Vehicle Description
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible RHD
There can be few British sports cars that are as iconic as the Aston Martin DB5. While all variants are consistently in high demand due to their looks, performance, history and investment potential, one model is even more exclusive and desirable; the DB5 Convertible.
The car offered here is one of only 123 right and left hand drive factory built examples and is among the final group constructed between December 1964 and September 1965. Unusually for a car built in RHD it was exported from new to the United States, where it was delivered to its first owner, a Mr Wilton David “Bill” Manhoff, who was an established Hollywood screenwriter, playwright, and producer living in Palm Springs, California. As noted in the factory records, Mr. Manhoff originally placed the order for his new DB5 in 1965 through Brooklands of Bond Street (Eton Garages) and specified a number of rare factory options including detachable headrests, a Blaupunkt-Köln radio, Fiamm horns with changeover switch, and Britax safety belts.
Evidently a prized possession, the DB5 Convertible remained in Mr. Manhoff’s ownership until early 1973, when it was sold to a Mr Seymour Kaback of New York, who was a wealthy businessman and gentleman driver, having raced a Jaguar XK120 and an HRG in the early 1950s. Soon after acquiring the DB5 Mr Kaback repainted the car and regularly drove it to Lime Rock and the Hamptons during summer weekends.
Kaback kept the car for five years before selling it on to a Mr Michael Ratner of Scarsdale, New York in 1978. Early in his ownership, Mr. Ratner joined the Aston Martin Owners Club, and he displayed his prized DB5 at the group’s East Coast meets. It was through these events that the fourth owner, a New York collector with a passion for original cars, became aware of the car and began a lengthy process of negotiating its purchase. Finally, after nearly a decade of chasing, he was able to reach an agreement with Mr. Ratner and acquired the car in the late 1990s.
Since that time the car was carefully preserved and only driven sparingly before being acquired by JD Classics. In view of its limited number of owners, the car was in incredibly original condition and formed an excellent basis for a full JD Classics concours restoration, which is now underway and due for completion in the spring of 2017. The full package of work will include a bare metal repaint (to Tudor Grey Metallic), full re-trim (to Black Leather), re-chrome, suspension overhaul and engine-gearbox-differential rebuild.
With full matching numbers, very low original mileage, comprehensive history from new and accompanied by its original tool roll, jack, instruction book, and rare Continental parts kit, it provides a fantastic opportunity to acquire a very rare car in outstanding condition with excellent provenance.
Please contact us for further details.
Photos are of a similar car previously restored by JD Classics.
