1973 Aston Martin AM Vantage

• Bought new by our vendor's father on 01/08/1973, it has remained in the family since
• One of just 68 right-hand drive examples of the 6-cylinder engined AM Vantage
• Used sparingly, this matching numbers car has covered just 20,600 miles (atoc)
• Since inheriting the car in 2016, our vendor has spent over ú48,000 on recommissioning
• Particular attention was paid to the running gear, electrics, engine and body
• Full, glass-out, respray in Royal Claret Metallic finished with twin gold pinstripes as original
• Offered to auction with the original book pack, warranty certificate and service voucher booklet

After Sir David Brown's departure, DBS production continued under new owners Company Developments, the car being re-styled with a two-headlamp front end but mechanically remaining much as before. The 4-litre, six-cylinder model was re-named Vantage, a departure from accepted practice, as the term had hitherto been used to denote the high-performance engine option. With independent front suspension, a De Dion rear axle, power-assisted rack and pinion steering, four-wheel disc brakes and propelled by the Tadek Marek designed 4.0-ltr, 6-cylinder engine it was a capable and refined 'Grand Tourer' that was reputedly capable of over 140mph. A mere 70 of these six-cylinder Vantages were produced between May 1972 and July 1973 with all but two in right-hand drive.

This very special automatic AM Vantage was registered on the 01/08/1973 having been bought by our vendor's late father. The original warranty card and completed pre-sale checklist for the car is undated and has a Mr Berry listed as the customer, and we can only surmise this was a cancelled order, and the supplying dealer was Frank Lazenby Ltd. of Leicester. According to HPI records, there have only been two registered keepers, our vendor's father and our vendor when he inherited it.

Delivered in Royal Claret Metallic with a black leather interior, it was maintained by Aston Martin main dealers Reg Vardy Specialist Cars. Interestingly there is a letter within the history file from Sir Peter Vardy, dated 27/03/1979, valuing the car at ú9,000! With a successful business and a young family, the car was consequently used sparingly and a Reg Vardy service receipt from 1989 states the mileage at 18,282 miles. Now showing, at the time of cataloguing, an odometer reading of 20,593 miles, our vendor has provided a signed statement confirming the low mileage, having known the car all of his life.

After inheriting the Aston in 2016, marque specialists Aston Workshop of Durham were retained to carry out a programme of recommissioning works, whilst sympathetically retaining the patina and originality of the interior of this matching numbers car. The list of works is extensive and include cylinder head overhaul and conversion to unleaded petrol, fitting of new harness carriers, outer sills and jacking points. The front suspension was overhauled as were the brakes and the electrics were attended to with an upgraded alternator, starter, electronic ignition, and negative earth conversion. The glass-out respray in Royal Claret is complemented by twin gold pinstripes as per the original specification, and new seals and fixings were used in the re-fitting process. Completed in 2017, the total amounts to some ú48,000 and the Aston has covered less than 1,000 miles since. Copy schedules of works can be provided via email prior to the sale.

As one of the rarest production Aston Martins ever and offered from single-family ownership with such low miles, this car is an unrepeatable opportunity and is accompanied by a history file that includes the original book pack, warranty certificate, service voucher booklet and both historical receipts and current invoices.