Photo: Bring a Trailer
Introduced in 1969 as the DBS V8, what became the V8 in 1972 was the United Kingdom’s idea of a muscle car. The British brawler that – dare I say it – can be mistaken for the Ford Mustang by non-car people was succeeded by the Virage, V8 once again, and the Vantage as we know it today.
Developed as a replacement for the DB6, the V8 is pretty rare by Aston Martin’s modern standards. Only 4,021 were built and the Series III in the photo gallery is one of 967 examples produced. Located in Houston instead of its stomping ground of Great Britain, this left-hand-drive black stallion from 1978 is currently offered at auction on Bring a Trailer with a good ol’ manual transmission.
At the time of writing, the highest bid sits at $80,000, which is top dollar when compared to the 1978 model year of the atrocity known as the Ford Mustang II. Shipped to the U.S. in December 1977 at a showroom in Hollywood, the numbers-matching V8 Series III comes with a binder of detailed records.
To ensure the roadworthiness of the car, the seller has repaired the boxed lower rocker panels with the help of Metalcraft Racing of Houston, Texas in April 2020. Paint correction was also performed, and as the photos tell you, the exterior of the British brute is pristine in every regard. During previous ownership, the Magnolia leather upholstery has been re-dyed and the Sandringham Beige carpets were replaced by black carpeting to match the dashboard color.
Only the leather on the steering wheel shows clear signs of wear and tear, or patina as collectors like to call it. Showing a little over 52,500 miles (84,490 kilometers) on the Smiths odometer, the car further benefits from new wiring, rocker switches, driver’s seat padding, and amenities such as the classy radio.
The man responsible for redesigning the Lagonda inline-six engine - Polish engineer Tadeusz “Tadek” Marek – has also developed the 5.3-liter V8 under the hood of this fellow here. Displacing 5.3 liters and fed by a quartet of carburetors, the eight-cylinder lump is good for over 300 HP. 305 horsepower to be more precise, which works out at 309 PS in the metric system.
Capable of hitting 60 miles per hour (97 kph) in 5.7 seconds with the ZF-sourced manual transmission, the V8 Series III is both show and go. This particular example of the breed was delivered with what Aston Martin calls the Stage 1 engine, featuring a different exhaust system and camshafts over the 1976 downgrade to 288 horsepower (292 PS) over tightening emissions regulations.
As expected of a rare classic, the seller has included the Aston Martin Heritage Trust certificate in the sale. The document in question lists the dispatch date, the numbers for the chassis and oily bits, as well as a selection of options such as paint code ACR 5030 for the exterior, a.k.a. Raven Black.
At the time of writing, the highest bid sits at $80,000, which is top dollar when compared to the 1978 model year of the atrocity known as the Ford Mustang II. Shipped to the U.S. in December 1977 at a showroom in Hollywood, the numbers-matching V8 Series III comes with a binder of detailed records.
To ensure the roadworthiness of the car, the seller has repaired the boxed lower rocker panels with the help of Metalcraft Racing of Houston, Texas in April 2020. Paint correction was also performed, and as the photos tell you, the exterior of the British brute is pristine in every regard. During previous ownership, the Magnolia leather upholstery has been re-dyed and the Sandringham Beige carpets were replaced by black carpeting to match the dashboard color.
Only the leather on the steering wheel shows clear signs of wear and tear, or patina as collectors like to call it. Showing a little over 52,500 miles (84,490 kilometers) on the Smiths odometer, the car further benefits from new wiring, rocker switches, driver’s seat padding, and amenities such as the classy radio.
The man responsible for redesigning the Lagonda inline-six engine - Polish engineer Tadeusz “Tadek” Marek – has also developed the 5.3-liter V8 under the hood of this fellow here. Displacing 5.3 liters and fed by a quartet of carburetors, the eight-cylinder lump is good for over 300 HP. 305 horsepower to be more precise, which works out at 309 PS in the metric system.
Capable of hitting 60 miles per hour (97 kph) in 5.7 seconds with the ZF-sourced manual transmission, the V8 Series III is both show and go. This particular example of the breed was delivered with what Aston Martin calls the Stage 1 engine, featuring a different exhaust system and camshafts over the 1976 downgrade to 288 horsepower (292 PS) over tightening emissions regulations.
As expected of a rare classic, the seller has included the Aston Martin Heritage Trust certificate in the sale. The document in question lists the dispatch date, the numbers for the chassis and oily bits, as well as a selection of options such as paint code ACR 5030 for the exterior, a.k.a. Raven Black.
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