1965 Aston Martin DB5 Volante Convertible Coupe

Aston Martin introduced the DB5 in September 1963 and it soon became one of the most famous sports cars in the world, helped by a certain Mr. J. Bond, Esquire. Perhaps the best known Aston Martin of all time, due to its starring role in the James Bond film Gold Finger, the DB5 was produced from 1964 to 1965 and a total of 1,021 cars were built. It retained the basic chassis, body style, and running gear of the late-model DB4's, however, the new DB5 was different in many respects – in total, 170 detail modifications completed the transformation from DB4 to DB5.

A specially-equipped DB5 served as super-spy James Bond's personal car in the Hollywood film Goldfinger giving the car international star status.

As well as being produced in saloon form, the DB5 was also available as a convertible or drophead. Aston Martin DB5 convertibles found only 123 lucky owners in the mid-1960s, each paying around $10,000. These low numbers were due to the disruption in production that the convertibles caused. The straight-six, 4-liter engine was designed by Tadek Marek, and all but the first DB5s had the new ZF five-speed gearbox and other luxury equipment. This car has won numerous awards at Aston Martin Owners Club Concours.

Aston Martin's reputation was long-established as a low-volume producer of exquisite sports cars by the time the DB-5 was introduced in 1963.

This car was built at Aston's Newport Pagnell factory in 1965 for export to the United States via their J.S. Inskip dealership in Manhattan. It is one of only 31 original left-hand-drive examples from the 123 DB5 convertibles built. The car was first imported into the United States with Fiesta Red paint; however, its first owner insisted it be painted black before he took delivery. Aston Martin agreed to repaint the car, delaying its final delivery until early 1966. The car was shown at many Aston Martin Club events during its lifetime, but the last time it was seen in public was at the 1999 Louis Vuitton Classic Concours held at the Rockefeller Center in New York City, where it was awarded First in Class.

This car was originally restored in 1986, and shown at the Pebble Beach Concours in 1988. It also received the People's Choice award at the 2002 Greenwich Concours.

The Aston Martin DB5, introduced in 1963, wore Italian-styled aluminum coachwork handcrafted in the Superleggera (Super light) method patented by Touring of Milan. Mechanical componentry was an evolution of the DB4 and came equipped with the updated four-litre Tadek Marek-designed straight-six engine, and all but the earliest examples were fitted with an excellent ZF five-speed gearbox. Other improvements included standard electric window lifts, a more modern charging system, and Girling rather than Dunlop disc brakes. Between 1953 and 1965, a total of 1,021 examples of the Aston Martin DB5 were built, with 123 of those being Convertibles and 39 with left-hand-drive configurations for export markets.

This Aston Martin DB5 Convertible left the factory finished in Fiesta Red with black Connolly leather upholstery with red piping. Optional equipment included Normalair air-conditioning, a Blaupunkt-Köln radio with power aerial, and chrome wire wheels with three-ear knock-offs and Avon Turbospeed GT whitewall tires. Its original owner was Harold Dubilier of Brooklyn, New York, who purchased it through local dealer Ralston Motors, but only on the strict condition that it be painted black prior to delivery. Consequently, 1903/L was not registered until May 1966. The convertible remained in Mr. Dubilier's ownership until 1974, when it was sold to his nephew, Robert Stockman of Danbury, Connecticut. In 1979, Mr. Stockman sold 1903/L to its third owner, Theo Gruttman, who entrusted the car to Lance Evans, the founder and then-owner of Aston Martin specialist Steel Wings, to perform a sympathetic restoration, including new lacquer paint and interior trim. When the work was completed, the car was periodically exhibited at the annual Lime Rock meet. In 1992 and 1996, the car won the Elite Class, only open to prior class winners. He also displayed the DB5 Convertible at the Louis Vuitton Classic at Rockefeller Center in 1999 where it won First in the Postwar Sports Car Class.

This Aston Martin DB5 Convertible remained in Mr. Gruttman's care for nearly four decades, only agreeing to sell the car in 2018 due to failing health. The current East Coast collector had the car undergo a complete concours level restoration. Between 2018 and 2021, the DB5 Convertible was completely disassembled and restored from the ground up. Over 1,000 hours were devoted to body preparation alone, with single-stage paint used to achieve a period-correct appearance.

In 2021, the DB5 Convertible made its debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it received Third in Class. It received a Class Award and Founder's Choice at the Audrain Newport Concours, First in Class at Amelia Island, and the Timeless Elegance Award at Radnor Hunt. In 2022, it was shown at the AMOC Lime Rock Classic and earned First in Class as well as the Ziebart Trophy for the Most Deserving Aston Martin.

This Aston Martin is powered by a 3,995cc dual overhead cam, all-alloy inline six-cylinder engine with three SU HD 8 carburetors and delivers 282 horsepower at 5,500 RPM. There is a five-speed ZF manual gearbox, four-wheel servo-assisted Girling disc brakes, and an independent front suspension.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2023