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Aston Martin Ownership
- Thread starter curtis
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curtis
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Part One.
Having spent my early driving days on competitive rallyes I was swayed towards Astons as the garage that looked after my Ford Escort MK I TwinCam was an Aston Martin service point. The owner suggested I might like to try his AMV8. I did but it didn't immediately appeal. Then he suggested a DB5 which was for sale locally and we went together to see it. That was much more to my liking and a deal was struck.
It was a 1964 model and bright red. Space had to made in the garage and my daily driver, a MK2 Sprite, was put outside. I soon joined the Aston Martin Owners Club and became well involved to the point that some years later the southern representative left to live in Barbados and I took over. No motorsport was involved with the DB5 although I did go to Goodwood for a trackday which a few of us organised. That was when you could do that without too many formalities ! Some touring in France and Switzerland and than the competition bug came back and that will lead us on to part 2.
The picture shows my DB5 on the way to the Wiscombe Park hillclimb with some visitors from France
Having spent my early driving days on competitive rallyes I was swayed towards Astons as the garage that looked after my Ford Escort MK I TwinCam was an Aston Martin service point. The owner suggested I might like to try his AMV8. I did but it didn't immediately appeal. Then he suggested a DB5 which was for sale locally and we went together to see it. That was much more to my liking and a deal was struck.
It was a 1964 model and bright red. Space had to made in the garage and my daily driver, a MK2 Sprite, was put outside. I soon joined the Aston Martin Owners Club and became well involved to the point that some years later the southern representative left to live in Barbados and I took over. No motorsport was involved with the DB5 although I did go to Goodwood for a trackday which a few of us organised. That was when you could do that without too many formalities ! Some touring in France and Switzerland and than the competition bug came back and that will lead us on to part 2.
The picture shows my DB5 on the way to the Wiscombe Park hillclimb with some visitors from France
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Part two.
Having got the competition bug again it was obvious that the DB5 was not what I wanted. So looking around I found a DB2/4 MK1. It belonged to two friends of mine, both already involved in racing.This was the beginning of many years of fun both in the UK and France. The MK1 was painted gray and once back in my garage I set about tidying it ready for the first hillclimb. I think all that was needed then (back in the 80s) was seatbelts and a catch tank for the oil breather and a timing strut on the front to break the beam when you went off the line. Racing was very much a friends and family affair then. Three or four of us would meet up and drive our Astons to the various meetings, mostly camping for the weekend. No trailers, motorhomes or hôtels for us. Of course the hope always was that you wouldn't have a problem that would immobilise the car.
I think I won a couple of handicap awards in the first year. The thought of circuit racing now came to the fore and after an entry at Silverstone and Brands Hatch (1983) it became obvious that the engine needed a rebuild.
Having got the competition bug again it was obvious that the DB5 was not what I wanted. So looking around I found a DB2/4 MK1. It belonged to two friends of mine, both already involved in racing.This was the beginning of many years of fun both in the UK and France. The MK1 was painted gray and once back in my garage I set about tidying it ready for the first hillclimb. I think all that was needed then (back in the 80s) was seatbelts and a catch tank for the oil breather and a timing strut on the front to break the beam when you went off the line. Racing was very much a friends and family affair then. Three or four of us would meet up and drive our Astons to the various meetings, mostly camping for the weekend. No trailers, motorhomes or hôtels for us. Of course the hope always was that you wouldn't have a problem that would immobilise the car.
I think I won a couple of handicap awards in the first year. The thought of circuit racing now came to the fore and after an entry at Silverstone and Brands Hatch (1983) it became obvious that the engine needed a rebuild.
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curtis
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The car was OK in grey although it was not the original (Moonbeam grey) but more like "battleship" grey !
However, an unwelcome situation turned to my advantage. On the way back from The St John Horsfall race at Silverstone on an extremely hot day we passed through a town where the tar on the road had begun to melt. The council had decided to send a grit spreader out and in passing us they didn't bother to stop the spreading. The noise down the side of the car was horrendous. Nothing could be done at the time although I noted the name of the road.
On the Monday I was on the phone to the Town Hall to put in a claim for a repaint.
Eventually an assessor was sent to see the damage. In between times a customer/friend of mine who had his own bodywork business agreed to be there and help get the best deal.
We finally got a price agreed for which he would repaint the whole car if I prepared it first.
So that winter I stripped the car down to the bare aluminium. Not the most pleasant of jobs but I kept thinking of the free repaint. Of course I chose a British Racing Green.
However, an unwelcome situation turned to my advantage. On the way back from The St John Horsfall race at Silverstone on an extremely hot day we passed through a town where the tar on the road had begun to melt. The council had decided to send a grit spreader out and in passing us they didn't bother to stop the spreading. The noise down the side of the car was horrendous. Nothing could be done at the time although I noted the name of the road.
On the Monday I was on the phone to the Town Hall to put in a claim for a repaint.
Eventually an assessor was sent to see the damage. In between times a customer/friend of mine who had his own bodywork business agreed to be there and help get the best deal.
We finally got a price agreed for which he would repaint the whole car if I prepared it first.
So that winter I stripped the car down to the bare aluminium. Not the most pleasant of jobs but I kept thinking of the free repaint. Of course I chose a British Racing Green.
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At the time I started campaigning the Aston there were a number of other Feltham cars that were very well prepared. Over time thought had gone into how to improve what was described as a very agricultural car. I ran on pumped up Avon Turbospeed crossply tyres which had their limitations. The problem was that there were not many options at 16". Pirelli I believe were not brilliant in the wet and then there was the Firestone Cavalino which was not too bad but was suddenly unavailable. Of course the other choice was Dunlop Racing and they came at a price.
So chatting with my friend John Reed who had one of the front running Astons, a plan of action was formed.
A rebuild consisting of new pistons and liners. A reground crankshaft and solid "cheeses" to keep the crankshaft in place. The camshafts were reprofiled to DB3S spec.
The front brake drums were remade and it was John who had found a company that would do this. It was joked that when the drums were made just after the war a variety of steel had been used, from bedsteads to railings or anything that could be found ! Consequently, when they got hot they expanded un equally.
Another big step was the move to 15" wheels. At the time they were being made for Dunlop in India and in fact were good quality and not too expensive. It was said that if it looked like rust on the spokes we shouldn't worry as it was just curry powder!
With the smaller wheels the car needed to be lowered and the quickest and cheapest way to acheive this was to cut a coil off each spring. Chop chop...job done.
As you can see much was done on a budget.
So chatting with my friend John Reed who had one of the front running Astons, a plan of action was formed.
A rebuild consisting of new pistons and liners. A reground crankshaft and solid "cheeses" to keep the crankshaft in place. The camshafts were reprofiled to DB3S spec.
The front brake drums were remade and it was John who had found a company that would do this. It was joked that when the drums were made just after the war a variety of steel had been used, from bedsteads to railings or anything that could be found ! Consequently, when they got hot they expanded un equally.
Another big step was the move to 15" wheels. At the time they were being made for Dunlop in India and in fact were good quality and not too expensive. It was said that if it looked like rust on the spokes we shouldn't worry as it was just curry powder!
With the smaller wheels the car needed to be lowered and the quickest and cheapest way to acheive this was to cut a coil off each spring. Chop chop...job done.
As you can see much was done on a budget.
