Launched off the back of a successful debut at Le Mans in 1949, where one of the three-car works team finished seventh, Aston Martin’s DB2 was one of those special cars the well-heeled could drive to work from Monday to Friday then race at the weekend.
CHASING CARS
Russ Smith’s market headliners
The first-series Aston DB2s are particularly prized by marque connoisseurs. They can be identified by the three-piece front grille and large vents behind the front wheels that gave them the nickname ‘Washboard’ Astons. Both features were absent for the second series, which appeared after just 49 examples had been built.
‘It has a lovely history – it was owned for some time by Australian Le Mans and F1 driver Vern Schuppan’
It’s one of those 49 early DB2s that Silverstone Auctions will offer at its NEC sale on November 9-10. We asked Aston Martin specialist Keith Riddington, from Buckinghamshire-based dealer Classicmobilia, for his impression of YVL 636.
‘I know this car very well and was involved when it was imported from Australia to Holland some years ago. I also saw it at Pebble Beach when it was entered in the concours there in 2015 and was awarded third in class. Tomy mind it should have won. ‘It has a lovely history – it was even owned for some time by Australian Le Mans and F1 driver Vern Schuppan – and has been given a spot-on restoration, carried out in Australia; it’s all so correct. I actually tried to buy this car when it was last auctioned, but I was the only bidder and we ultimately couldn’t agree on a price – the seller wanted £400,000.
‘This is obviously a very rare car and it would be very hard to find another. Saying that, we did sell one of the drophead versions not too long ago, and got £675,000 for that. The thing is, only a small number of people want these. But for anyone who does, I would say this is the one to have.’
But what does Riddington think about Silverstone Auctions’ pre-sale estimate of £390,000-£450,000 for the car? ‘I would say it is worth every penny of £350,000.’
