1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe

The Aston Martin DB2 made its debut in 1950.

S.H. 'Wacky' Arnolt was based in Chicago and made money in the steel industry, later diversifying into automobile distribution. In 1951, at the Torino Auto Show, he made a deal with Carrozzeria Bertone to build custom-bodied MG TDs and later a limited number of Aston Martin DB2/4s.

This Aston Martin is one of only two DB2/4 chassis built with convertible coachwork by Bertone. It was completed by Aston Martin on June 9th of 1953 and dispatched to Carrozzeria Bertone in Torino on November 16the. Nuccio Bertone's in-house stylist, Franco Scaglione, designed three DB2/4 Spiders (chassis numbers LML/503, LML/505, and LML/507). Freeland designer Giovanni Michelotti designed two Drophead Coupe designs for chassis numbers LML/504 and LML/506.

This example, chassis number LML/506, was ordered through British Motor Car Distributors in California, and delivered to its first owner, Edith Field, on November 12, 1954. In 1955, Mrs. Fields entered his Bertone-bodied Aston Martin in the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and was awarded Third Place in the Two-Seater Sports Car class.

LML/506 would pass through a succession of owners before it was re-discovered in Tennessee in the mid-1980s. In 1986, it was sold to Innes Ireland, who kept it for a short period before selling it in unrestored condition to David Clark of London. Mr. Clark began a restoration, though the project eventually stalled. In 2006, it was sold to Tarek Mahmoud, who had Goldsmith and Young complete the restoration. Shortly after the work was completed, the car was sold to another United Kingdom collector. In September of 2011, the car made its post-restoration debut at the AMOC Autumn Concours held at Chavenage House, winning First Prize in the Feltham Aston Class.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2017