1 of only 551 ever made, we were entrusted to complete a major restoration of this classic Aston Martin, originally delivered new to Cape Town in 1958.
The clients brief was for an sympathetic restoration to restore the car to its original condition, but also ensure the mechanical upgrades completed delivered a car that would perform solidly out on the road for years to come.
We commenced on what would be 15-month restoration program with no stone left unturned.
An extensive amount of work was undertaken, commencing with taking the car back to a bare metal shell. Uncovering the original shell revealed a mostly dry framework and just the need for minor repairs and some rectification of previously completed poor workmanship to the body.
Everything was immaculately realigned to precision before a full re-spray commenced, our client being a fan of Silver felt it was the perfect colour to complement black interior, matched with re-chromed body trims setting off the silver paint work.
Mechanical restoration work was next, with diligence on delivering a smooth ride for many more years of classic motoring.
The engine underwent a complete top end overhaul. After removing the cylinder head we discovered a number of faults and our first task was to fit new valve guides and seats – completed with machining cylinder head faces, at the same cam shaft profiles check with new cam followers.
With a fully overhauled assembled cylinder head our next step was to overcome incorrectly fitted head stubs which were fitted back to front making the removal incredibly difficult, however with the correct head studs fitted things were going our way.
Cam timing would be our last hurdle as this wasn’t timed correctly. With some research, testing and patience we found the optimum cam timing for this engine. As our client wanted “hassle free motoring” so we sent the original distributor to 123 conversions in Holland for an expert electronic conversion but with the appearance of an original distributor. This modern electronic blue tooth maple distributor would now giving reliability for endless miles of motoring.
Inside the Aston Martin the owner wanted to keep the original worn patina of the black leather seats and trims, and this was enhanced with new rubber carpet headlining before we meticulously cleaned and treated the full trim and dash to restore its appearance to its former glory.
Particular attention was paid to all of the parts, all of which were supplied from Aston Martin Dorset, and with a new exhaust system, ignition and fuel system it was time for her maiden road test – a trip to Goodwood. The car set-off from the Redline workshop running to and from Goodwood without fault, not bad for a first road test of over 150 miles.
