1958 Aston Martin DB4

Between 1914 to 1940, Aston Martin produced approximately 679 vehicles, with production increasing after English industrialist David Brown acquired the company and Lagonda in the late 1940s. Aston Martin was appealing due to its reputation for sporting motor cars, sound engineering, and impeccable craftsmanship. Following David Brown's acquisition, the first model designed and engineered completely in-house was the DB2 of 1949. Beneath the bonnet was a 2.5-liter W.O. Bentley-designed Lagonda engine which would later be used in the DB2/4 and MKII and DB MKIII, remaining in use through 1959.

The long-stroke, essentially pre-war Lagonda engine was replaced by a new six-cylinder 3.6-liter engine with an alloy block, twin camshafts, and hemispherical combustion chambers. It was designed by newly hired Polish-born engineer Tadek Marek and would remain in use for the next 13 years, powering the DB4, DB4 GT, DB5, DB6 and DBS models.

Along with road-going production, a small series of sporting racing cars were built by General Manager John Wyer, Engine Designer Marek and Race Engineer Ted Cutting. The list included the DB3 S and DBR 1 and helped David Brown achieve a victory at the 24 Hours of LeMans outright, with Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori driving, as well as the

1959 World Sportscar Manufacturer's Championship, aided by team drivers Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks, Jack Fairman, Maurice Trintignant and Paul Frere.

The Aston Martin DB4

Production of the Aston Martin DB4 began in 1958 and continued through 1963 with 1,204 examples produced including 56 examples of the DB4 GT and 19 of the DB4 GT Zagato. Its predecessor was the DB Mark III which rested on a 99-inch wheelbase platform (an overall length of 172 inches and a width of 65 inches) and was powered by the 2.9-liter Lagonda inline-6. Production lasted from 1957 through 1959 with 551 examples built during that time.

The DB4 had a steel platform type chassis designed by Harold Beach, replacing the preceding multi-tubular spaceframe which was considered incompatible with Touring's Superleggera body construction. Its wheelbase measured 98 inches (overall length of 177 inches and width of 66 inches) and wore lightweight superleggera coachwork designed by Carrozzeria Touring in Milan. The previous trailing-link independent front suspension gave way to unequal-length wishbones while at the rear the DB4 sported a live axle located by a Watts linkage instead of its predecessor's Panhard rod. The 3.7-liter engine was designed by Tadek Marek and delivered 240 horsepower. Its cylinder head and block were formed from R.R.50 aluminum alloy, dual overhead camshafts, and twin-SU carburetors. The Marek-designed 3.7-liter engine was first seen at Le Mans in 1957 in the DBR2. With the potent engine and lightweight coachwork, the DB4 began the first production car capable of accelerating from a standing start to 100mph and back to rest again in under 30 seconds.

The transmission was a new David Brown four-speed all-synchromesh unit and stopping power was courtesy of servo-assisted disc brakes. Early examples wore 11.5-inch Dunlops which were soon replaced by Girlings. Disc brakes on production Aston martins were a new feature, having been fitted as standard to the front wheels of all Mark III Astons after the first 100 had been made. Many cars were upgraded later.

The early examples of the DB4 wore 16-inch wheels with 600H16 Avon TurboSpeed cross-ply tires. 185VR16 Pirelli Cinturato CA67 were optional. British and European-based cars typically received a 3.54:1 final drive ratio while the United States-destined cars had a 3.77 ratio. The optional drive ratio for achieving a high top speed was a 3.31:1 ratio.

The DB4 'Series'

The Aston Martin DB4 was developed through no fewer than five series - a classification meant to distinguish changes made during production. The second series arrived in January of 1960 with the most visible feature being the addition of window frames and a front-hinged bonnet. Additional updates included larger brake calipers and an enlarged sump The third series had separate rear lights, two bonnet stays, and a host of improvements to the interior fittings. The fourth series wore a new grille with seven vertical bars, recessed rear lights, and shallower bonnet intake. Coinciding with the arrival of the Series IV was the arrival of the 'Special Series' (SS) or 'Vantage' engine in September 1961 as optional equipment. The 'SS' incorporated a 9.0:1 compression ratio, larger valves, triple SU HD8 carburetors, and delivered 266 horsepower. Most Vantage models had enclosed headlights - like the DB4 GT. A total of 136 saloon examples were built to Vantage specification along with 32 convertibles.

The fifth and final series, manufactured between September 1962 and June 1963, was built atop a 3.5-inch longer wheelbase which improved legroom and increased the trunk (boot) space. Additionally, there were 15-inc wheels, an electric radiator fan, and the DB4GT-type instrument panel.

The Aston Martin DB4 GT

The DB4 GT was introduced in September of 1959 and production was exclusive, with a total of seventy-five examples being built with an additional nineteen being modified by the Zagato works in Italy, resulting in the DB4 GT Zagato These special vehicles wore Borrani wire wheels, a smoothed out rear end, devoid of the stock GT tail fins, and plain oval grilles.

The Aston Martin DB4 GT was a high-performance, lightweight, shorter wheelbase Gran Turismo that had thinner aluminum skin, enclosed headlights, and was powered by a tuned 3.7-liter or 3.8-liter engine. The engines had two spark plugs per cylinder, two distributors, twin-choke Weber carburetors, modified cylinder heads, and a higher compression ratio of 9.0:1. Horsepower was rated at just over 300 bhp making them the fastest road-legal production car at the time. Zero-to-sixty mph took just 6.1 seconds and top speed was achieved at 151 mph.

Coachbuilder Bertone created coachwork for a single example and it was known as the Bertone Jet.

The DB4 was replaced by the DB5 with the principal difference between the two is the larger, 4.0-liter engine backed by a new ZF five-speed transmission. Production continued through 1965 with 1,059 examples being built.

by Dan Vaughan

FastBack Coupe
Chassis number: DB4/150/R
Engine number: 370/364

This 1958 Aston Martin DB4 Series I is currently in 'project' condition. It is one of 76 Series I Right Hand Drive examples and it is believed to have been purchased new by Mr. Baugh of Birmingham, with the car being delivered on October 24th, 1959 factory painted Peony with off-white Connolly interior. Beneath its bonnet was engine number 370/154; it is not known when the engine it carries (370/364) was installed.

This Aston Martin left Antwerp in the late summer of 1975, with 52,587 miles on the odometer, to be delivered in Los Angeles on September 18th (of that year). The car has accumulated just 4,000 miles since it left the U.K.

A restoration began but was never completed.

by Dan Vaughan

The DB name came from the name David Brown (later Sir David Brown), an individual who had purchased the Aston Martin Company.

The DB4 series was built from 1958 through 1963. A total of 1040 vehicles and five series were produced during this time frame. The coachwork was performed by Touring of Milan, Italy. The body panels were hand made of aluminum mounted on a steel tube frame and featuring the Superleggera method of construction. Superleggera means super light.

Initially, the DB4 series used disc brakes made by Dunlop but later switched to the Girling made disc brakes. Each of the five series featured improvements, design modifications, and technological enhancements. All of the DB4s received their power from a Tadek Mereck designed, 3670 cc, six-cylinder, all aluminum engine. The 220-240 horsepower engine could propel the car to a top speed of around 140 mph and the go from zero to sixty in just 8.5 seconds. David Brown, the owner of Aston Martin, produced the overdrive transmission.

The standard DB4 body style was the Saloon version; however, the Vantage series could be ordered and featured higher horsepower ratings.

In 1959, Aston Martin introduced the DB4 GT series. This series featured a shorter wheelbase and higher output than the standard DB4 Saloon. Due to the shorter wheelbase there were no rear seats. The engine had three twin-choke Weber Carburetors and twin distributors increasing the output of the standard engine to 302 bhp. This extra horsepower increased the top speed to around 153 mph and the zero-to-sixty time of around six seconds.

Other distinguishable features of the GT series were the exposed, racing style, fuel filer caps located on the rear wings. Perspex headlamp covers adorned the front of the vehicles.

The GT series was produced from 1959 through 1963. During this time period, 75 models were produced. The Italian coachbuilder Zagato was tasked at producing the bodies of 19 of these vehicles.

In 1960 the Zagato bodied cars were introduced at the London Motor Show. These hand-built vehicles were built to outperform Ferrari's. The short wheelbase, light weight construction, 314 horsepower engine, and a top speed of 160 mph made them very competitive.

The DB4 Drophead Coupe was produced from 1961 through 1963. During this time frame, 70 examples were created. They were convertibles built on the DB4 Saloon body style using the same aluminum, Superleggera body construction. The standard six-cylinder 3670 cc engine was now producing 260 horsepower. Thirty-two of the convertibles received the Vantage specifications which increased the output of the engine. The overdrive transmission was also available as an option.

In the 1960's, the DB4 Drophead Coupe was used in the movie 'The Italian Job.'

During the 1980's, an Aston Martin specialist named Richard Williams produced the remaining DB4's using the assistance of the Aston Martin factory and unused chassis.

by Dan Vaughan

Aston Martin unveiled their DB4 at the 1958 Paris Salon. This was a big achievement for the small British manufacturer as it was a totally new car on a completely new steel platform chassis and disc brakes on all four corners. It was powered by an alloy twin-cam 3.7-liter straight-six engine and bodied by Touring of Milan in an elegant fastback aluminum body. This combination was performance-oriented with all the necessary criteria such as the potent engine, lightweight body, excellent stopping power provided by the disc brakes, and finished in an attractive and elegant fastback configuration. It was state-of-the-art at the time, a modern masterpiece of British engineering and Italian styling.

Harold Beech was involved with the engineering of the chassis, including the fitting of an independent front suspension and a live rear axle located by trailing arms and a Watt's linkage. The coachwork was constructed by Aston Martin under license from Touring

At the September 1959 London Motor Show, Aston Martin introduced their competition variant dubbed the DB4 GT. It was based on the race-winning prototype SP199/1. In the very capable hands of Sterling Moss, the GT prototype had won its first outing in May 1959 at Silverstone.

The Aston Martin DB4 GT sat on a shortened wheelbase, made lighter, and given a more powerful engine. The engine was given a higher compression ratio, twin-plug cylinder heads, and triple dual-throat Weber 45 DCOE carburetors. Weight was reduced by 91 kg overall, partly by reducing the wheelbase by around 5 inches. The Standard DB4 produced 240 horsepower while the DB4GT produced 302 BHP making it the most powerful British car of its era. Top speed was achieved at just over 150 mph and zero-to-sixty took a mere 6.1 seconds.

The DB4 and DB4GT were visually distinguishable by the faired in headlamps, a feature that was later made standard on the DB5. The DB4 GT had quick-release 'Monza' fuel fillers on each of the rear wings, bumper overrider deletes, and frameless roll-down windows within the doors. The interior of the DB4 GT was rather luxurious with Connolly hides and Wilton wool carpeting. An oil temperature gauge was added to the array of instrumentation, along with an 8000 RPM tachometer.

The Ferrari SWB 250 Berlinetta was a very dominant and competitive car in FIA racing, but the DB4 GTs were able to mount a strong challenge in 1959 by both the Works team and Jon Ogier's Essex Racing stable. Individuals usually found behind the wheel included Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, Roy Salvadori, and Innes Ireland.

Production of the Aston Martin DB4 GT lasted from 1959 through 1963 with a total of 75 examples produced, plus an additional 19 created by Zagato in various configurations. 45 of the 75 were right-hand drive with the other 30 having left-hand drive. Six of the 75 are known to have full Factory lightweight construction details. These six are further divided into two additional categories. The first group consisting of four examples were originally ordered as 'Build Sheet GTs' meaning they were ordered with this lightweight specification. Two were Right Hand Drive and the other two were Left Hand Drive. The other lightweight group is referred to as 'BESPOKE' or Service Department created GTs. Meaning they were modified to the lightweight specification after the factory had performed the original build.

Thus, most of the DB4 GTs created were suitable for competition or Grand Touring, for road or track.

by Dan Vaughan

The Aston Martin DB4 was first introduced to the public at the 1958 Paris Salon and powered by a 3.7-liter straight eight and clothed in an aluminum body. Touring of Milan was tasked with creating the design. The Aston Martin DB4 GT was introduced a year later at the London Motor Show and was based on the race winning prototype SP199/1. 1959 was a great year for Aston martin as they had won the World Sportscar Championship title. The GT prototype inaugural race was in May of 1959 at Silverstone where it finished in first place at the hands of Stirling Moss.

The Aston Martin DB4 GT was lighter, shorter, and more powerful than the base DB4. In an effort to reduce the weight of the vehicle the bodywork was made thinner using 18 gauge alloy. The wheelbase was reduced by 13cm which made the rear seats obsolete. In total, 200 pounds had been shed. Under the graceful hood was the six-cylinder engine modified with twin plug cylinder heads and triple dual-throat Weber 45 DCOE carburetors. Horsepower was raised to over 300, bettering the standard DB4 engine by 60 horsepower, and making it the most powerful British sports car of its era.

Most of the DB4 GT's had Plexiglas rear screen and quarter windows. Disc brakes could be found on all four corners, as could the alloy Boranni wire wheels. The roll-down windows were frameless within the doors. A high-capacity fuel tank could be found in the rear. Quick-release 'Monza' fuel fillers were placed atop of the rear wings. All of this equated to a car that had a top speed over 150 mph and could race from zero-to-sixty in just over 6 seconds. Visually, in comparison to the DB4, the GT has cowled headlights and a very prominent hood scoop.

The interior of the cars were race inspired but still filled with luxurious amenities.

The DB4 GT was produced from 1959 through 1963 with only 75 examples being produced plus another 19 examples bodied by Zagato. 45 were right-hand drive and 30 were left hand drive. The Zagato bodied cars were necessary to keep pace with Ferrari's 250 GT machines. Zagato was legendary in the world or automotive weight reduction and their skills were in high demand. Ercole Spada of Zagato was given the task of performing the necessary modifications. Even after Zagato worked his magic, the Ferrari's proved to competitive for the DB4 GT's. Though the DB4 GT's suffered from oversteer and and low rigidity, its Achilles' heal was the fact that it was born from a road going car.

The final DB4 GT constructed was sent to Bertone who fitted it with a body and had it sent to the 1961 Geneva and Turin Motorshows. It was styled by Giorgietto Giugiaro who was in the infancy of his career. This, the 76th and final DB4 GT produced, was given an attractive steel body.

by Dan Vaughan