VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

Beautifully presented following extensive recent work that included a respray in its original shade of Dubonnet Rosso, this Aston Martin DB6 is a rare Vantage model that still boasts its original matching-numbers engine.

Chassis number DB6/3596/R was completed at the Newport Pagnell factory on 4 February 1969 and first registered on 14 March. It was sold new via Aston Martin dealer Arnold G Wilson, and although it’s a late Mk1 model, it subsequently gained Mk2-style flared wheelarches.

The DB6 had only two owners between 1978 and 2019, the second of which used it on numerous tours to Switzerland, Spain, France and Ireland. They covered more than 30,000 miles in the Aston, using it all year round and always making sure that it was fastidiously maintained.

During their ownership, the front suspension was rebuilt, a new clutch and balanced flywheel were installed, the propshaft was replaced, the engine received a top-end rebuild with an unleaded conversion, and the linkage to the triple Weber carburettors was rebuilt in order to further enhance the car’s already impressive performance.

A new windscreen, front grille and front bumpers were also fitted, and not only was the DB6 driven enthusiastically, it was also displayed at prestigious events such as the Hampton Court Concours of Elegance.

It was at one of those events that the owner met someone who’d owned the Aston Martin during the 1970s. He reported that the Mk2-style flared arches had been done by the time he bought the car, and also that he’d fitted a Mk2 gearbox. The original Mk1 unit had apparently failed after he rebuilt the engine and then forgot to refill the gearbox with oil…

After passing to a new owner in 2019 and forming part of a private collection, this DB6 continued to be used and enjoyed on lengthy tours. Now being offered for sale at the Classic Motor Hub, it comes with a comprehensive history file as well as a Heritage Certificate, and is a supremely usable example of this muscular, stylish grand tourer.

MODEL HISTORY

The DB6 was the ultimate development of a bloodline that, for many enthusiasts, still defines the classic Aston Martin. Although it retained the basic Touring styling of its DB4 and DB5predecessors, the DB6 was a more practical car that featured an extended wheelbase and a higher roofline in order to provide more room in the rear.

It also introduced a redesigned rear end, with a Kamm-style ‘cut off’ and a spoiler that reduced lift and gave the DB6 a link to Aston Martin’s Project 215 racer.

The Tadek Marek-designed, 3995cc straight-six engine was offered in either triple-SU specification or as the triple-Weber Vantage. A Powr-Lok limited-slip differential, chrome wire wheels and automatic transmission were offered as no-cost options.

Beneath the skin, there was rack-and-pinion steering and independent front suspension, with a live rear axle and Watt linkage. Girling disc brakes were fitted all round, and a five-speed manual gearbox was standard fitment.

The DB6 was launched at the 1965 London Motor Show and was offered in both coupé and open-top Volante forms. Motor magazine began its road test of a Vantage model by stating that it was ‘superior in every way’ to its predecessor and that, in terms of its handling, ‘the Aston is in a strong position to say to 99 per cent of production cars, “anything you can do, I can do better”.’

John Bolster wrote in Autosport that he was ‘astonished by its flexibility’ and added that ‘it will idle through traffic like a dowager’s limousine and will accelerate on a high gear in a manner which is rare even among the biggest V8 power units.’

A Mk2 version was introduced in 1969 – with wider wheels and optional fuel injection – and the model remained in production until late the following year before finally being discontinued.