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1930 Aston Martin 1.5-Liter International

Short Chassis Sports Tourer

Leaving the factory in 1930 this Aston was equipped with a 2/4 open tourer body. Progressive engineering features included a remote oil sump, nitroalloy cylinder block, two overhead valves per cylinder, chain driven overhead cam shaft and a torque tube drive shaft unit. It was campaigned at Brooklands with the Junior Car Club and the British Race Drivers Club (BRDC) and won the coveted High Speed Trials. In the late 1930s it was refitted by the factory as a closed saloon in deference to the owner's chronic respiratory problems per his physician's orders.

The body deteriorated during wartime storage. It was imported to Canada after the war and a Bertelli inspired boattail racing body was fitted by its aeronautical engineer owner.

Currently, it has been in the same ownership for over 45 years and is a veteran of two Mille Miglia races and numerous concours.

Aston-Martin vehicles (which used the hyphen during this period) were manufactured by Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin. The post-World War I saw Aston Martin grow a reputation for their sporting and high-performance vehicles. Although this helped their publicity, it distracted them from the business of manufacturing cars for sale. Around 50 vehicles had been sold by 1925 when the company endured its first of many changes of ownership.

In 1926, Aston Martin Motors Ltd. was formed under the stewardship of Augustus 'Bert' Bertelli and William Renwick. The first 'new generation' of Aston Martins, built at the new Feltham works, were put on display at the 1927 London Motor Show at Olympia. Motorsports remained a staple for Aston Maritn, and two works racers were built for the 1928 season. They were based on the 1.5-liter, overhead-camshaft road car, but given dry-sump lubrication. This feature would later be carried over to the International sports model when they were introduced for 1929. Two wheelbase lengths were available (a 102-inch and 118-inch platform), the International was manufactured between 1929 and 1932. Most examples were given bodies by Augustus's brother Enrico 'Harry' Bertelli. A total of 136 examples were built between 1927 and 1932 with 14 resting on the long chassis and 122 on the short wheelbase.

Depending on the rear axle ratio, the International had a top speed of 80 - 90 mph.

'Bert' Bertelli and Pat Driscoll won the Biennial Cup at LeMans in 1932. This would be one of the many accomplishments achieved by the International before it was superseded by the LeMans and Ulster models.

by Dan Vaughan