Aston Martin DB2 Vantage Drop Head Coupé
Highlights
Data & Facts
This Automobile
According to the available build sheet, this Aston Martin DB2 as a Drop Head Coupé (convertible) was delivered from the factory on 12 May 1953 and went to the dealer ‘Cyrill Williams Motors’ near Birmingham. It was a powerful ‘Vantage’ version, which achieved an output of 125 hp thanks to larger SU carburettors. The original colour scheme of the time is now completely ‘Matching Colours’ with a paint finish in ‘Sea Green’ (light green metallic), a leather interior in light green, green carpet and a soft top in beige. In addition to the build sheet, there is a service log from Aston Martin that was kept until 1959 and which notes the first two owners in Birmingham and Cornwall. It also shows that the car received a replacement engine from Aston Martin in 1959 – also a Vantage version. This engine is still installed in the car today.
The sporty DB2 remained in the UK and had several other owners over the 1960s and 1970s under the original registration ‘LDA 727’ (from 1953), which are listed in the original preserved ‘Registration Book’. A British V5 licence is available from 1983 under the same registration number. It can therefore be assumed that the car was always based in Great Britain. The sports car subsequently came to Germany to a well-known Aston Martin collector in Hamburg. A German vehicle registration document from 1986 is available for this ownership. He kept the DB2 until his death in the year 2002.
The current owner in Hamburg acquired the Aston Martin from his estate in 2015 and commissioned a complete restoration as close as possible to the original delivery specification. This work was carried out and coordinated by a passionate Aston Martin specialist in Hamburg. The body and chassis were separated (frame-off) and the necessary body work was carried out on original body negatives by the trusted expert of the long-time previous owner. In the course of the restoration, the original colour scheme (see above) was also recreated and the paintwork in ‘Sea Green’ metallic was finished according to the old original recipe.
The renewed light green leather of the interior was provided by the Connolly manufactory in England. In addition, a twin-flow stainless steel exhaust system was installed, which provides an impressive sound. This restoration work is very thoroughly documented with photos and invoices. The original chrome bumpers are available, but were not fitted for a more purist look. The restoration took place over a period of seven years and was completed in 2021. Since then, the car has not been re-registered for road use again. However, the necessary expert reports for the individual operating licence and for classification as a classic car (§21 and §23 StVZO) were provided for a registration in Germany.
This Aston Martin DB2 combines two model-specific features: Firstly, it is an original Vantage version delivered by the factory. And second, it is a rare convertible version, which was often referred to as a ‘Drop Head Coupé’ by British automobile brands at the time. The original colour scheme is likely to be extremely rare then as now and the fresh ‘Sea Green’ metallic provides this example with a sporty and elegant appearance. It comes very close to the ‘Aston Racing Green’ colour of the later factory racing cars.
The elaborate and high-quality restoration makes the car look as good as new from the factory. Overall cost of this DB2 project – purchase of the vehicle plus the restoration – amounts to around 450,000 EUR. Today's asking price is just over half of that and offers the rare opportunity to acquire an extremely attractive Aston Martin DB2 Vantage as a Drop Head Coupé in top condition at an interesting price.
Model History
The series production version of the Aston Martin DB2 was first presented at the New York Auto Show in April 1950. It was the successor to the 2-Litre Sports, which was subsequently referred to as the DB1. The DB2 prototype had already been entered in the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans as one of three participating Aston Martins. The DB2 was the first model with the designation ‘DB’ – it stands for the director and owner David Brown, who acquired Aston Martin in 1947 and was instrumental in shaping and building up the brand in the 1950s and 1960s.
The DB2 was built on a Claude Hills tubular frame chassis from the previous “2-Litre Sports”. The two-door coupé body in typical Gran Turismo style was designed by Frank Freeley, who had previously designed the LG 45 Rapide at Lagonda and later the DB3 racing sports car at Aston Martin. At the rear, the sports car had a small, top-hinged tailgate to accommodate the spare wheel. There was space for luggage behind the front seats, accessible only via the interior. The long bonnet also covered the side wings. An open convertible version (Drop Head Coupé) was also available at the end of 1950.
Under the bonnet a six-cylinder in-line engine with a displacement of 2.6 litres and two overhead camshafts (DOHC) replaced the four-cylinder OHV engine used previously in the 2-Litre Sports. The new engine produced 90/105 hp and was a construction by Lagonda. David Brown had also acquired the trademark rights of Lagonda and its engine designs in 1947 out of insolvency. The development of the engine can be traced back to W. O. Bentley, who had previously worked as technical director at Lagonda. Brown was convinced of the superiority of the Lagonda six-cylinder, which then established the brand's sporty reputation in the Aston Martin DB2 and its successors in the 1950s. In January 1951, an engine with larger SU carburettors and 125 hp was offered as an option under the designation ‘Vantage’. Later, the DB2 achieved fame as a convertible in Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 movie ‘The Birds’.
By 1953, 411 examples of the Aston Martin DB2 had been built, only 102 of which were convertibles. The modified successor DB 2/4 was a shooting-brake coupé with a large tailgate and a folding rear bench seat with two additional seats. Its 3-litre engine already produced 140 hp.
This Automobile
According to the available build sheet, this Aston Martin DB2 as a Drop Head Coupé (convertible) was delivered from the factory on 12 May 1953 and went to the dealer ‘Cyrill Williams Motors’ near Birmingham. It was a powerful ‘Vantage’ version, which achieved an output of 125 hp thanks to larger SU carburettors. The original colour scheme of the time is now completely ‘Matching Colours’ with a paint finish in ‘Sea Green’ (light green metallic), a leather interior in light green, green carpet and a soft top in beige. In addition to the build sheet, there is a service log from Aston Martin that was kept until 1959 and which notes the first two owners in Birmingham and Cornwall. It also shows that the car received a replacement engine from Aston Martin in 1959 – also a Vantage version. This engine is still installed in the car today.
The sporty DB2 remained in the UK and had several other owners over the 1960s and 1970s under the original registration ‘LDA 727’ (from 1953), which are listed in the original preserved ‘Registration Book’. A British V5 licence is available from 1983 under the same registration number. It can therefore be assumed that the car was always based in Great Britain. The sports car subsequently came to Germany to a well-known Aston Martin collector in Hamburg. A German vehicle registration document from 1986 is available for this ownership. He kept the DB2 until his death in the year 2002.
The current owner in Hamburg acquired the Aston Martin from his estate in 2015 and commissioned a complete restoration as close as possible to the original delivery specification. This work was carried out and coordinated by a passionate Aston Martin specialist in Hamburg. The body and chassis were separated (frame-off) and the necessary body work was carried out on original body negatives by the trusted expert of the long-time previous owner. In the course of the restoration, the original colour scheme (see above) was also recreated and the paintwork in ‘Sea Green’ metallic was finished according to the old original recipe.
The renewed light green leather of the interior was provided by the Connolly manufactory in England. In addition, a twin-flow stainless steel exhaust system was installed, which provides an impressive sound. This restoration work is very thoroughly documented with photos and invoices. The original chrome bumpers are available, but were not fitted for a more purist look. The restoration took place over a period of seven years and was completed in 2021. Since then, the car has not been re-registered for road use again. However, the necessary expert reports for the individual operating licence and for classification as a classic car (§21 and §23 StVZO) were provided for a registration in Germany.
This Aston Martin DB2 combines two model-specific features: Firstly, it is an original Vantage version delivered by the factory. And second, it is a rare convertible version, which was often referred to as a ‘Drop Head Coupé’ by British automobile brands at the time. The original colour scheme is likely to be extremely rare then as now and the fresh ‘Sea Green’ metallic provides this example with a sporty and elegant appearance. It comes very close to the ‘Aston Racing Green’ colour of the later factory racing cars.
The elaborate and high-quality restoration makes the car look as good as new from the factory. Overall cost of this DB2 project – purchase of the vehicle plus the restoration – amounts to around 450,000 EUR. Today's asking price is just over half of that and offers the rare opportunity to acquire an extremely attractive Aston Martin DB2 Vantage as a Drop Head Coupé in top condition at an interesting price.
Model History
The series production version of the Aston Martin DB2 was first presented at the New York Auto Show in April 1950. It was the successor to the 2-Litre Sports, which was subsequently referred to as the DB1. The DB2 prototype had already been entered in the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans as one of three participating Aston Martins. The DB2 was the first model with the designation ‘DB’ – it stands for the director and owner David Brown, who acquired Aston Martin in 1947 and was instrumental in shaping and building up the brand in the 1950s and 1960s.
The DB2 was built on a Claude Hills tubular frame chassis from the previous “2-Litre Sports”. The two-door coupé body in typical Gran Turismo style was designed by Frank Freeley, who had previously designed the LG 45 Rapide at Lagonda and later the DB3 racing sports car at Aston Martin. At the rear, the sports car had a small, top-hinged tailgate to accommodate the spare wheel. There was space for luggage behind the front seats, accessible only via the interior. The long bonnet also covered the side wings. An open convertible version (Drop Head Coupé) was also available at the end of 1950.
Under the bonnet a six-cylinder in-line engine with a displacement of 2.6 litres and two overhead camshafts (DOHC) replaced the four-cylinder OHV engine used previously in the 2-Litre Sports. The new engine produced 90/105 hp and was a construction by Lagonda. David Brown had also acquired the trademark rights of Lagonda and its engine designs in 1947 out of insolvency. The development of the engine can be traced back to W. O. Bentley, who had previously worked as technical director at Lagonda. Brown was convinced of the superiority of the Lagonda six-cylinder, which then established the brand's sporty reputation in the Aston Martin DB2 and its successors in the 1950s. In January 1951, an engine with larger SU carburettors and 125 hp was offered as an option under the designation ‘Vantage’. Later, the DB2 achieved fame as a convertible in Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 movie ‘The Birds’.
By 1953, 411 examples of the Aston Martin DB2 had been built, only 102 of which were convertibles. The modified successor DB 2/4 was a shooting-brake coupé with a large tailgate and a folding rear bench seat with two additional seats. Its 3-litre engine already produced 140 hp.