'Barn find' Aston Martin at Bonhams sale

February 6, 2013 by Bonhams

'Barn find' Aston Martin bought by its owner in 1972 for £1,500 could achieve 100 times that at Bonhams sale

This 1964 DB5 Sports Saloon, which has spent more than 30 years cocooned in a garage, is expected to realize between £150,000 and £200,000 when it goes under the hammer in May

An original-condition, 'barn-find' Aston Martin DB5 Sports Saloon is an early consignment for the 14th annual Bonhams sale of Aston Martin and Lagonda motor cars at the factory's Works department in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, UK, on Saturday 18th May.

The 1964 model, with less than 48,000 miles on the clock, is offered from a deceased estate in good condition but in need of restoration. It is estimated to realize £150,000 to £200,000.

The car's most recent owner, Aston Martin Owner's Club member David Ettridge, bought it for £1,500 in 1972, an amount that equates to approximately £14,000 in today's money. After initial use in the 1970s, the car has remained parked his garage since 1980. The engine had not been started since that date, as a result of which evidence of a mouse nest made of shredded newspaper can still be seen in the engine bay. However, after careful preparation, the car's engine was fired up after 30 plus years of silence with David Ettridge's daughters in attendance to witness the momentous occasion.

With fully-restored examples of this type typically selling for upwards of £320,000, this car represents a rewarding restoration project for a true Aston Martin enthusiast.

James Knight, Group Motoring Director, said: 'The Bonhams Motor Car department has handled the sale of numerous 'barn-find' Aston Martins over the past 15 years, but none of them have been in as good condition as this DB5. It requires restoration in the true sense of the word, restoring existing original components as opposed to replacing them. There is a growing appreciation of preserving cars to remain as original as possible, and this is an ideal candidate.

'The car returns to Newport Pagnell and will be offered for sale where it was originally built. There can be no greater satisfaction for the true enthusiast than restoring a once-great motor car to its former glory, and we hope the new owner of this time-warp will preserve as much of its original integrity as possible.'

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Consignments are still being accepted. To discuss potential entries please call the Motor Car Department on +44 (0) 20 7468 5801 or email ukcars@bonhams.com.