For Sale at Auction: 1938 Aston Martin 15/98 in Las Vegas, Nevada

Chassis No. F8/846/SO
Engine No. F8/846/SO

In the mid 1930s, Aston Martin underwent yet another in a series of ownership changes. While Augustus "Bert" Bertelli remained at the helm, the Sutherland Family had been drafted to provide financial backing and engineering support. The undoubtedly brilliant 1 �-Litre Speed models were hampered by slow sales, and the new 2.0-liter Type C Speed proved competitive in motorsport but was not suited to volume production. The Sutherlands insisted that road cars receive priority for development, and using the Type C as a foundation they developed the 15/98. Named for its taxable vs measured horsepower, the 15/98 used the Type C's 2.0-liter overhead cam four-cylinder engine, set in a sturdy ladder chassis. Various touring configurations such as a closed saloon, a drophead coupe by Abbott, and a 2/4 seat open tourer by E. Bertelli, pointed toward a focus on increased refinement.

Sales of the 15/98 were steady, and soon a short-chassis version of the 15/98 joined the range, clothed in a particularly appealing Open Sports Tourer body by Abbey Coachworks of Willesden, London. Approximately 50 of these marvelous sporting cars were built, offering thrilling open-air motoring with the benefit of superior comfort over their race-bred counterparts.

Chassis number F8/846/SO is one of the original 50 Short Chassis Sports Tourers equipped with this handsome sporty bodywork by Abbey Coachworks, Ltd. Aston Martin Heritage Trust records show this car was completed in August of 1937, and that it was finished in Black with Red upholstery, Red wheels, and a Black chassis. It was first registered as BBO 173 to B. Edward Curran, Esq of Essex on 1 June 1938. Factory services documents and the registration road book traces British ownership through 1966.

A bill of sale on file shows that in 1967, Mr. Leonard Potter of Berkshire, England, sold the Aston Martin to Fred Brown, Inc, of Portsmouth, Ohio. In 1971, Fred Brown sold the car to the Collins Brothers of Wylie, Texas, and from 1971 through 2010, it was tucked away in storage. The Aston was discovered by a U.S. dealer in 2010 and sold to a new owner in 2013 who treated it to a comprehensive, no expense spared restoration.

Photos on file document the detailed restoration and reveal that when the Aston Martin was discovered it was still in its original Black over Red livery, and remarkably complete, undoubtedly aided by the four decades it spent in storage. Meticulously taken down to a bare chassis, the car's body, wooden framework, and mechanical components were subsequently restored to a high standard.

To highlight the beautiful Abbey Coachworks body, the owners selected a striking light blue livery accented with black-painted wire wheels and chassis. The cabin features bucket seats upholstered in orange leather on the seating surfaces, accented by black alligator trim and black carpets. Restored Smiths dials are set into an engine-turned alloy dash, and Brooklands Aeroscreens are fitted behind the fold-down windshield to complete the racy aesthetic. The original, numbers-matching 2.0-liter overhead-cam inline-four was rebuilt and detailed to a high standard, along with the gearbox, rear axle, and chassis components.

Splendid and sporty, this rare Aston Martin 15/98 is a quintessential pre-war British sports car, with race-bred underpinnings and evocative roadster coachwork. Backed by exceptional history and a superb restoration, it is beautifully prepared and widely eligible for entry into a wide variety of prestigious motoring events worldwide.