Vehicle Description
Aston Martin has a long and illustrious history of sporting
success, which was mirrored by a long history of financial
struggles and close encounters with the receivers. After the
successful "Bertelli" days prior to WWII, the firm's post-war
resurgence took some time to get underway as they were short on
cash and resources to fully develop a fresh car for the new era. It
took the arrival of Yorkshire industrialist David Brown to not only
get Aston Martin back on its feet, but to fully establish it as a
world-class sports car manufacturer. Pre-war Astons were little
more than thinly disguised racers sold to select clients to fund
the racing team, but post war buyers were demanding more, and
thankfully, with David Brown's much needed injection of cash, Aston
Martin could now deliver. Brown came to Aston with more than just
money, however. He also brought Lagonda, who had previously
acquired the services of W.O. Bentley following his fallout with
Rolls-Royce. Bentley's magnificent twin-cam inline six, originally
destined for Lagonda, would form the foundation of Aston's recovery
and subsequent success. Aston's first proper post-war car was the
DB1, officially known as the "Two Litre Sports". It proved to be a
false start with only a handful built before the arrival of the
modern and properly developed DB2. The DB2 featured a slick new
fully-enveloped aluminum alloy body designed by Frank Feeley, as
well as a shortened version of the tubular chassis from the DB1 and
Lagonda's delectable 2.6 liter twin-cam inline six, which was
designed by W.O. Bentley and William Watson. The DB2 was a
tremendous success for Aston Martin, with the works racing cars
continuing Aston's pre-war success on track at LeMans, Spa and at
home at events like the RAC Tourist Trophy. After several
prototypes were built and successfully campaigned on track, road
car production began in 1950, with 410 examples built over the next
three years. The majority of those cars wore the fixed head coupe
coachwork, while just 98 left the works in drophead coupe form. Of
those, just a handful remain and are highly sought after by
enthusiasts. We are very pleased to offer this handsome 1952 Aston
Martin DB2 Drophead, serial number LML/50/217. One of very few
surviving examples, this car has been fully restored by a noted
enthusiast and presents in a striking combination of silver over a
red interior. According to the BMIHT Heritage Certificate, it was
originally a left-drive export model delivered new to the USA. At
some point in its life it was converted to right drive for
home-market use. The most recent owner, who is an experienced
restorer, collector and racer, acquired the DB2 in the early 2000s
and comprehensive restoration took place with a great deal of the
meticulous work performed by the owner himself. Starting with what
was a very sound car, the alloy bodywork was carefully restored
with great care paid to preserving the original panels, which were
then painted an attractive bright silver. The DB2's shape did not
rely on heavy chrome accents, but the limited brightwork (door
handles, lamps, bumper trims and miscellaneous fittings) has all
been very well restored and presents in beautiful condition. The
DB2 sits on proper painted wire wheels, shod with correct 6.00-16
Dunlop Roadspeed tires. Contrasting the silver body is a vibrant
red interior, fully restored to a high standard. The seats and door
cards are trimmed in bright red hides, with complementing red
Wilton carpets, all piped in gray. The leather presents in very
good condition, remaining beautiful with slightly mellowed
character since the restoration. Wood trim adorns the door tops,
steering wheel rim and instrument cluster, all of which is
beautifully restored and finished. Gauges and switchgear are
correct and in fine order. Behind the seats, the parcel shelf
includes a custom fitted suitcase in matching red leather -
allowing enough room for a weekend getaway. A new top was fitted in
black canvas and trimmed in red piping to provide a subtle contrast
against the silver body. With the top down, a red leather boot can
be fitted to cover the soft top. The impressive presentation
continues when the clamshell bonnet it opened, revealing the
polished cam covers and bright red cylinder head of W.O. Bentley's
twin-cam inline six. The engine, which is a slightly later
replacement in correct specification, has been fully detailed yet
remains a strong runner that delivers excellent performance. One of
the best features of the Lagonda-sourced engine is the sharp, raspy
exhaust note that is only enhanced when the roof is folded. Aston
Martin cleverly packaged the jack and wheel tools under the bonnet,
all of which are present and have been correctly restored to the
same meticulous standard as the rest of this fine car. All of the
effort put into the restoration paid off in the form of a Best in
Class at the prestigious Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in 2008,
as well as an AACA Senior National First Prize in 2008, which was
backed up with a Grand National First Prize in 2010 and a Best in
Show at the 2015 Keels and Wheels. The car has also been shown and
taken home class wins at numerous other events including the Hilton
Head Concours, Meadowbrook, The Glenmoor Gathering and Keenland
Concours. Since its restoration, the DB2 has been used gently and
maintained in very fine condition throughout. The sale includes
factory parts books and workshop manual, along with copies of
original factory literature and a British Motor Industry Heritage
Trust Certificate. This is a wonderful opportunity to acquire a
very fine example of the landmark car that set Aston Martin on the
path to greatness.
