Vehicle Description
-Silver Birch with Black leather interior piped Grey and Wilton
Wool Black carpeting, Original Factory Specification Left Hand
Drive, 5-Speed ZF manual transmission, 57,000 Original miles,
Excellent documented provenance from new, Documented concours
quality restoration at 57,000 miles by Aston Martin marque
specialists, currently, this DB5 is showing 59,000 miles from
new.
As demonstrated by Aston Martin factory records, this is an
extremely late production DB5 being the third from the last
produced and likely the last left hand drive DB5 produced.
This DB5 was delivered new November 1965 in its original color
combination of Autumn Gold with Beige Connolly leather to Mr.
Robert Bruce, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It is uncertain how
long it remained in Mr. Bruce's care, but it is known from a hand
written letter within the history file is that it remained in the
Philadelphia area throughout the 1970s having been found by classic
car dealer and AMOC member for many years, Mr. David Berger. Mr.
Berger was well-known to me; I met him as a kid in the late 70s at
the AMOC Lime Rock annual events. Mr. Berger has always come to the
event with something special and out of the ordinary for the
non-Aston concours class. I vividly remember one year when he
arrived in a Lamborghini Islero, another year in a 330 GT Ferrari
Spider bodied with a Fantuzzi (which had no convertible top, just a
cover for inclement weather conditions), and finally one year in
this very DB5. How can I say for sure? Well, as a car crazy kid who
was meant to be in this business, I will never forget a DB5 that
arrived with a Taxi sign on its roof, a good laugh was had by all.
I remember everyone gathering around in the parking lot of The
Interlaken Inn (the host hotel), the entire group gazing in
amazement, especially Mr. Rex Woodgate, having known Mr. Berger
well, Rex with his handlebar mustache and unforgettable persona in
his own right. Rex was the Aston Martin King of Prussia, he was the
man who made Aston Martin what it was in North America having run
the North American operations for AML Ltd. King of Prussia,
Pennsylvania was Aston Martins home for the preparation and
distribution of Aston's to their dealer network around the country
when they arrived from the UK. Many Aston's were also serviced at
the King of Prussia facility for various clients during their
ownership.
Now, Autumn Gold is not Yellow, so what happened?!? I never knew
until I read a handwritten letter within the history file of this
very DB5 from Mr. David Berger to an AMOC representative asking to
forward the letter to the current owner of this DB5 to add to its
history. It seems that when Mr. Berger purchase the DB5 (the first
time!), it was in its original color of Autumn Gold. At the time,
as per his letter, he had purchased quite a bit of Ferrari Fly
Yellow paint to paint his 330 GT Fantuzzi Spider. "The Fly Yellow
paint was purchased to paint the Fantuzzi, but at the 11th hour, it
was decided to that the Ferrari had to be Red, and so it was, but
now, what to do with a gallon of Fly Yellow paint. The only prudent
solution was to paint the Aston school bus Yellow. Everyone one we
showed the Yellow to, hated it, but it was the only car we bought
and sold three times, and it made money each time."
The DB5 did not leave the State of Pennsylvania. I suspect the last
of the three owner's Mr. Berger sold the DB5 to, was a Mr. Harry
Rohlfing, this DB5 being in his ownership in 1986. Forward to 1989
the DB5 was sold by Mr. Rohlfing Mr. John Hanlon, Redding,
Connecticut.
During Mr. Hanlon's ownership, the DB5 was repainted Snow Shadow
Grey by Westchester Classic Cars and Coachworks, Ltd., Mr. Raymond
Nosworthy, well known for the care and paint for the Aston's
serviced and raced by Aston Martin Vintage Racing, Stamford,
Connecticut. AMVRS was a staple of the Aston Martin world at the
time having had a strong attachment to AML Ltd. as well as being in
within the same building as Aston Martin North America, Inc. It was
the Livanos, Gauntlett era.
September 1994 saw this DB5 being sold by Mr. Hanlon to Mr. Michael
Kittridge (Founder of the Yankee Candle Company) and well-known
automobile collector based in Deerfield, Massachusetts. During Mr.
Kittredge's ownership, this DB5 was treated to a thorough, photo
documented concours restoration. The paint was once again handled
by Westchester Classic Cars and Coachworks, Ltd., and handled by
Dwayne Nosworthy, the firm now being a father-son team. The chassis
and mechanicals were performed by Vantage Motors, Inc., another
father-son team, Marjan and Michael Kraljevic, father Marjan,
well-known for his tenure while working for AMVRS prior to opening
his owner business. Finally, the interior was done to as new or
better factory specifications by another well-known and respected
coach trimmer, Johan Merkhofer - Coachtrim, well-known for there
Pebble Beach concours winning interiors. The results are nothing
short of one of the most spectacular concours condition Silver
Birch Aston DB5's.
Having been cared for within the collection of Mr. Michael
Kittredge until its purchase by Tom Papadopoulos - Autosport
Designs, Inc., this DB5 has been cared for regardless of use and
must be considered one of the finest in condition as well as known
provenance from new. We are proud to be able to offer such a
spectacular Aston Martin DB5 to the market for sale. It is ready
for immediate concours competition as well as automotive touring at
its finest.
