For Sale: 1965 Aston Martin DB5 in Newport Beach, California

*Matching numbers, Factory LHD
*Late production car with very rare factory A/C
*Kevin Kay cosmetic restoration
*Vantage spec engine upgrade
*Continental touring kit included - very rare option

The DB5 was announced in 1963, a logical follow up to the previous DB4 model, and now offered with a bored-out engine with a 3,995cc displacement and a higher compression ratio; in standard form power was a healthy 282 bhp and initial road tests achieved 145mph. The coachwork was made by Touring of Italy, the "Superleggera" a super lightweight body consisted of aluminum panels over a latticework of small tubes. Immense fame for the model came when James Bond drove a DB5 in the movie Goldfinger.
This gorgeous example has interesting provenance in so far that it is an extremely late production numbered car (even possibly the last finished in the factory) and was ordered new by H.R.H. Prince Abdul Ilah Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, and whose father was King Abdul Aziz who reigned there from 1932-1953. The factory build sheets record his delivery address as simply "Behind the Royal Palace, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia"! Special non-standard equipment included Normalair air conditioning, a heated rear screen, detachable head rest to the passenger front seat, Britax front and rear seat belts, three ear hub caps, Marchal fog lamps and a DB5 Continental parts kit. The original color scheme was Caribbean Pearl exterior with Dark Blue Connolly leather interior upholstery.
Extensive restoration and maintenance receipts are on file for the last 20 or so years and include extensive engine re-building and other mechanical maintenance in the period of 1994-2000 with that work performed by Performance Tuning and Restoration, Inc of Pompano Beach, Florida. This firm was owned and run by Jon Clerk (now part of Steel Wings in NJ) and Jon has a first-class reputation and is regarded as one of the finest classic-era Aston Martin engineers in the USA. Other mechanical and maintenance invoices are on file post this period, since when the car has driven just over 2,000 miles. The engine has also benefited from an upgrade to Vantage specification with the triple Weber carburetors producing around 325bhp. From March to July 2014 the DB5 was entrusted to the highly regarded and award winning firm Kevin Kay Restorations where it underwent a meticulous cosmetic restoration to bring it to the immaculate concours condition as seen now. This included full back to bare metal bodywork repairs and repainting, new chrome, engine bay preparation, all new leather upholstery and Wilton carpeting piped in Navy. Receipts on file for the KKR restoration work amounted to $138,000.
As delivered when new, 2270/L comes with air conditioning, a feature thought to have been only fitted to less than 35 factory delivered cars. The factory supplied Motorola radio was probably switched early in its life for a Blaupunkt shortwave model and a factory sales brochure accompanies this. Other items include the Continental touring kit, Marchal fog lamps (NOS), three eared spinners, original heated rear screen, head rests and front and rear Britax seat belts are all fitted. One deviation from new is that the outside wing mirrors are no longer fitted, the current owner preferring the beautiful coachwork without them. Accompanying the car is an original DB5 Instruction book with supplementary Britax fitting instruction sheet and window sticker. There is a rare and virtually complete factory original tool roll, accompanied by a fully restored jack and a knock-off wheel hammer. Mileage today indicates 62,633 miles and this might be from new based upon service receipts available. While it is not known how long the Royal Prince owned the car, by the late 1970s it was residing in Texas and all subsequent owners are known. This beautiful DB5 drives as well as it looks and warrants very close attention.