Vehicle Description
By the mid-1930s, Aston Martin was under the control of Augustus
"Bert" Bertelli, who transformed the ailing firm into one of the
most admired British sporting marques. Aston Martins of the era
were undeniably pretty while also being quick, agile, and
well-built. The 1.5-litre endurance sports racers continually
evolved and achieved considerable success, taking the team prize in
the 1934 Tourist Trophy race in Ulster and finishing in an
impressive 3rd place at the 1935 24 Hours of Le Mans. The newly
christened Aston Martin Ulster production model made for a very
desirable 100 mph sporting mount for the enthusiastic driver.
Ultimately, the Ulster's market was limited to a small number of
serious (and well-heeled) sportsmen, whose business wasn't quite
enough to boost Aston Martin's bottom line. Aston Martin decided to
develop a more versatile offering for the company's next generation
of cars, starting with an updated new chassis by Bertelli, with
credit also going to another brilliant engineer, Claude Hill.
Significantly, the new specification mandated an increase in
displacement to two litres, as its longer stroke could provide
ample torque for a more relaxed motoring experience. The new
four-cylinder, single overhead-camshaft wet-sump engine, developed
98 brake horsepower, and it featured an excellent four-speed Moss
synchromesh gearbox and Girling rod mechanical drum brakes.
Overall, it was an exceptionally well-balanced machine, now
marketed as theTwo-Litrerange. Accolades flowed in, such as the
following summary from Autocar: "[The Aston Martin Two-Litre is]
softer, quieter, and more flexible, whilst acceleration and general
suitability for everyday purposes have increased out of all
knowledge." Aston Martin set its sights on Le Mans for 1936 and
developed a competition version of the Two-Litre chassis (known as
the Speed Model), but a labor strike in France resulted in the
race's cancellation. Nevertheless, production continued, with an
initial focus on touring configurations, such as a closed saloon, a
drophead coupe by coachbuilder Abbott, and a 2/4 seat open tourer,
with road-going versions dubbed 15/98; a common designation
denoting Britain's "taxable" vs. measured horsepower system. With
excess capacity at the factory, a short-chassis version of the
15/98 was introduced with its most appealing shape to date, the
Open Sports, bodied by Abbey Coachworks of Willesden, London. After
its debut at the inaugural Earl's Court Motor Show in 1937, about
50 stylish Open Sports were built, out of a total production of
approximately 171 Two-Litre cars. These marvelous cars offered
thrilling open-air motoring with the benefit of superior comfort
over their race-bred counterparts. According to factory production
records, chassis number J8/776/LS was delivered to A.W.
Stewart-Dean Esq., Sudbrook Manor, Grantham, on October 21, 1938.
Production details show the car left the works as a standard
chassis, fitted with Bertelli Saloon coachwork. Interestingly,
Stewart-Dean was a longstanding and faithful Aston Martin customer,
and he only sold the 15/98 because his new DB2 had arrived in 1953.
It passed to the second owner, I.H. Mann, of Berkshire, on March 6,
1954. The subsequent recorded owners were R.W. and R.J. Mills, who
acquired the 15/98 in the 1980s. During their ownership, the car
underwent an extensive restoration, which included shortening the
chassis to works "Short Chassis" specification, and fitting the
beautiful open-sports body, built to exact standards of the Abbot
original. The Mills later sold the car to longtime Aston Martin
Owner's Club North America member Vincent Young, who turned to the
marque specialists at Steel Wings of Ivyland, Pennsylvania, to
perform a complete nut-and-bolt restoration to world-class
standards. During this time, the owner took the opportunity to
convert it to left-hand drive, update it to hydraulic brakes, and
fit a gearbox with synchromesh on 2nd through 4th gears to ensure
the car was not only beautiful but an effortless high-performance
driver as well. It was shown extensively in AMOC events, winning
numerous awards through the years. The Aston Martin 15/98 then
caught the eye of noted collector, the late Orin Smith. While in
Mr. Smith's care, the Aston Martin was judged Best in Class at the
2012 Cavallino Classic Sports Sunday and featured in the AMOC's
quarterly journal. After Mr. Smith's passing and dispersal of his
collection, the 15/98 joined a private stable where it has been
enthusiastically driven and meticulously maintained. The Steel
Wings restoration remains in superb condition, with gorgeous dark
blue paintwork, lovely gray upholstery, and fine detailing inside
and out. Period accessories such as a central spot lamp, chrome
trumpet horns, headlamp stone guards, and Brooklands windscreens
lend a sporting, purposeful character. With its eager 2-litre
engine and updated gearbox, it is surprisingly user-friendly and
perfectly suited to entry into a wide range of tours and rallies.
Pre-war, Bertelli-era Aston Martins are a rare sight, particularly
on US soil, and few examples are as well-sorted and fit for
enjoyment as this superb example. It will undoubtedly take a place
of pride in any marque-focused collection or assemblage of
significant British sporting motorcars. Offers welcome and trades
considered For additional details please view this listing directly
on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7308-1938-aston-martin-15-98-open-sports/
