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| Aston Martin DB4 Convertible 1963 |
In many ways, the DB4 was the car that spelled out Aston Martin’s future. It was introduced at the 1958 London Motor Show with the all-new six-cylinder engine that was developed by famous engineer Tadek Marek, and it set the basic styling that the company would follow for years to come. The dual overhead-camshaft mill produced 240 horsepower in its standard tune with dual SU carburetors, and it was mounted in a new pressed-steel platform frame with four-wheel disc brakes. Enclosing all of this was a lightweight superleggera body, which was built by Touring of Italy in their famous style and featured aluminum panels over a tubular frame.
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| Aston Martin DB4 Convertible 1963 |
As the DB4 was capable of reaching 0–100 mph in fewer than 30 seconds, it placed Aston Martin on equal footing with its Italian archrivals, Ferrari and Maserati. It earned Aston Martin Prince Philip’s Royal Warrant of Appointment, and it would eventually grace the silver screen in the iconic “car movie” The Italian Job, in which Michael Caine drove a rather ill-fated DB4 Convertible.
It was the convertible that was the most exclusive and elusive of DB4s. Only 70 were manufactured, making it one of the rarest Aston Martin convertibles ever. Survivors are very rare and seldom ever offered for sale, particularly survivors that were owned by the society figures who made the model famous, like the car offered here.
LADY HENRIETTA
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| Aston Martin DB4 Convertible 1963 |
Aston Martin Dorset service records note that chassis number DB4C/1095/R was ordered on February 7, 1963, through the agent in Brooklands, and it was delivered on May 31, 1963, with a guarantee issued the same day. The original buyer is recorded as “the Hon. Henrietta Guinness, Gloucester Lodge, Regents Park, London.”
Lady Henrietta was a member of the famed brewing family and one of its principal heiresses, and by the age of 21, she was already a popular figure in London society. At a time when Swinging London was taking hold, bringing modern art, free love, and exciting high-living to Carnaby Street and King’s Road, she was part of the “scene.” Today, Gloucester Lodge, her palatial home, survives as one of London’s most regal residences, and it is listed as a Grade I historic building, which is a status that is also given to such British icons as Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge.
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| Aston Martin DB4 Convertible 1963 |
Period newspaper reports indicate that the Goodwood Green DB4 Convertible was bought by Lady Henrietta for Michael Beeby, a Chelsea counterculture figure whose status as “Britain’s most famous beatnik” made his romance with the heiress popular with the tabloid press. Nonetheless, Lady Henrietta’s love for Beeby was real, and in August 1963, the couple headed to the Cote d’Azur in the new Aston Martin.
During the drive back to London, the DB4 was involved in an accident, with Beeby at the wheel. Amidst ensuing press, the car returned to Dorset with a note in the service records stating that it had been written off by the insurance company; however, further notes indicate that the factory then repaired the accident damage, which included overhauling the engine and installing a new windshield.
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| Aston Martin DB4 Convertible 1963 |
At some point, the DB4 Convertible made its way stateside. It was converted to left-hand drive, to suit United States roads, and was cosmetically restored in its present dark red with tan leather interior. By 1994, it had wound up in Florida, where it was acquired by Bob Pond. For the next 18 years, it would remain one of the favorite cars in the fleet at Pond’s Palm Springs ranch.
Today, many components of the car still appear original, including its dashboard, gauges, and lovingly worn-in pedals, and overall, it invites the same sort of enthusiastic driving that it enjoyed when new. Importantly, the car still wears its original chassis and Touring body tags, which are in good condition and document its original numbers. A total of 33,697 miles are recorded, and it is also important to note that this DB4 Convertible received a recent service from an Aston Martin specialist in order to attend to some mechanical issues. The engine was fully tuned and fitted with new plugs, wires, and filters; all three SU carburetors were rebuilt; radiator hoses and their associated clamps were replaced; a new battery was installed; and the clutch was adjusted, amongst other minor fixes.
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