John's car was no ordinary DB5, mind you (as if there is such a thing), but was, rather, the Vantage-engined model complete with Weber carburetors, wire wheels, Sundym electrically operated windows, and, according to the advertisement found in the back of Motorsport magazine, “many bills.”

This proved to be the siren call for John, and he made the long trek via train from his home in North Wales to London to have a look, whereupon he was summarily impressed: He acquired the car for £900. It may sound like a pittance today but rolling back the clock can be a bit more sobering: That would be more than £15,000 in today's coin of the realm.

Okay, yes, that's still a pittance.

John was rightly chuffed to use the DB5 as his daily driver for many years, only mothballing the car on his driveway when a lucrative assignment in the Middle East came calling in 1977. And therein the seeds of rot began to take hold.

"Life happened," as John summarized, circumstances which are familiar to all. "I’d had offers to buy her, and there were times when I could have done with the money, but I resisted and, as Sue [John’s wife] said, ‘you’ll never get another one’.”

An "attractive nuisance," as the legal beagles are wont to say, Sue chimed in, noting that “...the neighbors’ kids used to come round to play, and they’d play on her. Bouncing on the bonnet. One balanced on the exhaust pipe and snapped it off!”

With decades of seeing it shoved to a corner or underfoot or simply laying about, John came to a conclusion: Following a long career as a successful welder and "garage man," he was ashamed that he had let his prized possession deteriorate. He had, he said, worked hard to buy her. It was now time to work hard to get her repaired.

To that end, Williams saved up around £400,000 ($530,000) to have the DB5 rebuilt by the Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell, the heritage home of the marque where more than 13,000 of the most iconic Aston Martins were built over the firm's storied fifty year history there, and where three years and 2500 hours of labor went into the restoration of John's car.

Work began in earnest in late 2022, with all being completed in late 2025.

Restoration is not for the faint of heart, as seeing one's beloved in such a state can be shocking. It is fair to say that Sue was taken aback during a 2023 visit to the Works' Panel Shop, where the chassis and its underlying Superleggera frame were being restored, and where each aluminum panel was being hand-formed.

"Wow!" she exclaimed, "she looks amazing, doesn't she? You've done such a lot of work."

John was a bit flummoxed too, noting that the once-derelict lump was shaping up well. "It looks like an Aston Martin now. I'm thrilled. It's great to see all the old ways of building a car have been passed on, and younger people here are keeping up the tradition."

Universally acknowledged as the most sought-after specification of all DB5s, the Williams car is a right-hand-drive 1965 DB5 saloon with the sought-after Vantage engine. It was initially specified in what remains, today, the most desirable exterior color – Silver Birch – and boasts a fascinating provenance that includes an original owner from the St George’s Hill area of Surrey, a gated community that, at the time, was home to many celebrities including The Beatles’ John Lennon and Ringo Starr.

Of the 1,022 DB5 models built by Aston Martin between 1963 and 1965, fewer than 1,000 (887) were built in the saloon body style and, of those, only 39 originally boasted the Silver Birch paintwork, higher output Vantage engine, and right-hand drive configuration of the Williams car, making this a particularly rare and desirable example of "the most famous car in the world".

It is, then, a right and proper time capsule of Sixties motoring, now in better-than-new condition.

::Mods, please remove if not allowed::

We inherited this ‘67 MGB-GT and decided we need to sell it. Our dad restored the entire body and frame and got the car running, but simply reinstalled the old wiring. Car is rust free.

Nowadays, we aren’t able to get the car to start, though she wants to turn over. I believe there might be an electrical drain on the battery which prevents it from turning the starter properly. I could be way off but the battery reads at ~11.5v and the car kicks when the ignition is turned.

Long story short, we don’t really have the ability to work on it and we were hoping to sell it. Body, engine bay, and interior are in remarkable shape (see photos) but the car doesn’t run. Any thoughts on where we should start?

We’re in great Chicago metro, if that matters.

My grandad worked in the warehouse at the Newport Pagnell factory back in the late 70s and ended up keeping a batch of original parts, badges, and promotional bits through the years.
Everything in this collection is 100% brand new, original factory stock (NOS) that’s sat untouched since he brought it home. A lot of the emblems still have their original factory 3M backing paper on them. 

A few standouts in the lot:

DB7 Zagato roundel badges (large & small) 

Classic "David Brown" gold-plated wings 

Unstamped Tickford Street / Newport Pagnell factory sill plaque 

Original Lagonda & Aston Martin Lagonda winged bonnet/grille badges 

V8, Vantage, and Volante side strake inserts 

Original 1980s leather bottle carrier, Klingfast tax disc holder, matchboxes, and lapel pins 

Thought I'd share the photos here for the enthusiasts! If you're collecting automobilia, restoring a car, or think you might have a good home for any of these pieces, drop a comment or send me a message.

Thanks

1940 MG SA Saloon. At a Glance:

Rare Pre-War Saloon | Earlier Restoration | Well Kept Example

Hundreds more photos, videos, and details, here: 1940 MG SA Saloon – Trade Classics

Auction ends 22nd October!

A handsome example of MG’s imposing pre-war sports saloon, combining elegant coachwork, a spacious leather-trimmed cabin and smooth six-cylinder power.

Introduced as the MG Two Litre in 1935, the model later became better known by its SA designation. It represented a considerable departure from the lightweight sports cars for which MG had become famous, taking the company into the more prestigious sporting-saloon market.

The SA subsequently formed part of the family now commonly known as the SVW range, alongside the smaller VA and larger WA. Only approximately 2,738 examples of the SA were produced across all body styles before production ended in 1939.

Early examples used a 2,288cc six-cylinder engine, with capacity increased to 2,322cc during 1937. Drive was through a four-speed manual gearbox, while centre-lock wire wheels and hydraulically operated drum brakes provided a comparatively advanced specification for the period.

This 1940 saloon is finished in a particularly attractive combination of light blue and deep blue, with matching blue leather upholstery, blue carpeting and extensive walnut trim. Its tall chrome grille, large headlamps, auxiliary lighting and rear-mounted spare wheel give it tremendous period presence.

This listing was written from information supplied by Ashley after meeting James the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

1951 Allard K2. At a Glance:

3.9-Litre Flathead V8 | Four-Speed Moss Gearbox | Competition History

Hundreds more photos, videos, and details, here: 1940 MG SA Saloon – Trade Classics

Auction ends 22nd October!

A rare and wonderfully purposeful example of the Anglo-American sports-car formula for which Allard was renowned.

Sydney Allard built his reputation by combining lightweight British chassis' with the effortless torque of large American engines. The resulting cars were immensely effective in competition, while remaining sufficiently usable for road driving, touring, and club events.

Introduced for the 1951 model year, the K2 was a more refined development of the earlier K1, and shared much of its engineering philosophy with Allard’s celebrated competition cars. Its divided front axle, coil-spring front suspension, lightweight open body, and characteristic cutaway doors produced a distinctive roadster with genuine competition potential.

Approximately 119 K2s are understood to have been produced during 1951 and 1952, making surviving examples a rare sight.

This 1951 example is finished in its factory-recorded Pacific Green, with a green interior, black tonneau cover, and silver-painted steel wheels. Its aged paint, exposed bonnet strap, and compact windscreen give it an appealing, competition-used appearance.

This listing was written from information supplied by Dom after meeting Edward the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

J’ai possédé la même B GT EN 1982: la classe mais l’Aston Martin du « pauvre »….

Source :Pinterest, inépuisable.