LOT 280

Aston Martin Assured Provenance Certified 1968 Aston Martin DB6 Sports Saloon Registration no. to be advised Chassis no. DB6/3425/LC

Sold for £204,700 inc. premium

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Lot 280

Aston Martin Assured Provenance Certified
1968 Aston Martin DB6 Sports Saloon
Registration no. to be advised Chassis no. DB6/3425/LC

Goodwood Revival: Collectors' Motor Cars and Automobilia|18 September 2021, 13:00 BST|Chichester, Goodwood

Aston Martin Assured Provenance Certified
1968 Aston Martin DB6 Sports Saloon
Registration no. to be advised
Chassis no. DB6/3425/LC

*Original left-hand drive car delivered new in the UK
*Exported to California when a few months old
*Single family ownership for the next 30 years
*Converted to ZF manual transmission and Weber carburettors

Footnotes

This beautiful Aston Martin DB6 has certainly led an interesting life. A left-hand drive model, the car was ordered new by an American director of the Shell Oil Company as a gift to his wife on their 30th wedding anniversary. The DB6 was originally finished in Oystershell with natural leather interior, and left the factory equipped with automatic transmission; Coolair air conditioning; power assisted steering; front and rear seat belts; FIAMM air horns; chrome wire wheels with three-ear spinners; a heated rear window; a New Yorker radio; two wing mirrors; and front and rear bumper over-riders. The couple took delivery in England (most likely at the Newport Pagnell factory) and toured the United Kingdom for a few months.

A month into their tour of the UK the car returned to the factory for its 500-mile service, returning again a few months later at 685 miles for a 1,000-mile service. A new automatic gearbox was fitted at the same time together with an 'exhaust emissions kit'. It is believed that the Aston was shipped to the USA shortly thereafter.

The car arrived in the port of San Francisco in late 1968 and over the following years was much enjoyed by the family around their homes in northern California, initially in Woodside and later in Pebble Beach. In 1983 the DB6 was passed on to one of their sons, who clearly was equally fond of it. The car had previously benefited from some repainting during the 1970s, and during his custodianship he maintained it himself to a very high standard. After six years of enjoyment he undertook a mechanical refurbishment, which included replacing the automatic transmission with a ZF five-speed manual gearbox; overhauling the cylinder head; replacing the SU carburettors with three twin-choke Webers (the SUs had replaced the original Strombergs); overhauling the rear axle, differential, and brakes. The air conditioning system had never worked satisfactorily so this was removed. After 30 years of careful family ownership, the DB6 was regretfully sold in 1998 to a psychiatrist living near the coast to the north of San Francisco. The history file contains much interesting information and photographs of the family's time with the DB6.

It is believed the car was cosmetically restored in the mid-2000s, during which it was repainted and re-trimmed in the attractive dark red metallic and tan leather combination we see today. A few years later in, November 2007, this lovely DB6 was sold by a well-known specialist in New York State, and the car left the USA for the Middle East.

Nearly 50 years after it had left, the car returned to England and in 2018 Aston Martin Works carried out extensive refurbishment, which included overhauling the steering rack and carburettors. In addition, a suspension handling kit and new shock absorbers were fitted, together with a new electrical wiring loom. Boasting triple-Weber carburettors and having an interesting history, this original left-hand drive DB6 comes with Aston Martin Assured Provenance certification and was serviced by Aston Martin Works in November 2020.

Additional information

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