in invoices approaching €200.000, includes the significant conversion from right- to left-hand drive, with all associated work carried out by Aston Martin (invoice on file) for nearly £40,000 in 2008; a complete repaint by Hahn Karosseriebau; the engine was bored out from its original 4.0 liters to increase its displacement to 4.7 liters, improving power and torque and a modern stereo installed with a reworked dashboard by Heritage Richard Stewart Williams Ltd. in 2013; refurbishment of the front axle by TG Classics in 2023; floor insulation and new carpeting by Vintage Car Restoration in 2007; dashboard lighting repair, speedometer replacement, and hood and seat restoration in 2009; acquisition of new Borrani wheels in 2010; and various services carried out by Heritage Richard Stewart Williams Ltd.

Today, presented in the amazing Snow Shadow Grey with a dark red leather interior and black hood, this Aston Martin Short Chassis Volante is extremely rare and desirable by nature. Its left-hand-drive configuration, well-documented history, and the care lavished upon it by successive owners make it all the more remarkable. It is accompanied by a comprehensive history file, including the guarantee documents mentioned above, several tax discs dating back to the 1970s, regular MOTs from 1986 to 2005, copies of earlier V5 documents, numerous restoration and maintenance invoices across its successive owners, a 2021 Hüsges expert report.

Documents: German Fahrzeugbrief