1953 Aston Martin DB2/4

Aston Martin introduced its '2+2' DB2/4 in October 1953, building upon the success and appeal of its predecessor - the DB2 - by liberating additional space to accommodate two child-sized occasional rear seats.

Emerging from World War II, Aston Martin soon came under the control of David Brown in 1947, who quickly steered the company towards the production of expensive, exclusive, grand touring cars. The first model under Mr. Brown's tutelage was the 2-Litre Sports (sometimes referred to as the 'DB1') that was produced from 1948 to 1950. A mere 15 examples were built, but it helped establish a path that forthcoming models would follow.

The 2-Liter Sports was powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine developed by Claude Hill, installed in a tube-frame chassis, and most were clothed with open roadster coachwork. The DB2 that followed in 1950 came equipped with a W.O. Bentley-designed Lagonda straight-6 engine, and 411 examples were produced through 1953. Initially, the DB2 wore closed, 2-seater coupes which Aton Martin described as a 'sports saloon.' Drophead coupe body styles were later added, accounting for approximately a quarter of the model's total sales.

DB2 Mechanical Specification
The engine straight six-cylinder engine for the DB2 had a 3.07-inch (78 mm) bore, a 3.543-inch (90 mm) stroke, and a displacement size of 2.6 liters. Its development occurred before WWII, under the supervision of W.O. Bentley, with development primarily by William (Willie) Watson. With a pair of SU carburetors, the 2.6-liter unit produced approximately 105 horsepower. The shortened frame designed by Claude Hill had a wheelbase size of 99 inches, a length of 162.5 inches, and stood 53.5 inches tall. The fastback coupe bodywork was designed by Frank Feeley and had a seating capacity for two.

Motorsports
Aston Martin entered three pre-production cars for the 1949 24 Hours of LeMans. Two of the cars were equipped with the tried-and-true four-cylinder Aston Martin 2-litre engine, with the third car equipped with the Lagonda straight-6. The latter was driven by Leslie Johnson, who was forced to retire early due to overheating caused by the failure of the water pump. One of the 2-liter cars crashed two hours short of the finish after losing its brakes. The third Aston Martin finished the race in a respectable 7th place. The following month, at the Spa 24-hour race, Leslie Johnson and Charles Brackenbury drove the straight-6 engine car to 3rd place, and Nick Haines and Lance Macklin drove one of the 2-liter cars to 5th.

Aston Martin returned to Le Mans in 1950 with three cars powered by the Lagonda engine. The car driven by George Abecassis and Lance Macklin finished 5th, and Brackenbury and Reg Parnell placed 6th, earning Aston Martin 1st and 2nd in the 3-liter class.

Briggs Cunningham drove a DB2 at the inaugural Sebring race meeting in December 1950, finishing 2nd in its class.

At the 1951 Le Mans, Macklin and Eric Thompson placed 3rd overall, and Abecassis and Brian Shawe-Taylor finished 5th.

The Aston Martin DB2/4
A Grand Tourer with Le Mans Racing lineage and plenty of cargo capacity.

The DB2/4 retained the 99-inch wheelbase size of its predecessor but added seven inches to its length, now measuring 169.5 inches. The fuel tank capacity was reduced from 19 to 17 gallons, liberating even more space for occasional rear seats. Additionally, the rear seat backs could be folded down, creating a load-carrying platform that could be used to house even more luggage. This area could be accessed via the 2/4's opening rear door. The roofline was raised, larger bumpers installed, and a one-piece windscreen helped differentiate the newcomer from its predecessor.

Along with the 2+2 hatchback saloon coachwork, the DB2/4 was available as a drophead coupe (DHC) and 2-seat fixed-head coupe. A few examples received spider coachwork by Bertone, built to private commission.

Much of the mechanical componentry remained the same as the DB2, including the rectangular-tube chassis, trailing arm independent front suspension and live rear axle.

Engine
The 2.6-litre (157 cubic-inch / 2,580cc) 'VB6E' Lagonda inline six-cylinder engine initially delivered 125 horsepower (Vantage specification). In September 1953, displacement rose to 2.9 liters (178 CID / 2,922 cc) (VB6J engine) which boosted output to 140 hp at 5,000 RPM. The British magazine The Motor tested a 2.9-liter DB2/4 in 1954 and found it to have the ability to sprint from zero to sixty mph in 10.5 seconds, with top speed achieved a 118.5 mph. 100 mph was achievable in third gear.

Production
The total DB2/4 production, lasting from October 1953 to 1957, reached 764 units. The Mark I was produced through October 1955 with 565 examples built. The majority were 2+2 hatchbacks with a design penned by John Turner. A drophead coupe joined the lineup in April of 1954, and 102 of the Mark I variants were built. Additionally, around four or five Mark I examples wore Spider coachwork by Bertone.

The Aston Martin DB2/4 Mark II
The lion's share of the Mark II production continued to be the 2+2 hatchback, accounting for approximately 146 of the 199 examples built. Thirty-four examples received fixed-head coupe bodies (a new body style), sixteen were drophead coupes, and three were Spiders by Carrozzeria Touring. During the production of the Mark II, coachbuilding responsibilities were relocated from Mulliner's of Feltham to Tickford's works in Newport Pagnell (David Brown acquired Tickford in 1954, and all of Aston Martin's operations would move to Tickford with the start of DB4 production).

Introduced in 1955, the Mark II arrived with small tailfins, tail lights sourced from the Morris minor, additional chrome, and an optional updated engine. The latter had a higher compression ratio of 8.6:1 and large valves, bringing output to 165 horsepower.

The Aston Martin DB2/4 Mark III (a.k.a. DB Mark III)
Production of the DB2/4 Mark III began in 1957 and continued through 1959. The new Bert Thickpenny-designed front grille bestowed upon the Mark III would become a hallmark of the Aston Martin marque, defining the familiar shape that would be used by many of its models in the future. The worm-and-sector steering was a carryover from the Mark II, as was the live rear axle and DBA engine with twin SU carburetors. An optional dual-exhaust system boosted output from the standard 162 hp to 178 hp. The Girling disc brakes were also optional (front Girling disc brakes became standard after the first 100 Mark III were built), along with the Laycock-de Normanville overdrive that was attached to the standard four-speed gearbox. An automatic transmission became available after the first 100 cars were built.

The Mark III had a new instrument panel, and the rear lights were from the Humber Hawk. The engine could be fitted with three SU 1.75-inch carburetors and dual exhaust, boosting output to 180 hp. The high-output DBB engine had three twin-choke Weber 35 DCO 3 carburetors, high compression 8.6:1 pistons, long-duration camshafts, and a dual-exhaust system. In this configuration, output was rated at nearly 200 bhp. At least one car received a special DBC competition engine which had around 215 horsepower.

A total of 551 examples of the DB Mark III were built, including 462 hatchbacks, 84 drophead coupes, and five fixed-head coupes.

by Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2024