1963 Aston Martin DB4 Series 4 4.7-Litre Sports Saloon

Footnotes

'The Aston Martin DB4 was perhaps the finest compromise which the David Brown-owned company ever achieved between exceptionally high-quality, exceptionally high-performance, exceptionally lavish finishing and yet properly contained overall size and weight – a great British product, benefiting from the styling input of Touring of Milan...' – Motors, 1965.

This Aston Martin DB4's accompanying copy build sheet reveals that it was first registered 'OKA 1' on 19th February 1963 and served as a demonstrator for J Blake & Co Ltd, 110 Bold Street, Liverpool. It is probable that the Aston was driven by Jack Reece, Blake's managing director at that time and a capable Formula 3 and Cooper-JAP driver who also entered the Monte Carlo and Tulip Rallies. 'OKA 1' featured on many of his cars. The Aston was delivered equipped with the overdrive gearbox, chromed wire wheels, heated rear screen, and Motorola radio with power aerial, and was finished in Fiesta with black Connolly leather interior. The DB4's next owner was R H Williams of Beddgelert, North Wales who exchanged it for his ex-Monte Carlo Rally DB2/4. He later exchanged the DB4 for a DB6 Volante (see copy of Mr Williams' letter to this effect on file).

Exported to the USA (date unknown) the car comes with a California Deptartment of Motor Vehicles document stating that in 1979 the keeper was Norman Wolfson, then in 1984 a Gene Butters, then in 1986 Jerry Lee Forney, followed by a George Thatcher of Indian Wells, CA who sold it via the trade to Ray Cleall of Seaford, East Sussex in 1988. In September 1989 the DB4 was registered to Paradise Garage and in 1991 was sold to a Mr Fenn of Bournemouth described as in superb order (following a road test/report carried out by R S Williams).

RSW and Aston Service Dorset looked after the DB4 for Mr Fenn up to its sale in 2004 to RSW, from whom it was purchased as a restored car in January 2005 by the current titled owner. The restoration incorporated many mechanical and other upgrades at the owner's personal request, including an engine rebuilt to 4.7 litres capacity and 'unleaded' compatibility; latest specification clutch; rebuilt and upgraded gearbox and overdrive; aluminium radiator and cooling updates; headlamps upgraded to highest specification; high-output alternator, and a heavy-duty battery pack.

The car was repainted in Aston Green and re-trimmed in Connolly Autolux light tan hide with green carpets. Improvements made to the interior include sound proofing; a Recaro seat on the driver's side (the original seat is included in the lot); concealed music system with CD pack in boot; satellite navigation with European compliant traffic information; radar system; and a voice activated telephone and tracker system. A particularly neat touch is the James Bond-style 'ejector seat' button in the gear lever knob, which in actual fact switches on the navigation and music systems. Other noteworthy features include door mirrors, bonnet straps, chromed 'GB' badge, rear lap belts, boot-mounted fire extinguisher, First Aid and spare bulb kits (in the boot), and a Magnalight clipped inside the glove box.

The Aston has been used sparingly over the course of the last 12 years, during which period it has regularly returned to R S Williams for general servicing and maintenance. Presented in beautiful condition, this comprehensively upgraded DB4 comes with a substantial file containing the aforementioned documents; photographs of the restoration; a large quantity of old MoTs and tax discs; a V5C Registration Certificate; and MoT to June 2018.