A British industrialist who saved Aston Martin in February 1947, the one and only Sir David Brown is the gentleman who gave the British automaker the DB nomenclature we know and love. The 2-Litre Sports of 1948 is retrospectively known as the DB1, but on this occasion, we’ll be covering a DB5 Convertible that was delivered to Sir David Brown in '64.
Chassis number DB5C/1273/R was originally finished in Caribbean Pearl for the bodyshell and Navy Blue for the leather upholstery, as presented today. A spectacular-looking blast from the ‘60s, the DB5 Convertible in the following clip and photo gallery is one of merely 123 units built.
A high-spec example fitted with a Motorola radio and Power Lock rear axle, DB5C/1273/R is rocking a five-speed manual from ZF and chromed wire wheels for extra eye candy. Owned by Sir David Brown for three years before garage proprietor John Wilkinson purchased the open-top grand tourer, this beautiful machine had a replacement block installed at Newport Pagnell in 1969, along with a stamped manufacturer’s identity plate.
Last sold by Nicholas Mee & Co in 1994, one year after the passing of Sir David Brown, the car benefitted from a major restoration in 2014. The inline-six engine was rebuilt to original specifications, together with the gearbox, rear axle, and Girling disc brakes. The bare metal was repainted, and the interior was retrimmed in Connolly, as you’d expect of a classic of this caliber. A one-off example of British automotive history, this DB5 Convertible carries an asking price of £1,150,000 on Nicholas Mee & Co.
That’s a little over $1.4 million at current exchange rates, which is understandable given the provenance of DB5C/1273/R and the rarity of the DB5 Convertible. “It is restored to precisely the same specifications Sir David ordered it in back in 1964, it’s a car he cherished and loved,” said Nicholas Mee about the 58-year-old convertible from Newport Pagnell.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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