Lot 206: 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Rolling Restoration

Fine car though the Aston Martin DB2 was, its sales had been affected by the limitations of two seats and minimal luggage space. Aston Martin thus redesigned the rear of the car to enable two occasional rear seats to be installed, at the same time raising the roof line slightly to increase headroom and fitting a larger rear window in an opening lid; as such this Aston Martin appropriately renamed the DB2/4, was arguably the world's first hatchback. The windscreen also became a one-piece moulding, the quarterlight windows were reshaped, headlights repositioned higher in the bonnet and the overall length increased by six inches. Beneath the aluminium body the rigid steel chassis retained its independent trailing link/coil spring front suspension, with transverse torsion bar, and a live coil-sprung spring rear axle located by parallel arms and Panhard rod. Brakes were large and powerful drums all round. The DB2/4 made its debut at the 1953 London Motor Show, both with saloon and drop-head coachwork, and met with considerable public acclaim. Slightly less graceful than the DB2, the DB2/4 was nonetheless a beautiful looking machine. Initially the engine was to 125bhp DB2 Vantage tune - propelling the car to 120mph and 0-60mph in 11.2 seconds - but in summer 1954 the capacity was increased from 2,580cc to 2,992cc which raised power to 140bhp at 5,000rpm and reduced to 0-60mph time to 10 seconds. Three of these cars were works-prepared and took the Team Prize in the 1955 Monte Carlo Rally, with one of them just missing outright victory due to a simple navigation error. A fine machine in the best of Aston Martin tradition, The Autocar described the DB2/4 as "a car of rare quality, unusual performance, exceptional roadworthiness and unrivalled versatility." Chassis LML/661 is a DB2/4 with an extraordinarily detailed and interesting history. Indeed, it was initially bought by the vendor as an investment in the heady days of 1989 - in fine condition and at a price of £45,000 - before he realised he owned a very special car. Supplied new on February 13th 1954 to Brigadier J. N. D. Tyler by the Tourist Trophy Garage in Farnham, Surrey, at a cost of £2,633 19s 8d, the Aston passed to the Brigadier's brother, Lt. Col. Arthur Tyler, in 1958. The Colonel, a clearly well-liked and respected engineer, went on to own the DB2/4 for almost its entire life, during which every spare part, service, related item and MoT test certificate were recorded and dated and the mileage logged. He also corresponded regularly with the Aston Martin factory - including suggested modifications based on his own experiences - garages and suppliers and even these letters and their replies were duplicated and filed, together with all invoices; in fact, a separate and dedicated file containing all this information was made for each year of the car's life!. In addition, Lt. Col. Tyler maintained a meticulous and remarkably detailed log, written in a personable and readable manner, recording all maintenance carried out and on what date and including diagrams of engine work. It thus comes as little surprise that many of his engineering papers and articles were published in such journals as The Autocar and Autosport and those of the Aston Martin Owners Club (of which he was apparently not a member). Indeed, these records and logs provide a fascinating insight into the Colonel's life and lifestyle. One entry, for example, explains how a new factory replacement, later three litre engine was fitted following a connecting rod failure while on his way on May 1st 1970 to an Army Golf meeting in St Andrews, Scotland, a journey which he continued by Ferrari after having the DB2/4 towed to Aston Martin 's Newport Pagnell factory. Dismantled by the vendor in readiness for a planned restoration - photographs showing various components laid out are included in the three large and comprehensive box files accompanying the car - LML/661 is effectively a one family owned car, the vendor only ever having stored it. Finished in metallic blue with matching blue interior, it also comes with photographs of the car when bought in 1989, a period photocopy of the DB2-DB2/4 workshop manual, published articles written by Lt. Col Tyler, owner's instruction book and parts catalogue and a partially filled scrapbook containing Aston Martin road test articles. A fascinating DB2/4 with a fascinating history, affectionately known as 'The Colonel's Car', this sale represents an opportunity to acquire an eminently restorable Aston Martin at a realistic price.