1969 Aston Martin DBS Vantage

Introduced at the October 1967 Motor Show, the DBS was the successor to the famed Aston Martin DB6, although the two ran concurrently for three years. Styled in-house by William Towns, the aluminum-bodied four-seater had a sharper, more Italianate look than the curvaceous DB6 but still exuded road presence and looks mighty impressive even today.

Longer, wider and more luxurious than the DB6, the DBS employed a platform-type chassis with independent suspension all round: wishbone and coil-spring at the front, De Dion with Watts linkage at the rear. Autocar judged it superior to the preceding DB6 in many areas, offering four full-sized seats in addition to transformed handling and road holding courtesy of the new suspension and standardised power steering.

Originally designed to accept an all-new V8 engine, this was not ready in time for the car's launch, so it was fitted with the legendary four-litre DB6 engine instead. As with the latter, the twin-cam engine was available in standard or Vantage tune - the former producing 282bhp at 5,500rpm via triple SU carburetors, the latter 325bhp at 5,750rpm with triple Webers and hotter cams.

This Aston Martin DBS Vantage is rare manual car and one of just 70 RHD Vantage specification cars built. This particular car is offered from a private collection and is a true barn find having being laid up in a storage barn due to long-term illness.

Having had just 2 former keepers, it was first registered 5th August 1969 and originally was the demonstrator for HR Owen in London before being purchased by the first owner a Mr J Boneham on the 11th December 1969. He kept the car for a further 28 years and a letter in the extensive history file from Mr Boneham's brother Mr M Boneham states that that the car was regularly maintained from new up until the late 1970s at Aston Martin, Newport Pagnell where it would receive a service twice a year. Subsequently in the early 1980's Robin Hamilton Ltd serviced it.

Mr Boneham later sold the car in 1997 to a Mr. W Nash who kept the car for a further 5 years until our vendor acquired in 2002. It was then used for just one year with the last TAX disc showing 2003 and MoT certificate from early 2004 present.

The car is presented with a fantastic history file which includes history dating back from new with its original warranty card, owners hand book and also what appears to be a factory build specification sheet accompanied with a breakdown of service records from 8/7/1969 until 30/4/1973. There are also various invoices of work carried out though out the years, correspondence between previous owners, tax discs and every MoT from 1989 until 2004 included in the history file.

Presented in superb barn find condition the car appears largely untouched and has survived remarkably well with some signs of bubbling appearing around the lower half of the car as one would expect from 10 years of standing. The engine we are told is not seized and turns over on the key, however does not fire.

This is a fantastic opportunity to acquire a fast appreciating Aston Martin in the rarest and most sought after specification with impeccable history. Prime for a sympathetic restoration to retain its originality or alternatively a no holds barred nut and bolt rebuild the choice is yours.