Aston Martin, the company now known for building some of the UK’s sleekest sports cars for consumers and spies alike, was founded in 1913 with the intention of selling Singer vehicles and repairing GWK and Calthorpe models. Founders Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford created the first car badged as an Aston Martin when they fit a four-cylinder Coventry-Simplex engine into a 1908 Isotta Fraschini.

Following a brief pause caused by the First World War, the company produced a few race cars and consumer cars before facing financial trouble in 1924 and selling their assets to Dorothea Mary Roby Thorpe, wife of Godfrey Benson, 1st Baron of Charnwood. Bill Renwick and Augustus Bertelli joined Dorothea and began producing racing and passenger cars from 1926 to 1937 before the Second World War once more paused production. In 1947, English industrialist David Brown became Aston Martin’s latest owner after purchasing it for £20,500 from an ad in The Times. Thus began the production of the hailed DB series of sports cars.

The DB1, based on the Atom prototype, sold only 15 units from 1948 to 1950 before being replaced by the DB2. Being a more advanced and refined unit, the DB2 sold 411 examples from 1950 to 1953 in multiple body configurations. It, too, was replaced in 1951 with the racing-only DB3 and the grand touring DB2/4 Mark I and II in 1953 and 1955, respectively.

In 1957, the Aston Martin DB Mark III was introduced as a successor to the DB2/4 Mark II despite never officially being called the DB 2/4 Mark III. The car was redesigned by Polish engineer Tadek Marek and used an evolved version of the DB2/4 Mark II’s Lagonda straight-6 engine. The standard, twin SU carburetor-powered engine produced 162 hp, although an optional dual exhaust raised that number. A mid-level “DBD” trim level with triple SU 1.75″ carbs and dual exhaust produced 180 hp and was fitted to 47 cars. In contrast, a high-output “DBB” trim featured triple twin-choke Weber 35 DCO 3 carbs, special long-duration camshafts, high compression 8.6:1 pistons, and the dual-exhaust system was rated at 195 hp but was ordered on only 10 cars. All engines were backed by a four-speed manual or an optional automatic transmission.

The DB 2/4 Mark III came standard with Girling disc brakes after the first 100 examples. This was also the first model to come equipped with the Bert Thickpenny-designed front grille, which would become a staple of all future Aston Martins. The car could be had as either a drophead or fixed-head coupé or a hatchback. Only 551 examples of the Mark III were produced in the two-year production run, with only 83 of them being in left-hand drive configuration.

Thanks to their low production numbers and timeless good looks, the DB 2/4 Mark III has seen strong collectability over the years. They remain an important and storied portion of Aston Martin’s history, and their importance is backed by the strong pricing we still see them bring in what seems to be an increasingly modern collectible market landscape. As with any early British sports car, restoration on these can become a pocket-draining expense very quickly, so finding one that has already been properly restored, with correct and careful ownership to ensure long-term useability, is paramount. 

This particular example is 1-of-83 LHD units to leave the factory. Chassis # AM/300/3/1672, was built in September of 1958 and dispatched to Charles H. Hornburg Jnr Inc. of Los Angeles, CA in January of 1959 as per the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust records. The car wore a Satin Bronze exterior with an Off-White interior, Firestone Super Sports whitewall tires, and the optional fully chromed wheels.

It was delivered to its first owner, Mr. Saul Pollack of Los Angeles, CA, in April 1959. Mr. Pollack was the owner of the Waverly Mansion, president of Karl’s Shoe Stores, and brother-in-law to Mr. Harry Karl, Debbie Reynolds’s second husband and adoptive father of Todd and Carrie Fisher. Mr. Pollack married Mr. Karl’s sister, Sarah.

The Aston Martin made its way back to the UK to its second owner in October of 1991. The car was registered in Lancaster, Lancashire, with the license plate VSK 659. In March of 1992, it was sold to its third owner from Hayward Heath, also in the UK, and once again to its fourth owner in April of 1993.

In 2002, the car traveled overseas once more to its fifth owner, Baron Paul van der Straten Waillet, in Belgium, where it adopted the license plate VDY 993. The service records on file start around 2006 under Mr. Van der Straten Waillet’s ownership, showcasing the care and attention he put into keeping this British wonder on the road. A major service in September of 2007 at Twin Cam (now Marreyt Classic Cars) in Aalst gave this Aston a new 8.6:1 83mm piston set, cylinder liners, head gasket, water pump, radiator, and other new parts. A return visit in April of 2011 resulted in a new power steering rack. Later, in September 2013, the headlights, mirrors, as well as both horns were replaced with units from RetroClassic Car Parts Ltd. 

In October 2013, the Aston was sold to its sixth and most current owner. Under their ownership, the extensive catalog of service records continued to expand exponentially. In November of that same year, a new horn button assembly and bonnet lamp mount were purchased from Kevin Kay Aston Parts in Redding, CA. In December, the original Aston Martin “Instruction Book” was masterfully restored by Ann-Marie Miller ACR in London for a total cost of £615.50 in an effort to preserve it for decades to come. In August 2014, the car was stripped and repainted in Fern Green by Frankie’s Auto Paintwork, a color it still wears today. 

NOS Lucas Le Mans headlights were bought in January 2016 from Rogers Motors in Shutesbury, MA. The headliner and trunk panels were replaced with new, factory-type material in September 2016 by Harry Fraser Vehicle in Bicester, UK. From May to June of 2017, the windshield wiper assembly was restored by Leydon Restorations LLC in Lahaska, PA, with special attention given to repairing the wiper park mechanism. Lastly, in March of 2021, the clutch was replaced by Automotive Restorations, Inc. in Stratford, CT.

Being a fairly early Aston Martin makes this DB 2/4 Mark III a rare example of the company’s beginnings. It represents a turning point in the British marque’s story from a largely boutique maker to a more household name in sports and racing cars. Described as “one of the world’s outstanding sports models” by The Autocar magazine, this model was also the first James Bond Aston Martin, being featured in the 1959 “Goldfinger” novel as the “DB III.”

This particular example is, without a doubt, one of the nicest to hit the market. Benefitting from decades of meticulous care dating back to its original owner, this Aston Martin DB 2/4 Mark III is as beautiful as it is rare, with only 83 examples being originally produced in LHD configuration. Its previous prestigious owners, along with the countries it has traveled to, give this car a unique pedigree that sets it apart from others in the crowd and would instantly complement any existing car collection.

Upon purchase, the new owner will receive the original factory manuals, the original factory build sheet, an original dealer brochure, the BMIHT Certificate, the car’s FIVA Identity Card, a period article about the model, two Concours awards, as well as the service and ownership records on file.

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